Our 9 Step Checklist to Get Your Boat Ready for the Season

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Your boat has been sitting all winter and you're anxious to get back out on the water this spring. To get prepared for the boating season ahead, here's our 9 Step Spring Boating Checklist that will help you get your boat and motor into tip-top condition.

1. Remove and Recycle Shrinkwrap

Shrinkwrap is a great way to protect your boat from the harsh winter weather. Come springtime, remove the shrinkwrap by cutting it off with a knife. Be careful not to cut into furniture or canvas on your boat when removing shrinkwrap.

We have shrinkwrap recycling programs at both Charles Mill and Pleasant Hill Marina. Simply remove the shrinkwrap from your boat, dispose of any non-shrinkwrap material such as wood, carpet or straps, and then bring the shrinkwrap into the marina. We transport the used shrinkwrap to a recycler, who gives it second life as composite decking.

2. Give Your Boat a Good Clean

Your boat may have collected some dust, dirt and stains over the winter months. They don't call it "spring cleaning" for nothing! We recommend first taking a shop vacuum and sucking up any leaves or dirt that accumulated since the boat went into storage.

Next, shine up the outside panels on your boat with a strong general purpose cleaner, like the Tappan Cleaner product we sell at our marinas. These are great at removing stubborn stains and black streaks that can accumulate over time.

Give your vinyl furniture a clean by using a marine-grade vinyl cleaner from Meguiar's or Starbrite. Add a marine protectant spray from 303 to give your furniture the ultimate protection from damaging UV rays.

Last, use a carpet or deck vinyl cleaner to make sure that your deck is free of mold and mildew. We recommend Starbrite's Mold and Mildew Remover for any stains that have been sitting for a while.

3. Make Sure Your Battery is Charged

We always recommend removing your boat's starting battery before it goes into winter storage and storing it in a cool, dry area in your home. These batteries are sensitive to extreme heat and cold, and can reduce the charging capacity and lifetime usefulness of the battery.

Charge your battery up before bringing it out to the boat for the first time. "Smart chargers" are useful for optimally charging your battery and making sure that the battery doesn't receive excessive voltage.

When you are placing the battery back into the boat, check for dirt, corrosion and rust on the wires or terminals. If you do notice corrosion, a solution of water and baking soda can help to remove it. Make sure that all nuts are tightly fastened to ensure a strong connection.

4. Add Gas to Your Tank

You always want to keep a small amount of fuel in your tank when winterizing, along with a fuel stabilizer to help preserve it's useful life over the winter. But come springtime you'll want to splash the tank with new, fresh fuel to make sure that your motor isn't running strictly on that 6 month old fuel.

Questions about what fuel to use? Check out this video to learn more.

5. Inspect Your Prop and Lower Unit

While your boat is out of the water, have a look at the prop. Are there any dents, nicks or large cuts? If so, this can cause further harm to your motor, reduce power and maneuverability, and cause vibrations that will shake your boat.

Rather than replacing a damaged prop with a brand new one, consider having your current prop re-built into like new condition. This is a service that we offer at both of our marinas and is cheaper than a brand-new prop.

Also look at your lower unit and make sure that it is free of any fishing line and that there are no visible oil stains which may indicate a leak.

5. Check Your Lights and Electronics (don't forget your trailer!)

Once you have your battery installed, flip the switches on your lights to ensure that your navigation (the red and green lights) and the anchor light (the white light up top) are all still working. These are required to work if you operate your boat between dusk and dawn. Also check your docking lights at the front of the boat, as well as any interior lights you may have.

Give any other electrical items a check also, from your stereo, to fish finders or cell phone chargers. It's much easier to fix these items when the boat is out of the water. Lastly, don't forget to make sure your trailer's turn signals and brake lights are operational.

6. Inventory your Safety Equipment

We recommend making sure you have enough safety equipment every time you go out on your boat, but especially at the beginning of the season. The State of Ohio requires any boat 16' or longer to have:

US Coast Guard approved Life Jackets for all passengers
Type IV Throwable device (a ring or a foam pad with handles)
Fire Extinguisher
Visual Distress Signal (a distress flag works well)
Sound Signaling Device (your boat's horn or a whistle will work)
Anchor and Line

Although not required by law, we also recommend having plenty of docking lines and fenders to protect your boat.

Visit the State of Ohio's website for all rules and regulations on safety equipment.

7. Check Your Steering

Turn your steering wheel to the left and right. Do you feel significant resistance or any gaps in the steering? Although steering cables are often a little more resistant in the spring time, you may need to grease them up to get things moving. We recommend using a marine grease on the steering cable to loosen it up and make your boat easy turning.

8. Fire Up Your Engine

Before you get out on the water, start your engine up at the launch ramp and make sure that it runs well. Listen to the engine - are there any unusual knocking noises, loud vibrations or uneven sounds? This may be an indication that you need to have the motor looked at by a qualified technician.

If your engine shuts off without you turning it off, it doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong. Carbureted engines are notorious for being slow to start in cold weather. Once they are warmed up you should not have an issue.

You may see more smoke than normal for the first few minutes of your engine running - it's normal. That is the fogging oil from winterization being burned off and should dissipate in a minute.

9. Check Your Boat's Registration

Registrations are required for every recreational boat in Ohio, including powerboats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, and inflatable boats. Boat registrations are good for three years and expire on March 1. There is no late fee for renewing after March 1.

What you need to get a boat registered depends on what type of boat it is. Generally you need proof of ownership, some detailed information on the boat, some detailed information on you (the owner), a drivers license or ID, and the registration fee.

You can renew your existing boat registration online as long as you have a PIN (found on a renewal letter sent by the State of Ohio) and all information on the boat AND owner is up-to-date.

Watch this video for everything you need to know on boat registration

Wrapping it Up

So that's it! Nine steps to help make sure your boat and motor are ready for a summer of fun. If you have any questions, we're glad to answer them at 419-368-5951. Just ask for our service department and we will help you out.