BOAT REPAIRS

	mechanical repairs
	electrical / electronics
	hardware
	tips on repair

BOAT REPAIR

Boats require regular maintenance and repair to ensure safe, trouble-free operation. Along with this regularly scheduled upkeep, unforeseen problems can befall even the best maintained boat. It’s important to have a solid foundation of basic repair knowledge to help you prepare for the worst case scenario.

Significance
Marine boat engine repair and troubleshooting is done at two levels: by the owner and by a repair activity. Many times, owners will have their boat fail to start at the marina or fail while running at sea or on the lake. The ability to conduct basic troubleshooting and repair is significant for the boat owner in order to reduce costs for correcting issues that do not require an outside activity to repair.

Function
Boat engine troubleshooting is primarily used to get a dead boat engine running again so that further examination can be conducted ashore to see if greater repairs are required to fix the engine. Common issues for boat owners to troubleshoot are overheating, the engine won't start or stops running, the motor will run but not go into gear and running aground.

Types
The four basic types of boat motor troubleshooting have basic steps to conduct for troubleshooting. For an overheating engine, the following steps should be conducted prior to asking for professional assistance. First, inspect the hoses, sea cock, sea strainer and water intake for blockage. The sea cock can sometimes be closed, or there could have been other debris blocking the lines. Next, inspect for a loose or broken belt on the water and circulation pumps. Then check the coolant and top off if low or out and check the engine oil and add as required.

Finally, inspect the water pump impeller and if destroyed or damaged replace the impeller.For an engine that fails to start or stops running, first inspect the fuel filter for significant dirt or water and replace if required. Next, inspect the distributor cap for water and, if necessary, wipe with with WD-40 when the engine is cool. Inspect the ignition fuse, wire harness plug and the reset button for the engine. Replace the fuse, reset the ignition box and ensure all connections are firm and free of dirt and debris. Inspect the battery and switch to the secondary battery or both battery positions. Then verify the fuel supply hose is not twisted or kinked, and finally, confirm the fuel tank vent screw is open.

If you are uncomfortable with the thought of getting involved with the repair of your vessel, call us on (087) 280 7028 or e-mail us at info@truelightmarine.ie and we can do the job for you. You are very welcome to be there to watch us go about our work and you may learn some aspects of the repair.