yacht maintenance book

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Boat maintenance: the 55-point skipper’s checklist

• Katy Stickland
• April 27, 2021

The ultimate boat maintenance checklist to make sure your yacht is ready for launch and the start of the sailing season

Check your rudder for hairline cracks or damage

Boat maintenance: Mast & Rigging

Check all your standing rigging connections. Credit: Colin Work

• The mast cap is out of sight, out of mind 99% of the time, but serves multiple functions: backstay, forestay, cap shrouds, radio antenna, nav lights, halyard sheaves. Rotate mast and boom sheaves to check they are not misaligned or worn by a bad halyard lead. Lubricate sheaves with WD40 or silicone grease.
• Spreaders, gooseneck, mast heel, kicker, mainsheet and topping lift connections all need checking for wear, damage or corrosion.
• Check for galvanic corrosion between different metals.
• Check electrical connections, deck and spreader lights.
• Wax mast tracks and luff grooves with candle wax or Teflon spray.
• Standing rigging: Look for areas of wear or stranding on the wire. Check mast tangs, T-ball joints and rigging screws.
• Wash furling drum and swivel and check they move freely. It’s common for the top swivels to become stiff and sometimes seize, which can compromise the forestay wire.
• Running rigging: check for chafe and that the shackles aren’t seized. Sheets, halyards, warps: wash in fresh water to get rid of salt and grime.
• Deck winches : strip down, wash parts in paraffin, wash off with soapy water and lightly regrease .
• Windlass : if manual, check it’s working, clean and tighten. For powered versions check foot switch for water, clean and use Vaseline on the connections.
• Anchor chain : Re-mark lengths if faded, or add chain markers. Check for condition and wear.

Head, bilge & gas

Check bilge pumps it might sound ok but is it actually attached to a hose?

• Check impeller on bilge pumps and grease with water pump grease only (Vaseline will rot impellers)
• If you have an automatic bilge pump, check float switches work.
• Dry bilges thoroughly then if water appears after relaunch you’ll know you’ve got a leak.
• Fill water tank and add purifier such as Puriclean or Milton
• If the pump on the heads is stiff look to service and lubricate with silicon grease.
• If you have a gas sensor, check it works.

Boat maintenance: Below waterline

Hull and skin fittings.

Check jubilee clips for rust. Credit: Bob Aylott

• Most vessels have DZR (dezincification-resistant brass) seacocks. Look for any signs of corrosion on the skin and tail joints, which are common points of failure.
• Ensure all valves are greased.
• All hoses should be double-clipped. Check jubilee clips for rust . Do you have wooden plugs attached in case of emergency?
• Check skin fittings are free of blockages/ growth or antifouling.
• Check anodes have plenty of life . Don’t forget prop shaft and saildrive anodes.
• Check leading, trailing and lower sections for damage or hairline cracks.
• Check for play in bearings, stock or quadrant. Movement should be minimal. Grease steering cable.
• Check for stress cracks or movement internally and externally – especially at the keel root and around the internal framing or matrix, and around fastenings and backing washers.

Prop shaft & stern gland

• To check bearings, grasp prop in both hands and try moving it up and down and from side to side. There should be little, if any, movement – no more than 2mm.
• Check P-bracket for stress cracking from misalignment or damage.
• Stern gland packing. Many yachts have some form of deep-seal arrangement that has a service life of around seven years. Those that have a proper stuffing gland will need to be greased to prevent drying out and getting brittle. The gland may need pulling down or repacking at some point.
• If you have a saildrive, check the condition of the seal and the metal ring that holds it in position. Again, note the seals have a life expectancy of between five and seven years depending on manufacture.

