Maintenance Checklist

I am new owner of a 1977 Ericson 27, in overall very good condition.

Does anyone have a suggested maintenance checklist?

The boat is on the hard, not having been in the water for boat 1-2 years.


Thank you!

I change the engine lube oil at the end of every season, and change the trans oil at least every other year. If your engine has closed cooling (aka fresh water cooling) this mixture of pure water and antifreeze needs to be changed out every few years.
If you observe swelling around the hose ends on the engine, time to replace hoses.

Is your boat diesel or gas?

On deck, it's good to clean and re-lube the winches every year (or three if lazy like me).

Check battery water level every month - add distilled water only.

This is hardly even the basics, but your list needs to start somewhere!


BTW, how are your thru hulls? (and what kind are they?)


Loren

Hi Bink, here's a list I put together when I bought an E27 last October. Of course I have written in quite a few more items. I just wanted to get everything down- no hierarchy, and some will probably never get done. Maybe you could start with something like this.

engine:
change oil
replace oil filter
replace fuel filters
replace impeller
change spark plugs
replace Tachometer
battery water



rest of boat:
install reading lamp above table, in place of bell
re-bed standing rigging
re-bed all deck hardware
tighten packing gland
replace water fill
relocate and mount ladder
fill and paint screw holes in cockpit
paint deck
paint transom
re-letter transom
fill holes in transom
create rode and line for 2nd anchor
inspect top of mast
make way to get to top of mast
replace running rigging
clean and lube winches
re-varnish companion way door and
ladder
install flooring in cabin
wire fan in v berth
shampoo seat cushions
clean sail
add Ericson logo to sail
check for moisture everywhere and repair
lube rudder post
replace lowers
check/ replace hoses



when on the hard:
repaint anti fouling
change zincs on prop and shaft
paint hull
inspect, lube, replace thru hulls

The engine manual usually has a maintenance list for that. If you don't have a manual for transmission, shaft seal, steering gear and so on, they're on line somewhere, and maybe here under Downloads and Galleries.

A good set of manuals is a great comfort in making these lists.

Allow me to recommend collecting cell phone pictures of everything on the boat, and of every job you do or have done. Your computer becomes a library of the boat, very useful in thinking things through at home or sourcing parts on line. And of course posting photos here when an issue arises gets fast results.

Well it's rather long, but here is my checklist - more along the lines of winterization and spring launch than overall maintenance.

Rag Doll Maintenance

Prior to Fall Haul-Out Day

 Remove cruising gear and electronics
 Remove sails + lazy jacks
 Empty holding tank
 Top off fuel (~90%)
 Engine
With engine still cold:
 Change Racor fuel filter (every other year)
 Change engine fuel filter - bleed system
 Replace antifreeze (every other year)
 Loosen V Belt and check fresh water pump
 Adjust V Belt tension
Warm up engine:
 Spray engine with cleaner
 Change oil
 Change oil filter
 Change trans oil (8 - 12 oz.)
 Clean engine front and drip pan
 Disconnect and bypass water heater (Tape over 110 V power switch)
 Pump out water heater
 Close engine water intake seacock, and check heat exchanger zinc
 Clean water strainers (bilge, wash-down, shower) and strainer boxes (bilge and shower sumps)
 Water System
 Pump 1 gallon antifreeze through shower sump system
 Pump starboard water dry
 Pump port water tank dry
 Add 3 gallons antifreeze to port water tank
 Add two gallons antifreeze to starboard tank
 Flush foot pump
 Use port tank, and flush shower H+C (into sink)
 Flush head sink H+C
 Flush galley sink H+C
 Switch to starboard tank, and flush galley
 Pump out excess from each tank
 Seawater (Washdown) System
 Close seawater seacock
 Add 3 gallons of antifreeze to icebox, open valves A and B
 Pump some antifreeze with footpump
 Pump fluid through both fore and aft outlets


After Boat Is In Well At Yard

 Remove boom
 Remove paddle wheel (clean)
 Remove all turnbuckle split rings and fasten together
 Loosen rigging
 Remove cotter pins
 Undo halyards
 Loosen mast boot
 Disconnect mast wires – undo and position coax connector above mast plate hole (tape in place)

