Things you wish you would have done...

[E O Mai]

First, wanted to say thank you to all the folks who contribute to this forum. You are an invaluable resource!

We are expecting to take delivery of our new Beneteau 30.1 in early 2024.
Wanting to stay ahead of things before they become a problem, I'd like to know what you would do to a new boat to stave off problems down the road.

I'll start off:

Add biocide/stabilizer to the diesel tank.
Apply BoeShield to the engine mounts.
ArmorAll exterior plastic thingies.

What else?

Greg

[S/V Illusion]

Presuming it is a new boat and not new-to-you.

The fuel will be new. No need for biocides immediately. Won’t hurt.
Engine mounts should be fine - probably already have corrosion protection.
No clue what plastic “thingies” is - if anything is actually plastic, replace it.

From your questions, I infer you are new to buying a new boat. If so, get a survey just as you would with an old boat. No new boat is thoroughly commissioned or test sailed and there will always be issues. Best to identify and address them before the broker gets all his money. The survey should be a precondition to closing.

[nightowle]

Good idea on the survey, S/V Illusion.

[E O Mai]

So yes, it's a brand new boat.



Thanks for the advice on the survey S/V Illusion.



Regarding the 'plastic thingies' this was a blanket statement to cover all the little bits and bobs that get cooked in the sun!


On previous boats I've been aboard it always seemed like the engine mounts were the first to rust.



Regards,


Greg

[deblen]

Learn about seacocks & don't accept boat with junk thruhull & other plumbing fittings.
https://marinehowto.com/category/plumbing/

[Matt Johnson]

303 Aerospace is way better than Armorall for plastics.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by E O Mai

So yes, it's a brand new boat.



Thanks for the advice on the survey S/V Illusion.



Regarding the 'plastic thingies' this was a blanket statement to cover all the little bits and bobs that get cooked in the sun!


On previous boats I've been aboard it always seemed like the engine mounts were the first to rust.



Regards,


Greg

Rusted engine mounts is a sure sign of a leak somewhere that went unattended by a negligent owner. In normal use, this shouldn’t happen.

Buying a new boat is a special animal. Lots of little things will be problematic. Maybe some not so little things too. And getting the yard or manufacturer to quickly attend such issues after being paid in full can be frustrating so never accept a new yacht until thoroughly inspected and tested. You lose control the minute after you pay.

[skipperpete]

If you like the idea of having oil analysis done, now would be a good time for the initial lube oil samples. Regarding the rest of the boats systems, to know know if something is wrong you have to understand how all the new stuff works and that can be a steep learning curve depending on how well equipped your previous boat was. Inmast furling, “ dock and go”, common rail engines and generators, lithium batteries and modern electronics all need to be understood.
I assume the dealership will do the initial engine service and alignment, see if you can get any advice from the mechanic who actually does that service. You’ll never regret preserving the engine mounts as you described…. Future mechanics will be eternally grateful when they do the ongoing alignments.

[Marathon1150]

Originally Posted by Matt Johnson

303 Aerospace is way better than Armorall for plastics.

We apply 303 to all plastic thingies, particularly the dinghy. Our previous Southern Pacific PVC dinghy lasted about 15 years, even in the Mexican sun, primarily, I think, because the dealer that sold it to us recommended 303 twice a year.

Boeshield on various engine bits seems to help. Replacing an engine mount is expensive and the hot humid environment in the engine compartment fosters rapid corrosion. At worst, Boeshield will do no harm.

303 for canvas is also a good idea.

[Greatest Lakes]

Spares. Find out what raw water impellers are in your diesel and get at least 1 spare. Make sure it has a raw water strainer. Deblen mentioned seacocks, make sure you know where they all are and that they are bronze, not brass. A toolbox that stays on the boat with sufficient tools to take almost anything apart and put it back together. Spares of anything on deck that can be lost overboard, such as a winch handle. After that, safety gear, a good first aid kit, and the recommended flares and whatnot for your size boat. If the manufacturer has one, the owners manual. They used to include drawings with parts for anything attached to the hull or rigging. Comes in super handy later. Oh, and Extra fenders, and possibly dock line snubbers.

Oh. You will also need to enjoy it.

[wholybee]

On a new boat your primary concern is going to be keeping on them for warranty issues. There will be warranty issues, that is inevitable. Learn how EVERYTHING works and use everything and exercise it. You don't want 6 months to go by before you realize some pump you never used before isn't working. Or that there is a problem with the head or holding tank because on day trips it was never used.

I wouldn't worry too much about the products you listed. Boeshield is a great product to have on hand but I don't see a need to spray it on anything on day one. 303 is better than Armorall, but neither is probably necessary on anything in the cabin that isn't subjected to constant UV exposure. 303 on a dinghy or canvas for sure. And if you have a new boat with new fuel, the fuel stabilizer isn't going to do much either. I think Mclube Sailkote is a must have product to keep on board. Sail tracks, T-tracks, furlers and "anything that moves" as it says on the label. But on a new boat, something similar was probably applied at the factory. You might use it after the first year.

