Keeping a boat maintenance log is an ideal way of reminding owners what needs to be done to a boat and when. Read on for some tips, advice and a sample maintenance log.
However keen you may be to work on your boat, organising yourself can be challenging on occasions. Planning routine boat maintenance in advance can really help you in the long term.
Getting organised
If you are thinking of doing the bulk of the work yourself then it is advisable to be realistic about how much work needs to be done and approximately how long it is going to take. The winter weather can often put a spanner in the works so you may need to build in some flexibility. For those fortunate enough to have friends or family who are happy to give you a hand, the sooner you can firm up dates in diaries for doing this work the better. Remember to give them plenty of advance warning, preferably when the sun is still shining.
Even if you are not going to do the routine maintenance work yourself due to the pressure of work, physical impediment, or because you can afford not to, then you still need to do some planning well ahead of time. This means speaking to your boatyard early on and explaining what tasks need to be done and when. It is a little foolhardy just to take the boat ashore at the end of the season and then three months later ask the yard to do all the maintenance just before you plan to go afloat in the spring. Not a good plan.
Doing the work yourself
Begin by checking through the boat’s maintenance history, noting when work was done in previous years, how much it cost and estimating how long each task took.
Make a list of the materials and tools you will need for each task coming up and remember to keep a note of what you spent on materials and where you bought them. With boating, it always pays to shop around to get the best price for parts.
While your local chandlery might be your favourite shop in the world to browse in, if you are after non-specialist products, such as sponges, brushes, paint rollers, thinners, solvents and tape, you will most likely find similar items in large hardware stores at a fraction of the price. Also, if you are really organised, then buy enough materials to last for a whole season and you will save yourself both time and money in the long run.
Maintenance log spreadsheets
There are some excellent downloadable boat maintenance log spreadsheets available and one in particular I would recommend is produced by Viki Moore of Astrolabe Sailing see www.astrolabesailing.com. Viki’s spreadsheet collates all kinds of information which is boating related including maintenance, boat details, spare parts, annual budget, personal inventory, passage log and more.
Viki’s boat maintenance worksheet is designed to work as a reminder of work to be done as well as a record of what has been done in the past. There are columns to add the parts required, their part number, measurements and other details to make life easier when you need to place orders and plan the work.
Below are some extracts taken from Viki’s maintenance log that gives an overview plan of the routine maintenance that needs to be carried out annually on a typical mid-size cruising yacht.
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BOATYARD MAINTENANCE LOG |
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Item |
Checks |
Notes |
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Engine |
Oil level |
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Coolant level |
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Battery fluid |
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Drive belt tension |
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Check raw water inlet strainer is clear |
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Stern gland lubrication |
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Fuel water separator – drain water |
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Change engine lubricating oil |
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Change lubricating oil filter |
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Transmission oil level |
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Air cleaner element |
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Raw water pump impeller |
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Wasting anode, replace when necessary |
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Remove heat exchanger tube stack, clean . Replace rubber O rings |
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Lubricate key switch with WD40 |
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Check all external nuts, bolts and fastenings are tight |
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Check ball joint nyloc nuts for tightness on gearbox and speed control levers |
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Grease control cable joints and end fittings |
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Grease exposed parts of gear shift mechanism |
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Check for leaks in fuel system |
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Drain water off fuel filter |
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Check engine mounts |
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Change engine oil and oil filter at end of season |
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Top up fuel tanks to prevent condensation |
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Protect the sealed cooling circuit with anti-freeze |
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Protect the raw water cooling circuit with anti-freeze |
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Disconnect the batteries and take ashore |
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Ensure cockpit engine instrument panel is protected |
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Spray engine instrument panel key switch with WD40 or equivalent |
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Clean engine space |
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Stern gear |
Stern tube |
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Stern gland – requires annual maintenance |
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Propeller – grease moving parts as required |
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Prop anode |
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Hull and keel |
Pressure wash immediately after lift out |
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Check hull-deck joint |
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Inspect for chips and dings in the gelcoat |
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Check for signs of osmosis – mark any blisters |
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Check bulkheads and internal hull members for signs of movement |
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Check keel bolts |
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Check keel for rust spots |
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Check for signs of grounding damage |
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Rudder |
Check rudder is in line with keel |
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Check rudder bearings for excessive play |
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Check rudder mountings and pintles are in good condition |
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Check tiller and tiller head for condition |
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Steering |
Check steering cables |
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Lubricate steering cables |
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Check adjustment nuts are tight |
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Check sheave supports are firmly mounted |
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Ensure area is free from gear and tangles |
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Examine rudder shaft |
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Test emergency steering |
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Deck |
Check for signs of delamination or damage |
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Check hatches for signs of leaks |
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Check windows for signs of leaks |
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Check star crazing in the gelcoat |
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Check the toerail is properly fixed and in good condition |
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Check stanchions, pushpit, pulpit and guardrails are all well fixed and serviceable |
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Check all deck gear is in a serviceable condition |
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Check the mast base is sound and well fixed |
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Electrical |
Clean battery tops and terminals |
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Lubricate terminals with petroleum jelly |
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Check electrolyte levels in wet cell batteries |
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Check all electrical connections are clean and secure |
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Check fuses |
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Check light bulbs |
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Check shore power connections |
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Check for any loose connections |
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Check wiring for signs of chafe |
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Use cable ties to tidy loose wires |
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Gas system |
Check gas lines and pipes |
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Check hose clips |
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Check CO2 alarm is working |
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Plumbing |
Clean bilges |
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Check sea cocks |
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Ensure all through hulls are in sound condition and have wooden plugs |
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Check bilge pumps are working |
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Check and clean water tanks |
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Check water pumps are working |
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Check sea toilets are working. Service where necessary |
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Check all taps are working correctly |
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Check shower sump and drain |
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Inspect all hoses for leaks and kinks |
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Ensure all hose clamps are tight |
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Anchoring |
Lubricate bow roller |
