Can anyone give advice on major points on the hull to check on a used sailboat before I launch it. I fear it may sink, the structure is well intact, I'm concerned about the drainage holes. Thanks, Mark
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Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
A lot of things to do in the spring...
Before and after launching: Pre-launch: Check all your through-hulls and seacocks for signs of corrosion or other failure, lubricate and re-bed as necessary. Check all below-waterline hose connections and replace any cracked or broken fittings or corroded hose clamps. Double clamp any below-waterline hoses that only have a single clamp. Faulty or failed electrical wiring or connections are the leading cause of boat fires. So check all your wiring and electrical connections...and your fuel lines and connections. Charge your batteries and make sure EVERYthing works...replace fuses as necessary...replace any frayed or corroded wiring or switches...any hoses that show signs of chafe. Go over every inch of your boat with a fine-toothed comb. Bedding compound is a lot cheaper than replacing a waterstained headliner or repairing rotted fiberglass! So check all your deck hardware—rail stanchions, cleats, winches, etc—for signs that bedding is failing, and rebed as necessary. If you haven’t done it in at least two years, change every impeller—in the electric toilet, the macerator, the engine intakes--on the boat, even if it looks fine. Each time an impeller pump starts up, it runs dry at least briefly which wears down the edges of the vanes. Unless it’s run dry long enough to really fry it, you can’t see the wear, and there’s only about the width of a human hair between an impeller that still fits tightly enough in the housing to pump water and one that doesn’t. Impellers also dry out over the winter and be come hard and brittle...they're more prone to failure in the spring than any other time. And a hard dry impeller can score the housing, requiring its replacement too. If you have access to water, now's a great time to really CLEAN your bilge, sumps and chain locker--while the boat's out of the water and can really dry out. You won't smell them now, but there are a lot of odor-causing “critters” growing in all those places, ,just waiting to multiply and STINK when the weather get hot If you haven't rebuilt your toilet in at least 3 years, now's the time to do it--while it's clean and dry. Preventive maintenance--new seals, gaskets, valves, etc--reduce the odds of having to make repairs by 99%. Whether you rebuild or not, if you didn’t do it in the fall, lubricate your manual toilet: open the pump and give it a liberal slathering with SuperLube—the same thick teflon grease that was in it when it left the factory. Not only will it keep your toilet pumping smoothly for a full season, but it will protect the seals and pump housing from grit and dirt. Check all vent lines--on fuel, water and holding tanks--for kinks and obstructions and clean them out if necessary. If your waste holding tak is metal, pressure test it for leaks. Check hoses for odor permeation and replace if necessary--it's a much more pleasant job in cool weather and when the system is clean and dry--than in hot when they're full of sewage. Replace check valves in vented loops. Post launch: Test your toilet...make sure it's working correctly...hings have a way dying over the winter. The time to find out is BEFORE you stock the cooler and take the kids out for the first spring cruise! Rinse ALL the antifreeze out of the system thoroughly with fresh water...but don't add any treatment to the tank until you're ready to use it. Put that down the head with the first "real" flush. Don't forget the fresh water system! Follow the instructions in the "Fresh Water Maintenance" article I've posted many times, and which should be in the archives for recommissioning your freshwater tank and plumbing to have clean tasting and clean smelling potable water all season. Make sure your water pump is working...and if not, rebuild or replace diaphragms and valves as necessary. More boats have to be towed in, or find themselves back in the yard, in the spring than at any other time of year. And the owners all say the same thing: "I don't know what's wrong...it was working fine we put the boat away last fall." Don't be one of them!
