Memorial Day weekend is one of the most popular for boaters and jet skiers. Is your watercraft ready?
It’s Memorial Day weekend – the first of the summer season that many people will take their boats, jet skis and other watercraft out of dry storage and out into the lakes, rivers and ocean waves. Is yours ready? E3 Spark Plugs offers a checklist of maintenance and preparation tips.
- Drain & refill: When taking your jet ski out for the first time after months of wintertime dry storage, it’s best to completely drain fluids including the fuel and motor oil, and replace them with a fresh fill. Just make sure you know how that’s done for your particular model and engine. For instance, if your jet ski has a two-stroke engine, it likely requires a pre-mixture of fuel and oil placed into the same tank. A four-stroke engine watercraft, however, typically has separate fill tanks for fuel and oil.
- Grease & seal: Before taking your watercraft out on to the water, be sure to grease and seal all bearings. This helps close the spaces between stationary and moving components in your engine, ensuring that everything remains sufficiently lubricated. It also helps keep harmful contaminants like dirt, sand and salt from getting inside your engine and causing corrosive damage.
- Tighten & secure: Check all wires, cables and belts for visible damage including cracks, signs of wear and tear and looseness. Replace any that appear damaged or worn, and make sure all others are properly tightened or secured. Also, if it’s been a while, replace your jet ski spark plugs.
- Clean & shine: Wash and rinse down your jet ski after every use, particularly if you’ve taken it into salt water. This will help prevent corrosion or spotting, ensuring your safety and protecting your watercraft’s resale value.
Most importantly, remember that while Memorial Day is a celebration meant to honor our fallen military servicemen and women, it’s also one of the most dangerous days on the water. Save the cocktails for chilling at home later, and watch for those who are drinking while operating watercraft, or simply being reckless.
From all of us here at E3 Spark Plugs, many sincere thanks to our military heroes, and a safe, fun celebration for all.
