18 January 2023
Like any complex machinery, boats require regular care and maintenance to ensure they remain in top condition. Neglecting maintenance can lead to costly repairs, safety hazards and a shortened lifespan for your vessel. In this article, we’ll explore essential boat maintenance advice to help you keep your prized possession shipshape and ready for the next voyage.
You can keep your boat either on an NYA-owned mooring or on an independently-owned mooring.
We currently have space for nearly 80 boats at four moorings at Brundall, catering for boats of different sizes and all equipped with 240v shorepower, toilet and shower facilities, and car parking.
There are plenty of other mooring spaces all over the Broads, and our sales staff can help you find the right place for you.
If you buy a boat from NYA, we can provide mooring free for seven days, with temporary mooring thereafter at a daily, weekly or monthly charge.
You can view our latest mooring fees and locations here.
How often should I service my boat?
Engine breakdowns can be expensive to fix, so it’s important to have your boat serviced at regular intervals.
Different boats and engines may come with different recommended service intervals, but in general a typical inboard diesel engine should be serviced at least once a year, more often with heavy use.
Of course, regularly servicing the engine is just one of the maintenance jobs you’ll need to undertake to make sure your boat is always in tip top condition.
It’s important to keep an eye on all mechanical and electrical systems, plus anything that may allow water into the structure of the boat like leaking deck fittings.
Fibreglass should be regularly polished and waxed to keep it in good condition, while antifouling is often done in the spring to prevent the growth of marine organisms during summer.
Batteries and safety equipment should be checked regularly, with self-inflating lifejackets serviced by an authorised service centre.
The RCD is a European Union directive (2013/53/EU) aimed at harmonising construction standards for watercraft as well as regulating exhaust and noise emissions. This applies to the design and manufacture of craft between 2.5 and 24 metres in hull length built since June 16, 1998 intended for sport and leisure use.
All eligible boats placed on the market within the EU, wherever they were built, must comply with the Essential Requirements specified in the RCD.
Things to look out for include:
Further information including details of all exemptions and import by private individuals can be found on the RYA website.
Yes, especially if you are buying a boat privately or a brokerage boat, which is a private transaction between two parties with the broker acting as a middleman bringing the two parties together.
Just like with a car, it’s important to check the service history of the engine, or engines in the case of twin-engine boats, and a comprehensive pre-purchase survey will include an inspection of all mechanical aspects of the boat.
If your boat breaks down on the Broads and you can’t fix it yourself, the first thing you should do is ensure the safety of all those on board.
There are services that operate an AA-style breakdown service on the water, who will come to your aid.
The NYA service centre also operates a recovery service.
As well as mooring fees, there are several other running costs that need to be considered within your overall budget.
It’s impossible to give exact figures because it obviously depends on which type of boat you buy, its condition and how much you use it.
But, in general, additional costs will include insurance, licences for using waterways, servicing and maintenance, fuel and oil, depreciation, servicing and replacing safety equipment, and replacing parts such as batteries as and when required.
