Preparing a Small Boat for Spring Launch

The first properly calm, bright Saturday of spring has a way of catching you out. One moment you are walking the dog along the front, the next you are eyeing the boat under its cover and wondering whether the outboard will start, whether the bunk cushions have gone mouldy, and whether the trailer bearings will survive a trip to the slip. A little preparation in late February and early March pays for itself many times over. Here is how to bring a small boat back to life properly, without a mad panic on launch day.

After the Winter Lay-Up

Start with a slow walk around the boat before you open anything up. Look for sagging covers, pools of water on the cockpit sole, green algae along the waterline and any sign that the tarp has been flapping and rubbing. If the boat has been outside, expect condensation inside lockers, so open every hatch and let it breathe for an hour or two on a dry day.

Then work through the structure. Check the hull for blisters, cracks around the keel or keel rollers, and any star crazing that could be hiding a deeper problem. Push the hull gently along the strakes to feel for soft spots. Inspect the transom where the outboard or outdrive mounts, as this is where stress and water ingress like to gather. Look at the deck fittings, cleats and fairleads: loose fasteners should be re-bedded with sealant before water finds its way into the core. If your boat lives on a trailer, this is also the moment to shake the trailer itself, check the coupling, and look for rust weeping through the paint.

Engine and Fuel System Checks

An engine that was winterised properly should be straightforward, but assumptions are expensive. Remove the cowling and check for corrosion, cobwebs, and nesting material around the wiring and fuel lines. Pull the dipstick if there is one, and change the oil and filter if it was not done in autumn. Old oil holds moisture and acids that quietly eat bearings over winter.

• Fuel: drain any water from the fuel filter or separator, replace the filter element, and top up with fresh fuel. Stale petrol causes more spring starting problems than anything else.
• Ignition: clean or renew spark plugs, check the gap, and inspect leads for cracks. On diesels, check glow plugs and the bleed the system if it has been drained.
• Cooling: inspect and replace the impeller if it has seen two seasons, and clear the telltale outlet of salt and grit.
• Gearbox and leg: check the gear oil for milky contamination, which means water has got in and a seal needs attention.
• Battery: charge it fully, then test it under load. A battery that has been sitting at half charge all winter is a battery you should not trust offshore.

Run the engine on muffs or in a tank before you go anywhere near the water. Ten minutes of listening, watching the telltale, and checking for fuel or water leaks saves a ruined afternoon.

Antifouling and Below the Waterline

If the boat comes out of the water for winter, the hull will need attention in spring. Scrub off loose old paint, wash the whole hull with fresh water, and let it dry properly before you do anything else. Sand any flaking areas back to a sound edge, then prime bare patches according to what you are putting on top. Mixing incompatible coatings is one of the most common causes of antifouling falling off in sheets within a month.

Choose your paint to suit your mooring. A hard, scrubbable antifouling suits a boat that is trailed or kept on a drying mooring, while eroding types work well for boats afloat all season. Two thin coats beat one thick one, and pay extra attention to the waterline, the keel edges, the rudder and the outboard leg. Check the anodes while you are down there: if more than half has gone, replace them now. Underwater fittings, seacocks and skin fittings deserve a close look too, with a light grease on anything that should move.

Safety Gear You Should Never Assume Is Fine

Safety kit tends to be stowed and forgotten, which is exactly why it fails. Take it all out, lay it on the drive, and go through it item by item.

• Lifejackets: inflate each one overnight to check it holds air, then inspect the cylinder, firing mechanism and crutch strap. Most need a professional service at least annually.
• Flares and distress signals: check the expiry dates on every cartridge and pencil flare and replace anything out of date before the season starts.
• Fire extinguishers: confirm the pressure gauge sits in the green and that the mounting bracket is secure and reachable.
• VHF radio: charge it, check the antenna connection, and confirm your licence and registered details are still current.
• Kill cord: check it is not frayed or stretched and that it clips securely to both the engine and your person.
• Basic kit: fresh first aid supplies, a working torch, spare batteries, a bailer, a bucket, a paddle, and an anchor with enough warp for your local depths.

Trailer, Tender and Launch Day Practicalities

If you launch from a slip, the trailer deserves as much attention as the boat. Grease the wheel bearings or replace them if they have been submerged repeatedly, check the tyre pressures and sidewalls for cracking, and test the lights, which are usually the first thing to fail after a salty winter. Inspect the winch strap, the jockey wheel and the security of the bow snubber, then take a short local drive to check the coupling and brakes before committing to a longer trip.

For those on swinging or pontoon moorings, check the tender, the outboard, the oars and the painter. Tender outboards are notoriously neglected and notoriously difficult to start. Book your lift-in or launch slot early, work the tides into your plan, and give yourself twice the time you think you need. Check the forecast on the morning, and if the wind is rising, be willing to postpone.

Preparing for the First Run Afloat

Keep the first trip short and undemanding. Stay within a few miles of your launch point, in familiar water, and pick a day with light winds and a settled forecast. Tell someone ashore where you are going and when you expect to be back, and take a charged phone in a waterproof pouch alongside your VHF. Run the engine at varying revs, watch the temperature, listen for new noises, and check the bilges regularly for unexpected water.

Once back alongside, note down everything that needs attention. There is always something. The boats that give their owners the fewest headaches are not the newest or the most expensive, but the ones whose owners do this patient spring routine every single year, before the season has a chance to catch them out.