Learn, learn, learn.

Learn how to inspect your rig. How to spot problems before they are a problem. Learn how to inspect your engine, perform oil changes, change the impeller, clean the strainer, and change the coolant. Learn what every single switch on the panel is for. Learn where the fuses are. Learn about battery maintenance (I assume this is coming with lead batteries) and how to properly charge and use them. Learn how to change sails. Learn about every line on the boat, how it works, and how to remove and replace them.

What I tend to observe, is that people who know their boat and do most if not all the maintenance themselves have much more reliable boats than those with no clue and that just pay someone else if something stops working. The person that does the work themself will recognize a potential issue and fix it in a couple minutes before it becomes something expensive that broke. The person that pays a professional may have a dozen issues they don't see as significant until they have a very expensive bill. So, with a new boat, learn everything you can about it.

Keep it clean. Rinse it with freshwater after every time you go out, and at least monthly if you don't go out. Not only the decks, but everything stainless, turnbuckles etc., and all the blocks and sheeves.

And take some friends out for a sail, anchor someplace, and enjoy an evening together. That's the most important thing.

[E O Mai]

This is amazing info. Thank you so much! I'll check out the 303.

The boat comes with a Yanmar 3YM20 engine which is the same one we had on our previous boat. I did most of the basic maintenance on that one. I will need to learn how to adjust the valves though. I've got a decent set of standard/metric tools but will need to pick up spares.
An oil analysis is a good idea, to get a baseline.


The warranty issue is a concern. We're about 90 miles and the Strait of Juan de Fuca away from the dealer. I'm thinking of camping out and watching/helping during the commissioning. Then take it out for a couple of days to exercise the systems.



Should I wax/protect the gel coat with something right away?


Greg

[cymeyer]

Originally Posted by wholybee

On a new boat your primary concern is going to be keeping on them for warranty issues. There will be warranty issues, that is inevitable. Learn how EVERYTHING works and use everything and exercise it. You don't want 6 months to go by before you realize some pump you never used before isn't working. Or that there is a problem with the head or holding tank because on day trips it was never used.

I wouldn't worry too much about the products you listed. Boeshield is a great product to have on hand but I don't see a need to spray it on anything on day one. 303 is better than Armorall, but neither is probably necessary on anything in the cabin that isn't subjected to constant UV exposure. 303 on a dinghy or canvas for sure. And if you have a new boat with new fuel, the fuel stabilizer isn't going to do much either. I think Mclube Sailkote is a must have product to keep on board. Sail tracks, T-tracks, furlers and "anything that moves" as it says on the label. But on a new boat, something similar was probably applied at the factory. You might use it after the first year.

Learn, learn, learn.

Learn how to inspect your rig. How to spot problems before they are a problem. Learn how to inspect your engine, perform oil changes, change the impeller, clean the strainer, and change the coolant. Learn what every single switch on the panel is for. Learn where the fuses are. Learn about battery maintenance (I assume this is coming with lead batteries) and how to properly charge and use them. Learn how to change sails. Learn about every line on the boat, how it works, and how to remove and replace them.

What I tend to observe, is that people who know their boat and do most if not all the maintenance themselves have much more reliable boats than those with no clue and that just pay someone else if something stops working. The person that does the work themself will recognize a potential issue and fix it in a couple minutes before it becomes something expensive that broke. The person that pays a professional may have a dozen issues they don't see as significant until they have a very expensive bill. So, with a new boat, learn everything you can about it.

Keep it clean. Rinse it with freshwater after every time you go out, and at least monthly if you don't go out. Not only the decks, but everything stainless, turnbuckles etc., and all the blocks and sheeves. E

And take some friends out for a sail, anchor someplace, and enjoy an evening together. That's the most important thing.

You bring up some good points but not all new boats have warranty issues. We bought our Jeanneau 389 4 years ago new and have no warranty claims.

[E O Mai]

Cymyer - No warranty issue on your Jeanneau? That's great to hear since Beneteau and Jenneau are owned by the same company. I know they're not manufactured in the same location but hopefully they share some of the same QA/QC processes.


Greg

[Chris Cringle]

I agree that any plastic “thingies” should be replaced with marine grade metal fittings. BUT! If you intend to cruise foreign, I would not let “Armor-All” touch anything plastic on the boat. My experience with Armor-All is that as long as you can keep re-applying it very regularly it is fine. But when you let it age just a little while, the plastic seems to disintegrate quickly. And you will not be able to find Armor-All in a lot of foreign countries.