Before and after launching: Pre-launch: Check all your through-hulls and seacocks for signs of corrosion or other failure, lubricate and re-bed as necessary. Check all below-waterline hose connections and replace any cracked or broken fittings or corroded hose clamps. Double clamp any below-waterline hoses that only have a single clamp. Faulty or failed electrical wiring or connections are the leading cause of boat fires. So check all your wiring and electrical connections...and your fuel lines and connections. Charge your batteries and make sure EVERYthing works...replace fuses as necessary...replace any frayed or corroded wiring or switches...any hoses that show signs of chafe. Go over every inch of your boat with a fine-toothed comb. Bedding compound is a lot cheaper than replacing a waterstained headliner or repairing rotted fiberglass! So check all your deck hardware—rail stanchions, cleats, winches, etc—for signs that bedding is failing, and rebed as necessary. If you haven’t done it in at least two years, change every impeller—in the electric toilet, the macerator, the engine intakes--on the boat, even if it looks fine. Each time an impeller pump starts up, it runs dry at least briefly which wears down the edges of the vanes. Unless it’s run dry long enough to really fry it, you can’t see the wear, and there’s only about the width of a human hair between an impeller that still fits tightly enough in the housing to pump water and one that doesn’t. Impellers also dry out over the winter and be come hard and brittle...they're more prone to failure in the spring than any other time. And a hard dry impeller can score the housing, requiring its replacement too. If you have access to water, now's a great time to really CLEAN your bilge, sumps and chain locker--while the boat's out of the water and can really dry out. You won't smell them now, but there are a lot of odor-causing “critters” growing in all those places, ,just waiting to multiply and STINK when the weather get hot If you haven't rebuilt your toilet in at least 3 years, now's the time to do it--while it's clean and dry. Preventive maintenance--new seals, gaskets, valves, etc--reduce the odds of having to make repairs by 99%. Whether you rebuild or not, if you didn’t do it in the fall, lubricate your manual toilet: open the pump and give it a liberal slathering with SuperLube—the same thick teflon grease that was in it when it left the factory. Not only will it keep your toilet pumping smoothly for a full season, but it will protect the seals and pump housing from grit and dirt. Check all vent lines--on fuel, water and holding tanks--for kinks and obstructions and clean them out if necessary. If your waste holding tak is metal, pressure test it for leaks. Check hoses for odor permeation and replace if necessary--it's a much more pleasant job in cool weather and when the system is clean and dry--than in hot when they're full of sewage. Replace check valves in vented loops. Post launch: Test your toilet...make sure it's working correctly...hings have a way dying over the winter. The time to find out is BEFORE you stock the cooler and take the kids out for the first spring cruise! Rinse ALL the antifreeze out of the system thoroughly with fresh water...but don't add any treatment to the tank until you're ready to use it. Put that down the head with the first "real" flush. Don't forget the fresh water system! Follow the instructions in the "Fresh Water Maintenance" article I've posted many times, and which should be in the archives for recommissioning your freshwater tank and plumbing to have clean tasting and clean smelling potable water all season. Make sure your water pump is working...and if not, rebuild or replace diaphragms and valves as necessary. More boats have to be towed in, or find themselves back in the yard, in the spring than at any other time of year. And the owners all say the same thing: "I don't know what's wrong...it was working fine we put the boat away last fall." Don't be one of them!
P
Peter
Listen to Peggie
That about covers it. There are a number of items listed in her response that I have missed over the years and I have always said I wish I had thought of that and beleive me some have cost me! Some extra thought and effort now pays big dividens in the long run. Peter
That about covers it. There are a number of items listed in her response that I have missed over the years and I have always said I wish I had thought of that and beleive me some have cost me! Some extra thought and effort now pays big dividens in the long run. Peter
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Gord May
From BoatUS
SPRING INTO BOATING WITH BOATU.S.’ COMMISSIONING CHECKLIST To help boaters have a trouble-free summer boating season, BoatU.S., the nation’s largest recreational boating association, has a spring commissioning checklist. Whether you have a power or sailboat, inboard or outboard, following this checklist is an easy way to get ready for the season. The checklist is also available at http://www.BoatUS.com/freebies. BEFORE YOU LAUNCH: __ Inspect and lubricate seacocks. Hoses and hose clamps should be inspected and replaced as necessary. __ Replace deteriorated zincs. __ Inspect prop(s) for dings, pitting and distortion. Make sure cotter pins are secure. Grip the prop and try moving the shaft – if it’s loose, the cutlass bearing may need to be replaced. __ Check to make sure the rudderstock hasn’t been bent. __ Inspect the hull for blisters, distortions and stress cracks. __ Make sure your engine intake sea strainer is free of corrosion and properly secured. __ Check the engine shaft and rudder stuffing boxes for looseness. After the boat is launched, be sure to check these as well as through-hulls for leaks. __ Use a hose to check for deck leaks at ports and hatches. Renew caulk or gaskets as necessary. __ If equipped, ensure that stern drain plug is installed. OUTDRIVES and OUTBOARD ENGINES: __ Inspect rubber outdrive bellows for cracked, dried and/or deteriorated spots (look especially in the folds), and replace if suspect. __ Check power steering and power trim oil levels. Replace worn-out zincs. __ Inspect outer jacket of control cables. Cracks or swelling indicate corrosion and mean that the cable has to be replaced. ENGINES AND FUEL SYSTEMS: __ Inspect fuel lines, including fill and vent hoses, for softness, brittleness or cracking. Check all joints for leaks and make sure all lines are well supported with non-combustible clips or straps with smooth edges. __ Inspect fuel tanks, fuel pumps and filters for leaks. Clamps should be snug and free of rust. Clean fuel filters. __ Inspect cooling hoses and fittings for stiffness, rot, leaks and/or cracking. Make sure they fit snugly and are double-clamped. __ Every few years, remove and inspect exhaust manifold for corrosion. __ Clean and tighten electrical connections, especially both ends of battery cables. Wire-brush battery terminals and fill cells with distilled water. __ Inspect bilge blower hose for leaks. SAILBOAT RIGGING: __ Inspect fittings for cracks and rust. Inspect wire halyards and running backstays for “fishhooks” and rust. __ Remove tape on turnbuckles and lubricate threads, preferably with Teflon. Replace old tape with fresh tape. __ Recaulk through-deck chainplates as necessary (generally, once a decade). TRAILERS: __ Inspect tire treads and sidewalls for cracks or lack of tread and replace as necessary. Check air pressure. Don’t forget the spare! __ Inspect bearings and repack as necessary. __ Test tail and back-up lights. Test winch to make sure it’s working properly. __ Inspect trailer frame for rust. Sand and paint to prevent further deterioration. MISCELLANEOUS: __ Check expiration dates on flares and fire extinguishers. __ Check stove and remote tanks for loose fittings and leaking hoses. __ Inspect bilge pump and float switch to make sure it’s working properly. __ Inspect dock and anchor lines for chafing. __ Update or replace old charts, waterway guides. __ Check shore power cable connections for burns, which indicates the cable needs to be replaced. __ Make sure your boating license and/or registration is up to date. Don’t forget your trailer tags. __ Review your boat insurance policy and update coverage if needed. Be sure you have fuel spill insurance coverage. __ Make sure you have a properly sized and wearable life jackets in good condition for each passenger, including kids and pets.
