Although marine vessels are generally expensive, their long-term cost — including maintenance — can be affordable, but only if you observe pre-emptive servicing. It means that you should not just wait for something to break down to have your boat serviced. Notably, predictive marine engine service requires a strategy, and that involves knowing when to perform specific maintenance services. It is advisable to divide maritime diesel services into weekly, monthly, and yearly tasks. This article highlights the type of services your vessel should undergo during these instances.
Weekly Marine Services
If you take your boat out to sea every other day, weekly service is necessary. Inspections and servicing should focus on transmission fluid, hoses and hose clamps, anti-chafe protection, cables, and terminals. They are the main elements that drive a boat and should be in optimal condition. Additionally, use a dipstick to determine engine oil levels. Inspecting coolant levels should also be a priority during weekly servicing. Do not forget to scrape the propeller, strut and shaft, but it is best done during a weekly boat wash.
Monthly Marine Services
Monthly servicing focuses on pulleys and sheaves, belts, pulley alignment, alternator, pumps, and insulation. Such areas are slated for monthly servicing primarily because they are made from durable materials. Therefore, they can withstand exposure to the elements but only to a certain level. For instance, boats have numerous pulley systems, the most common of which are found in an anchor or sail. Over time, the pulley systems might slack or shift out of alignment and require adjustments. Marine engine injection and water pumps should also be serviced monthly. If your boat is equipped with unsealed wet-cell batteries, ensure the electrolyte levels match the manufacturer's recommendations. Your boat's breathing is also essential to the optimal operation, which is why monthly filter inspections are imperative.
Yearly Marine Services
It seems illogical to wait a whole year to service some parts on your boats. The reason is that some components don't receive enough exposure to the elements or overuse to warrant frequent inspections. For instance, a boat's ignition key slot experiences minimal movement because its involvement in running a boat is limited to turning it on and off. A propeller and a propeller shaft also warrant servicing after a year. A technician ensures the nuts and cotter pin are tight, particularly for boats with a folding propeller. The battery should also be tested for power capacity using a load tester. It helps a technician to determine whether a battery needs replacing or not.
I'm Norman and I live in Australia. I am car crazy. I have always loved cars so as soon as I could learn to drive, I took some lessons and got my licence. I thought that learning how to drive would be the most important part of owning a car. While knowing how to control the machine is useful, it is also vital that car owners understand how to maintain and modify their auto. I am not an auto mechanic or any other kind of industry professional, so I decided to spend as much time as I could hanging around in my local repair shop and auto dealership so I could learn the tricks of the trade. I hope you like my blog which details all of my top tips.