5 Boat projects you may be able to do at home…

We learnt in the last couple of years, you can't always get to your boat. That doesn't necessarily mean you can't leep on top of some maintenance projects. In this guide we take a look at what projects you may have waiting for us at home. 

Here’s a short list of ideas based on things that you may not need to actually go and fetch from your boat.

1. Service your auxiliary outboard

Many of us will have bought our outboards home for the winter anyway, and now’s a great time to give them a basic service. Simple consumables such as gearbox oil and spark plugs can be bought online, and even if you don’t want to do that there are things we can do such as making sure we don’t leave old petrol in the tank and greasing the moving parts

2. Wash Curtains and Seat Covers

Many of us bring cushions and fabrics home off the boat over the winter. Why not take this opportunity to give them a wash - it’s something many of us don’t do all that often, but if they are already at home why not give them some love?

3. Service your Inflatable Tender

Inflatable tenders can be made to look almost new again with just a few simple steps. Products such as Ribshine or August Race RIB cleaner can give even the oldest of tenders a new least of life. It’s worth flushing out the inflation valves with fresh water too - these get full of crystalised salt and can begin to leak. 

4. Re-Proof your Waterproof Clothing

This is a job that’s well worth doing before you realise you need to do it! If you’ve got your waterproofs sat in your wardrobe at home, why not get either some reproofing spray or wash-in reproofer and make sure that they remain waterproof for the foreseeable future. 

5. Update your Charts

If you keep charts at home over the winter, why not download the latest corrections and make sure your charts are fully up to date? Many of us don’t do this as often as we should, but it’s a valuable skill and one that can lengthen the life of our charts. If you have Imray or Admiralty Leisure charts, corrections can normally be found on their websites.