April Showers Bring “Sailing Hours”

It’s almost that time of year again: when the waterways will be filled with yachts and people will be chartering day-trips all around the coast! If you’re a yacht owner, you’re probably chomping at the bit to get back out on the water regularly, but before you do, the task of seasonal maintenance is at hand.

Summer yacht maintenance in Fort Lauderdale starts before the season does, and there’s a reason April is the premier time to start tackling the laundry list of items that your boat needs to be considered safe and seafaring come June, July and August: to beat the summertime rush! The last thing you want when summer rolls around is to be docked because you can’t get in for service due to a booked appointment schedule.

Start with the basics

The best way to start getting your boat prepped for the sailing season ahead is to take care of anything that you can do by yourself. Here’s a quick checklist of items that can be done without much strife:

• Clean your boat’s upholstery and interior thoroughly.
• Check and test the battery and replace it if necessary.
• Check and replace your fuel filter and clean your distributor.

The above constitutes a good start to getting your boat prepped for the months ahead, but it’s far from being complete!

Schedule comprehensive service

Once you’ve done everything you can or are comfortable doing, it’s important to leave the remainder of your yacht maintenance in Fort Lauderdale up to the professionals at Starboard Yacht Group LLC. Consult with one of our professionals about having your boat thoroughly inspected and we’ll be happy to provide you with a scope of work for preseason maintenance items that might be required!

Also, it’s important to consider the number of sailing hours your boat has under its belt before the season starts. Most boat owners are familiar with the 100-hours rule, which is basically the equivalent of an oil change for boats that occurs for every 100 hours spent on the water. This is particularly important to make sure your boat avoids costly mechanical failures and remains seaworthy for longer. Some core 100-hour service items include:

• Oil change
• Impeller inspections and change outs
• A complete cleaning of the fuel system
• A comprehensive safety inspection of all mechanical systems

Keeping your boat’s various mechanical components in good working order with routine maintenance is going to be the very best thing you can do for it if you plan on spending any amount of time at all on the water this upcoming season.

Maintain your yacht today!

It’s important to think sustainably when it comes to yacht maintenance—to make sure your yacht lasts through this upcoming boating season and for many more seasons to come. Welcome April and spring by using them as your reminder to get started on yacht maintenance in Fort Lauderdale for the upcoming season. Starboard Yacht Group LLC is ready to help you get a jump on maintenance today!