You do not end up buying a yacht too often; however, if you buy one you have to maintain its looks and efficiency. Most boat owners are aware of yacht technical maintenance and yacht refit, but may not know how to go about it.

In this blog post, we attempt to provide you with some necessary suggestions and points to be kept in mind for boat owners who want to engage in yacht maintenance in Dubai, UAE. Whether you own a super yacht or you belong to a group of mega yacht owners, these tips are likely to be useful for you and will keep your ship functioning at its top efficiency.

#1: Steps for yacht maintenance in Dubai

For the newbies and those who are not sure of how to go about boat maintenance, the very first point that you should keep in mind is that there are two kinds of boat technical maintenance activities, preventive maintenance and breakdown maintenance.  

Preventive maintenance consists of activities that are done periodically to pre-empt any problems that will hamper the functioning of your superyacht. These checks are done on specific parts even when there is no obvious damage. Good preventive maintenance can help you to avoid breakdown maintenance, which is typically conducted when one of the parts of the mega yacht breaks down and the boat becomes non-functional.

#2: Why do yachts need repairs

An obvious question that many yacht owners ask is “how to identify when my yacht needs repairs”. The signs of damage in a sea vessel may be obvious only after due inspection. In such a case how is it possible to predict when the yacht requires servicing? Some of the common reasons why a yacht might need repairs are listed below.

The first and foremost reason why a yacht needs to be repaired is because of the negligence on part of the boat owners. If the operator handles the yacht carefully, as notified in the manual, and cleans it from time to time, a full-fledged breakdown or requirement for boat repairs will never arise.

#3: Assessing yacht damage levels

To conduct periodic preventive yacht or  boat maintenance, It is vital to assess the current condition and level of damage to the yacht. This requires expertise and only a person with sufficient experience in repairing yachts can predict when and which part of the yacht is likely to fail in case it is not shored up appropriately.

Running the vessel through strength measurement and stress analysis tests also helps, but years of experience and a firm understanding of which part of the yacht may fail will surely aid in timely yacht maintenance.

The best way to assess the level of damage to your yacht is through a detailed physical inspection of the vessel. The second method involves checking the previous maintenance schedules and standard operating procedures if any for the yacht by checking the manuals. Comparing the present condition of the yacht with those reports is likely to give a fair idea of damage levels and those parts that have to be repaired or replaced.

#4: Boat repair materials

The materials that will be used for repairing your yacht will depend on the damage caused to the vessel. Finding out whether the yacht has been delaminated or damage has occurred to the hull or the core, or whether it is the boat engine repair that needs to be done.

Epoxy resin is the material required for repairing the hull of the yacht (if it is made of fibreglass). Polyester resin is used in the manufacture of fibreglass vessels. However, epoxy resin is noted for its ability in functioning as an excellent adhesive and laminating and coating resin, its thin-film curing abilities and its resistance to forming microcracks. The best materials are selected according to the nature of yacht repairs.

#5: Hull repair

Let us see how a damaged hull can be repaired. A yacht hull can be damaged above the waterline or below the waterline.

When the damage is above the waterline, the yacht can be repaired while still in the water. However, if the damage is below the waterline, and if there is a continuous inflow of water into the yacht’s interiors, it should be promptly towed and taken to the dry dock and inspected thoroughly. You can take help from yacht mechanical services or boat mechanical services companies that also provide towing services. For hull repair, it is common to use a fibreglass repair kit to cut damaged sections of the hull and then patched using proper adhesives.

#6: Electrical repair

Many a time, the electrical components of the yacht have to be maintained periodically and in case of repair to help sail the yacht successfully in the waters. Electrical maintenance involves checking the complete electrical equipment and includes checking the cables and wire fittings, replacing blown fuses, and checking motors and blowers for bearing clearances, insulation intactness, and energy consumption.

#7: Boat engine repairs and boat fuel system repair

Insufficient fuel is almost always a cause of engine failure.  Yacht engine repair can also occur due to bad maintenance of the yacht.

Yacht fuel system repair also comes into the picture when the repairmen are engaged in yacht engine repair. Loading the vessel with the wrong fuel or sailing the boat with the fuel tank in near-empty conditions for long periods can cause condensation in the gas. The motor can then lose power if debris that is stuck in fuel filters is not removed and cleaned.

#8: Yacht oil change

Yacht oil service or oil change should typically be done once every 100 hours of sailing or at least once a year. This should be done even if the engine can go on. Only this will ensure that your engine life is carried out to the fullest extent.

About D3 Marine

As the leading yacht maintenance service providers in Dubai, our quality manpower, expertise, and experience are what make the difference. We provide technical maintenance for any type of yacht and expert repair work including carpentry and interior refit, engine works, antifouling, painting, and electrical maintenance work, etc.

For more information about yacht technical maintenance, you can visit our website at https://d3marine.ae/.