March 2015
Midwest Boat & Recreation
Page 5
Spring into the Boating Season
Brian Rice is a charter fishing
captain who plies the inshore and
offshore waters off northern New
Jersey with his 2006 31-foot Contender® center console.
The boat is powered by the
original 2006 Yamaha F250 outboards, and the hull and motors
have over 2,200
hours of use on
them without a
major repair.
The boat
has been fished
hard. However,
sitting on the
trailer in the
warehouse,
gleaming under three coats of
wax as Rice finished up getting it
ready for fishing season, it looked
to be in excellent condition.
Brian walked us through the
thorough service program he follows before splashing the boat for
another season of charters and
fun fishing with his family and
friends.
“The Jersey Devil is a great
boat, and it’s powered by the most
dependable outboards I have ever
owned,” Rice said.
“Yamaha builds a great product, but if you don’t follow the
manufacturer’s service requirements at the specified service intervals,
you
can’t expect to
get the kind of
longevity I have
gotten.”
R i c e ’ s
spring pre-season prep work
goes well beyond the outboards. The larger the boat, the
more things there are to inspect,
service, and replace if necessary.
The older the boat, the more
important these system checks are
to avoid what could become serious problems once you start the
new boating season.
Continued on Page 7
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March 2015
Midwest Boat & Recreation
Continued from Page 5
“Since I put a significant
amount of hours on my outboards each season, I probably replace service items more
frequently than a more casual
boater needs to,” Rice said.
“I do a thorough inspection
and servicing of the outboards
and related systems from top to
bottom before anything else. Be
sure to drain the engine oil and
lower unit lubricants when the
boat comes out of the water at the
end of the season and replace
them.
“You do not want tired lubricants sitting in the engine over the
winter, especially the lower unit.
If you manage to get water in the
Grease fittings should be inspected, and if they look suspect, remove and replace.
Page 7
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Check the steering ram end
caps carefully for any signs
of corrosion or fluid leaks.
lower unit oil, which can happen
as a result of a seal being damaged from something as simple as
picking up some fishing line behind the prop, you don’t want it
left in there over the winter. The
discolored oil will tell you if you
have a seal problem, too.”
Below is Captain Rice’s detailed spring checklist for his boat.
Engine and Fuel System
Checklist
• Replace all engine fuel and
oil filter (if this wasn’t done previously before storage).
• Inspect and clean spark
plugs. Replace when your manufacturer says it’s time.
• Inspect grease fittings,
Continued on Page 11
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March 2015
Midwest Boat & Recreation
Continued from Page 7
replace if necessary, and then add
grease as needed.
• Remove props and check
the lower unit seal.
• Grease the prop shaft and
replace the cotter pin when reinstalling.
• Drop the lower unit, inspect
the water pumps, replace if necessary or annually.
• Inspect engine zincs and replace as needed.
• Inspect grounding cables on
the engine mounting bracket.
These can break or become corroded. Clean/replace as needed.
• Inspect battery cable connection to engine, clean, and coat
with dielectric grease.
Ensure the trim tab reservoir
is topped off. Not necessary
with electric trim tabs.
Page 11
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Check battery switches carefully and use a volt meter if
you’re not sure the condition.
• Inspect hydraulic steering
ram end caps and replace seals if
leaking. Replace caps if corrosion
is present.
• Inspect/service power trim
and tilt ram end caps. Coat with
waterproof grease when done.
• Replace external canister
fuel filters.
• Carefully inspect all fuel line
hoses and priming balls for leaks,
wear, or weathering. This is particularly important with older
boats.
• Inspect all connections in
the fuel delivery system for any
signs of leaks.
• Inspect fuel vent and fill tube
to the tank if accessible.
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Continued on Next Page
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Page 12
Midwest Boat & Recreation
Continued from Previous Page
Trim Tabs
• Inspect the trim tabs, screws,
bolts, and rams. If you keep the
boat in the water, the trim tabs
should be treated with an antifouling coating seasonally.
• Check the hydraulic cylinders for any sign of leakage.
• Inspect the hydraulic lines,
the pump, and fluid reservoir. Top
off with the recommended fluid
if needed.
Steering System
• Non-power assisted systems
have a small fill cap on the pump
body behind the steering wheel.
Power assist systems are checked
at the pump reservoir. Check fluid
level and top off as needed.
Inspect all check valves on
thru-hull fittings and be sure
they work smoothly.
Check battery expiration
dates on EPIRB, PLB, and
electronics in your ditch bag.
• Inspect all hydraulic hose
connections to be sure they are
tight and there are no leaks.
• If it was necessary to remove
any steering lines or replace the
ram end caps at the engine, the
system will have to be bled.
Electrical Systems
• Inspect the batteries. If corrosion is evident, remove and
clean terminals and cable ends
and reconnect.
• Load test all batteries.
• Check the battery switches
to be sure they are functional.
Older models can wear out.
• Inspect battery cable connections to each switch.
• Check breakers/fuse panels.
Continued on Next Page
March 2015
March 2015
Midwest Boat & Recreation
hull fittings. Be sure they are all
double-clamped and that the
• Inspect bus bars for corro- clamps are not corroded.
• Check bilge pumps and ausion. Wire brush clean if needed.
• Check all helm switches in- tomatic bilge pump switches.
• Check additional pumps
cluding trim tabs, power trim and
tilt to be sure they are operational. (washdown, macerator, etc.).
• Inspect your anchor line for
• Check all lights. If you’ve
wear around the
planned
on
switching over to “If you don’t follow the thimble linking it
LEDs, this is a manufacturer’s service to the chain or
anchor. Check
good time.
requirements at the
the shackles to be
• Check all
specified service
sure the screw is
n av i g a t i o n a l ,
intervals, you can’t
not rusted tight.
sonar, and comm u n i c a t i o n s expect to get the kind of Remove the line
electronics to be longevity I have gotten.” from the anchor
locker and in-Captain Brian Rice
sure they are opspect.
erational. Pay
“After
I’ve
gone
through the
specific attention to connections
to be sure they are tight. Radio list and checked off each item as
antenna connections are notori- completed, the boat is thoroughly
ous for corroding. Inspect all wires washed and waxed inside and
out, topped off with fresh fuel and
and cables.
splashed for another year of fishGeneral Vessel Systems
• Inspect all thru-hull fittings ing,” Rice explained.
“Take good care of your boat.
from inside and outside the boat.
• Check all thru-hull shut-off It’s important for boating safety,
valves to be sure they are working. and it’s too big an investment to
Lubricate or replace if necessary. ignore.”
Article provided by Yamaha.
• Inspect all hoses from thru-
Page 13
Continued from Previous Page
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