Wooden Boat Maintenance
The beauty, style and class of a handcrafted wooden boat is something you just don't get with a modern aluminum or fiberglass boat. Although wooden boats are more expensive and require a higher level of maintenance than other boats, it is not something that should stop you from owning one. Here are a few maintenance tasks you can perform to keep your wooden boat in perfect working order.
Boat maintenance tasks
Store your boat out of the water
Whenever possible, you should remove your boat from the water. It will add years to the life of your boat and allow you to easily perform other maintenance tasks. If your boat is used in saltwater, be sure to hose down with fresh water to avoid metal fittings from rusting out.
Provide correct boat cover
When storing your boat, it should be covered with a breathable material such as canvas. Be sure not to cover the boat too tightly, as this will prevent any moisture in the timber from escaping, which may lead to timber rot and mold. Your boat should receive some sunlight during the day as timber can take on moisture from the air.
Inspect timber for rot, splits and pests
Regularly check your boat for signs of rotting or splits; it is better to locate these problems early on. If left untreated, they can spread causing further damage. Wooden boats can also be damaged by pests such as barnacles, worms and termites. While barnacles are easy to spot and remove, worms and termites may not be so easy to spot. When your boat is out of the water, run up and down the length of the boat tapping with your knuckle, if you hear a hollow thud or the timber feels soft, you may have an underlying pest problem.
Re-coat the timber
Modern urethane's and resins are hard wearing and long lasting. If the surface of your boat is beginning to show signs of wear and tear, it is time to sand it back and re-coat. Re-coating your boat is the most time consuming task you will have to perform when maintaining your boat, if done regularly however, it will keep the timber in perfect condition for many years to come.