Spring checklist for preparing your yacht for the Summer season

Since spring is in full swing in the Southern hemisphere, you are probably already thinking about spending your summer days on your yacht for the Summer. Whether you decide to explore some of the most exciting cities in the world or the most secluded places out there, safety should be your priority. It is best if you start your preparations for the boating season as soon as possible because there is a lot to do if you want to sail safely and freely all summer long. Read this spring checklist for preparing your yacht for the summer season if you find out more about what you have to do before summer arrives.

Register your yacht to start preparing your yacht for the summer season 

When you own a yacht or a boat, you are under obligation to register it as soon as possible. Without your boat registration, you cannot be sure that your yacht is ready for boating. No matter how frequently you get your yacht checked and maintained, sailing without a permit issued by the right authority automatically puts everyone on the yacht at risk. This is why registering your boat is at the top of this checklist – it is simply a must.

In addition, the registration fee that you have to pay is not just another administrative blackmail that you have to satisfy. The fees actually help to protect the state’s waters aside from allowing you to claim that you are the owner of your yacht. 

Note that the necessary requirements and documentation that you need to supply to get your yacht registered can vary from state to state. So, if you want to spend the first few summer days on your yacht for the Summer, you had better start now so that you get everything finished in time.

Your yacht for the Summer requires regular maintenance

As we said, regular maintenance of your yacht is a prerequisite for getting permission to sail this summer. Firstly, you will need to hire a professional to check whether everything on your yacht operates as it should. It is generally suggested that you get your yacht checked thoroughly every other month during the season. In this way, you will keep potential operating issues at bay.

A DIY yacht for the Summer maintenance checklist

Be sure to empty the fuel tank before you start sailing if some fuel remained from last year. You can then fill it up with fresh fuel and other treatments. Also, make sure your battery is fully charged and ready for use. Afterwards, you can check out the oil filter for leaks while you are lubricating parts of the engine. You might need to replace it before the start of the summer season. Don’t forget, your yacht needs ultimate protection to operate properly.

You can conduct minor fixes on your yacht’s major systems

Check and replace anything that might be faulty in your electrical systems. This means you should check the fuses, spark plugs, and wiring. You might also inspect the engine anode while you are at it. Make sure you check out the propeller since it could be damaged or obstructed by fishing lines and other residues that can pile up after a year of inactivity. 

If your yacht has a hydraulic steering system, this is a good opportunity to check its fluid levels, but also if there are any leaks in the machinery. The same applies to the shift and throttle cable.

Inspect your yacht for smaller damages

Once you are done with these larger maintenance checks and fixes, you can move on to smaller checkups. So, for instance, you can inspect the hull to see if any blisters or cracks have appeared. Finally, flush the water tank before you set sail. 

When in doubt, call a professional

Although these fixes are something that you can do on your own in general, you call in a boat mechanic to assist you with these tasks. Be prepared to stop at the nearest harbor if you suspect anything is wrong while you are at sea. Also, if you have already loaded up your yacht with food and other supplies, some things require special conditions in storage while your yacht for the Summer is being assessed or repaired by a professional. 

Set up your dock for the summer season

You can count your days until sailing temperatures arrive by preparing your dock for the season. Sometimes people overlook this completely, which is somewhat expected since proper maintenance and upkeep of the yacht should be your primary concern. Since you might have had to tear your dock in the fall, setting it up again for summer can be a handful. 

If you have the time and the money to invest in a sectional or a wheel-in dock, this might be the year to finally make this task somewhat easier. Or even better – there are easily-removable docks made of lightweight materials such as aluminum on the market. 

These kinds of docks make the setting up process much easier since you can assemble and attach them by hand. However, if it happens that you need help with transport or heavy lifting, you can hire an expert team of movers to help you transport your dock, tools, and other important items to your yacht for the Summer.

If this is your first year setting up the dock yourself, make sure the level of water is right. Spring can bring heavy rain and melting snow with it, which could make the level of water rise significantly. If this happens to be a recurring issue, you might want to consider getting a dock with a mechanism that can adjust the height of the structure easily. 

All in all, we hope this short spring checklist for preparing your yacht for the summer season has helped you get a general idea as to what you need to do before you sail the seas in your yacht for the Summer.