What would be your ideal boat?

When you think of your ideal boat, what do you think of? Isit James Bond 077 and his speedy, streamlined offerings like the Bayliner or maybe you want to slow down a notch or two and take to the broads on a narrowboat or live aboard a Dutch Barge.

When people purchase a boat, they are also for filling a dream. That dream might be to sail the waterways, sit back and see the UK in slow motion or speed things up and take up sailing as a sport. Maybe you’re after a project and a labour of love that will take up your spare hours until you have her back to her former glory to take to the water.

Whatever the reason for your love of boats, it’s important as the weather improves and more of us are venturing out on the water to not only look after our boats, but ourselves too.

This weekend has seen the temperatures soar and the marinas and broads were busy and will only get busier as summer approaches and we all gear up for the busiest time of the year on the water.When you think of your ideal boat, what do you think of? Is it James Bond 077 and his speedy, streamlined offerings like the Bayliner or maybe you want to slow down a notch or two and take to the broads on a narrowboat or live aboard a Dutch Barge.

Firstly, it is important to clean your boat properly.

Before you take your boat out after the winter it is best to give it a good valet. By giving it a proper clean you will be helping to protect the materials and ensuring that your boat stays in good condition. Before winter set in, you might have given your boat a clean top to bottom, but you should still give it even a basic cleaning.

Look at cleaning and polishing all the hard surfaces and seating,vacuuming the interior, and power-wash any hard surfaces, after this your boat will be looking as good as new.

The Engine

Imagine, after giving your boat a proper clean and in the excitement and in trepidation of getting to the water, you find out that you boat motor needs repairing or maintenance needs to be done urgently. Before venturing out you should perform a meticulous inspection of the motor just for peace of mind. Look at changing the oil, lubricate moving parts, inspect the spark plugs, and make sure the fuel lines are in great condition.

Also, you should look at giving your boat a thorough inspection throughout, including hoses, lighting, and any moving parts. Other items you should inspect include pumps, tie-down cleats, and any winches that you may have on your boat.

Safety First!

You must take your safety and the safety of any one travelling on your boat very seriously. When taking your boat out after the winter months, it is a good time to ensure that all your safety equipment is up to the safety standard. Firstly, count the number of life jackets that you have and if you have children, make sure that they still fit them and if they don’t get new ones before going out on your boat. Another thing to always check is that your fire extinguisher is still in date and that your flares work.

Once you have carried out all these checks, all you now need to do is go out and enjoy yourself safely.

The boats pictured on this blog are all for sale on our website. For more information and pictures take a look here: http://suffolk.boatshed.com/