Chapter 13: Maintenance

Burning the midnight oil.

~~Surviving~~ Thriving on the ICW

13. Maintenance Needs While Cruising the ICW

Cruising is just an exercise in advanced problem solving. When you’re out cruising, the problems keep coming at you, constantly. Many are simple and straight forward, like how can I get to the grocery store and back before the ice cream melts? Others are more complex, such as how can we get from Point A to Point B without running aground?

An awful lot of this problem solving is more technical in nature. Such as why won’t my engine start? Or why won’t my windlass work? Or now that I've gotten the ice cream back to the boat, why isn’t my freezer working? The more complicated the systems are on your boat, the more trouble-shooting and repairing of stuff you’ll have to do. Get used to it. Many of the rewards of a cruising lifestyle come from the satisfaction of successfully solving problems.

Boat yoga. Damon is laying on top of the refrigerator with his feet in the galley sink, trying to squeeze into a cabinet that was far too small to accommodate both of his arms and his head at the same time. The goal was to fix the electrical connector on the neutral kill switch for our engine controls, which are in the cockpit, directly above this cabinet. A bad connection meant the engine wouldn't start. After a 20-minute "yoga" session, we were back in business.

You don’t have to be a master mechanic, but the more self-sufficient you can be, the more freedom you’ll have to travel when and where you want and the more confident you will feel when you are “out there.” Not to mention the money that you’ll save. The good thing about cruising on the ICW is that you're never too far from marine service technicians. So you don’t have to be self-sufficient to the same extent as you might want to be if you were cruising in the more remote regions in the Bahamas or Caribbean. But knowing how to diagnose and repair some of the most common problems will be helpful.

It helps to offer sacrifices to the diesel gods on a regular basis: small mammals, a bit of your favorite booze, a virgin, or anything else that happens to be handy.

The three systems that require the most care and maintenance on a cruising boat are: the (1) the main engine(s), (2) electrical systems (AC and DC systems), and (3) the dinghy’s outboard motor. Of course, lots of other stuff will break or require maintenance, too. But these are the three items that you’ll probably spend the most time on. Luckily, there are many in-person and online courses on these topics, as well as excellent books, such as those written by Nigel Calder. Some of the diesel engine distributors offer basic maintenance and repair courses for their customers. There are also some very helpful Facebook groups for the owners of the various brands of marine diesel engines, and general marine electrical systems.

Because of the wet, corrosive environment aboard a boat, coupled with the rolling, shaking, and pounding, failures in the electrical system are common. Oftentimes, the problem is simply a bad connection; either it’s corroded or it has come loose. It’s really helpful to have a decent electrical multimeter and to know how to use it. A digital multimeter can help you track down the source of your electrical problems and is one of the most useful tools on a boat. Learning how to install wire terminals properly will save you some headaches, and potentially prevent an electrical fire (This Marine How To post is a great resource on this topic.).

This terminal is for our engine's starter, and it needs to be cleaned up and tightened occasionally. Because of its location, under the starter, on the port side of the engine, it is impossible to see. We use a compact mirror or my phone to see it. Any work on it is done by feel.

*Figure: Photo of a multi-meter

As a DIYer, your mantra should be “Do no harm.” Try not to make problems worse or to make new problems. Each 20-minute project is just one broken bolt away from being a three-day ordeal. Take your time and use care when tightening and loosening bolts and screws. YouTube is one of the greatest resources for amateur mechanics and marine electricians. For any repair that you need to perform, there's probably at least one video showing you how to do it. Before starting any project, watch the how-to videos, take lots of photos before you touch anything to document how it all goes back together, and take more photos at each stage of the process.

Never a good thing to find in your engine compartment.

Cleaning the carburetor from our outboard engine. Photo documentation is important when you've put it all back together and are trying to figure out where all the "extra" pieces go.

There are three levels of DIY work on your boat: (1) regular, periodic maintenance, (2) repairing things that break, and (3) major projects (upgrades, renovations). If you aren’t conscientious about doing #1, you’ll have to do more of #2 and #3. Inspect your engine room and other areas where there is machinery every day. Pay attention to how things look and sound. Often, the first sign of trouble is a change in how something sounds. Be proactive.

Make sure you have the owner's manuals for all the major pieces of equipment on your boat, either in hard copy or as a pdf file. Look up the Facebook group for the owners of your engine brand. These groups can be helpful for providing specific information on the maintenance and repair of your engine model. Before asking a question in one of these forums, first look for the answer in your owner's manual and then search the old posts in the Facebook page to see if the solution to your problem has already been discussed by the group.

