Spring is the time to make sure Your Boat will start fast, run smooth and perform at peak “E-
Fish-Ency.”

To help get you started, here is a checklist to prepare your boat for the upcoming Fishing &
“Martoony” boating season. Because there are so many different types of Fishing boats, be sure
to also refer to the owner’’s manuals for your boat, engine and (trailer if this applies) regarding
additional maintenance tips and proper service intervals.

Safety First!
Ropes: untangle, check condition, replace if necessary. Anchor Line soak in a buck of water with about 4/5 caps full of Woolite & a few ounces of bleach in a 5gal. bucket

Fire extinguisher: make sure it's the right class, fully charged and easily accessible.

Check date on Flares: up date if necessary (by Roger)

Life jackets and throw-able devices: double-check to make sure you have the right type,size and number of wearable and throw-able personal flotation devices on board (checK)your state’’s boating regulations).

First-aid kit: replace used items, store for easy access. Better yet buy a new kit if kit is several yrs. old

Documents: be sure your boat and trailer licenses and registrations are up to date.

Secondly make sure the FRIDGE is working properly to keep the BREWSKI’s COOOLD !!!

Exterior

Hull: clean and inspect; check aluminum for pitting, cracks, crevice corrosion . inspect
transducers and through-hull fittings. Make repairs as needed.the smaller the chip or bare
spot the hard it gets hit )-; If need be A/F the entire bottom Put a fresh coat of wax on the
Ole Girl

Propeller: inspect for loose shaft, worn key ways & keys, cracks and dings.

Zincs (sacrificial anodes): check and replace if worn out to prevent galvanic corrosion.

Hardware: check and tighten cleats, chocks, eyes, anchor, ladder, etc. Drain plugs: clean & put plumbers tape.on threads

Interior

Vinyl: Check for mildew, clean with marine cleaner or small amount of ammonia. Carpet: Clean with vacuum or power sprayer and wet/dry vacuum.

Bilge: Clean out scum and oil with marine bilge cleaner and wet/dry vacuum. Livewells:or fish coolers clean with nontoxic, biodegradable bilge cleaner, rinse thoroughly.

Chrome: remove any tarnish and polish all chrome trim. Electrical System and Components

Battery: check water level, clean and lubricate terminals, charge, connect and check under load. Do same for kicker trolling motor battery if this applies?

Wiring: Inspect all boat wiring, including lights, repair frays and breaks. Lights and gauges: check for proper operation, have spare bulbs onboard.

Fish finder, GPS, Radar & other electronics: reinstall if necessary, clean connections, check for proper operation, update mapping as needed.

Outboard Kickers
Oil and oil filter: change if not done during winterization.
Spark plugs and plug wires: check and replace as needed. A good way to see if U need
new spark plugs is water test them 1 take out of motor go on the dock gently set plug in the water if it floats it’s ok if it sinks replace it (-: replace all (-: I love this little ditty (-;

Gear lube: check for proper level, make sure it has no water in it.

Fuel filters: check and change as needed.

Hoses and clamps: check and replace as needed.

Fuel: check fuel tank, fuel lines and fuel level; replace primer bulb if cracked.

Fluids: check levels for engine oil, power steering, power trim.

Water intake strainer: check, remove any obstruction.
Bilge pump: check for proper operation.
Inboard Engines

Cooling system: check and change coolant as needed, store extra onboard.

Belts: check for tension and condition.

Transmission: check fluid level, see owner's manual for replacement schedule.

Backfire flame arrestor: check and clean.

Engine shaft and rudder stuffing boxes: check for looseness. & proper drippage

Trailer If this applies

Tires: inflate to proper pressure, replace if low tread or cracked sidewalls.

Rollers and pads: check, repair as needed.

Brakes: pull wheels, inspect/repair.

Bearings: repack bearings and hubs.

Tongue jack and winch: clean, inspect and lubricate.

Lights: inspect brakes, turn signals; repair as needed.

And finally, the single most important tip for your pre launch boat preparation: remember to INSTALL DRAIN PLUGS. You don’’t want to get that sinking feeling at launch time...it happens!

Once you’’ve got the boat ready, you can move on to the next item on your pre season checklist:
cleaning, repairing and organizing your rods, reels and tackle. But that’’s another story.

NOW that the vessel is ready for Launch it time too condition ones self for the boating season
first start out with a few BREWSKI”S a night till U build your system up to handle at least a
dozen or so with out making a A$$ outta oneself & waking up with a hang over. Next head on
down to the tanning salon & get rid of that fish belly white U inherited over the winter One wants
to look like he’s spent the winter down in Fl. chasing SorryDog’s Mermmaids around & not been
sitting in front of the PC chatting with a bunch of ole geezers & wishing to be year around
boaters(-;

Norm,
Bigs Live On

Thanks for the post Norm. Good stuff.

CONGRADULATIONS NORM!!Fantastic that someone knows boats and properly idetifies a boat carb filter as a BACK FIRE FLAME ARRSSTOR!

Safe boating
dave

Dave,

Doesn't every one know that if not they should take a Power Squadron Boating Safety Course. That's been one of my peeves forever about boating. If U buy any other vehicle U - R required some sort of classes etc. One throws a few hundred grand on the table the boat dealer hands U the keys & U out on the Lakes
creating havoc to other boaters plus ones self that goes for 90% of new boat owner

Norm,

Bigs Live On

Exactly, that's why you should start the fridge first. That gives you time to do the important safety stuff first WHILE the brewski's cool down. That's the new way - "just in time" processes :-)

Fred

Beer is cheap ...Where do I get one of them there "Bilge Monkeys" Cabellas?

Spring is here already? Winter sure flew by. Must have been those mild temps from all that global warming that made this past winter so dangerously warm.

It's gotten so bad I'm daydreaming about painting the bottom. Need some boat therapy.

- Krazy Karl

Karl,

I see cabin fever has set in on U also

Norm,

Bigs Live On