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Clean and inspect anchor chain |
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Check anchor shackles |
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Clean and inspect anchor |
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Check mooring lines |
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Check and clean fenders |
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Check line and buoy for emergency ditching |
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Navigation and communications |
Check GPS is working |
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Check chart plotter is working |
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Do VHF radio check |
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Swing compass |
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Check compass light |
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Check handheld VHF |
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Deck gear |
Look for signs of water ingress or corrosion |
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Replace any bent or corroded fastenings |
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Check lifelines |
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Ensure stanchions are secure |
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Service winches |
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Check cleats – ensure back plates and nuts are secure |
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Check jammers |
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Check sheets |
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Check grab rails are secure |
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Check all blocks and shackles are in good condition |
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Wash blocks with detergent to remove salt and dirt |
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Polish stainless |
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Wash traveller cars with detergent |
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Sails |
Remove sails for storage ashore |
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Wash and dry sails in fresh water / send to be laundered |
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Wash sheets and halyards |
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Check for any tears and shafing |
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Check seam stitching |
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Check condition of eyes and cringles |
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Lubricate sail track |
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Check battens and pockets |
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Inspect head, tack and reef points |
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Replace tell tales if required |
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Examine all halyards |
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Galley |
Clean cupboards |
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Check gimbals on stove works |
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Clean stove |
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Check and clean fridge |
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Rig |
Safety first |
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• Check halyards used for rig inspection are not damaged • Check the bosun’s chair is in good condition • Attach two halyards to the chair using knots • Attach tools by a lanyard • Have two capable people operating the winches |
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Deck check |
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Split pins are not broken or missing |
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No broken strands of wire |
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No visible signs of cracking along swage |
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No visible signs of rust streaking indicating broken strands or cracks |
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Halyards lead correctly to exit slots, chafe guards if fitted are secure and in good condition |
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No visible signs of damage to forestay from anchor |
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Masthead |
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Halyard sheaves rotate freely |
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Split pins are not broken or missing |
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Sideways movement of sheaves not too excessive |
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No sharp edges of sheaves able to cause wear to halyards |
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Electrical wires are clamped correctly and no signs of chafing |
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Windex and wind instrument gear correctly aligned and operating freely |
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Forestay and furler |
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Roller furler headstay is not damaged from halyard wrap |
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Halyard leads at the correct angle to the swivel car (see furler manual) |
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Slacken genoa halyard and inspect wear on sheaves, fairlead and top swivel |
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Mast tang pin hole has not elongated |
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Split pins are not broken or missing |
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No signs of corrosion around mast tangs |
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Fastenings are all secure |
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No visible signs of cracking along length of swage |
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No visible signs of rust streaking, indicating broken strands or cracks |
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Inner forestay / cap shrouds |
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Mast tang pin hole has not elongated |
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No signs of corrosion around mast tangs |
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Fastenings are all secure |
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No visible signs of cracking along length of swage |
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No visible signs of rust streaking, indicating broken strands or cracks |
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Split pins are not broken or missing |
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Spreader root |
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No signs of cracking or movement |
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Fastenings are all secure |
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Spreader ends |
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Remove covers for inspection and replace afterwards |
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Wire is securely seized or clamped in spreader end |
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No broken strands or wear |
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Spinnaker pole ring and car |
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Attachment points are secure |
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Pole ring is sized correctly for pole end |
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Deck collar |
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Collar is secure in position |
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Watertight shield is secure and not perished |
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Mast step |
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No evidence of excessive corrosion |
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Mast step is secure to hull |
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Chain plates |
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No sign of elongation in pin holes |
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Split pins are not broken or missing |
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Chain plates align with stay angles |
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No evidence of fracture in chainplate at deck level |
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Chain plates are fastened securely below deck to hull integrity |
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Gooseneck / vang knuckles |
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No signs of corrosion around mast tangs |
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Split pins are covered and well protected to avoid damage to sails |
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Fastenings are all secure |
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No signs of excessive wear on spacers or bushes |
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No signs of elongation in fittings |
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Dinghy |
Clean |
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Check painter |
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Check anchor |
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Ensure there is a bailer |
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Safety gear |
Check fire extinguishers |
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Inflate life jackets |
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Check life jacket cylinders |
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Service life raft |
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Check life rings |
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Check safety harnesses |
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Check life lines |
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Replace batteries in grab bag |
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Replace batteries in EPIRB |
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Check expiry date of PLB |
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Test bilge pumps and alarm |
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Check first aid kit |
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Check grab bag |
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Check flares and replace as necessary |
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Check jack lines and pad eyes |
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Check fog horn |
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Check wire cutters |
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Should you decide not to keep a computer based maintenance log, it would still be a good idea to make a plan of what routine maintenance needs to be done through the year, noting the jobs that can be done only when the boat is hauled out. We hope the checklists above will help you get started.