Maintain a regular maintenance schedule and keep a log of your maintenance and repairs, especially the periodic engine maintenance. Here are some general examples of maintenance schedules. Consult the owner’s manual for your engine; the tasks and time intervals for your specific engine may differ from what we suggest here.

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Diesel Engine Maintenance Schedule

Daily or Weekly:

Check engine oil level, add if needed (DO NOT OVERFILL)
Check coolant level
Check transmission/gearbox lube level
Check battery water level (For flooded lead acid batteries. Add distilled water only.)
Check/adjust belt tension
Clean raw water strainer
Check fuel/water separator for water (drain off any water)
Inspect engine, looking for excessive belt dust, loose bolts, corrosion, and leaks (salt water, coolant, fuel, or oil).
Check all electrical connections on the engine to make sure they are snug, secure, and free of corrosion.
Check battery terminals to make sure connections are snug, secure, and free of corrosion

Every 200 Engine Hours or Quarterly:

Change oil & oil filter
Change fuel filter & fuel/water separator element (Bleed air from fuel system)
Change belts
Flush raw water strainer with freshwater
Change water pump impeller
Change sacrificial anode in heat exchanger
Change air filter element
Apply a lightweight oil (WD40 or CRC656) to all metal surfaces on engine to prevent corrosion.
Put clean, oil-absorbent pads under the engine and transmission/gear box (makes it easier to detect leaks of oil/fuel/coolant).

Annually:

Change coolant
Change transmission/gearbox lube
Clean heat exchanger
Clean exhaust elbow

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Out with the old, in with the new. These are sacrificial anodes or "zincs" that protect the engine's heat exchanger from electrolytic corrosion.

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Outboard Engine Maintenance

Weekly or as often as possible:

Flush cooling system with fresh water.
Rinse exterior of outboard with fresh water
Check engine oil (4-stroke engines only)
Check fuel/water separator for water.

Every 100 Hours of Engine Run Time (Quarterly or Annually, depending on use):

Change engine oil & oil filter in outboard (4-stroke engines)
Change fuel filter (and water separator, if you have one…)
Change water pump impeller
Change lower unit gear lubricant
Change/clean & gap spark plugs
Change sacrificial anodes
Grease all grease fittings

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Maintaining the dinghy's motor. Maintenance projects are a whole lot easier to tackle when you're tied to a dock, rather than swinging on an anchor. Here, Damon has attached the outboard to a garbage bin on the dock, with a bucket that just accommodates the prop and skeg.

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General Inspection/Maintenance - Monthly

Inspect PFDs (CO2 cartridge/bobbin, zippers, buckles, straps, lights, beacons, etc.)
Check dates on flares (mostly to make sure you are operating legally in the event that you are boarded for inspection by law enforcement)
Check date & pressure of all fire extinguishers
Check horn
Check bilge pumps, clean bilge/bilge pump inlet (inspect the oil absorbent "sock")
Inspect anchor (those that can be disassembled): bolts, nuts, cotter pins
Inspect anchor rode for chafe, corrosion, wear
Exercise all seacocks (open and close the valve handle to make sure it still operates smoothly)
Inspect stuffing box(es)/shaft seal(s)
Inspect rudder post, packing gland, steering quadrant/hydraulic steering ram for corrosion or wear.
Inspect external zinc anodes (shaft, rudder, skeg, strut, hull, etc.). Replace zinc if it has lost 50% of its mass.
Test smoke, carbon monoxide, and propane gas alarms
Test navigation lights
Change filter element for potable water
Check/clean out deck drains, cockpit drains/scuppers
General inspection of boat (best opportunity to do this is usually when you are cleaning/washing your boat)
Update your electronic navigation charts
Update Bob423 tracks (which can be automated)
Stay abreast of Local Notices to Mariners (LNMs) and Broadcast Notices to Mariners (Aqua Map makes this relatively easy by embedding links to these notices right on the appropriate geographic location in their charts)
Update the software/firmware for your various electronics gadgets when you have good internet access.

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To be able to perform regular maintenance and to repair items that break, you need to carry spare parts. How many spares and of what parts you carry aboard will depend on the complexity of your boat's systems, the machinery that is found aboard your boat, the size of your boat, the amount of storage space available, and your tolerance for how low your boat sits in the water. The beauty of cruising the ICW is that you are never too far from civilization, which makes it easier to acquire spares along the route.

