Maintenance question

[my dash]

Hi All, I purchased my boat last summer and I gather that the dealership probably prepped it for me with the appropriate maintenance.
Now, almost a year later with minor use,what should I really have done in terms of adequate/appropriate maintenance and what would the expense be apx.? :smt017
Thanks
Chris

 

[tphinney]

Normall maintanence is a 100hr's or at least once a year which ever comes first. thats what the marine max guys that service my boat recommend. I don't know about you but I average more like 50 +- hours a season so I have my services guys do the 100hrs service once a year.

last year it was about 700+; but it's a complete soup to nuts service the list of items that get serviced is about the size of a 8 1/2 x 11 typed page.

go to you're local dealer and have them give you a qoute for the 100hrs service and a complete breakdown of what is done.

also the less you uses a boat the more that goes wrong with them, just ask my neighbor. everytime they decided to go out something new doesn't work, so make the time and get out on the water as often as you can.

 

[280 SeaRay]

I do all my own maint so I cannot comment on the price a dealership would charge. I likely spend more than it would cost at the dealership but like to ensure it is done right.

It sounds like it may be uncertain if maint was done on the boat at delivery... regardless if it were my boat I would be performing the following regardless of the amount of use at this point (Merc specifies annually or every 100 hours):

-Change engine(s) oil and filter(s)
-Remove, clean spark arrestor(s)
-Remove, inspect, sparks plugs (plugs can be cleaned and re-gapped or replaced with new and gapped)
-Inspect cap, rotor, and spark plug wires replace as needed
-Remove spark plugs from genset (if equipped), inspect (plugs can be cleaned and re-gapped or replaced with new and gapped)
-Remove outdrive(s) lube u-joints, shaft spline
-Check engine alignment
-Inspect and check tension of serpentine belt(s)
-Replace raw water impeller and associated parts for engine(s)
-Replace genset impeller (if equipped)
-Replace inline fuel filter genset (if equipped)
-Drain and re-fill outdrives
-Grease prop shaft
-Inspect prop hub(s) (if equipped)
-Change fuel/water separating filter(s) (x3 if twin with genset)
-Change inline fuel filter(s) (if equipped)
-Grease engine coupler(s)
-Grease gimbal bearing(s)
-Grease outdrive hinge(s) (if equipped)
-Sand, prime, paint outdrives as needed
-Clean genset and A/C, heat strainers
-Lubricate all seacocks and exercise them
-Lubricate shift cable points per service manual
-Lubricate steering points per service manual

I may be missing some but this is most under the engine hatch..... there is much more outside of the engine compartment to be done.

Hope this helps


Almost forgot... if you have batteries that require water then you will want to check and fill those.... if you are in salt water.... I would yank the elbows and risers, inspect, and replace gaskets. Good luck!!

 

[Skip]

Chris,
The very best place to start is to read the manuals for the boat, engine, outdrive, and major subsystems. That will give you an excellent start point for annual maintenance, 50 hours service intervals, and the like. If you have the time you can fold all that into a spreadsheet for easy reference. You can download these manuals from the SR website if you don't have them.
Even if you only run 50 hours this year, don't defer changing engine and drive fluids, etc. based on hours run alone. Corrosives will build up in your engine oil, for example, and changing fluid and filters annually is cheap insurance--and keeps your manufacturer's warranty in place on a new boat.
I'd also recommend you build a maintenance log. I use MS Excel, but just about anything can work. I have fields for date, description, parts ordered/used, cost, and remarks. Not only does this allow me to track what has been done/needs to be done on the boat, but it gives me a nice annual rollup of maintenance expenses, which I promptly hide from my MBA trained wife ("you paid HOW MUCH for a Cummins C Series Starter????!!!!!!")
The other really powerful advantage to a detailed maintenance log is that when it comes time to sell your boat, if you elect to sell to a private party, you can demonstrate to the new owner that you have taken proper care of your boat and therefore he or she is not buying into a bunch of problems. That record, and a good survey, will carry the day. On this point I defer to my good friend CJ Martin, who owns my old 320DA.

regards
Skip

 

[my dash]

Thank you guys for the feedback. Boy,how I wish they had those manuals on CD,I do much better reading with my ears :smt043 !!
I will do my best and read up on it and give MM a visit on monday.Thanks again.
Chris

 

[comsnark]

My experience with both boats and cars is that it is ALWAYS cheaper and better to do it yourself. I just lack the SKILL as well as the TIME to do the work.

As I read 280 searays's list. . . much sounded familiar, except for the stuff related to the filters. (I like the idea of doing them) A dealer would charge alot of money for all this work. (Call it about $2,000 per engine (I got a quote)). This year, I had a local mobile mechanic do this work for me. . .and he charges much less.

I suspect 280 Searay's list costs him less than a dealer would charge and is significantly more thorough.

Regarding Spark Plugs: If you are bothering to pull them (and you should after you fog the engine as part of winterization). . .I would just go ahead and replace them.

I have hear numerous recommendations for raw water impeller as a bi-annual rather than annual excercise.

Hey 280: Do you do work in the NJ area? :grin: