JP NEWS | 31 MAY 2021

10 top tips for Winter Maintenance from a Superyacht Captain

While a lot of people tend to do their maintenance just before Summer, Winter is a great time to look at doing your annual maintenance for your vessels. This ensures everything is ready to go for Summer and also spreads costs across the year.

We have compiled our top 10 Winter Maintenance tips to help get you started.

Complete all major maintenance during this time

Haul outs, cut & polish, antifoul and engine/generator services should all be done during the down season. Not only are yards and contractors less busy, so your jobs aren’t pushed out and your time on the water eaten in to, but you are also spreading your costs throughout the year so you can enjoy your time out on the water without having to limit your trips due to the expense of your maintenance. We all know how much fuel, food and drinks can amount to be- You don’t need a hefty maintenance bill competing with those costs during Summer!

Make sure your bilge pumps are set on automatic

While we still have incredible boating here in New Zealand during the Winter months, it is likely that you will be spending less time out on your vessel. It is important to make sure your bilge pumps are always set to automatic to prevent any nasty surprises when you do decide to head out.

Invest in a dehumidifier

Similarly to Tip no.2, less trips away means less airing out of your vessel. It is important to have a dehumidifier running throughout the Winter months to reduce damp air and keep your vessel fresh and dry.

Run your main engines, generators and thrusters every fortnight

Whether you do this yourself or employ a company to complete regular checks/runs throughout the colder seasons, it is important to keep all equipment running regularly to prevent degradation. The last thing you want heading into the busy season is an issue with your engines, generators or thrusters due to lack of use.

Lube zips and latches

We all know how frustrating it can be when you get on your vessel and your covers or clears will not unzip. A very easy and often forgotten task is to lube these along with your latches to prevent them getting stuck when not regularly being used. A very simple trick that will save you a lot of frustration come Summer!

Make sure your black water tanks are empty

While we are regularly using our vessels, it isn’t the biggest deal if we forget to empty the black water tank after a trip away. However, when your boat has been left in the marina for a month or so with a full black water tank it is a much different story… and I don’t think we need to explain why! At the end of the season, make sure your tank is empty to prevent any unpleasantness when you come back next
time.

Turn off all unnecessary appliances such as ice makers

While we’re not using them, they don’t need to be on! Save some power and switch them off at the end of the season.

Winterise your watermaker

While the water maker isn’t being regularly used you can winterise your watermaker to prevent bacteria growth and to protect watermaker membranes. Contact your local specialist to find out if your make/model watermaker requires winterising and which kit to use.

Treat your teak deck with a mild and mildew inhibitor such as Wet & Forget or Boracol 10RH

Teak starts to get green growth in shaded areas that don’t dry out. To prevent this, you need to spray affected areas with products that kill mould and mildew such as Wet & Forget. You can also use such products on canvas too to prevent growth and subsequent staining.

Waterproof your canvas

Unfortunately with Winter comes a fair bit more rain! If you waterproof your canvases during your winter maintenance this reduces the chance for leaks and has them ready to go for the Summer spray.

Want more tips and advice on Winter maintenance and keeping your vessel in top condition? Contact us today and one of our friendly team will be in touch.