All There Is To Know About Sailing Yacht Maintenance

Sailboat at sunset

Regular maintenance is essential if your boat is to have a long life. Yet, looking after a sailing yacht is time consuming and requires a good amount of knowledge. Here is some advice from BENETEAU on how to best maintain your boat and sail safely.

 

Maintaining a sailing yacht’s hull

You need to clean the hull regularly to prevent it from damage and to maintain its performance. Seaweed and other forms of marine growth adhere to the submerged parts of boats. If your boat stays in the harbor all year round, you need to careen her every year.

It is also important to apply antifouling to your boat’s hull, but not so often. This is a special paint to protect the bottom.

 

Maintaining and checking the rigging

It is relatively easy to check the state of the running rigging oneself. It is harder to accurately interpret the condition of the standing rigging. This is why it is best to have a BENETEAU expert check your stainless steel rigging regularly, particularly if the boat sails a lot. They will check to see if standing rigging parts need to be changed. They will replace them and adjust them if necessary.

 

Taking care of your boat’s sails

Looking after your sails properly is definitely the best way to extend their lifespan. When you are sailing, do your best to prevent your sails from fluttering and be careful not to over-tension them.  It is also a good idea to rinse them from time to time and to stow them away when you are not using your sailing yacht for a long time or when it is being overwintered.

To anticipate any possible sail problems, you should check your them regularly. Look to see if the seams are showing signs of damage and have them repaired before they get worse.

 

Boat engine maintenance

To set sail confidently, it is important to keep a well-maintained engine, even on a sailing yacht. Similar to a car, a boat’s engine must be serviced every year by a professional.

 

If you want to keep your sailing yacht for a long time, and sail in the best conditions safely, it is vital to take proper care of your boat. Although some maintenance tasks can be done by you (cleaning, careening, etc.) other more technical jobs require the intervention of a professional, such as servicing the engine or rigging maitenance.