By Victor Epand

If you have a boat, you know that you have to keep up with its maintenance. It’s not different than keeping with the maintenance of a land vehicle such as a car or truck. It must be taken care of and given the proper maintenance and have the proper parts that will fit so it will work once you bring the boat out onto the water. How do you make sure your boat parts are working properly if it has been stored for the winter?

Make sure you do an inspection before you try and take it out. You want to be sure that all of the parts will be in working order.

First, start with the engine. If it wasn’t changed before the winter, change the engine oil. Check the out-drive oil as well to make sure everything is good there. You’ll also want to replace your oil filter while you are at it.

Second, check the battery of your boat. If you have water in your batter, be sure it stays full of water. When it’s dry, it’s no longer good. Use a battery tester to check out the amps and volts. If nothing seems to work on it, then you may need a new battery.

Third, it’s time to fill up the cooling system. You should already know to drain it before the winter struck to avoid freezing lines. Be sure you examine the hoses for any cracks and empty out the strainer.

Fourth, the boat’s gas tank should have been full no moisture had a chance to form. Make sure that the fuel filter has been changed and its lines were not cracked. It’s not uncommon to find these lines cracked from the winter temperatures.

Fifth, be sure you clean out the distributor. To do this, you’ll need to take its cap off. Wintertime can corrode distributors. Once you check it out, be sure the connections are completely hooked back up.

Sixth, check all of the boat’s belts. Any belt that seems too loose should be changed as it is worn. To check if a belt is worn out try pushing it down. It should push down just slightly, not significantly. The alternator belt on your boat can wear out faster than any others. How else can you check if there is a worn belt on your boat? Look for some black soot near the pulley.

While these are not the only parts you should check on your boat, they are vital to de-winterizing your boat for a summer of fun.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about model boats, boat parts, and model submarines. You will find the best shopping at these sites for model boats, used boat parts.

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Here’s an interesting video on how a Cape Cod boater gets his craft ready.

Boats usually come out of a dealership looking bare and minimally decorated. This gives you a chance to do a complete boat make-over and decorate it to your liking. Basically, you would have to decorate the interior of your boat and not the exterior. Here are some decorating tips that may help you make your boat look more attractive and personalized.

1. Theme - Think of a theme or decorating concept. You can have a sporty looking boat, a family oriented interior, or a very elegant look. Of course an elegant boat interior will involve using genuine leather while a family concept should be more practical and resistant to spills and stains.

2. Identity- To give your vessel its own character and personality, you can sew-in an emblem or symbol, or have a memorable saying or quote printed into your sail. You can have the family crest or your initials printed on the sail. Use the same pattern for your interior leather or vinyl seats.

3. Artwork – Yes, seafaring vessels can have artwork on the walls. Hang some small paintings, sketches or other types of wall art in your boat. Having artwork on your wall can really make your boat make-over look very classy. Use paintings that are resilient to moisture such as oil or acrylic paintings.

4. Furniture – You can add some stable furniture like one or two comfortable chairs if you have the space for them. You can have them upholstered in fabric, vinyl or leather. Since your built-in seating is probably already made of leather or vinyl, use some fabric for the chairs to provide some luxury. Make sure the pieces are stable enough for turbulent waters.

5. Holidays - You can decorate your boat for seasonal holidays such as the 4th of July, Christmas or New Year’s Day. These are perfect holidays to do a temporary boat make-over. Use holiday themed decor such as Christmas wreaths and patriotic flags and symbols to decorate your interiors and sail. Light up your boat for New Year’s Eve.

6. Small Changes And Additions - Sometimes a few changes can make your vessel look like it had a complete make-over. Replace the upholstery of your leather or vinyl seats with a different color. Use wall decals for a cheap make-over. Place an area rug inside your boat next to the seats to add both comfort and character.

You don’t have to spend so much money to give your boat a fresh look. Consider having your vessel cleaned by a professional inside and out before having a boat make-over. Have the engine room cleaned by a professional boat valeting company. A clean made over boat is going to look better than a redecorated but dirty boat.

