A Pilot that is kept clean and well presented by its owner, not by somebody else, tells us a lot before any work has started.
It means the owner is hands-on. They are likely to be more familiar with their boat than somebody who does not keep on top of the basic tasks, and more likely to notice faults as they arise rather than leave them to go unnoticed. It is also always nicer to step aboard a clean boat.
Owning a boat can be particularly rewarding, but it does come with some responsibilities. Regular maintenance is what keeps everyone on board safe. It is no guarantee, but it goes a long way to making sure the boat and engine give plenty of years of service. There are a couple of jobs customers prefer a professional to do. The large majority, with a little knowledge, can be done by the owner.
Being familiar with your own boat helps with everything else, but fundamentally the jobs that matter most are keeping the water out and keeping the engine running. The rest is a fairly routine list that applies to most boats, motor or otherwise.
Keeping It Clean, Knowing Your Boat
Cleaning gets you all over the boat. That is possibly one of the most beneficial things as far as maintenance goes: being familiar with your own boat, knowing what is what and where everything is located. If there is a problem further down the line, you know what you are dealing with, what you are looking for and where to go.
An owner may not have the time or the skill to deal with a problem straight away. That is fine. When the job does come round, a clean area makes the problem much easier to identify than one covered in dirt or oil. Make cleaning part of a routine and things tend not to get missed.
We have a couple of owners who keep their boats on a drying mooring, and they are fastidious about keeping them clean. When their boats come to us they look fantastic. Any work we do starts from there, rather than us having to find the base level first.
Varnish sits in the same place. Some owners like to do their own, and many would rather leave it to us. It is very much horses for courses.
Keeping the Water Out
There are two types of water that can end up on board: fresh water and salt water. Each gets in by a different route, and knowing which is which helps you isolate where the problem is. That assumes the boat is kept on the sea. On an inland lake or waterway, it is all fresh water.
Fresh water is mostly rain. A good cover keeps the worst of it out, and the bilge pump, manual or electric, keeps the rest at bay. On a Pilot this matters more than on many boats, because the cockpit is not self-draining. Rain and spray drain to the bilge and are pumped out from there. Every Pilot has a manual pump as standard, and an automatic electric pump can be added. The pump deals with salt water too, which is why it matters so much.
Salt water comes in through the seacocks, the exhaust fittings and the exhaust hose. The jubilee clips holding all of that together deserve as much attention as the fittings themselves.
We have seen failed jubilee clips on a number of occasions, usually mild steel rather than stainless, used in places like the exhaust. If a clip fails and the hose comes off while the engine is running, the boat will fill with water over time.
I have seen exactly this on a 32-foot motor cruiser that suddenly started taking on water. I was able to get on board and help the owner, and while we were pumping out we found the exhaust hose had come off where its clip had failed. With the engine running, it was pumping water straight into the engine compartment. The owner had the presence of mind to turn the engine off, and the water stopped coming in. By then the engine bay was full. The boat was pumped out and towed to safety.
That is not a slow drip. Beta Marine's operator's manual gives 10 litres a minute as the minimum raw-water flow for its smaller engines, including the Beta 20. Even at that minimum, it is 600 litres an hour going into the bilge instead of out through the exhaust.
On a Pilot 18' the engine sits so close to the helm that if anything like that did happen, you would generally hear the tone of the exhaust change straight away. It is unlikely, but it can happen.
An electric bilge pump is only as good as the battery behind it. Over winter, an owner with no electric pump and no solar panel can remove the battery and keep it charged at home. With an electric pump fitted, a small solar panel, portable or otherwise, keeps the battery charged and the pump working. There is more on this in Laying Up for Winter.
Keeping the Engine Running
In our experience, owners sit in two camps: those who service their engines and those who do not.
The service itself needs no guesswork. The engine owner's manual sets out what needs doing and at what interval, and following it is the main thing. Most manufacturers recommend a service every 150 to 250 hours.
Even when the hours are lower, servicing annually is ideal, for two reasons. Fresh oil, fresh fluids and clean filters reduce wear and tear on the engine. It also puts someone at the business end once a year, so fittings working loose are spotted at the earliest opportunity, not when an engine foot starts vibrating or a strange noise appears. The problem is isolated much sooner.
What a service involves on a Pilot is covered in What Does Plymouth Pilot Maintenance Actually Look Like?. If the engine does let you down, What to Do When the Engine Will Not Start works through the simple causes first.
A Nick in the Varnish
If the varnish gets nicked during the season, the answer is to put a bit of varnish over it to seal it.
Left alone, moisture gets in behind it and the varnish starts to blow. Getting it looking good again is then quite a lot of work, much more than the small touch-up would have been.
