Opinions Needed: Sailboat Maintenance Schedule

[SweetSurrender]

I'm getting ready to be a new boat owner and I've been doing as much as I can to learn about what work I will need to do to keep my boat in awesome shape.

I'm also a bit of a geek... I put together a spreadsheet of all the maintenance items that I could find out there in books and on various other websites. I'd like to bounce it off of all of you and ask you if I have forgotten anything or if you think something on the spreadsheet is wrong.

Click here to go to the spreadsheet.

Looking forward to your opinions!

[amarinesurveyor]

Looks like a pretty good list. Two off the top of my head are remove chain plates for inspection, and re-bed all deck fittings and hatches.
Brian

[SweetSurrender]

Originally Posted by amarinesurveyor

Looks like a pretty good list. Two off the top of my head are remove chain plates for inspection, and re-bed all deck fittings and hatches.
Brian

Thank you! I'll add that to the list. How often do you think this needs to be done?

[Cowboy Sailer]

A man after my own heart. I learned to use checklists as an airplane pilot and now I find that I need lists more than I did when I was lot younger. let me have a copy when you are satisfied with it.

[SweetSurrender]

Originally Posted by Cowboy Sailer

A man after my own heart. I learned to use checklists as an airplane pilot and now I find that I need lists more than I did when I was lot younger. let me have a copy when you are satisfied with it.

Hey thanks! Only thing is I'm a woman

I find that lists are the only way to go. It's been a bit interested trying to compile one distinct list of to-do's though since the information is scattered.

[boatpoker]

Check out my "Boat Maintenance For (non) Idiots at www.pcmarinesurveys.com. Its all about the forgotten maintenance issues.

[Rhosyn Mor]

Sweet surrender,
as much as I admire your spread sheet, it is only a starting point. If I may I would recommend expanding your spread sheet, its far too small. A lot of the items you list should be done every tiem you use that item. i.e your anchor rode should be fully inspected every time its raised or lowered, and once a week while at anchor. I am not trying to rain on your parade, and its a good start, but my maintenace list covers nearly 20 pages in total. I find that keeping a maintenance log really helps. On a computer its easy to link it to your sailing log, so that for instance if you motor for a while when your sailing log motoring reaches 100 hours you get a reminder to check oil, etc. Also you need to be very careful about flushing out bleach into the water, in a lot of places its an absolute nono! ( and morally its terrible for the environment)
I do not think you will have to worry about cleaning your shrouds, and checking cotter pins should be on your daily list. If you are in a Marina replace your zincs at 50%. Standing rigging should be a weekly check. you get the idea. Its really hard to do without a boat in hand ( but I see from your blog that that might change soon!)
If you do not have a copy get a hold of Nigel calders Boat owners maintenance book, a Bible round the world!
hope this helps, and keep it going
Fair Winds

[Cowboy Sailer]

Dear SweetSurender, I know that I typed "A person after my own heart." A moderator must have changed it. That is my story and I am sticking to it!

[SweetSurrender]

Originally Posted by Cowboy Sailer

Dear SweetSurender, I know that I typed "A person after my own heart." A moderator must have changed it. That is my story and I am sticking to it!

Hey it's all good! Not to worry as I'm just happy to meet someone else who can appreciate a good checklist.

[SweetSurrender]

Originally Posted by Rhosyn Mor

Sweet surrender,
as much as I admire your spread sheet, it is only a starting point. If I may I would recommend expanding your spread sheet, its far too small. A lot of the items you list should be done every tiem you use that item. i.e your anchor rode should be fully inspected every time its raised or lowered, and once a week while at anchor. I am not trying to rain on your parade, and its a good start, but my maintenace list covers nearly 20 pages in total. I find that keeping a maintenance log really helps. On a computer its easy to link it to your sailing log, so that for instance if you motor for a while when your sailing log motoring reaches 100 hours you get a reminder to check oil, etc. Also you need to be very careful about flushing out bleach into the water, in a lot of places its an absolute nono! ( and morally its terrible for the environment)
I do not think you will have to worry about cleaning your shrouds, and checking cotter pins should be on your daily list. If you are in a Marina replace your zincs at 50%. Standing rigging should be a weekly check. you get the idea. Its really hard to do without a boat in hand ( but I see from your blog that that might change soon!)
If you do not have a copy get a hold of Nigel calders Boat owners maintenance book, a Bible round the world!
hope this helps, and keep it going
Fair Winds

Absolutely fair statement and thank you very much for these suggestions. I completely concur that this is a starting point as I expect it to grow to many more pages long.

Do you by chance have a copy of your maintenance list?

[Rhosyn Mor]

I am away for a couple of days, but when I get back I will pm it over to you, no probs. Also you might want to institute a walk round check list. Every morning while having a cup of tea, take a walk round the deck should take about 30 minutes, really helps keep maintenance problems at bay

[anglooff]

An interesting thread and very useful checklist and survey data links. I believed I was potentially "anal leaning" however I now find that I am leaning to the slovenly. I have a five minute walk around the deck before and after a sail, checking the obvious, closing hatchs, dogging drawers, doors and cupboards and of course check engine levels, belt etc., but after reading the lists I blush at my calvalier attitude.

I shall kiss her on my return on Friday and ask her forgiveness for my inattentive behavior to date. I hope she will be forgiving.

Regards

Alan

[roverhi]

Any fasteners that are into dissimilar metals, SS screws into aluminum mast, remove and reinstall with Ultra TefGel. You should be able to do it once and not worry about it thereafter. The Ultra TefGel is the best anti-seize for dissimilar metals. Any fasteners that go through aluminum like an aluminum cleat should also be slathered with UTG where they pass through the cleat/what have you. There should should be no fasteners

Aloha
Peter O.
Pearson 35

[mobetah]

You gals might want to check out Bill Dietrich's website. I think it documents ever thought process from the time he thought about purchasing a boat (In California I believe) until now (cruising in the US Virgin Islands). He covers everything from type of boat to cruise on, maintenance, expenses, relationships and anything else you could think of (IMHO). check it out at:

Magnolia's Log

Good Luck, Bill A.

[mobetah]

My misteake, this should get you to Bill's boat page:

Retire Onto A Sailboat

Again Good Luck, Bill A.