Caring for your sailboat doesn’t have to give you any form of headache. Determining a budget and planning how it will be distributed will make your investment protected, and your sailboat can be maintained with minimum costs.

Below are the main tips that must be taken into account for the maintenance of your sailboat. 

Take Care of the Wood

Getting water into our sailboat can become the worst of our nightmares. Therefore, if we have split planks, loose plank, or a hole, it is essential that they are repaired as soon as possible. In addition, when cleaning the sailboat, it is important to take into account the materials we use. 

Very often, cleaning the covers with a hard bristle brush that actually wears wood up to 1 mm per year is recommended. Therefore, it will be advisable to use a less aggressive brush, which is used gently transverse to the direction of the grain to avoid causing the wood of our sailboat wear. In this way, what will be achieved is that the wood acquires a natural silver appearance.

It is important to differentiate what type of water causes damage to the body of our sailboat. While saltwater acts as a mild preservative, rainwater is the real cause of the problem since if it builds up, the wood then starts to rot.

In addition, another enemy of wood is the lack of ventilation. Therefore, it is important to use breathable materials to cover the sailboat. In case we do not have a marine dehumidifier, the sailboats will need good airflow through the accommodation areas and storage spaces. These measures are essential to prevent the sailboat from acquiring a bad smell, becoming wet and causing mold.

What Happens if we Have a Fiberglass Molded Sailboat?

Our allies, in this case, will be regular wax and polish. These will help keep the fiberglass as new, especially if it is dark colors as they fade more quickly.

It is important to check frequently if our sailboats have scratches, cracks, chipping, or other damage to the gelcoat. In this case, it will be sufficient to use an aesthetic repair of the gel. However, if the thing is complicated, we can use a sharp chisel to open the V-shaped crack. In the event that the damage reaches the laminate, we will have to resort to a professional to repair it.

Maintenance of Engine and Other Equipment

It is important to carry out a periodic check of the engine. This will consist of checking the condition and tension of the transmission belt, performing an inspection of all the cables to check for any wear, as well as checking the level of oil and coolant in the heat exchanger of the water cooling engine candy.

Another of the tasks involved in sailboat maintenance is to beach it at the end of the season and the wintering of the engine, before which it is very important to carry out the annual maintenance of diesel engines. This will consist of changing the oil, the oil filter, and the fuel filter.

When the engine oil degradation is approximately one third, the sacrificial anodes should be changed. But do not worry more about the cost of this since this process is usually done only once a year. It will also be necessary to analyze the outer edges of the propeller blades. We must also bear in mind that we will face electrolytic corrosion if we find pitting on the surface, accompanied by a pink discoloration.

With regard to metal hulls, a white powder inside is a sign that they need to be replaced. These damages are also usually caused by electrolysis. In the same way, it will be necessary to check the good condition of the transducers of the speed register and echo sounder, as well as the lubrication of the bottom taps, before starting to float the ship again.

The flexible PVC pipes for gas last on average of five years, but if we observe any signs of wear before this date, it will be very important to replace them immediately. The periodic maintenance of the bilge pumps and the toilet should not be forgotten.

Sails and Rigging

An annual task is the total check of the rig. It is very important to deepen this aspect of sailboat maintenance because many fissures are practically invisible to the eyes. This type of damage causes problems in aluminum and stainless steel. Therefore, we will examine all the accessories paying special attention to the anchoring points of the rig and the crosshead joints. The halyards pulleys located at the top of the mast should be greased in moderation and checked frequently. It will also be important to protect those elements that may be harmful to adhesive tape. 

Ropes

One of the advantages of working with ropes on a sailboat is that they are not at high risk of getting dirty like those used in mountaineering. It turns out that on a string, the dust and the earth will gradually damage the fibers. However, at sea, other factors can damage the ropes. These range from a badly wound, bad mooring (either in the hardware as the sailboat itself on the dock), to step on each other, on edges, or with very heavy footwear.

Periodically and especially before going to sea, you should check the condition of the ropes, mainly the beak and the vang. It is better to replace any rope in case there is wear and not wait for them to break in the sea. Check especially in the parts where they are gagged that they are usually the first areas that are damaged.

When you check the strings superficially, you can find three initial problems: wear, abrasion and friction fusion. Be aware of these because the next thing that will happen is damage to the rope sheath. You should also manually check the rope, and if you notice flattened or very thin sections, it will mean that the soul of the rope has been damaged. In either case, it is better to make a timely change.

The ropes of sailing ships are critical components to care for and periodically check for a sailing trip without problems.