The sailing season seems too short to squander on chores – and as a rule midseason maintenance is fairly painless. Unless you find some big problem, the summary checks and small repairs can actually prevent a larger investment of time a month or a day later.
Engine
Most sailboats have two means of propulsion: the rig and the engine. If your auxiliary is an outboard in a well, the primary midseason maintenance will be checking to see if the entire lower unit has corroded off yet. Outboards are not designed to be in salt water constantly.
If the outboard is carried on a stern bracket, routine maintenance consists of rinsing off the salt on a marine engine, checking the prop for damage, checking the starter cord for wear – these break at awkward times – and perhaps a midseason change of spark plugs. Often operated at heavy loads and with rich mixtures of oil and fuel, outboard auxiliaries tend to eat spark plugs.
On both diesel and gasoline inboards, draining water from the fuel-water separator filter is required. Unless a lot of powering is done, the engine oil should not have to be changed. An oil change every 100 hours of operation should be adequate, unless the manufacturer suggest otherwise.
The stuffing box should not leak at all when the engine is not being used, and should leak no more than a drop or so a minute with the shaft turning. If the stuffing box doesn’t leak when the shaft is turning, back off a little on the locknuts, and check the operation the next time youre underway. An over-tightened stuffing box can cut the shaft.
With a relatively new engine, check the owners manual for maintenance required at specific intervals during the break-in period. It is common, for example, for cylinder head bolts to require retorquing after the first 100 hours of operation. Alternator belts may also stretch significantly when new. All belts and hoses should be closely inspected.
On a freshwater cooled engine, check the level in the coolant tank. An overheated engine can quickly be damaged.
For more tips on proactive maintenance, purchase Beth Leonard’s The Voyager’s Handbook, 2nd edition today!