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Diesel Engine Spares

Engine oil (enough for at least one full oil change. See engine owner’s manual for grade.)
Coolant (enough for at least one full coolant change)
Transmission/gearbox lube (enough for at least one full change)
Distilled water (for flooded lead acid batteries)
Belts (2 of each type).
Filter elements for fuel/water separator (at least 2 elements for each filter)
Oil filter elements (at least 2 for each oil filter)
Primary fuel filter elements (at least 2 filter elements for each filter)
Water pump impeller and o-ring (at least 2 for each water pump)
Sacrificial anodes for heat exchangers (at least 2 anodes for each heat exchanger)
Air filter elements (at least 2 for each engine/generator)
O-rings for heat exchanger (at least 1 set for each engine/generator)
Exhaust gasket (at least 1 for each engine/generator)
Oil absorbent pads
Alternator*
Water pump*

*These items are not absolutely essential for a cruise on the ICW, given the availability of parts and service technicians in this region. But not having them on hand could necessitate a tow and/or a delay in travel as you wait for the parts to be delivered. Having a spare alternator is most important if it is the only means of charging a battery bank or if the same belt that drives the alternator also drives the water pump (meaning that you can't run the engine if the alternator is inoperable.)

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*Figure: Photo of spare diesel engine items displayed together

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Outboard/Dinghy Spares

Engine oil (enough for at least 1 full oil change; 4-stroke engines only)
Oil filter (4-strokes only)
Fuel-water separator element (if fitted with water separator).
Fuel filter element
Water pump impeller
Lower unit gear lubricant (enough for one full change)
Spark plugs (one for each cylinder)
Sacrificial anodes or "zincs" (one of each type)
Marine grease/grease gun
Patch kit for inflatable boats (appropriate for the material that your dinghy is made of)

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*Figure: Photo of spare outboard motor items displayed together

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General Spares/Supplies

Hose clamps; good quality stainless steel clamps in a variety of sizes. (Not the kind you'd find in a hardware store or big box home improvement store. They need to be intended for marine use.)
Rebuild kit for your head or toilet (The specific spare parts that you keep in stock will depend on the brand and type of marine sanitation device that you have. Typical parts needed for Type III MSDs (those with a standard holding tank) include o-rings, joker valves, and seals. Most manufacturers offer various service kits for their products. A working toilet is a high priority on any vessel.
Large selection of stainless steel fasteners (wood screws, sheet metal screws, bolts, nuts, washers, etc.)
Shackles (good quality galvanized steel and stainless, in a variety of shapes & sizes.)
JB Weld (For temporary repairs on metal, wood, or fiberglass)
Epoxy repair kit (2- part epoxy, fiberglass cloth, and milled glass cabosil thickener e.g., TotalBoat Thixo or West System Fiberglass Boat Repair Kit) (For repairing fiberglass, and for permanently bonding wood or fiberglass.)
Epoxy putty sticks (underwater cure)
Butyl tape (For bedding deck hardware and temporarily stopping leaks in portlights or hatches.)
Marine silicone sealant (e.g., Sikaflex, 3M 4000, or TotalBoat Seal. For bedding deck hardware and fixing leaks. )
Spare dock lines
"Light stuff" (small diameter rope for lashing or securing things aboard)
A length of Dyneema rope (high-strength line that can be used to make soft shackles, lashings, lifelines/lifeline gates, shrouds/stays, davit cables, dog leashes etc.). It's easy to splice but nearly impossible to cut with a regular knife (use a hot knife cutter or heat up a knife blade in a flame)
Penetrating oil (3-in-One oil or PB B'laster)
Anti-corrosion oil (CRC 6-56, Fluid Film, WD-40)
Tef-Gel (prevents electrolytic corrosion when two dissimilar metals are in contact with each other, such as when you use stainless fasteners in your aluminum mast)
Dielectric grease (prevents corrosion of electrical connections)
Variety of electrical connectors & terminals (ring terminals and butt connectors, etc.) Must be marine grade, tinned copper, preferably with adhesive heat-shrink.)
Variety of 12-volt fuses (replacement ATO-ATC & AGC fuses for all of the fuses on your boat)
12-volt marine electrical wire in a few different gauges (diameters). Must be tinned copper and multistranded. Two rolls of each wire gauge: one with red insulation (positive wires) and one with black (negative wires).
Heat-shrink tubing in a variety of sizes (for waterproofing electrical connections)
Locktite Threadlocker (To prevent screws, nuts & bolts from loosening.)
High temperature gasket maker (Permatex Ultra Red Gasket Maker - High Temp) (To temporarily repair/replace a gasket to stop air or water from leaking from machinery.)
Water filter elements - galley sink
Water filter elements - in-line filter for the hose that you use to fill your water tanks

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*Figure: Photo of general supplies/spares displayed together

To maintain and repair equipment on your boat, you need a decent set of tools. In addition to the standard tools, you'll need some specialty items. The extent of your tool collection will depend in part on your storage space. If space is limited, you may need to make some hard decisions: should you sacrifice wine storage in favor of those torque wrenches? We all place different values on the stuff that we bring with us. Also, a set of tools is accumulated over a lifetime and can cost thousands of dollars. Don't feel that you need to acquire everything all at once. If you wait to purchase some tools until you actually need them, you may find that you don't need them.