Immediately After Haul-Out (And Mast Is Pulled)

 Have yard:
 Winterize engine
 Powerwash bottom
 Clean under lift straps
 Cover rudder (to avoid sunlight)
 Put in mast plug
 Remove antenna, windex, and wind instrument
 Remove spreaders and spreader boots
 Powerwash batten cars on mast
 Cover coax connector on mast
 Wax mast
 Wrap mast

Day After Haul-Out

 Drain excess seawater antifreeze in icebox out through-hull
 Flush head intake with antifreeze
 Add about 1 gallon antifreeze through bowl
 Pump bilge dry as possible
 Remove bilge pump strainer box, attach adapter hose, and flush electric bilge pump with antifreeze
 Flush manual bilge pump
 Pump out any water by stuffing box
 Remove engine impeller (drain extra antifreeze from hose)
 Check engine hoses
 Freshen (file and sand) shaft and prop zincs
 Service Max Prop and cover with plastic bag
 Open all seacocks
 Remove any remaining gear that could freeze (caulk, battery water, epoxy), and clocks etc.
 Cover mast and boom with plastic


Fall
 Wax topsides and deck
 Re-coat teak with Cetol gloss
 Top off battery water
 Hook up battery charger and equalize batteries
 Check deck bolts and keel bolts
 Clean mast base weep holes
 Grease seacocks
 Check steering cables and lube rudderpost
 Cover boat with plastic

Spring

 Replace engine impeller (new every other year)
 Check fuel tank sump


Launch Day Preparation

 Paint bottom (then cover rudder)
 Un-cover boat
 Rig fenders and lines
 Put in paddle wheel + depth transducer
 Load and/or charge batteries + check water level
 Load essential gear
 Have mast put out night before
 Prep mast
 Unwrap
 Mount spreaders
 Mount spreader boots
 Sort out rigging
 Apply rigging tape
 Mount windex and antenna
 Mount lazy jack leaders
 Clean mast track with scotch bright pads (bring bucket) and lube mast cars with SAILKOTE


Launch Day

 Bring Wind instrument for masthead

After Launch

 Caulk under mast boot
 Mount sails
 Tune rig
 Flush water tanks and reconnect water heater
 Check all systems and electronics
 Check manual bilge pump


Summer (Before Cruise)

 Rebuild head (every other year)
 Oil cabin woodwork

Wow!

That is quite extensive and helpful. Thank you!

ditto on the wow

Impressive list. Makes me glad I don't have to haul out every year (former northerner).

Steve, what is this for: Cover rudder (to avoid sunlight)?

alcodiesel said:

Impressive list. Makes me glad I don't have to haul out every year (former northerner).

Steve, what is this for: Cover rudder (to avoid sunlight)?

Click to expand...

I can't remember where I got this advice, but IF your rudder is coated with dark paint, it is possible for the sun to heat it up to the point where water in the foam can expand and lift the skin, causing delamination. So the recommendation was to cover the rudder while it was out of the water and exposed to sunlight. And in my part of the Great Lakes it was fairly common to see boats with their rudders covered over the winter, often with sheets of very thin, white expanded polystrene. We kept our boat stored indoors, but I did want to follow this advice while the boat was in the yard fresh after the haul out, so my wife made a nylon cloth bag that we used to cover the rudder as soon as the hull was done being pressure washed, which I would later remove when it was in the barn. It probably wasn't necessary, and if no one in your area does it I guess I wouldn't worry about it.

The Foss rudder

u079721 said:

I can't remember where I got this advice, but IF your rudder is coated with dark paint, it is possible for the sun to heat it up to the point where water in the foam can expand and lift the skin, causing delamination. So the recommendation was to cover the rudder while it was out of the water and exposed to sunlight. And in my part of the Great Lakes it was fairly common to see boats with their rudders covered over the winter, often with sheets of very thin, white expanded polystrene. We kept our boat stored indoors, but I did want to follow this advice while the boat was in the yard fresh after the haul out, so my wife made a nylon cloth bag that we used to cover the rudder as soon as the hull was done being pressure washed, which I would later remove when it was in the barn. It probably wasn't necessary, and if no one in your area does it I guess I wouldn't worry about it.

