Even though there's likely to be a bunch more winter before it's done, before you know it spring will arrive. Sometime in the next couple of months you'll want to get the boat ready for next summer's float trips. Here is list of what to go through when getting your boat ready as well as some ideas for how to keep it in better shape for down the road. We are assuming that the boat is stored outside. If yours is not then some of these are not applicable.
Checklist for getting the rig ready:
1) Remove your cover. As soon as weather permits you should completely wash the winter grime off of your cover and let it sun dry. Best is to hang the cover on your fence when washing and drying.
2) check your trailer hitch. Make sure that hitch is clean and lock assembly moves freely from the lock to unlock position. Grease the hitch (best way is to sit until you tow it first time. put grease on trailer ball and then hook up trailer.)
3) Check tire pressures, including spare. If a trailer has sat over winter the tire pressure is likely low.
4) Check condition of tires and tread. Now is the time to find out you need new tires and get them, not on the road to Carseland. Tread should be 9/32 depth on tread with no cupping (uneven wear patterns). **if you notice cracks on the side of your tires this is called weather checking. It is caused by too low of tire pressure and extreme temperature variation like you see in the winter. On a trailer tire, this likely won't lead to failure but keep an eye on them that it doesn't get a lot worse. Next year make sure the tire pressure is up before you store it.
**if you are getting strange, uneven, or premature wear on your trailer tires the likely culprit is the axle and/or alignment. Standen's in Calgary can fix you up .
5) Make sure hubs are greased. This should be done after every three or four uses through the season. If you don't have Bearing Buddies, get them. Hand greasing bearings really sucks. At this time, make sure there isn't any grease on the back side (axle side) of the hub in quantity. If there is it means you have a seal failure and it should be replaced.
6) Hook up to vehicle and check all lights. **This is the time to get them all working. Now is the time to get that grease in the trailer hitch as well. And while you're at it, check to make sure you're trailer hitch is adjusted properly. With the trailer hitched up, lift up on the trailer, if there is any movement of the trailer hitch on the ball (you'll feel it and hear the clunk) then you need to adjust the hitch.
7) Since you're hooked up, make sure that trailer rollers are in good shape. Also, check your trailer bunks. Over time the carpet material wears out on the bunks. Now is the time to take care of that. Running for a season with a bad bunk or roller can severely damage the bottom of your boat
8) Check your anchor rope. They do wear out over time. Make sure that your anchor release works properly and the connection assembly (clevis) on your anchor works ok. Nothing worse than getting to a boat launch first time of the year and you can't get your anchor installed.
9) Check storage and seat storage. Now is the perfect time to get organized. And also a great time to find that junk you left under a seat last October and get rid of it.
10) Check seat operation and seat pads. Make sure they swivel like they're supposed to. Check seat pads for cracks or wear. A little trick to keep your seat pads lasting longer is to clean them and then spray with 303 protectant (available at Canadian Tire). Do this in the spring and your seats will stay way nicer. If you do have a crack in a seat pad the best way to address it is to put Aquaseal on the crack or tear. This will delay having to replace for a season or two.
And if you used the 303 to start they likely wouldn't have cracked.
11) Check any trim (black edge trim on Clackacraft gunnels, rubber trim on boxes and gunnels on Hyde, etc.) Some of these items become loose or worn over time. Half an hour with some contact cement will keep your boat in a lot better condition when it come to edge trim, etc.
12) Once all of this is done it's time to wash the boat completely. The place to do this is at a car wash. The high pressure wands are the very best way to clean a boat. Kick the boat off the trailer just enough so that water will drain (rear drain holes). Completely spray clean inside of boat and then do outside. If you have built up dirt or staining, use a product called Spray Nine. Just spray it on the area, scrub with a brush, and then high pressure wash. Makes it look like new.
For the outside of boats that have the "scum line stain", you can use another product, called Black Streak Remover. It is sold at RV dealerships and is used on fibreglass sided RVs. Works great on boats.
**To keep your boat clean and not get staining and those scum stains on the outside is really easy. Power wash your boat inside and out after every use. That night, not the next day. Also, if you use car wax on the outside of the boat when you do the spring cleaning (after you wash it) the scum washes off easier.
NOW GO FISHING!
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