Boat maintenance: Mechanics

Check all filters

• If you didn’t change the oil when you laid up, change it now.
• Change fuel filters.
• Remove rags stuffed in outlet pipes from winterisation.
• Impellers – if removed at lay-up – reinstall with a smear of water pump grease.
• Reinstall the engine belts and check tension: there should be no more than half an inch of play.
• Check oil levels. Check durability of the gaiter seal. Check rubber faring and reseal if necessary.
• Change internal engine anode.
• Check engine mount is secure.
• Check diesel tank for water from condensation . Drain off or replace fuel. Add an appropriate biocide to help kill off diesel bug .
• Check inaccessible wiring, such as bonding wires from the anode and earthing wires from the starter motor. Clean the terminals and smear them with Vaseline or silicone gel.

Batteries and electrical systems

• Check electrolyte level if yours is an open lead acid battery; tighten battery securing straps and make sure vent for gases is clear. Clean terminals and coat with Vaseline. For sealed batteries, check the condition of indicator light, or other charge indicator.
• Switch on instruments and use backlighting to help reduce any condensation.
• If the anode looks serviceable for another season, check bonding and wires. If they haven’t worn at all they may not be working so check Ohm resistance max 0.2 from propeller to anode.
• Check for chafe, wayward stitching and tears. Do you carry a sail repair kit?
• Take to a sailmaker if the sacrificial strips is worn out.

Make sure your navigation apps are up to date

• Update charts from Notice to Mariners .
• For electronic charts, check with your supplier how to update. New chartplotters can connect to WiFi, or you may need to connect the chart chip to your PC at home and download the update.
• Download operating software updates for your chartplotter and instruments.
• Make sure your subscriptions for navigation apps on phone and tablets are up to date with the latest charts.
• Check age of hoses. If they are over five years old, they should be replaced. Check for kinking or wear in gas hosepipes. If in doubt, replace.
• Check hose clips are tight. Hoses behind cookers should be armoured.
• Check thermal cut outs on hob, grill and oven work.

Harness/lifelines

• Check stitching and get repairs done by a sailmaker if necessary.
• Jackstay and Danbuoy lines: check condition and points of security.
• If you have the traditional type, check the bulb, battery and that it actually works. The new types have various ways of testing, and all have an expiry date.

Lifejackets

Is your lifejacket fit for purpose and in good condition? Credit: Theo Stocker

• Inflate using mouth tube. Leave inflated overnight to check for leaks .
• Wash with fresh water
• Weigh cylinder and check lights if fitted.

Stanchions/lifelines

• Check stanchions and make sure lifelines are still suitably secured at each end and cords and pins are in good order.
• Watch out for wire failing if you have plastic sheathing.
• Make sure these are in date, in a watertight container and are easy to reach. It’s worth having gloves and goggles to hand too.
• Make sure these are in date and registered with the correct contact details.
• Ensure this and the hydrostastic release are within the service date, and you are aware of its contents .
• If its secured with a rope, consider if you could release it in an emergency with ease.
• Make a grab bag up with essentials

Enjoyed reading Boat maintenance: the 55-point skipper’s checklist?

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The Boatyard Book – a boat owner’s guide to yacht maintenance, repair and refitting

by Simon Jollands | Boat Maintenance , Preparation , Yacht ownership

           “This well-presented volume is a guide to making the best use of boatyard time and facilities by careful planning and good organisation…his examples and explanations helped reduce the fear factor and should improve my conversations with professionals – or even my ability to have a go.” – Yachting Monthly

The Boatyard Book is a fully illustrated 224 page practical reference manual that provides advice for boat owners on planning and carrying out annual maintenance, repairs, upgrades and refits of sailing yachts and motorboats, up to 20 metres in length.

What does caring for a boat involve?

Boat care requires understanding the importance of knowing how and when to carry out boat inspections in order to troubleshoot problems before they develop into major issues.

Boat care also entails understanding when and how to carry out essential annual maintenance tasks. If major repairs and refits become necessary, a knowledgeable boat owner with greater understanding of what needs to be done will be in a better position to remain in control of the process and be confident when dealing with boatyard managers, professionals and suppliers of services and parts. All these aspects of boat care are dealt with in The Boatyard Book .

