With the luxury of boat ownership also comes maintaining and fixing various parts of your boat as well. Boat maintenance and repair is a key part of being a boat owner. You must inspect your boat regularly, looking for areas that might need quick fixes or boat repair services.
Some boat problems are simple, and just require a few minutes to an hour of handiwork to get your watercraft as good as new. However, other types of damage or wear and tear can be more severe, and are best left to the trained hands of a professional. The last thing you want is to cause more damage in your efforts to fix the existing damage! Secure California Boat Insurance to protect your assets, and take some time to familiarize yourself with the signs of a serious problem.
Steering Problems
When your boat won’t steer properly, you need repairs. Whether the wheel won’t turn at all or it’s difficult to turn, these are signs of a major issue. It may be that you are low on hydraulic fluid. Try adding fluid and if you’re still experiencing issues, the problem is likely caused by a leak in the steering system’s hydraulic fuel lines, requiring repairs. If you find you aren’t able to turn at all, there could be a mechanical failure, like a loose connection or a failure of the cable system controlling the steering.
Overheated Engine
Most boats use the water around it to cool down the boat’s engine via a pump instead of using a radiator. If part of this cooling loop fails, your engine will eventually overheat. While this sometimes can be caused by blockages from debris, it can also be a sign of a more serious issue, such as a broken drive belt, a break in a hose, a loose clamp, clogging, corrosion, a broken/breaking impeller, or just an old, overused engine.
Power Loss
Oftentimes power loss can be attributed to simply running out of gas but can also be a serious sign that you have a boat problem and need repair services ASAP. You might have a problem with your filters, which could need replacement or at least a removal of debris and accumulated dirt/sediments. It could also be a spark plug issue, which would also require boat repair services.
The boat may not start if there is:
- A dead battery
- No fuel
- A faulty connection
- Fuel line issues
- Filter problems
- Dirty ignition points
- A faulty switch
- A disconnected kill switch
- Rotor problems
Water Leaks
If you notice that you’re taking on significantly more water without getting rid of it, you need boat repair. This could be happening because of a hole or some damage from underwater debris or rocks. Or it could be because of a burst/broken hose in either the exhaust or the cooling system.
Intense Vibration
Intense vibration or vibration that intensifies as you try and go faster means there is likely a propeller issue. When the blades are damaged, it causes issues with the balance, resulting in vibration.
Safety First
The causes of these issues can be varied and complicated, normally calling for professional repair. The decision to repair or not comes down to risk assessment. Ask yourself the following:
- If it fails, can it kill or injure us?
- If it fails, can we continue cruising?
- What is the likelihood of failure?
- Will it fail all at once or gradually in a way that we can monitor?
- What can be done to reduce the risk to an acceptable level?
About Mariners Insurance
Mariners General Insurance Group was founded in 1959 to protect boat owners and marine business clients. We are marine insurance experts and insure boats worldwide – in every ocean on the planet. Marine insurance is critical if you own a boat or nautical business. Trust the professionals with all of your Boat Insurance needs – trust Mariners Insurance. Call us at (800) 992-4443 any time you have questions or concerns about insurance for your vessel or marine business.
