5 Boat Maintenance Tips Every Vessel Owner Should Know

Last Updated on March 4, 2024 by Asfa Rasheed

Owning a boat can be a whole lot of fun. You can use a boat to fish, waterski, or just relax on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon. It’s why more than 12 million Americans have taken the plunge and bought a boat in recent years.

But owning a boat can be a whole lot of work, too. You’re going to need to make sure that you know how to do the proper vessel maintenance prior to purchasing a boat.

Here are five boat maintenance tips that will help you get the job done.

1. Paint the Bottom of Your Boat Before Putting It Into the Water

If you buy a brand-new boat, you won’t have to worry about this maintenance tip. But if you invest in a used boat, you should think about painting the bottom of it before putting it into the water.

This is actually one of the most important boat maintenance tips of all. You’ll keep your boat in better shape when you paint it and provide it with protection solutions on the exterior.

2. Find the Best Place to Keep Your Boat in the Water

Ideally, you should dock your boat in a marina so that you can use it pretty much whenever you want. But you should be careful about which marina that you choose for your boat.

Look for a well-maintained marina where you know your boat will be safe. It should also provide you with plenty of space to do the necessary vessel maintenance.

3. Change the Oil in Your Boat’s Engine on a Regular Basis

You need to change the oil in your boat’s engine just like you change the oil in your car. Generally speaking, you should change the oil in your boat’s engine at least once each season—and more often than that if you use your boat a lot.

Changing the oil in your boat’s engine will make it last longer. You won’t have to be concerned about pesky boat engine problems rearing their ugly heads.

4. Wash Your Boat Off After Each Time That You Use It

Even if you only take your boat out on the water for a little while at a time, you should still get into the habit of cleaning it from top to bottom every time that you use it. It’ll help you protect your belongings on your boat and wash away anything that might do your boat harm.

There are some boat cleaning tips that you can put to good use to keep your boat as clean as possible at all times.

5. Store Your Boat in a Safe Spot When You Take It Out of the Water

At the end of the boating season in your area, you should take your boat out of the water and stick it into storage. You want to find a safe spot for it that will protect it from the elements.

There are great boat storage options for vessel owners. Take advantage of them to set your boat up with all the protection it needs.

These Boat Maintenance Tips Will Keep Your Vessel in Excellent Shape

Your boat should last you for a very long time as long as you take good care of it. You can use these boat maintenance tips to keep your vessel in tip-top shape over the years.

Read more about maintaining a boat by checking out the other informative articles found on our blog.