Salvage boat may come with a “low price tag”, but along comes a number of concerns, such as faults in the machinery, damage in certain parts, and other performance issues. If you too have recently purchased a salvage boat or hoping to get one through salvage boat auctions, it is imperative to ensure that your prized possession is in perfect condition, before you take it out for a spin in open waters, and what could be a better time for that than the winter break.
On that note, let’s take a look at some of the essentials that must be a part of your agenda, to help ensure you are fully prepared when the sun comes out in its full glory.
Hoses and Hose Clamps
Boat owners tend to neglect hoses and clamps till one of the two fails and there’s a tank full of bilge water. Inspect each run of hose and look for the ones that are cracked or worn out to replace them. Raw water supply lines, freshwater systems, overboard discharges, fuel supply and return lines and washdown pumps are some areas that you need to check.
Bilge
Bilge is a smelly place and it is necessary to clean it up to regularly to remove the stench. Start with a thorough scrubbing and rinse before sanding and preparing the bilge for a paint session. Ensure that you strip the bilge from any bilge pump, hose, wire, etc. Don’t make the mistake of painting the space and wait till the warm weather arrives.
Wiring and Electricals
If the wiring under the console is tangled, wrap them around and make the place look clean. Instead of ripping out everything, look for damaged and broken wires. Another thing to take care of is to secure the wires with cable clamps or wire ties after every 18 inches. Replace the corroded wire terminals and ensure that you change any twisted electrical connectors. Splicing the two ends of the wire from where they meet with a butt connector may also solve the problem.
Canvas Snap
The boat might have missing canvas snaps in the covers and tops. It happens mostly in autumn when lowering temperature causes the fabric to contract, resulting in snaps coming out of the boat. Many professionals use a Press-n-snap tool to set the snaps, but this is an expensive repair. There are, however, canvas snap fastener repair kits available that make the repair task easier. These kits have couple of canvas snaps and stud screw fastener, but one might need to buy a plier to tighten the snaps at the last.
Boat Propeller
The propeller affects the acceleration, fuel efficiency, top speed, handling, turning and ride experience of the boat. If the propeller has damaged and bent blades, cracks on the fans or there are some chunks of the metal missing, repair or replace the propeller immediately. Look for the signs of rust on the propeller and if the situation looks worse, replace the part. All that an individual needs to replace the propeller is a prop puller to remove the part and fix a new one.
Last Few Words
While these are some of the basic things to start with, boat owners might repair or replace the old pumps, replace the gaskets and broken navigation lights and upgrade the old engine instrumentation. If the boat demands a bigger or more expensive repair, don’t hesitate to take the help of a marine expert. If you wish to own a boat but are unable to find a good deal, get in touch with the team at SalvageBid to learn more about our salvage boat auctions and how to go about the bidding process.
Спасательная ставка