What is covered in the book?

Beginning with all the information owners will need to care for their boat, including how to budget and plan tasks to be done through the year, The Boatyard Book goes on to help them choose the best boatyard for their needs, then provides essential how-to reference material and ideas for a comprehensive range of projects large and small to be carried out ashore.

There’s advice and tips from boatyard owners and managers, specialists and surveyors, as well as from the author’s own 25 years experience of boat ownership, all fully illustrated with step-by-step photos and illustrations.

Topics covered in the book include:

• hull and deck care
• mast and rigging
• maintenance of plumbing and gas systems
• more complex projects, including re-wiring a boat, overhauling an engine, how to treat osmosis and how to go about a complete refit

Expert tips and advice

The inclusion of advice and tips from experts provides very valuable information for owners, whether they are hands-on DIY fanatics or are happy to pay others to do the work for them. The advice given will help owners to save money when any work needs to be done. This will apply to those who keep their yachts abroad as well as closer to home.

The Boatyard Book includes case studies of real life experiences, not just step-by-step instructions on “how to” but clearly demonstrating pitfalls, difficulties encountered along the way and how problems were solved and the work finally completed. This will help owners to manage their expectations, to expect certain types of work to be more difficult and take longer than they anticipate and help them decide whether they are able to undertake the work themselves or better advised to call in the professionals.

This is a book to be kept at the yard, or on the boat, and used time and time again by those who are either happy to keep things ticking along with the minimum of effort or by those who want to get stuck into bigger projects.

             “This well-presented volume is a guide to making the best use of boatyard time and facilities by careful planning and good organisation…his examples and explanations helped reduce the fear factor and should improve my conversations with professionals – or even my ability to have a go.” – Yachting Monthly

A lifelong sailing enthusiast, Simon Jollands has filmed many major sailing events as well as producing and directing several sea safety films for the RNLI. He is the co-founder of Safe Skipper Apps and is author of The Boatyard Book , Safe Skipper and Reeds Lights, Shapes and Buoyage Handbook , all published by Adlard Coles.

See more and buy the book here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/boatyard-book-9781472977106/

The Boatyard Book: A boatowner’s guide to yacht maintenance, repair and refitting: Amazon.co.uk: Simon Jollands: 9781472977106: Books

Product details

Tools and spares for your boat

Tools and Spares to take to sea!

You won’t regret taking a look at our essential tips and checklist to make sure you’re prepared for routine maintenance and those unexpected jobs that come up whilst you’re afloat!

Seasickness – how can you prevent it?

Essential knots: clove hitch, boating emergency – how to broadcast a mayday emergency call, jester challenge 2022 – sailing single handed from plymouth uk to the azores: part 10 – the return trip.

Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the final instalment of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first-hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.

Propeller care and maintenance

Propellers are complicated and repairs should be done by specialists but owners can carry out checks and some routine maintenance themselves when the boat is in the boatyard. A propeller is critical to a boat’s performance, fuel consumption and ride, so it makes sense to keep a propeller in good working order.

Safety Equipment Checklist for Boats

Tidal heights and the rule of twelfths.

For those skippers who need to make a quick calculation or don’t have access to specific tidal curves for their location, it is possible to make an approximation using a system called the Rule of Twelfths. This is a simple method used to estimate the height of tide at any given time during the tidal cycle. It is based on the idea that the rise and fall of the tide is not constant, but follows a predictable pattern than can be divided into twelve parts.

Boat batteries

Under-sized battery banks are one of the key factors behind power failure at sea, as well as the premature failure of batteries, so make sure that your boat battery measures up to the use you want to put it to.

Cleaning & polishing painted topsides

The gelcoat topsides of a GRP boat can be pampered and restored to their former glory relatively easily when it is ashore. Gelcoat is only a very thin outer layer of the hull, often less than 1mm thick, so you should avoid cleaning it with highly abrasive cleaners, or an-ything that could potentially damage its surface.

