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Boat Parts Need Occasional Replacement Just Like Car Parts
Boating is a real joy, but for dedicated boat owners, it is not all fun and games. You can't just buy a boat, toss it in the water, and visit it on weekends with no thought to maintaining it. Like any engine, a sterndrive or inboard or outboard engine needs specific care to stay in top running order.
Boating is a real joy, but for dedicated boat owners, it is not all fun and games. You can’t just buy a boat, toss it in the water, and visit it on weekends with no thought to maintaining it. Like any engine, a sterndrive or inboard or outboard engine needs specific care to stay in top running order.
While the sterndrive has many qualities to recommend it, it does have the unfortunate disadvantage of having some vital parts beneath the waterline, including hoses, rubber bellows, oil lines, and, of course, the propeller which drives the boat. Obviously, it is more difficult to examine and maintain at top working condition elements which are beneath the water surface. It is imperative to give these parts proper attention, however, as unseen damage can cause problems. Just as a car has certain parts which will need eventual replacement, like brakes and windshield wipers, certain boat parts need eventual replacement.
One main part that needs to be ooked at is the transom, which, through the drive shaft, powers the engine. The transom can absorb only so much stress and strain without sustaining damage, even when a boat is well maintained and driven only under normal conditions. A problematic transom could cause additional damage to the engine or even sink the boat. Therefore, diligent inspection of the transom is a good idea!
At the beginning and end of each boating season there are certain items which should be tended to. Particularly before winter, the oil should be changed, spark plugs inspected, and the impeller, which performs the important task of cooling the engine, should be checked. It should be frequently inspected during the season as well.
Your boat will reward you with reliable performance if given the regular care it requires. Boat ownership is a tremendous responsibility, but the rewards are even greater. The joys of boating-fishing, water skiing, cruising, or just being out in nature taking in the sparkling glint of sun on water-are worth the job of careful boat maintenance.