The idea of owning a yacht and taking to the open seas is a lifelong dream for many. However, purchasing one is just the beginning of the journey. The life of a yacht owner is one of careful dedication and attention to detail. Here are a few critical maintenance tips to follow to make sure your yacht—whether it’s a sailboat or a motorboat—doesn’t end up becoming the one that got away.

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Cleaning

Cleaning a yacht is about more than just the aesthetics. Keeping your boat clean by washing it with environmentally friendly cleaners can also help protect it from corrosion. Furthermore, it’s estimated that a dirty hull could cause your boat’s fuel costs to be 30 percent higher. A clean boat will run more smoothly and efficiently.

Polishing and Waxing

Before you polish your boat, make sure it is totally clean. Otherwise, grime can get in below the surface of the polish and cause problems. Experts recommend waxing a boat every 3 to 6 months to keep it preserved.

Engine and Battery

Experts at Practical Boat Owner recommend doing an engine health check to ensure everything is running smoothly. Long days out on the water can be taxing on your battery, so be sure to periodically check that it’s holding a charge. There are a few tips you can follow to get the most out of your battery life.

Change the Oil

You should check before oil in your boat frequently, once every few uses. Experts recommend that you change the oil once a year. Unlike a car, most yacht owners tend to learn how to change the oil themselves.

Winterizing

If you live in a part of the world that sees freezing temperatures, you will want to properly winterize your boat to avoid damage. These steps largely include draining all parts of your boat of water, including the engine and the plumbing, and removing drain plugs. Add a fuel stabilizing agent to your fuel system and run the engine. Finally, you’ll also want to add antifreeze to your plumbing system. After these steps, your boat is ready to be covered or stored for the winter. Skipping these steps could mean having an unusable boat when springtime rolls around.

Systems Check

For some of the more complicated parts of your boat, including the air conditioning and fuel system, you may want to have a trained professional do a systems check. This costs around $250 and can give you an idea of the health of the different parts of the boat, alerting you to anything that deserves your immediate attention.

Service Log

Keep a detailed service log on board with everything you’ve done to maintain the boat. This way you’ll know when it’s time for any type of routine maintenance listed above.

Bonus Tip: Keep it Stylish

A well-running boat is critical. But if you’re going to be spending many hours and days on your boat, it’s almost equally important to make your quarters beautiful, cozy and comfortable. Why wouldn’t you want a boat mattress that’s as comfortable as the one you have at home? On the same token, styling your blankets, sheets and pillows gives your stateroom and guest rooms a real homey feel that will make your vacations and days out on the water even more enjoyable. Invest in a quality, marine boat mattress and you’re investing in your quality of life on the water!

Our Hayval latex mattress is the first custom natural mattress, made specifically for the marine environment. Hāyväl is a mattress free of polyurethane foams, chemical fire retardants, and as close to 100% organic as possible. The unique construction starts with a proprietary layered 6” organic latex base and topped with a 2” extra plush natural Talalay Eurotop. 

The life of a boat owner isn’t always easy, but it’s definitely rewarding work. Show your boat a little love with these critical maintenance steps, and your boat will thank you with a long, smooth-sailing life.

We have Extra Soft to Firm Latex to create your perfect Custom Mattress for whatever boat you have. With a vast pattern library, we are very sure to have your boat in our archives, but if we don’t, sending you a Template Kit is fast and it’s so easy to use that anyone can do it!  We are happy to help you choose from our Core Fabrics or pull from our Outdura and Sunbrella fabrics to get your style and aesthetic reflected in your boat.  We service both Coasts and Ship internationally as well. 

We have a Showroom at Sunroad Marina in San Diego and a Factory Showroom in Huntington Beach for you to test our Custom Mattresses, see the quality and colors of our fabrics and feel all of our linens from Red Land Cotton, SFERRA and Matouk. Or you can take a look at our Photo Gallery to get inspired! Once you place an order, we custom create everything you need to make each stateroom a statement room.  Boating is a lifestyle, make it STYLISH.