Find professional boat make-over specialists in the Shannon, Westmeath, Roscommon, Offaly area, and the rest of the Midlands of Ireland, visit Master-Clean.net.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Woodford

When the end of summer rolls around and the autumn leaves begin to fall, it’s time to winterize your boat! Winterizing a boat’s main goal is to protect it from the cold. The earlier you do it, the easier it is because fewer problems, often caused by the already changing weather, come up. So grab your tools and roll up your sleeves! Here are some guidelines on how to winterize a boat.

Get it Out of the Water
The best way to protect your boat from the winter is to get it out of the water and cover it well. Ideally it should be stored in a climate controlled area, but this can be very expensive. If you can cover it well and store in indoors, this is usually good enough.

Clean the Engine
If you have an outboard engine, flush the engine with fresh water and then let the water drain. Take this time to wash the exterior with soap and water and rinse it well. Next, to dry it, disconnect the fuel hose and run the motor till it stops. Afterwards, drain the fuel and use fogging oil on the cylinders. Apply water resistant greas to the propeller and its parts then change the gear oil. Lubricate the exterior then cover it up.

If you have an inboard engine, run it till it’s warm then change the oil. Afterwards, change the oil filter. Next, flush the it out with fresh water, then circulate antifreeze and change the transmission fluid. Remove the spark plus and use fogging oil on the cylinders. Finally, wipe it down with WD-40.

Fill the Tank
No matter what type of motor you have, fill the tank to avoid water build up from the condensation that often happens when the winter turns to spring. Remember to add a stabilizer.

Clean the Bilges
Making sure your bilges are clean and dry is important. Use a stiff brush to clean out oil spills from the bilges, flushing parts of it with soap and hot water. Then, rinse it out with some clean warm water. After it dries, spray some moisture displacing lubricant and add antifreeze to the bilges in order to make sure no water freezes in there.

Each boat manufacturer as well as boat motor manufacturers will include winterizing procedures in their manuals or owner’s guides. Be sure to read the steps highlighted here as they can best tell you how to winterize a boat, your boat in particular. Doing this is not only good for your investment (your boat will last longer), but it also protects you from spending more money because insurance companies will not cover the cost of neglect.

Here’s a good video on steps to take.

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Now you step onto the pier and look at your dock and gee, it looks plain and drab. You need to spangle it up and make it uniquely yours, your summer home for your summer recreation. You must make sure that your slip screams good tidings to all and sundry that pass by.

First of all, whether your boat and dock are on the ocean, the bay, or the lake, a definite nautical flavor in your decorating scheme is absolutely essential.

Start with things that are quickly and easily identifiable as “boat things.” Anchors and ship’s wheels are always a good eye-catcher, and a look around will get you several different ways to display them. They come in brass, wood, plastic – all depending on what you want to spend.

There are also nautical plaques and signs, some merely identifying parts of your boat – galley, bridge, captain’s quarters etc. – to seaport signs that bring to mind the waterfronts of a golden seafaring era, notably tavern signs.

Lanterns, especially if they are fitted out with a Fresnel lens, and more especially still, if they are the distinctive red and green of the universal port and starboard running lights, are an especially gratifying decoration for your dock.

Another distinctive décor item is to spell out your boat name, or your family name in the alphabet signal flags used on ships.

On board, a new ship’s clock sets the tone of your boating décor. They come in various formats, including ship’s wheel and porthole clocks, brass bridge clocks and clocks that chime the watch bells – called striking clocks. They run from fairly low prices to very expensive, depending on your pocketbook and your dedication to your boating hobby.

How to display all the interesting loot? That’s pretty much up to you. A line suspended between uprights that frame your slip is a good place to hang your favorite items. All you really need to remember is leave plenty of room for the other boaters on your dock to pass by – and be sure to ooh and ah at their decorations, too.

This article was written by Jim Truckey, owner of Good Tidings Nautical Gifts

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