Pre-start engine checks

According to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) almost one third of emergency call outs at sea are caused by mechanical failure. Many engine breakdowns are avoidable. The best way to avoid a breakdown is to carry out pre-start checks before heading out to sea.

Dripless shaft seals

Dripless shaft seals are designed to completely stop water from entering a boat’s hull via the stern tube. There are two main types of dripless seals known as face seals and lip seals which many boat manufacturers now fit to production boats.

Essential Boat Safety Briefing

Jester challenge 2022 – sailing single handed from plymouth uk to the azores: part 9 – around the azores.

Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the ninth of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first-hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.

Passage planning and pilotage

Boat handling – anchoring, understanding marine sealants & adhesives.

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The Boat Galley

making boat life better

Sailboat Maintenance Manual

Published on May 18, 2014 ; last updated on October 28, 2020 by Carolyn Shearlock

I’ve always loved Don Casey’s boat books, and his Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual is no exception.

I’ll get into what’s covered in the book in a minute, but the big thing to know is that his books are wonderful for any topics where you find yourself feeling totally lost. He doesn’t assume that you already are familiar with a system. He tells you what to look for, why you should care and what various things are telling you.

He leads you through troubleshooting in a step-by-step fashion and provides basic definitions of terms you may be unfamiliar with. In short, his books are understandable for the newbie, yet give sufficient detail for identifying and fixing problems. Further, his liberal use illustrations really helps me — and they’re usually large enough to see what’s being shown without resorting to a magnifying glass.

Simply put, Don Casey makes you feel like you can understand your boat and its systems and that you can tackle most problems.

We used his Boat Electrics Simplified  extensively on Que Tal and found that it often allowed us to solve a problem or if not, that it provided enough basic information that we could then understand more advanced information in another book. We had three different “electric” books on board, and it was always the one I’d reach for first.

A little over a week ago, I received a review/boatwarming copy of Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual from International Marine. Full disclosure: they are the publishers of The Boat Galley Cookbook, too, and I’m one of their blogger/reviewers.

Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual includes 5 of his other books plus one by Peter Compton on diesel engines. There is no new material in this book — important to know if you already own several of the included books. But if you don’t already own several, this book is both a space and money saver, costing about 40% of the combined cost of the six books.

And I prefer hard copies of reference books — I find it easier to flip through and find the info I’m looking for than with an electronic copy. So space is a concern. Combining six books into one saves five covers and about an inch of bookcase space.

Totaling 880 pages, these books cover much of the typical maintenance and repair on a boat (actually, any boat, not just a sailboat). If you have a real fixer-upper, however, his This Old Boat will provide far more information on a total restoration project.

The included books (I’ve linked each to Amazon if you want to buy just one):