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Tools

Besides all of the standard tools you might have for home and auto repairs, here are some specialty tools that can come in handy on a cruising boat.

Headlamp with a red light to preserve your night vision. (You can get a fancy one that is waterproof and dimmable, or several cheaper "disposable" headlamps for the same overall cost.)
Telescoping inspection mirror or compact mirror (for seeing under and around things, as well as applying lipstick)
Pick up tool or long forceps
Belt tensioning jack
Oil/fuel filter wrenches (the kind that fit on a socket wrench handle)
Oil extraction pump (for motor oil & transmission fluid)
Container for used oil
"Jiggler" hose (for siphoning fuel or water)
1-gallon fuel jug for diesel (to prefill filters when you do a filter change)
Grease gun
Nut drivers or 1/4" socket set (These make it much easier to tighten or loosen hose clamps)
Hose removal tool
Electrical multimeter (Fluke or Klein)
Wire cutters/strippers (see the Marine How To post on terminating wires)
Crimping tool (see the Marine How To post on terminating wires)
Wet/dry sandpaper, emery board, or steel wool for cleaning electrical connections
Heat gun
File
Infrared temperature sensor
Flex drive shaft for screw driver head (used with a cordless screwdriver or drill)
Right-angle screw driver and/or right angle flex drive (for use with a cordless screwdriver or drill)
Cordless drill
Cordless oscillating saw or reciprocating saw (with blades for metal and wood, or a hand hacksaw and a crosscut saw) (All cordless tools should be the same brand so their batteries will be interchangeable.)
Several sharp knives
D-splicer (for splicing Dyneema line)
Spark plug wrench (for outboard motor)
Spark plug gapping tool (if your outboard engine’s plugs have an adjustable gap)
Pump for outboard lower unit lube oil (A pump that fits on the lube container and that has a male threaded fitting that matches the fill port at the bottom of your outboard's lower unit.)

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*Figure: Photo of tools

Conclusion

You don’t have to be a mechanical whiz to cruise successfully on the ICW. But, the more that you can do on your own, the more confident and free you will feel. You just have to be open to learning new skills and unafraid to get your hands dirty. Prioritize your projects by (1) strength and safety issues, (2) comfort, and (3) aesthetics. There’s no sense in varnishing your brightwork if your shaft seal is leaking like a sieve. And don’t get discouraged if things seem to be breaking all the time; it’s a boat. Stuff will break. Just think of all the new skills you are learning as you figure out how to fix these things. When you do hire professional technicians to work on your boat, stick around and watch what they do. Ask questions. Let them know that as a cruiser, you're eager to learn how to perform basic maintenance and repairs. Many of these pros will be happy to share some tips with you.

When you start cruising, a lot of stuff breaks in the beginning; things that haven’t been used in a long time, that haven’t been tested under cruising conditions, and newly installed stuff that just isn't up to the task. It will feel like you're fixing something major, all day long, every day. And you'll wonder "when do I get time to watch the sunset while lazily sipping an umbrella drink in my cockpit?" After a couple months of this, when you are just about ready to throw in the towel, you'll start to notice fewer and fewer things will be breaking…because you’ve already fixed the most problematic items. And you'll have earned your sundowners.

Finally, it's a good idea to have towing insurance, even if you are a skilled mechanic and an experienced mariner. We have a membership with one of the national towing companies. We have been paying for their towing insurance for 25 years and for the first 24, never required their services. Last year, we had to get towed twice; once because of an alternator that burned up its bearings and the second time was when our gearbox failed catastrophically. In both cases, our engine was inoperable. If we had been offshore, we could have continued sailing to our destination. But because we were in the ICW with its currents, shoals, wind shadows, and bridges, we had to call the “Red Boat of Shame.” As a nonmember, paying one of these towing companies in cash for a tow can be jaw-droppingly expensive. Having the towing insurance gives you peace of mind.

The "Red Boat of Shame."

A brand new gearbox after the previous one self-destructed.

To Learn More

Marine How To (A great blog site by Rod Collins. Rod has retired but he has gifted the cruising community with his knowledge which lives on in his blog site.)