Boat Maintenance

[Tim]

A recent discussion about wiring techniques led me to consider the causes behind this corrosion that so many boats seem to suffer in their wiring terminals and connections. (See the original discussion here.)

Whatever your wiring connection choice, I believe the key to eliminating corrosion--be it at the terminals, connections, or elsewhere--lies in overall vessel maintenance. Good maintenance and a clean, dry boat prolongs the life and quality of every component on board--especially wiring.

Why are some boats so damp (and some are amazingly, epically so)? After seeing hundreds of vessels in my line of work, I would opine that general dampness is a direct result of the overall maintenance of those annoying spaces that most would prefer to never glimpse--the bilges, deep lockers, engine rooms, etc. I frankly have almost never seen a boat, where the bilges were typically wet and dirty, that did not also have myriad other problems attributable to the same sort of lackadaisical approach to maintenance.

Conversely, in cases where bilges are observed to be clean, dry, and generally well-kept, I usually find that the rest of the vessel--chiefly the significant systems--tend to follow suit in their overall conditon.

Of course, exceptions apply in either case. But I'm speaking in broad terms here.

Maintenance is king. We all own boats in which we have invested, or are investing, substantially in systems upgrades in terms of labor and materials, the need for which was a direct result of former owners' neglect. I find that once a boat is in top condition, it takes surprisingly little effort to keep it there. The key is consistent, and ongoing, maintenance as the need arises. Any small thing, left too long, tends to blossom into a suddenly large and serious problem.

We all know how salt attracts moisture. It's easy for salt to pervade all interior spaces in a short period of time. You don't have to see it, but it can be there. Likewise, oil deposits, engine room grime, and similar problems tend to not only attract moisture, but also promote further deterioration of the space.

If all lockers and bilge areas aren't kept clean, dry, and occasionally rinsed with fresh water, the overall dampness factor will affect everything on board. I believe this is what happens in most cases.

How do you stop this? Love your boat. Maintain her. There's no "set it and forget it" option for watercraft--it's a constant, ongoing battle against the elements. Scrub those nasty bilges--get it done, and it will be forever easy to maintain. Paint the bilges and lockers a light color--it makes it easy to spot dirt and fluid leaks, as well as making them easier to wipe clean. Clean up that rust and oily gunk from the engine room. It's a huge job, admittedly, in many cases, but the payoff is truly there. Once it's all done, keep it there. It doesn't take that much.