Get Your Boat Ready for the Season
Is it just us, or does it seem like the longest wait for spring there's ever been? If your commissioning to-do list seems daunting and you don't know where to start, you can start here.
The tarps are coming off, the lifts and trailers are underway, and if you haven't already started prepping your boat for the season, it's time to get at it. To help out, we're reprising a bunch of useful links that we've showcased over the last few years, leading to articles that will make your life easier. Here you go:
Uncover it, clean it, hit the basics
- 12-Step Pre-Season Prep Commissioning tips for small boats and runabouts, in a nutshell.
- Easy Cleaning: A Lazy Man’s Guide to Spring Cleaning Which cleaner to use on which piece of gear, from bunk cushions to fenders to plastic portholes.
It's hard to beat a brand-new professionally applied finish. But DIY-ers can get close with good gelcoat maintenance and quality paste wax.
Hit that gelcoat
- Wax vs. Polish: Which Shines Best?
- Gelcoat Maintenance: Shiny Side Up
- Final Finish: Make Your Gelcoat Gleam
Check and double-check the systems
- Is Your Boat Ready for the New Boating Season? An insurance man's advice about spring prep.
- Top Five Spring Outfitting Mistakes
- Ethanol and Water in Fuel
- Basic Troubleshooting When Your Outboard Won't Start
- 5 Ways to Avoid Enginee Trouble This Season
- How to Do a Seasonal Trailer Inspection
Work up the wood
Sacrificial anodes like the shaft zinc shown here will protect against galvanic corrosion.
Protect against corrosion underwater
- All About Anodes
- Protecting Against Marine Corrosion
- Galvanic Soup
- Protecting Metal Rudders With Sacrifical Anodes
Emergency gear run-through
For a general, all-in-one list, read Get Your Powerboat Ready for Spring: 31 Hot Tips. You can also watch our growing library of how-to articles and videos.
See you in the boatyard, and on the water.
Fair winds!
The boats.com editors
