Spring is approaching. And while there are few brave and not at all cold-sensitive individuals who have continued to navigate even in winter in the waters that bathe our country, often departing from our boat berths in Genoa, many others have instead kept their vessel completely immobile during a long winter storage period. Sometimes in water, like those who have chosen to permanently moor their boat among the docks of our marina, sometimes on land, thus bringing their hull ashore. We will not discuss the pros and cons of storage in water or on land, a topic we already addressed a few months ago: today we will focus on the activities that must be done after the long months of navigation stoppage, seeing step by step all the spring boat maintenance activities. If it is true that there are many steps to address when preparing for winter storage, it is equally true that one cannot expect to return to the boat after months and expect to start navigating a few minutes later without any maintenance, without any inspection. Here is a list of things to do to keep your vessel beautiful, comfortable and safe!

Spring boat maintenance: starting with the underwater hull

Where to begin with spring boat maintenance? Undoubtedly it is wise to pay attention first of all to the hull and related appendages. Those who have left the boat in water all winter will do so to check that everything is in order and to eliminate any formations and dirt, while those who opted for winter storage on land will need to pay attention to other details. Has the hauling damaged the paint? Is it time to reapply the antifouling paint? As is known, for boats that will be permanently placed in water, this protection is practically a must, unlike all those boats that, being trailerable, will be put in and taken out of the water each time they are used. It is also good to take a look at everything that is not hull: in the case of inboard or sterndrive engines it will be necessary for example to take a look at the propeller, the through-hull fittings, the sacrificial anodes and so on. Yes, as you can imagine, in the case of painting work, much of the time will be “stolen” precisely by hull maintenance.

A look at the bilge doesn’t hurt

There is a dark corner of boats that should be brought to light quite often, to avoid unpleasant surprises. We are obviously talking about the bilge, especially for those who have left the boat in water all winter, often with the bilge pump on alert. It is therefore good to check that this part of the boat is dry, and make sure there are no bad odors; certainly, however, the spring boat maintenance period is excellent for cleaning this narrow recess.

Engine and fuel tank inspection

Whether it is inboard, sterndrive or outboard, the engine deserves some of our attention to be put back into operation safely. It is therefore better to check that all the fluids, such as oil and coolant, are at the necessary levels. The spark plugs should then be checked and possibly cleaned, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to take a look at the pump impeller. A general cleaning is finally mandatory, to best prepare the propulsion system for the new boating season.

During this time of year, before returning to use the boat, it would be good practice to also inspect the fuel tanks, to ensure they are intact and that there are no solid deposits on their bottom: once cleaned it would be good to change the fuel filters.

Maintenance of hydraulic and electrical systems

How are the boat’s batteries? Are the terminals clean? What does the tester say once connected to the battery? And again, do all the indicator lights turn on and give no problems? The advice, after having done these preliminary checks, is to test all the electrical and electronic devices on board, from lights to the windlass, to have certainty that everything is in order.

Another system to check during spring boat maintenance is the hydraulic one. So we will take a look at the freshwater tanks, which must be cleaned, possibly changing the filters. Attention should also be given – where present – to the boat’s toilet, which will almost certainly require cleaning with appropriate detergents.

Deck cleaning

How is the deck? Does it perhaps need polishing? In the case of teak decks, it might be appropriate to do a treatment to keep it young and beautiful. Then portholes, hatches, lifelines, stanchions and so on should be checked and cleaned, treating the metal parts with appropriate protectants (starting with simple petroleum jelly).

Spring boat maintenance: time to clean the interior too

During spring boat cleaning one obviously cannot forget the interior: the advice is to bring out everything that is below deck, so as to let it get some air and facilitate cleaning. Let’s open everything, circulate the air and reduce humidity, wash all textiles, and sanitize surfaces.

Optional: tender and sails

Those who have a sailboat will obviously need to pay extra attention, going to check the entire sail system. This is not only about checking the sails, but rather also a comprehensive inspection of the system made up of cables, eyebolts, turnbuckles, stoppers, spreaders, winches, blocks and so on, so as to identify small damage, mechanisms to replace, and elements at risk of breaking: much, much better to prevent.

Then there is the tender chapter, for all boats that are equipped with one. Here one must essentially repeat on a small scale everything that has already been done on the main vessel, from cleaning the hull and tubes to checking the possible outboard engine.

After completing this long maintenance session – which except for smaller and better-maintained boats, can really take quite a lot of time – the moment has finally arrived to cast off the moorings. What can we say: we can’t wait to see you at our tourist port in Genoa, to start the 2023 boating season in the best way!