SPRING INTO BOATING WITH BOATU.S.’ COMMISSIONING CHECKLIST To help boaters have a trouble-free summer boating season, BoatU.S., the nation’s largest recreational boating association, has a spring commissioning checklist. Whether you have a power or sailboat, inboard or outboard, following this checklist is an easy way to get ready for the season. The checklist is also available at http://www.BoatUS.com/freebies. BEFORE YOU LAUNCH: __ Inspect and lubricate seacocks. Hoses and hose clamps should be inspected and replaced as necessary. __ Replace deteriorated zincs. __ Inspect prop(s) for dings, pitting and distortion. Make sure cotter pins are secure. Grip the prop and try moving the shaft – if it’s loose, the cutlass bearing may need to be replaced. __ Check to make sure the rudderstock hasn’t been bent. __ Inspect the hull for blisters, distortions and stress cracks. __ Make sure your engine intake sea strainer is free of corrosion and properly secured. __ Check the engine shaft and rudder stuffing boxes for looseness. After the boat is launched, be sure to check these as well as through-hulls for leaks. __ Use a hose to check for deck leaks at ports and hatches. Renew caulk or gaskets as necessary. __ If equipped, ensure that stern drain plug is installed. OUTDRIVES and OUTBOARD ENGINES: __ Inspect rubber outdrive bellows for cracked, dried and/or deteriorated spots (look especially in the folds), and replace if suspect. __ Check power steering and power trim oil levels. Replace worn-out zincs. __ Inspect outer jacket of control cables. Cracks or swelling indicate corrosion and mean that the cable has to be replaced. ENGINES AND FUEL SYSTEMS: __ Inspect fuel lines, including fill and vent hoses, for softness, brittleness or cracking. Check all joints for leaks and make sure all lines are well supported with non-combustible clips or straps with smooth edges. __ Inspect fuel tanks, fuel pumps and filters for leaks. Clamps should be snug and free of rust. Clean fuel filters. __ Inspect cooling hoses and fittings for stiffness, rot, leaks and/or cracking. Make sure they fit snugly and are double-clamped. __ Every few years, remove and inspect exhaust manifold for corrosion. __ Clean and tighten electrical connections, especially both ends of battery cables. Wire-brush battery terminals and fill cells with distilled water. __ Inspect bilge blower hose for leaks. SAILBOAT RIGGING: __ Inspect fittings for cracks and rust. Inspect wire halyards and running backstays for “fishhooks” and rust. __ Remove tape on turnbuckles and lubricate threads, preferably with Teflon. Replace old tape with fresh tape. __ Recaulk through-deck chainplates as necessary (generally, once a decade). TRAILERS: __ Inspect tire treads and sidewalls for cracks or lack of tread and replace as necessary. Check air pressure. Don’t forget the spare! __ Inspect bearings and repack as necessary. __ Test tail and back-up lights. Test winch to make sure it’s working properly. __ Inspect trailer frame for rust. Sand and paint to prevent further deterioration. MISCELLANEOUS: __ Check expiration dates on flares and fire extinguishers. __ Check stove and remote tanks for loose fittings and leaking hoses. __ Inspect bilge pump and float switch to make sure it’s working properly. __ Inspect dock and anchor lines for chafing. __ Update or replace old charts, waterway guides. __ Check shore power cable connections for burns, which indicates the cable needs to be replaced. __ Make sure your boating license and/or registration is up to date. Don’t forget your trailer tags. __ Review your boat insurance policy and update coverage if needed. Be sure you have fuel spill insurance coverage. __ Make sure you have a properly sized and wearable life jackets in good condition for each passenger, including kids and pets.
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