• Inspecting the Aging Sailboat  — a do-it-yourself guide to boat surveying. In addition to providing pre-purchase information, this is a great reference when you spot something on your boat and want to know how serious a problem is before talking with a professional. Don’t get talked into a major “repair” to fix something that isn’t really a problem and don’t pass something off as minor that needs to be taken care of immediately.
• Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair — even if you don’t plan to do major repairs yourself, this book is full of invaluable information. There are numerous useful charts on the differences between various materials and where they should be used — I never remember which sealants to use where and always have to look them up, for example. He gives detailed information on most of the more common repairs; while I doubt that we’d do some of these ourselves, again I find it really helpful to know the correct way to do something before talking with the yard. And in some cases, reading how to do something made me realize that should we ever need it, we could do a lot of repairs ourselves (the longer we’ve owned boats, the more we’re willing to try as we realize that sometimes we’ll do a better job than a “professional” simply because we care a lot more).
• Sailboat Refinishing — this is an area ripe for DIY-ers as you can make huge improvements in the appearance of your boat without any risk of structural damage. Painting, varnishing, repairing gelcoat, and applying hull graphics are all covered with step-by-step illustrated instructions. I love his product guides as they often make me aware of properties I need to double-check. Dave and I are planning do the bottom paint for Barefoot Gal ourselves, and we’ve been comparing Don’s recommendations with those of the paint companies. While the paint company info is good for the specifics of working with a particular product, I find that he gives a far more detailed view of the entire process, not just applying the actual bottom paint.
• Sailboat Electrics Simplified  — this was the first Don Casey book I used and it really helped Dave and I to understand the electrical system aboard Que Tal . We knew almost nothing when we started and we came to understand the 12 volt side of things — charging systems, inverters, batteries and so on — better than most. We managed to solve problems that professionals had a hard time diagnosing.
• Troubleshooting Marine Diesels (by Peter Compton) — finally, a diesel book that is simple enough for a non-motorhead like me. There’s first a section on routine maintenance and then 12 troubleshooting charts to allow you to pinpoint where a problem is. The remainder of the book explains all the systems in far more detail with an emphasis on maintaining it.
• Canvaswork and Sail Repair  — this is a beginner’s book, starting with small projects and building skills as you go along. As with the other included books, it’s great for helping you understand the concepts if sewing is totally foreign to you. I’ve sewn since I was a kid, and I found that I could jump right to the more involved projects and that his directions and illustrations again made it easy to understand the process.

Bottom line is that I highly recommend this book for just about everyone but particularly if you are looking for basic “101” type books on your boat’s systems. We carry more than one reference book for each major system on the boat as no one book will cover everything you need or perhaps in as much depth as you need. Sometimes one drawing or photo will show something that another won’t. So I’m not going to call this (or any other) book the only one you need. But as far as being a fantastic basic reference — usually the first one we pull out to learn about something — it’s perfect.

• Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual  on Amazon

And check out our other courses and products

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Reader Interactions

Verona says

May 19, 2014 at 10:32 am

Hi. Because of your review I just ordered a copy for the boat and obtained the last copy from Amazon.ca until they get more! I will give it to my captain for father’s day but I have a feeling it might be something I will use more than him! We used to keep the old Time Life series on boating (dates back to the 70s) on the boat, but they took up so much room. I like the idea of having one concise all around maintenance book! Thanks for reviewing it! Your site has given us some great ideas and we received our port visors just the other week! Another useful find from your site.

Ron Dionne says

August 3, 2015 at 9:31 pm

Materials composition and suitability of bonding is the trick. Or you could hand carve a cork.

Danielle Beaty says

August 3, 2015 at 9:45 pm

I’m interested in these compositing toilets. What are the advantages aside from not having to deal with a holding tank I reckon. Lol

August 3, 2015 at 10:09 pm

The Boat Galley says

August 3, 2015 at 10:08 pm

The big one for us is that the size of our holding tank (18 gal.) means that we have to get pumped out every three days. That really limits our cruising if we have to go to a pump out station that often! Second is the smell. The vent from our head makes being in the cockpit when someone flushes downright obnoxious — being in the boat isn’t that much better, either. Third: no thru-hulls. Fourth: no replacing that #$)(* joker value or rebuilding the pump.

Lori Steinbrunner says

August 4, 2015 at 3:55 am

We installed a composting head on our Gemini and converted one of the thru hulls for a saltwater wash down pump at the bow. Very handy.

Sterling Kennedy says

August 4, 2015 at 11:45 pm

What about the smell??

August 5, 2015 at 12:05 am

Virtually none. Much, much less than with the holding tank. I’ve used several on different friends’ boats and it was never even noticeable.

Fred Facker says

February 19, 2016 at 1:26 pm

It even has canvas patterns for sewing stuff.

Ana Paula Ribeiro says

October 4, 2017 at 8:50 pm

This book is the best!

Julia Weeks says

October 5, 2017 at 7:42 am

Love this book!

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