Getting the boat ready for the upcoming season

Here are a few things boaters can begin doing to get that “hole in the water into which you throw money” ready for the upcoming season.

Let’s discuss the boat trailer first. Check tire pressures to make sure the tires are properly inflated. That includes your spare tire, too. If you have installed hubs on the trailer’s wheels that keep a positive grease pressure on the wheel bearings, a few pumps from your grease gun should have the bearings ready for another season of trailering. If not, then repacking the wheel-bearings may be the next step.

Hook your trailer up to the electrical system on the tow vehicle and check the trailer lights. Replace any burnt out bulbs and check for proper brake and turn-signal functioning. If everything checks out, you’re almost done with the trailer. If lights only work some of the time, don’t get frustrated. The first thing I look at is the ground wire on the trailer. A bad ground is often the cause of faulty or intermittent trailer lights.

While not necessary, pulling each trailer wheel and applying some “anti-seize” compound on the lug bolts will make any need to change a flat later in the season much easier. Plus, the compound will give the steel some rust protection which helps the lug wrench turn a little easier when needed. Going over the trailer and tightening up any loose nuts and bolts will help assure a problem-free trailering season.

Now, let’s look at the boat itself. If you “winterized” the engine and pulled the battery last fall, then this preseason checkup will be much easier. Hopefully, you stored the battery where it wouldn’t freeze and periodically attached a trickle-charger to keep the battery’s status at “full-charge.” I was able to keep my riverboat battery in great shape for 10 years following this procedure before I decided to replace it.

After uncovering my smaller, outboard riverboat, I would clean it out, removing all the leaves and other debris it collected before it was covered the previous fall. My next step was to inspect the fire extinguishers for usability and check the dates on all my signal flares to make sure I was legal. That always led to going through all the gear I kept on board, like anchors and chains, anchor lines, extra tie-up lines, and gear to refloat the boat in the event I managed to ground it (and who hasn’t if they run the valley rivers at all).

Now is a good time to update expired supplies in your first-aid kit and give each personal floatation device (PFD) a thorough inspection. Replace any PFD’s you find that are damaged or torn.

I did these tasks on my small riverboat powered by a two-stroke outboard with a jet unit. After re-installing the battery, I would check the electronics, like radios, for proper function. I’d try the steering and shift and throttle controls to make sure they moved freely. I lubricated all the grease fittings on the outboard with marine grease and replaced the in-line fuel filter. A new set of spark plugs was a cheap investment toward assuring a smooth running engine. I checked the power tilt and trim for smooth and full-range functioning. Then I inspected the foote, containing the impellor, on the jet unit.

The impellor’s edges need to be sharp and properly angled. The impellor must also be positioned to pump water efficiently by shimming it on its shaft in the lower unit. If you’re not sure what you’re doing here, have a professional inspect and sharpen your impellor and properly re-install it into your lower unit. Don’t forget an hour’s test run on a lake before launching in a river, just to make sure everything is working as it should.

Currently, I’ve got an inboard jetboat, but I still check almost all the same things except the outboard stuff. Now, engine wise, I seal up the sand trap, grease the main shaft, close up the heat exchanger, check antifreeze levels, and check oil and filters.

Finally, check to make sure your trailer is properly licensed and the registration is current. Check your boat’s registration and make sure it’s current, too. Getting a ticket for either oversight will ruin your day. A paid-up boat insurance policy is a good idea to protect both you and your investment.

I usually try to get a US Coast Guard Auxiliary boating safety inspection each year, just to make sure I didn’t miss something.

See you on the water!

Howard Delo is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. This column is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman or its parent company, Wick Communications. You can leave Delo a message by emailing sports@frontiersman.com.