Preparing Your Boat for the Summer
If you left your boat in storage over the winter, you know it’s time again to get it ready for another summer on the water. The sun coming out signals the start of summer fishing, riding, and whatever other activities you enjoy outside with your boat. But in order to ride it again, you’re going to need to de-winterize it, which involves a little maintenance and a careful eye. This guide from L&M Marine will help you with the process a little, so read on to learn more about getting your Xpress bay boats ready for the summer season. When inspecting your craft, you might find that some damages need to be fixed up by a professional. In that case, bring it on into our dealership in Stapleton, near Mobile and Theodore, AL. We also serve customers from Pensacola, FL and Biloxi, MS.
Look it over Carefully
When taking it out of storage, you should give your bay boat a careful inspection. Start by opening the hatches, as well as the motor bay (if it’s an onboard motor boat). Remove any covers, too. Then, look all around for mold, mildew, or any extra water that could be laying around. Look for mildew in the carpeted areas too, as these are most susceptible to mold and other issues, and take a look inside the hull and console. Finally, pests tend to enjoy building nests inside stored vehicles, so look in every nook and cranny to make sure they aren’t hanging around anywhere.
The hull requires special attention. You should make sure there isn’t any new damage, since it shouldn’t have any different blemishes from the ones it had before the winter. But you might be able to find things you couldn’t see before, since it’s out of the water now and you can get a closer view of the hull. If it looks like there might be any serious damages, bring it on into our service department for repairs.
Prep Your Engine
The next step is to get your engine running. This process is a little different for outboards and inboards. With outboard motors, start by removing the nacelle. Then you can look around, inspecting the coolant and oil levels and condition of these fluids. Also check for leaks, especially around the gaskets and engine heads. If your Xpress bay boat runs with an inboard engine, open the engine bay to do your inspection. You should disconnect the battery and pull out each spark plug. Look for corrosion or any spare water on them, and get them replaced if there are significant signs of wear. Also check your fluids and leaks like you would on an outboard motor.
Inspect the Cover
The canvas or vinyl cover is very important, because why wouldn’t you want your boat to remain stylish? Look carefully for rips, tears, cuts, or signs of mold. You can patch up small holes, or bring it in for service if you notice any serious issues. Keep in mind, anything that shows signs of UV exposure will tear easily, so consider bringing it in for service.
Thorough Cleaning
Bay boats are meant to shine! Once everything else is done, do a thorough cleaning so your craft is water ready again. This includes polishing the chrome accents, wiping down the hull, and cleaning the windscreen with some window cleaner. Finally, dust off your console and clean up the coolers and livewells.
Xpress bay boats are a big part of our summer adventures, so it’s really important that you perform this simple list of prep work before taking it out on the water again. If you notice any issues that you’d like repaired or inspected by a professional, don’t hesitate to bring it on into L&M marine. We’re in Stapleton, near Mobile and Theodore, AL, as well as Biloxi, MS and Pensacola, FL.