Knowing the proper rules and guidelines for boat maintenance can save your boat a lot of wear and tear. It won’t guarantee that your boat will never need a repair or replacement part, but it can help to eliminate larger problems and a routine maintenance schedule can also help you to find small issues and fix them before they become too big.  

If you don’t properly maintain your boat, it will only be a matter of time before you end up having to replace multiple parts, multiple times, just to keep your boat running. If you’re not a mechanical person, then you’d better develop a good relationship with a certified marine mechanic who can perform the maintenance and repairs for you. 

Depending on the specific needs that you have for boat maintenance and upkeep, you’ll find that it saves a lot of time and stress over not maintaining your vessel. Each boat and boat motor is different, though, so you’ll need to get to know your boat specifically in order to be able to know what is involved and how it works.  

Equipment: 

♦ An oil filter wrench to fit each size of spin-on filter you have

♦ A box of Zip-Lock baggies large enough to hold an oil filter

♦ A wrench the correct size for your crankcase drain plug, and a pan shallow enough to fit under your engine if possible or,

♦ A dipstick-tube oil drain pump and bucket big enough to hold all the oil or,

♦ An oil drain tube permanently fitted to your crankcase drain with hose that extends out hull drain

♦ A roll of paper towels

♦ New oil filter(s)

♦ A supply of fresh oil as recommended by your engine manufacturer

♦ Automotive oil isn’t made to protect marine engines

Changing Oil Prolongs Engine Life

The frequency will vary by model, but a good rule of thumb is to change the oil every 100 hours of operation or at least once a year. This simple piece of maintenance is often overlooked because it is not quite as easy as changing the oil in your automobile. As a boat owner, there’s nothing more annoying, messy, and generally not fun than having to change your oil. Following is a step-by-step process which you can follow.

♦ Run the engine(s) until warmed to at least 130 degrees

♦ Drain the oil using the pump, or into the pan

♦ Replace the plug or close the valve

♦ Loosen the oil filter on the engine until it can be turned by hand

♦ Put a Zip Lock Baggie around the filter, and unscrew the rest of the way

♦ Use a paper towel or oil soak pads to catch any oil spills or drips

♦ Seal the zip lock baggie keeping the filter upright

♦ Put it into the new filter’s box

♦ Grease seal and threads

♦ Screw on the new filter tight with one hand.

♦ Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation as to tightening with the wrench

♦ Re-fill the crankcase with new oil 

♦ Be sure to add a quart for the filter

♦ Wipe up any drips

♦ Start the engine and let it run a few minutes

♦ Checking to be sure oil pressure comes up and there are no leaks. -Recheck dipstick. Refill as necessary.

If this seems a bit much for your weekend project, call a certified marine technician. High Tech Marine is a local  mobile marine service and repair business you can trust and they will get your boat back on the water quickly.  And while it’s always important to take the time to learn how to do things yourself, also don’t be afraid to seek the help of a professional when needed.

Come visit High Tech Marine on our website at www.hightechmarine.org.  As always if you have any questions or need for complementary advice  for Keith,  the Yamaha/OMC certified technician, feel free to email High Tech Marine at high.techmarine@yahoo.com.