Do you work off a list? every year I seem to foget one item,last year I forgot to open the sea cock when I first started it and yesterday I forgot to check the engine shut off so there I was in the travel lift slip and crankin and crankin old red (Westerbeke 30)thinking to myself whats wrong with this engine *o cause she always starts and finally started but was running on 2 cyl. thats when I checked the shutoff cable and it was halfway out. (I always reset this so the engine is in the ready to start position) I check the engine from memory before and after startup: Charge the battery battery connections antifreeze oil oil leaks (engine gets wiped clean in fall) belts sea strainer hose's trans fluid shaft flange coupling stuffing box water exiting the exhaust