Skip annoying spring boat maintenance and trade in your old boat toward a Carefree Boat Club membership!

Spring is in the air and for boaters that means one thing: lake season is back! Unfortunately for boat owners, that also means it’s time for the dreaded yearly boat maintenance.

Making sure a boat is in tip-top shape before hitting the water is important both for the boat’s upkeep and especially for the safety of every person on it. The last thing you want for your first day out on the water is to get stranded by an engine that won’t start or a hull that leaks water. Going through a long, thorough checklist is crucial for boat owners.

A very abridged checklist would include:

General boat maintenance:

• Clean the hull, pontoon, interior, engine and prop
• Wax hull and polish metal surfaces
• Check onboard toolkit

Boat exterior maintenance:

• Check hull for damage and repair as needed
• Check rub rails and replace as needed
• Check swim platform and ladder

Boat electrical system maintenance:

• Check and recharge battery
• Check battery terminals for corrosion
• Check all wiring for wear and fraying
• Test gauges
• Check lights

Required boating safety equipment:

• Check PFDs (ensure there is one for every passenger and all are in good condition)
• Check/recharge fire extinguisher
• Check navigation lights
• Check and restock first aid kit

Boat engine maintenance:

• Change oil and filter
• Change spark plugs
• Check fuel filter
• Check cooling system
• Check transmission fluid level

Boat trailer maintenance:

• Update registration
• Check rollers and pads
• Lubricate wheel bearings
• Lubricate winch, jack and wheel
• Test lights
• Check tires
• Check safety chains
• Check lock

And that’s not even a complete list! This is a lot of work just to get ready for your first day on the lake. Many boat owners put it off week after week because they dread it and that eats away at their season bit by bit.

There’s a way to avoid all of this back-breaking labor and hit the water on the first warm day of the year. Members of the Carefree Boat Club never have to maintain or inspect a boat – just reserve a spot online a few hours before, show up to the marina with your friends and family and go! You don’t even have to put your own gas in, just mark how much you used when you return the boat and our crew will gas it up for you.

Not only that, but Carefree Boat Club members have an entire fleet of boats to choose from. You can take out a luxury pontoon one weekend and a blisteringly fast sport boat the next. Every trip to the lake is a new adventure and you never have to lift a finger to take care of the boats!

If you’re a boat owner who’s tired of the constant cycle of winter and spring maintenance, you can even trade your boat in toward your Carefree Boat Club membership and save even more money. No more maintenance, no more loading and unloading, no more costly repairs; just fun days on the water!

Contributor: Carefree Boat Club of Tennessee