UNSHRINK THE BOAT!

Spring Commissioning Checklist

Welcome to that magical time of year when the snow melts, the covers come off, and you remember what your boat actually looks like.

Here’s your official (and unofficial) BoatFools Sailing Spring Commissioning Checklist. Print it, laminate it, spill coffee on it—just don’t skip it. A link to a printable PDF is below!

Let the games begin!

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🔋 1. Electrical: Because Dead Batteries = Zero Fun

• Charge all batteries

• Clean terminals & check for corrosion

• Test VHF, GPS, interior/running lights, bilge pump (if your mast is left in over the winter, check to make sure your radar is functioning)

• If your mast is nearby and not stepped, check masthead lights/foredeck light, etc. (Use a 6 volt lantern battery to touch wires to test. Some fixtures may require a 12 V battery but start with a 6 V. It might be hard to see some lights come on in bright daylight)

BoatFools Tip: If your bilge pump doesn’t come on, it's not because your boat didn't need it.

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⛽ 2. Fuel System: It Stinks But Ya’ Gotta Do It

• Inspect fuel lines, clamps, and filters

• Change engine oil & oil filter (this should be done at the end of the season, but if you didn’t, now’s the time. Old oil contains contaminants and corrosives that can damage your engine. Actually, they will damage your engine)

• Check for leaks or diesel funk (your bilge is a good place to start. Additionally we put a white absorbent pad under our engine to collect any drips and/or to show if there’s a leak—or not)

• Change primary & secondary fuel filters

• Zincs: Your engine might have a sacrificial anode (typically zinc). If it does, replace it. For example, ours is a “pencil zinc” that screws into the heat exchanger.

BoatFools Tip: Wear disposable nitrile gloves when working with diesel! Also, diesel on your clothes = permanent regret (especially if you throw your diesel-soaked gear in the laundry…ask me how I know)

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🌀 3. Engine: Make Sure It Still Starts…Before You Launch!

• Replace or inspect impeller (if old and stiff, definitely replace it. As a practice, change this out before the start of a new season)

• Check belts and hoses for cracks/wear

• Check coolant level

• Make sure the exhaust outlet is clear (critters, rags to keep critters out, etc)

• Check your sacrificial anodes (typically on your prop shaft or attached to your hull below the waterline. These are key!)

• Start ‘er up—look for cooling water coming out the exhaust (this step requires the proper setup to start your engine on the hard, like a hose and bucket to provide enough water to run through your raw water system. An extra set of hands might be required, too)

• Bleed air from fuel lines if necessary (you might discover your engine starts but won’t stay running—this just could be air in the line and nothing serious!)

BoatFools Tip: Keep celebratory beverages nearby for the first start. You’ll need one, no matter how it goes…

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🚽 4. Plumbing & Water Systems: It’s Prime Time

• Flush freshwater tanks & lines

• Reconnect galley/head systems

• Fill water tanks (if possible)

• Check for cracked hoses

• Re-prime water pump

• Clean your bilge with bilge cleaner

• Up on deck: check all scuppers/drains to make sure they’re free and clear of any detritus

BoatFools Tip: Don’t drink the water until it stops smelling or looking like antifreeze. (Seriously.)