Routine Watercraft Maintenance to save Time and Money
Take care of your watercraft and it will take care of you and your family.
Owning a Jetski or boat can be a financial commitment as well as a time commitment but a family boat or jetski ride can create some of the best memories on the water. This blog is to help guide you in taking care of your watercraft but following a simple maintenance to-do list that we highly recommended doing after each use. This 10-15 minute procedure could be the difference between a fun weekend on the water or a stressful weekend hoping your service shop fixes your watercraft. Plus, it is a good way to help protect your financial purchase so you do not end up spending more money.
The list you will see below was provided by Odyssea Jet and Prop Shop, but please remember, these are our recommendations and it’s always good practice to read your owner’s manual prior to doing your own work. It’s never a guarantee that even with doing the routine below, something won’t break or have an issue at some point. This is to help the longevity and doing this can only help keep your watercraft on the water. If you have questions or need assistance/parts, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Recommended After Each Use:
- Flush with Fresh Water: After each time you use your watercraft, you should always flush with fresh water. This will help flush out salt, dirt, or debris that may have gone through the system during your ride. It’s an ABSOLUTE MUST with salt water!
- Wash with Soap and Water: Spray fresh water to help get the salt and any dirt that may be on it. Then wash with soap and water to help prevent dirt/salt build-up which can lead to corrosion, dry rot, and damage. Your watercraft will look sparkly clean as well 😎
Wash with Soap and Water
- Spray CRC in Engine Compartment: This is a routine that will take you just minutes, but can make a big difference in repair bills down the road. Keeping your engine compartment and wire connectors lubricated with CRC will help prevent water damage, corrosion, and salt build-up. You will have fewer broken hose clamps, dry rotted rubber hoses, and issues with wiring harnesses.
- Check Over Engine Compartment: This often gets skipped over but it’s a quick and easy routine to do before and after each ride. Look for anything that seems out of place. Maybe a hose is off or broken, look for oil, coolant, or lots of water in the bottom of the hull, etc. If you “think” something doesn’t seem right but you’re not sure, take a picture, contact us and we can help to clarify. This preventive routine has the potential to save you thousands 💲💲
- Dry off and Let Air Out: Before you install your covers, it’s recommended that you first dry off your watercraft the best you can. Leaving your seats off to allow the engine compartment or storage areas to air out can help to prevent mildew or corrosion. If you can not do this, spraying the engine bay with CRC is even more recommended.
- Pump/Drain Water: If you notice any standing water in the footwells of your jetski, in any compartments, or in the engine bay, it’s recommended that you pump out or drain the water. Standing water can cause mildew, algae, and other harmful things to your watercraft.
- Install Cover Seats/Hull: Keeping the sun’s UV rays, and whatever Mother Nature throws your way off of your watercraft will absolutely help the life of the condition of your watercraft. It will help keep your seats and paint in good condition and help prevent cracking in gel coat, vinyl seats, and paint from getting chalky and looking bad. Replacing seats or getting your watercraft re-painted or gel coat fixed will be way more costly than buying covers.
CRC in a spray bottle and Silicone to be sprayed in your engine compartment
Bonus Maintenance Tip:
- Check Battery and Bilge Pump: It’s good practice to double-check that your battery is strong and that your bilge pump is working properly. Both of these items can get overlooked but when it comes to needing them, you will want to make sure they are in good working order. The last thing you want to happen is to be out on the water or have your boat sitting at the dock and it suddenly begins to take on water to then find out your bilge pump isn’t working.
Owning a boat and or jetski will definitely create a lot of fun memories for family and free but at the same time can become overwhelming when it comes to maintenance, upkeep, and repairs. Staying on top of a good maintenance routine will definitely help to prevent expensive repairs down the road and instead, more fun times on the water.
Our service shop, Odyssea Jet and Prop Shop are here to help if needed. Give us a call and we are more than happy to help answer questions, order parts you may need, or schedule your appointment today.
- Winter Indoor & Outdoor Storage
- Winterizations
- Power Washing
- Shrink Wrapping
- Spring Preps
- Bottom Painting
- Seasonal Trailer Storage
- Used Jetski Sales
- Load Rite Trailer Sales
- Year around VIP Jetski Storage
- Jetski, Jetboat, and Pontoon repairs, Routine Maintenance, Engine Replacements, etc
Next week, we will post a new blog on our Seasonal Watercraft Maintenance To-Do_List.
Contact Information:
🌐 Odyssea Jet and Prop Shop
📲 Call 410-723-4227
New Service Shop and Storage Facility in Ocean Pines, MD