Maintenance Guides...
Maintaining & Servicing Deck Hardware
Deck hardware on a boat such as winches, travellers, tracks and cars are hard wearing and durable - the environment in which they live and the loads they must withstand make this essential. They do need regular maintenance however, so here’s our basic guide on servicing deck hardware…
Painting a Fibreglass Boat
Many of us paint our boats above the waterline to give them a new lease of life. It could be that colour trends have changed and you wish to modernise the look of your boat, or just that the existing paint is either at the end of its life or just looking a bit tired. Either way, painting your boat's topsides can be a simple and rewarding task, and with a bit of prep the results you get can look quite professional...
How to get the best from your ropes.
All boats have ropes on board, so taking good care of them is very important in order to maximise the lifespan of the lines. The right care and attention will also keep your ropes working in the right way. Here are a few hints and top tips from our friends at Kingfisher Yacht Ropes...
Long Term Fuel Storage
If you've had to leave fuel in your boats fuel tank for longer than planned, or just over the winter, it may be worth treating it to make sure all runs smoothly when you do get back on the water. Here's our handy guide to long term fuel storage...
Simple Boat Varnishing
Varnishing is something we often have to do, both on the boat and around the home. But why do we varnish wood? And how do we get a great finish? Our guide to basic varnishing projects tells you all you need to know…
The Perfect Onboard Tool Kit
Whether you are sailing across the bay or across an ocean, it’s important to carry some basic tools for your trip. Things break and wear out - it’s a fact of life, but having the right tools onboard will enable you to solve many simple problems yourself without having to resort to calling for help. Here’s our handy guide to a Boatowners perfect toolkit…
Boat Cover Maintenance
If you have a winter cover on your boat, it’s worth taking a few steps each year to make it look good and last longer. These covers are expensive, particularly fitted versions, and if we can make them last a few extra years some basic maintenance can be time and money well spent…
Sportsboat & RIB Cleaning
If you’ve got a boat sat on your driveway, then now’s a great opportunity to give it some love. Maybe the gelcoat is a bit faded? Or it just needs a really good clean after a winter of neglect? Here’s our guide to making your Sportsboat or RIB look like new again…
Preparing your Engine for Long Term Storage
Engines are the unsung heroes of our boating enjoyment. We rarely want to even go near them unless absolutely necessary, but we do want them to provide faultless service time and again. And we certainly start to get to know them when they begin to go wrong! Our time boating is extremely precious (not to mention costly!), and in our experience it's well worth spending a bit of time preparing your engine if it’s going to stand idle for a while...
Keep Your Boat Interior Fresh
Whether you are laying up your boat for the winter, or just not anticipating using it for a while, it’s important to try and prevent the growth of mould and mildew that can damage and stain your upholstery and headlinings. Here’s our guide to keeping your boat fresh when it’s not being used...
Tips for Keeping Teak Looking Great
If you’re lucky enough to have teak decks or woodwork aboard your boat you will understand the satisfaction that can be gained from keeping it looking great. Here’s a few tips on how to keep it looking good, and what to do if it starts to show its age…
Fresh Water System Maintenance
If your boat has a fresh water system then it’s worth taking a few steps each year to ensure that it stays clean and free from any nasties. It’s also worth checking and servicing your freshwater pump from time to time - this should make it run more efficiently and last longer. Here’s our quick guide to keeping your water system in tip top condition…
5 Boat projects you may be able to do at home…
As many of us have restricted access to our boats at the moment, what projects can we already 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...
Antifouling Preparation
It's that time of year, and all around the marinas you'll start to see boats being readied for the new sailing season ahead. Probably the most common bit of boat maintenance at this time of year is antifouling. It's a good idea to remember that to prevent an excessive amount of build up of barnacles and other marine growth you should consider antifouling your boat once a year (if it stays in the water!) If you have the time and the right tools it's a great way to save some money on upkeep.
Which Antifoul For My Boat?
Useful Information on antifouling your boat taken from boat painting manuals supplied by Hempel Blakes paints, International Paints and Seago antifouling.
Winch Servicing
Mike Lee is the technical expert at Harken's Newport Rhode Island office.
He works closely with naval architects, boat designers, and boat captains, specing custom winch and hardware packages, and figuring out the best deck layouts for the projects. Here he gives us a guide to servicing your winches...
Winterising Your Outboard Motor
A job that can be done easily at home, saving you money and giving you peace of mind that the job has been done correctly. Here's our simple 9 step guide...
Guide to Laying Up
Here's our handy guide to preparing your boat for the winter. We look at the boat's interior, exterior and machinery...
Winterising Your Inboard Engine
Short on time? Use our quick top 10 guide to winterise your engine. Help it survive the cold weather so that next year you can enjoy a season of stress-free boating...
Maintaining Your Lifejacket
6-STEP GUIDE TO MAINTAINING YOUR LIFEJACKET When the boating season kicks off and you dust off your lifejackets after their winter hibernation it's worth carrying out a few essential checks to make sure all is well...