The Routine Checks
Beyond those, the routine checks are much the same on most boats, motor or otherwise, and most apply to a Pilot as written.
Hull and seacocks
- Keep an eye out. Few owners walk round the whole hull before every trip, but it is worth being aware. Have a look as you go round doing your pre-departure checks, or when you come alongside in the tender. New damage, perhaps from someone else hitting the boat, can be hiding something else.
- Work the seacocks. Opening the seacocks should be part of the pre-departure checks, which means their operation is checked every time. If a seacock is getting stiff, or does not shut as well as it did, it is time to have it removed and serviced or replaced.
- Clean the hull. Weed, barnacles and other growth reduce performance and fuel efficiency. A soft-bristle brush or a pressure washer on a low setting does the job. An environmentally friendly cleaner avoids harming marine life.
- Inspect below the waterline. When the boat is lifted or put on its trailer, check for cracks, blisters or other damage once the hull has been cleaned.
- Antifoul. If the boat spends most of its time afloat, antifouling once a year stops that growth building up in the first place.
Engine
- Follow the service intervals. These are set out in the engine owner's manual. Use marine-grade oil and the correct filters. Most of the checks below are covered at the annual service anyway.
- Check the cooling system. A marine engine relies on water to keep cool, and a blockage can cause it to overheat. Check the water pump, impeller and hoses for wear or blockages.
- Inspect the fuel lines. Fuel lines can crack or become brittle over time, which leads to leaks. Replace any damaged section straight away, using marine-rated hose and clips.
- Check belts and cables. Engine belts and throttle cables wear over time. Replacing them before they snap saves an engine failure that could have been avoided.
Battery
- Check the charge. Make sure the battery holds its charge, using a voltmeter to test it. If it consistently struggles to hold a charge, it may be time for a replacement.
- Clean the terminals. Corrosion on the terminals stops a good electrical contact. Clean them with a wire brush and apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly to slow it coming back. Sealed lead acid batteries need no topping up.
Propeller
- Inspect for damage. On a Pilot the skeg shields the propeller, but it is still worth checking for dings, cracks or bent blades when the boat is lifted out, or sooner if you notice a change in performance or any unexpected vibration. Even minor damage can affect performance or damage the drivetrain.
Bilge pumps
- Test every pump. Run each pump on board, manual and electric. A pump that fails when water is coming in can turn a problem into an emergency.
- Clean the pump and strainer. Debris, oil and sludge build up in the bilge and can clog the pump.
- Inspect the wiring. Corroded or worn connections can stop an electric pump working.
- Inspect the hoses. Hoses become brittle over time or chafe where they rub against the hull, and that leads to leaks.
Safety equipment
- Lifejackets. Check every lifejacket is in good condition and meets the appropriate standard. Look for rips, mould or waterlogging, and replace any that are compromised.
- Fire extinguishers. Make sure they are charged and easy to reach. Replace any that are out of date or show signs of corrosion.
- Flares and signalling devices. Check the expiry dates, and store them somewhere dry and accessible.
- Anchor. Get it out now and then and check it, along with its chain and warp.
- Navigation lights. Test that they all work. They are essential at night and in poor visibility.
Electrics
- Inspect the wiring. Look for wear, corrosion or loose connections. Salt air and salt water are hard on electrics, so they need more attention on a boat than they would at home.
- Test the electronics. Check the GPS, VHF and lighting. A fault may need a software update, a repair or a replacement.
- Check the fuses. Look for blown fuses, make sure every circuit works, and carry spares.
Cleaning and protecting surfaces
- Wash down. After every outing where possible, rinse the deck with fresh water to remove salt and grime. A non-abrasive cleaner deals with stubborn dirt or stains.
- Polish and wax. Polishing and waxing once or twice a year protects the gelcoat from UV damage and oxidation. A good marine wax lasts several months.
- Look after the upholstery. Marine upholstery suffers from sun damage and mould if neglected. Clean it with a mild detergent and water, and cover it when the boat is not in use.
Trailer
- For owners who trail their boat, the trailer needs its own attention. Check the tyres, including the spare. Grease the wheel bearings regularly, since they corrode after being submerged. Make sure the brake lights, indicators and running lights all work. The detail is a subject for a separate blog.
Doing It Yourself
Everything on a small boat is possible to do yourself. It is a matter of time and ability, and it can all be learned.
Where an owner wants to have a go, we are happy to help with advice.
Where Maintenance Begins
Washing a boat regularly is not the most exciting prospect, but it is where boat maintenance begins. It gets you hands-on and all over the boat, so any issue that is starting to develop is recognised early.
Of everything here, being familiar with your own boat is possibly the most beneficial. When something does need attention, you can keep on top of it yourself, or add it to a list for a professional at the end of the season if it can wait.