Click to expand...

I looked up the information on my Foss rudder (still have sheet from 1983). The rudder is made of expanded polyurethane.
The information sheet states " if the rudder is painted with a dark color, it should be shielded from the sun with a light colored wrapping, to prevent blistering or crazing in the surface coating".

I have followed these instructions (even though some people roaming the yard think I am nuts) for the past 33 years on Sketcher...and never had a problem.

Hilco on Sketcher...E 35.

Interesting. Thank you for the reply. What about freezing? The water in the rudder would expand....?

Water in the rudder.

I can't speak for Hilco but had the experience of frozen water eventually separating my rudder. She spent the majority of her life in Michigan through four owners, then a short stay in South Carolina and now finally in SoCal. Within a year or so of getting her, the starboard side of the rudder up to the waterline simply peeled off, held in place by mere threads, literally. The bottom, starboard four feet of our seven foot long, transom-hung rudder with foam attached, merrily floated to the surface, buoyed by that foam. We have four pair of Wilcox Crittenden boarding steps on the rudder that came into play in the moments after. I gave the helm to Marilyn and climbed over the stern and down the steps to the water line. Somehow I summoned the strength with my right arm to reach down, rip it free and in a wide arc, stowed it between the stern rail and the split aft stay. At the time we were headed toward our slip in the entrance channel of Marina del Rey so I hailed the LA County Sheriff to inform them what had happened and what I was up to while I limped back to our slip at a mere crawl. We got back safe and sound without assistance, repaired and re-foamed the rudder, all has been well since. The mirror image halves became compromised over the years, presumably due to freezing and thawing time and time again, to the extent that it finally gave up the ghost on our watch, all's well now, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey CA

alcodiesel said:

Interesting. Thank you for the reply. What about freezing? The water in the rudder would expand....?

Click to expand...

Yup, freezing can be a problem. I had one boating friend whose solution was a drain plug at the bottom of his rudder that he left open all winter, in the hope that any water would drain out before it had the chance to freeze. All also explains why you sometimes see boats (at least around here) with their rudders painted white.

Thanks for the list! After a few stressful days I brought my boat through a tunnel and another 100 highway miles to my house where it is gonna sit on the hard all winter. I'll be sure to do as much as I can over the winter. Anymore suggestions are more than welcome. The boat is now 10 minutes away instead of 2 hrs. Lots of time over the winter to work on things.

Juice

Winter heat?

With the boat on the hard this winter, is there any reason to heat it? I've drained all the water I can think of and am gonna run some antifreeze through the motor in the next few days. When it was in the water I had some heat lamps and a thermostat regulated heater in it.

907Juice said:

With the boat on the hard this winter, is there any reason to heat it? I've drained all the water I can think of and am gonna run some antifreeze through the motor in the next few days. When it was in the water I had some heat lamps and a thermostat regulated heater in it.

Click to expand...

Once the water us out of all the systems there's really no concern about freezing. BUT be sure to cover it, as water getting into cracks in the deck can and will cause havoc when it freezes and thaws and freezes again. There's also the issue of water in the bilge freezing, which some people combat with antifreeze in the bilge. But if you have the mast down, and the deck covered, there shouldn't be any water getting into the bilge to worry about. There's probably no safe way to heat the boat anyway that wouldn't be a hire hazard.

Issues that have been discussed before:

If there is any possibility that the rudder is full of water, remove it and get it indoors. Or figure out some way to drain it.

If some of the deck core is saturated, could frost-heaving be the ultimate cause of deck delamination? I don't know. :unsure:

Yeah, I saw about the rudder in the earlier posts. I have to pull it off anyway to replace the shaft packing and seal. The boat has been out of the water for a couple months and it is just now starting to freeze at night. Hopefully it has had time to dry out...

Maintenance checklist for E-26

I recently bought an E-26 and have scanned the attached maintenance log. Let me know if it is what you're looking for.

Thank you

Thank you all for your posts- most helpful!