Top 10 boat problems

J

joefish

New member
As a way of preventing problems or being more prepared when they inevitably occur I'd like to know what you consider to be the most common problems on your boat. I've had many boats over the years, no others as sophisticated as a C-Dory but here is my top 10 list of common problems.

1) trailer lights, wiring
2) raw water washdown pump
3) boat batteries, wiring
4) windshield wipers
5) damaged propeller
6) damaged rub rail
7) nav lights
8: GPS/depth gauge
9) bilge pump
10) mold

Can anyone tell me why batteries are typically placed in the bilge where it is damp dark and often moldy. What could be worse?!?
 
We just put Led Brake lights and side marker led 's on. They are a lot brighter .Also we put brake lights on the rear goal posts about 4ft up .I'm hoping this cures the brake light problem ?

Mold is an ongoing problem down here in Florida .The windshield wipers died a few years back and now I use rain-X .
Batteries have to be charged by shore power about every couple of weeks we use two SAMS club series 27 105 amp hour batteries so far about 3yrs Jim
 
Not problems like water in fuel or a tire blow out on the X-way; more aggravations

1. Anchor hang up on trailer bow stop for launch/haul
2. Rub rail separation
3. Rust on canvas snaps, fittings
4. Spiders
5. Ethanol in fuel - additives
6. Dinghy storage
7. Bilge pump access
8. "Spagetti" clustered wiring
9. Hydraulic/engine trim interface on steering feel
10. Cabinet drawer opening/spilling in rough seas - preventer hasp now placed

11. Too few boating days

Aye.
 
1) Any and all pumps.
2) All the G'damn pumps.
3) Those pesky, annoying, always failing pumps.
4) Anything electrical. All of it will eventually fail at which point you have to track down the bad fuse, wire, connection whatever usually with no documentation and through a mess created by someone else.
5) Sometimes electrical to one of those #%!* pumps, but usually the pump has just failed on it's own.
6) Nav light bulbs - they always seem to fail from the shocks received while boating or trailering.
7) Macerator or raw water pumps.
8 ) Fresh water pumps.
9) Bilge pumps.
10) Those lousy, hard to reach, mother........ pumps!
 
Given what Journey On goes through, there's no recurring problem. To me, it's maintenance. I can list sevral items that have occurred more than once and require a lot of maintenance, but overall the boat is reliable, given that it's operated in salt water. And Journey On is a decade old, which must count for something.

So, just to list some maintenance items:

1. Trailer tyres. The boat sits a lot and that probably doesn't help. Also, they now come from China.
2. Trailer brakes. They're really derived from car brakes, which weren't meant to be used in salt water.
3. Maintaining the motor: oil and gear lube changes.
4. Batteries. Water and charging.
5. Polishing. Boat now has cover. Motor doesn't.
6 Installing electronics. Learning curve is harder each time.

Some things that have failed, with comments.

1. Correcting initial leaks as delivered. Water under the bilge, since those guys are out of business and all was fixed.
2. Windshield wipers. Originals not meant for salt water and hard to work on. Lasted 10 years.
3. Plumbing. Random failures due to plastic parts failing, crud in lines/tank.
4. Anchor windlass. Poor Lewmar 600 design, pray that new V700 is better.
5. Bilge pumps not working due to back pressure. Installed vented loops.

Boris
 
10. dryrot
9. Bad gas
8. smoking trailer bearing
7. improper penetrations into wood core of hull/transom
6. Striking log/shipping container/whale/large debris at high speed with lower unit or hull
5. Mechanical failure in heavy seas
4. Sudden ignition of fuel stores
3. bottom paint facing wrong direction
2. not catching fish (or catching the wrong kind)
1. intake of water exceeding pump capacity
 
1. running wires for additional electrical items
2. cracks on the trailer's aluminum fenders, added bracing, stiffeners, welding extra material on radius edges.
3. trailer lights and license plate holders. Added conveyor belting to mount lights and trailer license plate. Added conveyor belting under passenger side tail light to absorb vibration. Added gussets to the tail light mounting brackets.
4. mud wasps making a crib in engine's pee exit. Duct tape while on trailer.
5. Hiding purchases of fishing or boat items equipment from my beautiful wife.( she might read this!)
6. Storage for all the stuff we carry. If we did not use it in a year we take off the boat. With the exception safety items.
7.Keeping windows sliding easily
8. keeping brow over the windshield looking like the paint was not dry yet.
9. Fixed docks and a boat that sits so low in the water.
10. Wind and weather in general
D.D.
 
1. running wires for additional electrical items
2. cracks on the trailer's aluminum fenders, added bracing, stiffeners, welding extra material on radius edges.
3. trailer lights and license plate holders. Added conveyor belting to mount lights and trailer license plate. Added conveyor belting under passenger side tail light to absorb vibration. Added gussets to the tail light mounting brackets.
4. mud wasps making a crib in engine's pee exit. Duct tape while on trailer.
5. Hiding purchases of fishing or boat items equipment from my beautiful wife.( she might read this!)
6. Storage for all the stuff we carry. If we did not use it in a year we take off the boat. With the exception safety items.
7.Keeping windows sliding easily
8. keeping brow over the windshield looking like the paint was not dry yet.
9. Fixed docks and a boat that sits so low in the water.
10. Wind and weather in general
D.D.
 
Wiring has been my biggest complaint. They are delivered with a rats' nest in most cases. Not ready for customization and additions. Should be simple to anticipate a few items.
 
Our boat has been relatively trouble free, with a couple of exceptions....

1. Getting debris into the cooling systems. It seems like every other long trip or so, one of our Honda 40s will stop "peeing" with good force and go down to a light trickle. This causes me to ream it out with a piece of string trimmer wire I carry on the boat.

2. fuel hoses and connections. The little O-ring on the connection from the fuel hose to the motor will dry out and need replacement. I carry at least one spare on the boat now, after ruining a 4th of July weekend two years ago.

3. Trailer lights.
 
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