Getting Your Boat Ready for Fishing

By Babe Winkelman
    I wish I had a dollar for every time a fisherman put his boat in the
water in the spring only to find out that something wasnıt working. The
engine wasnıt running right, the livewell pump was dead or the batteries
pooped out at mid-day.
    Boat dealers are only too familiar with the problem.  Come spring their
lots are jammed with rigs requiring service because anglers waited until the
last minute to perform the necessary maintenance.
    Anglers who wish to avoid those early-season hassles should take an
afternoon to run a routine check of their equipment.  We asked Ed Meese,
rigging manager for Tracker Marine, for some tips, and he and his staff came
up with the following checklist:
. Check all electrical systems
sure everything is working properly. That includes charging and checking
fluid levels of all batteries.  Batteries that werenıt charged once during
the winter may need to be replaced.
. Check fuel hoses for deterioration. On some boats that means pulling the
floor and checking the fuel lines to the tank.
. Check the fire extinguisher to make sure itıs charged.
. Check all required safety equipment, like personal floatation devices.
. Grease the steering cable and grease fittings on the outboard.
. Pull the prop and check for line that may have been wrapped around the
shaft during the previous season.  If not removed, that line can destroy the
water pump.
. Check the hydraulic hoses for damage or deterioration.
. Take the rig for a test run, checking to make sure the engine is working
properly.  When you start the engine, look for the ³tell-tale², that stream
of water shooting out the back.  If thereıs no tell-tale, you have a
problem.  The engine also can be checked by purchasing an inexpensive pair
of ³muffs² to feed water to the engine without putting the boat in the
water.
. Check the trailerıs wheel bearings for wear.  Meese was reluctant to say
how often bearings should be packed because the amount of miles driven and
road conditions vary.   As a general rule, bearings should be repacked
annually, even on trailers that are equipped with ³bearing buddies.²
Anglers who put on a lot of miles or drive dusty roads may have to pack the
bears twice a season.  (Hereıs another tip: when pulling a boat, check the
hubs every time you stop for gas.  If theyıre extremely hot, you have a
bearing problem.)
. Check the trailer tires for air pressure and wear.  Uneven wear could mean
thereıs a problem with balance. Check the lug nuts to make sure theyıre
snug.
. Check the trailer lights.  If they donıt work, check the hookups and
bulbs.  Give the wiring harness a shot of WD-40 in case thereıs any
corrosion inside.  If everything appears to be in good working shape but the
lights still donıt work, check the ground connections on the trailer frame.
If theyıre corroded, remove and clean them with a steel brush.
. If applicable, check the electric brakes to make sure theyıre working
properly. 
. If the gasoline left over from the previous year was stabilized, the
leftover fuel should be OK.  If not, it may need to be pumped out and
discarded. If thereıs only a small amount of gas in the tank, it may be
possible to add fresh.  The folks at Tracker strongly recommend that if the
engine isnıt running properly, it should be serviced.  It could be that the
carburetor is clogged, which means one or more cylinders are not receiving
lubrication.
. Boat owners who have an inboard-outboard should de-winterize,
re-installing any plugs that were removed when it was winterized.
. Check the coupler on the trailer, giving it a shot of WD-40.
. Check the spark plugs to make sure theyıre clean.  Extended idling can
foul plugs.
Spring is also a good time to clean up the hull of the boat.  Most of us
take our
boats to the car wash each spring.  Wash the underside of the hull
thoroughly, then apply a coat of wax to the hull.  The scum that builds up
on the hull inhibits performance and reduces fuel economy.
     We also like to check the rope or strap on the trailer for wear.
    These few simple steps could save a lot of trouble
road.

Babe Winkelman is a nationally known outdoorsman. Watch his award-winning
"Good Fishing" television show on Fox Sports Network, The Outdoor Channel,
WGN-TV, and the USA Network. Visit www.winkelman.com