Boat and Board Part Maintenance

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Boat and Board Part Maintenance

One of the most important and often overlooked parts of boat ownership is proper boat maintenance. A properly maintained boat is a long lasting boat. Here are a few tips on some common boat repair and maintenance.

Aluminum boats are one of the best low maintenance boats available. Occasionally, they will require washing, buffing and application of anti-corrosive agents but that is the extent of common maintenance. If they ever get damaged, or if the rivets come loose with age, professional boat restoration will be required due to the need for specialized aluminum boat repair equipment.

Unlike other boats, sport boats require quite a bit of maintenance to keep them at the peak of their design performance. Constant washing, waxing and driveline care is always necessary. Engines need to be maintained, steering components need to be adjusted and finally, because of the nature of the design, all components need to be checkout out prior to every serious day long outing.

Many boat engines (i.e. inside the hull, inboard engines) and boat motors (i.e. on the transom, outboard motors) require some but not much maintenance to keep running. Most outboards require the fluid in the lower part near the propeller (lower unit) to be changed. Inboards, like a car engine, require periodic oil changes. Both require the prop to be in good condition because a bent prop can cause major problems due to vibration, possibly even leading to major boat engine repair.

Fiberglass boats are very rugged but occasionally need repair due to a collision or other mishap. One of the biggest repairs is boat gelcoat repair. The fiberglass hull's outer layer is a thick, hard coating call gel-coat. This layer protects the softer structural and sometimes decorative layer underneath. Because it's on the outside, it is most often in need of repair. Unfortunately, it's also the most difficult to repair to the clarity and uniformity required in a quality repair.

   

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