You can listen to the advice of seasoned yacht owners when it comes to planning for the care and maintenance of your yacht, scour the Internet for information or ask service professionals about their experience regarding yacht services in Fort Lauderdale, but in any case, you’re bound to get some very different answers regarding crucial maintenance items. That’s why we’ve put together a quick list of services, laid out below, to help you keep up to date on what your yacht needs and when it needs it:
Engine care items
- Spray down your engine, electrical components and the engine control panel with WD40 to prevent rust: semi-monthly.
- Clean the raw water strainer(s) of your yacht during peak sailing season: monthly.
- If you’re not sailing frequently, start your yacht and bring it’s engine temperatures up to operating level to prevent corrosion within the cylinders: every 100 hours.
- Change your engine’s oil and filter to prevent buildups: every 100 hours.
- Replace fuel filter, transmission filter and check engine belts for wear and tension, replacing them as necessary: annually.
Replace raw water impellers: annually.
Dry dock services
- Have organic growth power washed off of your yacht’s underside, then have it sanded, primed and repainted: annually.
- Check for hull, keel and rudder damage and repair appropriately: annually.
- Repair gel-coat and inspect for any blisters, repairing as needed: annually.
- Retighten engine bolts and mount bolts: annually.
- Check shaft alignment and realign engine as needed: annually.
Off season maintenance
- Check bow, stern and spring lines for wear, adjusting as required: every two weeks during peak storm season or after storms occur.
- Check battery charge and confirm charger operation: every two weeks during peak storm season or after storms occur.
- Remove and store cushions to prevent mildew buildups: at the start of the offseason.
- Ensure that the fuel tank is filled to prevent condensation or organic growth within the tank: at the start of the offseason.
- Ensure that your dinghy is properly secured and free of water accumulation: every two weeks during peak storm season or after storms occur.
- Check ports for leaks and repair as necessary: fall and spring seasons.
- Check coolant level in water systems and test freezing level: fall season.
- Inspect and adjust lifeline tension as necessary: spring season.
- Clean carbon from dashpot and igniters: spring season.
Electrical systems maintenance
- Check and replace running lights as necessary: spring season.
- Test battery for capacity, as well as water level of battery: fall and spring seasons.
Cosmetic maintenance items
- Varnish and oil teak to maintain appearance: fall and spring seasons.
- Wash and dry linens: spring season.
- Deep clean yacht interior, including upholstery, carpeting, appliances, cabinets, dishware, bilges and any other interior items subject to use: spring season.
- Paint and varnish interior: spring season.
- Review yacht inventory for completeness and replace any damaged, lost or worn items: spring season.
- Test life preservers, check first aid kits, observe flare stock, check bell and boat hooks: spring season.
- Clean and observe dinghy for any damage, repairing or refurbishing as necessary: spring season.
Remember, this is by no means a complete list of services—to list everything your yacht needs at any given time of the year is nearly impossible in once place! The best thing to do for full and complete yacht services in Fort Lauderdale, is to find yourself a reputable service company, like Starboard Yacht Group LLC, which can keep you up to date on all of those little services that are so easy to overlook.