Yachts are beautiful and expensive so it makes sense to care for them. I can’t imagine anything that would look sillier than a 25+ m yacht drifting or listing because someone failed to do an adequate inspection of critical components. Just like a larger cruise ship, yachts are subject to intense elemental effects.
The Need For Yacht Preventive Maintenance and Inspections
Without proper care the impact from the elements combined on the myriad of onboard mechanical systems can turn the summer yachting season into a disaster. Proper care for yachts means extensive inspections and preventive maintenance both at sea and in dry-dock.
The Need For Yacht Preventive Maintenance and Inspections
There are several keys to establishing good maintenance management practices for yachts. The first is to define what assets need to be maintained. The second is to define how the items are to be maintained. Lastly, defined items need to be scheduled according to experience and best known practices. For example, the following checklist provides a basic outline for 35 tasks to be completed as well as their frequency.
Sample Checklists
Daily or Weekly
| Item | Description |
| Electrical | Check battery charge level |
| Engine | Check oil level |
| Engine | Check water level |
| Engine | Check heat exchanger |
| Engine | Check coolant levels |
| Bilge | Check for leaks |
| Exhaust system | Check for leaks, color of smoke |
| Fuel containment | Check for leak, hoses, secure |
| Generator | Check coolant levels |
| Radio | Power and operational check |
| Deck fixtures | Wipe down furniture, decks, rails |
Monthly
| Item | Description |
| Electrical | Check battery water level |
| Electrical | Check battery voltage |
| Electrical | Test GPS |
| Bilge | Clean and service |
| Bilge | Clean limber holes |
| Propeller Shaft | Check fittings, wear and tear |
| Plumbing | Check for leaks, sanitize |
| Heat exchanger | check strainer for blockage |
| Kitchen | Check fuel lines, valves |
| General | Check all tie lines for secureness |
Quarterly
| Item | Description |
| Electrical | Clean battery posts and tops |
| Electrical | Check alternator tension and clean |
| Fuel systems | Check for leaks |
| Engine | Change all filters |
| HVAC | Change all filters |
| Emergency equipment | Check/Test fire extinguishers, alarms |
| Seacocks | Check for corrosion, fit, -clean and make sure bung is close by |
Annual
| Item | Description |
| Electrical | Check for battery leaks |
| Engine | Check engine mountings |
| Rudder | Check rudder assembly for damage or corrosion |
| Hull, engine, cooling system | Clean scale |
| Electrical | Check everything for corrosion |
| All | Corrosion check and maintenance |
The Usefulness of a CMMS
Yachts have thousands of components that may need inspection or maintenance and even an experienced crew can forget to perform a tasks leading to possible trouble at sea. To avoid oversight, Yacht Captains or engineers should make use of Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS). This software will help inventory all yacht equipment as well as enabling the scheduling of inspections and preventive maintenance. Upon inspection any item identified as needing repair can then be transformed into a work order.
The advantages of using a CMMS don’t stop here. A CMMS will record the entire maintenance history of assets allowing for accurate projections for replacement of items or the amount of inventory needed for spare parts. This is a definite advantage to yacht owners who want to make greater use of seasonal crew members. The historical database provides an excellent resource for training and knowledge.
Share with us how you keep track of inspections. If you liked this article you may also want to read