Barefoot Watersports - Marine Service & Repairs 704-896-2121
Links to all our Barefoot Boating Tips:
Barefoot Boating Tip #1:
Spring Tune-up As you get ready for a great season on the lake there are some inspections and checks that must be accomplished before getting on the water. Some of them are obvious but others are often taken for granted. You have probably forgotten about your Boat or Personal Water Craft (PWC) since last fall and it will need attention before you fire it up. The following are some basic items to check. You will want to consult the Owner’s Manual for specific items. 1) Make sure your bilge drain plug is installed (yes people do forget). 2) Make sure your block and manifold drain plugs are installed. If Barefoot Watersports winterized your boat last year, the plugs are already installed . . . Click to read more . . . 
Barefoot Boating Tip #2:
Preventative Maintenance Having been a licensed Aircraft Mechanic for over 35 years I have a good understanding of Preventative Maintenance. In the airline business safety and reliability are two major concerns for obvious reasons. Each aircraft is inspected and checked prior to every flight by the Flight Crew and several levels of checks and inspections are completed by maintenance personal ranging from daily to several thousand hours of flight time. We also would replace parts prior to failure based on historical data. All this is done to prevent mechanical failures and catch small problems that can be quickly and economically rectified before they become major and costly problems. Even with all the inspections and checks parts still fail, you may have firsthand experience having missed a flight due to a mechanical delay. While I would never advocate this level of inspection for your Boat or PWC there are Preventative Maintenance items that you should perform before each use and items your Marine Mechanic should perform each year and every two to three years. Below is a general list of these items. As always check your Owner’s Manual and Engine Operator’s Manual for the specific maintenance schedule for your vessel. Before Each Use (This should take about 5 minutes) 1. Check operation of engine blower and bilge pump. 2. Check all the fluid levels (engine oil, power steering fluid, trim fluid, transmission fluid and drive oil) any abnormal consumption may indicate a problem and should be checked by your Marine Mechanic. Click to read more . . . 
Barefoot Boating Tip #3:
Batteries Our boat or Jet Ski battery is one of those things we don’t worry or think about until you have guests coming over for a day on the lake and the boat will not start. So how do we avoid a dead battery ruining your day? THINGS TO KNOW · Automotive and Marine batteries are not the same. Marine batteries are built stronger to take the bouncing and pounding of marine use · All batteries lose their charge even when disconnected. Older batteries lose their charge faster than new batteries. Under some conditions 60% of their energy per month will be lost. Click to read more . . . 
Barefoot Boating Tip #4:
Winterization There are several misconceptions regarding winterizing your Boat or Jet Ski. These are some of the most common. 1. It does not get cold enough in this region to cause damage. FALSE 2. Winterizing your Boat or Jet Ski is only protecting your engine from freezing.FALSE 3. Using a light bulb or heater will keep my boat safe. FALSE 4. Keeping the fuel tank empty over the winter is best. FALSE 5. The cover will keep the interior dry. FALSE Properly winterizing your Boat varies with each engine type. Just draining the block is not always enough. Neglecting to address oil coolers, fuel coolers, cabin heaters and fresh water systems can result in expensive repairs. As always check your owner’s manual or have a professional handle it for you. DO I NEED TO WINTERIZE MY BOAT 1. Making the assumption that we will have a mild winter and your Boat will not be damaged could cost you several thousand dollars in the spring to replace manifolds, coolers and heaters. If the engine block cracks it could cost much more. 2. Properly winterizing your boat will protect vital components regardless of how low the temperature gets. Click to read more . . . |
