Ask the Experts | Spring Into the Boating Season

[iboats.com]

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[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Brian Rice is a charter fishing captain who plies the inshore and offshore waters off northern New Jersey with his 2006 31-foot Contender® center console. The boat is powered by twin 2006 Yamaha F250 outboards. The hull and motors have over 2,200 hours of use on them without a major repair. That's without major repair but that doesn't mean without good care. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Brian fishes the boat a lot and in both beautiful and downright nasty weather. Having a boat and its engines last a good lone time takes ongoing TLC. Brian walked us through the thorough service program he follows before splashing the boat for another season of charters and fun fishing. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]"The Jersey Devil is a great boat, and it's powered by the most dependable outboards I have ever owned," Rice said. "But dependability is a two-way street. Yamaha builds a great product, but if you don't follow the manufacturer's service requirements at the specified service intervals, you can't expect to get the kind of longevity I have gotten from mine. It's that simple." [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Rice's spring pre-season prep work goes well beyond the outboards. The larger the boat, the more things there are to inspect, service and replace if necessary. The older the boat, the more important these system checks are to avoid what could become serious problems once you start the season. If you live in warmer climates and use your boat year round, regardless of whether you keep it in the water, on a lift or a trailer, you should set aside a time once a year to do a full vessel inspection and service. It can actually save you a lot of money on unnecessary repairs in the long run. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Here's Captain Rice's top spring checklist for his boat. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Engine and Fuel System Checklist [/FONT]

• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Replace all engine fuel and oil filter (if this wasn't done previously before storage).[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect and clean spark plugs. Replace when your manufacturer says it's time.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect grease fittings, replace if necessary, then add grease as needed.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Remove props and check the lower unit seal.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Grease the prop shaft and snug up the prop nut.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Drop the lower unit, inspect the water pumps, replace if necessary (Rice replaces his annually; have your local dealer do it if you don't want to tackle this part).[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect engine zincs (sacrificial anodes) and replace as needed.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect grounding cables on the engine mounting bracket. These can break or become corroded. Clean or replace as needed.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect battery cable connection to engine, wire brush clean and coat with dielectric grease. Replace batteries as needed. You don't want to not be able to start your engines when you need them or not have enough power for your fishing electronics.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect hydraulic steering system elements, replace seals if leaking. [/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect power trim and tilt ram end caps. Service if needed, coat with waterproof grease when done.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Replace external canister water separating fuel filters.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Carefully inspect all fuel line hoses and priming balls for leaks, wear or weathering. This is particularly important with older boats as ethanol-blended fuels can cause a breakdown of pre-ethanol rated fuel lines. [/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect all connections in the fuel delivery system for any signs of leaks.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect fuel vent and fill tube to the tank if accessible. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Captain Rice recommends you use your nose when checking the fuel system. "If you can smell gas, investigate any potential cause carefully and be thorough in your inspection," he said. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Although not engine specific, make sure your safety gear is up to snuff. Hopefully you won't need it but it's best to have it in perfect working order if you do. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Safety Equipment [/FONT]

• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect all PFDs and throwable life rings aboard for mildew. Clean if needed. For inflatable PFDs, check charging system. [/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect all flares, paying attention to expiration dates. If expired, purchase replacements. [/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Inspect the life raft, checking for required inspection date. Bring it in to a certified service facility if needed.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Check to see if fire extinguishers are fully charged and take a look at their physical condition. [/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Conduct a safety check of all EPIRB and PLB units to be sure they are operational and to check the battery integrity. Review the literature to see when battery replacement is recommended by the manufacturer. [/FONT]
• [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Conduct a safety check of the emergency S.O.S. system on the VHF radio if applicable. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]"The larger the boat, the more systems to work your way through, but consider it an insurance policy for trouble-free boating in the coming year," said Rice. "The track record of the Jersey Devil has been amazingly trouble-free, and I believe it is because of the manner in which the boat is maintained. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]"After I've gone through the list and checked off each item as completed, the boat is thoroughly washed and waxed inside and out, topped off with fresh fuel and splashed for another year of fishing. Take good care of your boat. It's important for boating safety and it's too big an investment to ignore." [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]To find great prices and the best parts selection online, for your engine, start here: http://www.iboats.com/Boat-Motor-Parts/dm/view_id.268604 [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif](note) Always make sure to consult your outboard and boat owner's manuals for additional information about getting your boat ready for spring. [/FONT]