Boat maintenance schedule

This article takes a general look at the things you need to be doing, and when, to keep your boat in working order.

Every boat is unique. This schedule is a rough guide only, and expert advice should be sought if you're ever in doubt.

The table below describes the system, the task and its frequency. Some of the tasks depend on how much you cruise – for those covering large parts of the network these will be need to be done more often.

System	Task	Frequency
Oil system	Check level	Daily
Vessel & hull	Clear and clean gunnels and drain offs	Monthly
Electrical system	Check battery acid levels	Every 2-4 months
Coolant system, keel tank	Bleed air from system	Every three months
External engine components	Check bolts are tight on prop shaft couplings	Every three months
Steering and propulsion	Check for leaks and corrosion	Every three months
Hydraulic systems	Check level and top up oil	Every three months
Steering and propulsion	Check and adjust as necessary	Every four months
Fuel system	Drain off sedimenters/agglomerators	Approx. every 100hrs of use
Fuel system	Replace pre-filter	Approx. every 150hrs of use