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A guide to maintaining your sail boat |
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Maintaining your sail boat should always be a top priority if you want your vessel to give you optimum performance. With hurricanes and tropical storms getting stronger in the past couple of years, there are more reasons to undertake necessary maintenance and repair work on sail boats.
There are companies that specialize in sailboat maintenance. Their services include re-rigging, winch service, rig tuning, upgrading of current hardware, fibreglass repair, among others. Whether you take your boat for detailing services or you prefer to do the maintenance work yourself, it helps to take note of the following areas:
Winches
Winches are motor-driven or hand-powered machine used for hoisting or hauling. They have drum around which is wound a rope or chain attached to the load being moved. In sail boats, these winches pulls various sheets i.e., lines attached to the sails or boom. It is important to inspect them regularly and keep the winches lubricated as tiny particles can easily get stuck in the small gears.
Follow manufacturer’s procedures when inspecting and lubricating the winches.
Rigging Care and Maintenance
Inspect the rig system of your sailboat regularly. Note that the stays, shrouds, terminals and turn buckles bear the total load of the mast and are under considerable strain at all times. Watch out for broken wires, heavy stains or corrosion, or small cracks in the fittings. Deal with water leaks in the deck immediately as this could cause more serious damage on your boat. Consult with a repair specialist to solve the problem.
When trailering your boat, make sure that all of your lines are neatly coiled. It helps to soak new polyester ropes in soapy water before use to make them suppler. Sanding the ropes with sandpaper will also keep the ropes from getting slippery.
Unstepping the Mast
To avoid damage, proper care and preparation is needed at all times when unstopping the mast. Unstepping the mast regularly is advised, especially if the boat is trailered. Keep the mast from being kinked, bent, crushed, or damaged in some other form.
Caring for Stainless Steel
Keep stainless steel fittings clean at all times. This way, you will be able to see if there are unusual stains or corrosion spots that could be signs of a bigger problem inside your boat. Use a water-soluble detergent and a soft cloth for cleaning. Do not use harsh materials such as steel wool and other abrasive solutions.
Lifelines
Lifelines, which run around the perimeter of the deck, should be kept clean at all times.
Deck maintenance
Wash the deck of your sail boat one section of a time instead of making a quick sweep of the entire deck. With a mild soap and a deck brush, go through the deck section by section, rinsing the finished section with water as you move along. Most of the common stains on the deck come from food, oil and even spills from adhesive products such as epoxy. You may need to go through the section with stubborn stains with a stronger solution.
Remember to keep the deck clean all the time to maintain a non-skid deck. Keep street shoes of the deck.
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