Preseason Sailboat Preparation
Spring commissioning of sailboat specific gear
Get your sailboat ready for the new boating season with a little care and maintenance. Here are a few things that you should look at on your vessel
Getting your sailboat ready for use in the spring involves nearly all the tasks we've discussed in previous articles written for this series. Sailboats have galleys, auxiliary engines, heads, safety equipment, and need to receive hull maintenance. The added owner concerns are ensuring the sailboat's masts, sails, and rigging are ready and safe for use in the upcoming season.
To recap our discussion, boat preparation involves several areas of interest. They are:
- Vessel Exterior
- Hull Condition
- Vessel Interior
- Emergency Equipment
- Electrical Systems
- Outboard Engines and Outdrives
- Inboard Engines
- Boat Trailers
- Galley
- Head and Waste Treatment Systems
- Water Systems
- Sails and Rigging
This article discusses masts, rigging and sails.
Sails – Sails kept clean, dry and protected from the sunlight will provide excellent service. Repairs are more effective and damage is minimized by fixing a problem immediately after it is discovered. Things to look for with your sails are:
- Check the general, overall condition of the sails
- Look for obvious damage like tears, punctures, wear and chafing
- Check the condition of battens and batten pockets
- Check all attachments to the sail including grommets, rings, and all reef-points
- Inspect all of the stitching on the sail edges and all seams. Pay close attention to the leech of the headsail
Mast and Rigging - The use of modern composite materials and corrosion resistant fitting have greatly reduced the maintenance needed to make a sailboat serviceable for the new season. It goes without saying that a little care and attention will greatly extend the useful life of these components. Things to consider are:
- Inspect mast and spreaders for damage or corrosion
- Check shrouds and spreader boots for damage or wear Check reefing points and reefing gear
- Clean and lubricate the sail track
- Verify turnbuckles, rigging, and clevis pins are free of deterioration and corrosion. Stainless steel hardware needs little attention, but fittings can become brittle with age
- Inspect stainless steel wire stays for fraying and "whiskering"
- Inspect the condition of the forestay and backstay connections
- Inspect mechanical connections like rivets and screws for corrosion
- Make sure masthead fitting and pulleys are in good order
- Roller furlings need to cleaned and lubricated
Visit the other Boating and Sailing articles on spring boat preparation at Suite101:
- Spring Boat Preparation - Proper spring boat maintenance and preparation will make a major difference in the safe performance of your boat in this upcoming season
- More Spring Boat Preparation - Spring boat preparation depends on the proper maintenance of many vessel systems. This article addresses emergency equipment, electronics, and outboard engines
- Further Spring Boat Preparation - Spring commissioning involves many different systems found on your boat. We explore maintenance of inboard engines and boat trailers in this article
- Preseason Boat Preparation - Proper preparation of the different systems found on your boat will ensure a successful boating season. We explore care of head, galley, and water systems in this article
