End of Year/Start of Year Inspections and Maintenance

[johnnyonspot]

I own a 1983 Mac 25, bought last spring and am wondering what I should put on my checklist as far as important items to inspect at the end of the season or before the new season, and what maintenance items need to be done each year. Obvious items might include inspecting the swing keel cable and crank, but what else is there?

[Abby Normal]

Other than checking over the hull real good for cracks or scrapes, I don't know what else you'd do, maybe take a good look at standing and running rigging for wear and see if anything needs to be replaced. Might not hurt to crawl back to the transom with a flashlight and mirror and make sure you don't have any cracks where the gudgeons and engine mount bolts are.

I'm planning on doing a bottom/keel job and overhauling the electrical to my liking for certain.

[richandlori]

End of Year....

[James V]

West Marine has a Winterizing Checklist - http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... cklist.htm

This should cover any thing that might break during the next season and you will have a clean boat when you start in spring. I use a strong liquid Lysol water mix to spray/wipe down everything when I leave my boat. In Florida it can get bad.

Covers just about everything. It is best to do it now than waite until spring.

[Scott]

End of Year.... Question

All right ya left coast smart a**. Some of us DO have real winters to contend with and DO have to pull our boats. Gyheesh, the nerve of some guys rubbing in the year round sailing weather.

As for yearly inspections, My attitude is that if I make my boat "Like new" (Mechanically and not nec cosmetically) every winter. It will not let me down the following summer.

That is my goal when I pull my boat every year. On the years that not much has worn and needs repaired/replaced I concentrate on the Shiney stuff.

I recommend looking at and touching everything on your boat. "Neglected boats are dangerous places to be"

[RandyMoon]

End of Year....

These California surfer dudes are starting to get under my skin. At least we don't have Sea Lions to put up with in the marinas in Kansas. They would be classified as seafood here.

I am already having nightmares about having to use 4-wheel drive to get to my Mac, shoveling snow so I can get close enough to put some mods on it. I am looking at different Sailing Software packages to take care of my addiction over the winter.

Oh well, another reason to retire in 3 years and move to the coast (to a state that does not tax retirement earnings.)

Like Scott, this is two years out in the water for Rhapsody so I am going to Poliglow her from one end to the other this winter. She is going to look better than the day I got her.

But I do envy Rich on the Left Coast, preparing for the ultimate adventure that lots of people tank about but don't have the kazookies to pull off. Thinking back on the great times we had raising two wonderful daughters and dedicating vacations to establish solid time together, Rich will experience the greatest adventure as a parent, spending real bonding time together circling the hemisphere.

Life cannot get much better than that.