That first warm weekend in April hits different when you own a boat. The lake is calling, the trailer is waiting, and everything in you says, "let's go." But a winter's worth of sitting idle takes a real toll on your vessel. Before the engine fires up and the lines come off, your boat deserves a thorough once-over to ensure it's ready for open water.
- Winter storage affects engines, batteries, fuel lines, and hoses, so a thorough spring commissioning catches problems that could leave you stranded on the water.
- Propellers, anodes, and lower-unit oil are easy to overlook but can cause expensive damage if ignored during seasonal prep.
- A short shakedown run after completing your maintenance checklist exposes issues that a dockside inspection alone won't reveal.
Start With the Battery
Your battery runs every electrical system on the boat, and it's often the first thing to suffer after months of cold storage. Pulled the batteries last fall? Reinstall them and top off lead acid cells with distilled water. Do not attempt to open or add water to Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) or AGM batteries. Give each one a full charge and test voltage with a meter before trusting it on open water.
Clean and tighten all terminal connections while you're there. Corrosion creeps in during the off-season, and a loose terminal can leave you dead in the water. A thin coat of dielectric grease on the posts helps prevent buildup through summer.
Fuel Lines, Filters, and the Sniff Test
Trouble with the fuel system causes a surprising number of early-season breakdowns. Run your hands along all your fuel lines and feel for soft spots, cracking, or bulging. Flexible gasoline lines should be USCG-approved and labeled J1527. Unmarked lines or those that feel stiff and brittle need to go.
There's a simple trick that catches leaks you might miss visually. Wipe each fuel line and connection point with a clean white rag, then smell the rag. Any gasoline odor means you've got a leak that needs to be fixed immediately. Replace fuel filters while you're in there, and if the boat sat with old gas all winter, add a fresh stabilizer.
Engine Oil, Coolant, and Belts
If you didn't change the engine oil during winterization, now is the time. Old oil holds moisture that wears on moving parts, so fresh oil and a new filter give the engine a clean start. Top off transmission fluid, hydraulic steering fluid, and coolant while you're at it.
Squeeze your belts and look for cracking, glazing, or fraying. A belt that snaps miles from the dock becomes a real headache, and replacements cost only a few dollars. Raw-water impellers should be swapped if they're older than a year, since dried-out vanes break apart and clog the cooling system.
Hull, Propeller, and Anodes
With the boat still on the trailer, walk underneath and give the hull a close look. Cracks, blisters, and gel coat chips can worsen after months of freeze-thaw cycles. Clean the hull, wax it for UV protection, and touch up gel coat damage before launching.
Grab the propeller and wiggle it. If the shaft has play, the cutlass bearing likely needs to be replaced. Look at the blades for dings, pitting, or bends that affect performance and fuel economy. Check anodes on the shaft, outdrive, and trim tabs too. Any anode that's lost more than half its size should be replaced. They're cheap insurance against galvanic corrosion.
Seacocks, Hoses, and Deck Fittings
Open and close every seacock on the boat. The handles should move freely without forcing. All hoses below the waterline need double-clamping with stainless-steel clamps, and any clamp showing rust is replaced. Inspect portlights, hatches, and deck fittings for cracked caulking, too. Water trails and green corrosion around fittings are telltale signs of leaks that need resealing.
Safety Gear and the Shakedown Run
Pull out your fire extinguishers and confirm the gauges show a full charge. Flares have expiration dates printed right on them, and expired flares won't meet Coast Guard requirements. Go through each life jacket for torn straps, faded fabric, or waterlogged foam.
Test your bilge pump in both automatic and manual modes. Turn on the bilge blower and verify it's moving air. Flip on navigation lights, the horn, and your VHF radio. If you want to spring into boating, get your vessel shipshape for the season, work through these items one at a time rather than scrambling to remember them on launch morning.
Once everything checks out, take the boat for a short shakedown run before planning any trips. Listen to the engine, watch the gauges, and pay attention to steering response. Twenty minutes on the water reveals problems that dockside work alone won't.
Get Your Boat Season-Ready at Reeder-Trausch Marine Indy
At Reeder-Trausch Marine Indy, our service team handles spring commissioning from oil changes and impeller swaps to full seasonal tune-ups. We're on the south side of Indianapolis, an easy drive from Geist, Monroe, Morse, and Cordry-Sweetwater. Whether your boat needs a professional once-over or you're considering an upgrade, stop by and talk with our team. We offer an on-the-water tutorial with every purchase so you hit the lake feeling confident from day one.
