Thanks for your interest in Captain’s Watch. It’s my observation that people spend oodles of money on boat washes, waxing, canvas and electronics to keep it looking sharp on the outside, but fail to keep the mechanical aspects of their boat healthy. Many boat owners have absolutely no interest in crawling around an engine room to maintain regular observations/services that are vital to a boat’s performance. In many cases, these oversights lead to costly service calls later on (average: $120/hr.)... or worse, a boat that won’t run when you want it the most.
Example 1: Clogged A/C filters: In this case the lack of air flow over time caused the a/c unit to labor far harder than normal and eventually die prematurely. Cost of new unit with install: $4000.
This cost along with, poor cooling/heating and the ancillary cost of breakers and relays could have been easily resolved with proper regular maintenance.
This cost along with, poor cooling/heating and the ancillary cost of breakers and relays could have been easily resolved with proper regular maintenance.
Example 2: Clogged Raw Water Strainers: With the exception of stern drive motors, sea strainers are in place for each motor as well as your a/c water pump and generator. There are a multitude of problems that can occur with clogged sea strainers...poor water flow to motors causing overheating and potential engine failure, premature failure of impellers, poor water circulation within a/c units causing decreased efficiency...just to name a few. With boats anchoring out in shallow coves during the weekend, these strainers need to be constantly monitored and cleaned for proper operation of essential components.
Example 3: Catastrophic battery failure: When batteries are worked hard, they generate a fair amount of internal heat. This increases a battery’s ability to absorb charging current without its voltage rising, which effectively disables any voltage regulator on the charging device, resulting in gross overcharging. It's very important to maintain a close watch on fluid levels within all of your boat's batteries. Though we all reccomend leaving your battery charger on full time, it is critical to the life of your batteries to have proper fluid levels...this requires regular inspection and fluid addition when neccesary.
Preventative maintenance is far less expensive than corrective maintenance!
This truly is a one of a kind turnkey solution to boat maintenance monitoring. It is my personal commitment to help you keep your boat in the best possible condition that it can be, ensuring you “problem-free” operation every time you step onboard.
I start with an appointment with you, on your boat, to discuss the extent of services that would be best for your situation. Once we have identified those services, I will perform a “no cost” 75 point survey of the vessel which will take roughly 2 hours. This will give us a baseline for where things are with your boat now, and help me to get your boat where it should be. I can then point out what things should be repaired by your service professional and we can setup a bi-weekly schedule to keep your boat ready at a moment’s notice.
Here is the list of checks that will be performed every 14 days:
I start with an appointment with you, on your boat, to discuss the extent of services that would be best for your situation. Once we have identified those services, I will perform a “no cost” 75 point survey of the vessel which will take roughly 2 hours. This will give us a baseline for where things are with your boat now, and help me to get your boat where it should be. I can then point out what things should be repaired by your service professional and we can setup a bi-weekly schedule to keep your boat ready at a moment’s notice.
Here is the list of checks that will be performed every 14 days:
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EXTERIOR
Ensure dock lines are snug, secure and neatly kept Ensure your power cables are secure and functioning Ensure there is no loose canvas or upholstery INTERIOR Check galley systems Check all light bulbs onboard (replace if needed) Inspect all fire extinguishers Ensure vessel is secure and locked Check each HVAC unit Clean HVAC filters FLUIDS Check Fuel levels ( add fuel if requested) Check water levels (fill with fresh water) Check Holding Tank Level (empty if requested) Check Anti-freeze levels (both motors and generator) BATTERIES Check battery fluid levels (fill if needed w/ distilled water) Check corrosion at battery posts Check battery health (voltage at each battery) Check battery charger |
ENGINE ROOM
Check bilge water accumulation (pump out if necessary) Check bilge pumps / float switches Check all sump boxes (clean if necessary) Exercise Seacocks (for smooth operation) Check/clean raw water strainers (Engines, generator, A/C) Inspect fuel filters (racors) Inspect engine belts (both motors and generator) Inspect hoses (both motors and generator) Check Trim Tab reservoir (add fluid if necessary) Check motor trim reservoir (add fluid if necessary) Check fire suppression equipment in bilge Test bilge heater, make sure it is powered up HELM Power up all electronics Check all switches Start motors and generator (run to temp, check gauges) Check all other gauges Run motor blowers Check manual bilge pump overrides |
Following this protocol will ensure years of trouble free boating, identifying potential issues before they become catastrophic and increasing the resale value of your boat by having it regularly “captain maintained”. Consistent and timely vessel monitoring, brought to you by SAFENAV.