March arrives, and for boaters on the South Shore, the mental countdown to launch day begins. The days are getting longer, the water is still cold, but your boat has been sitting in storage since October — and there’s work to do before it’s ready to run.
Spring commissioning isn’t just about splashing the boat and hoping for the best. Done right, it’s a systematic check of everything that winter storage, temperature swings, and months of inactivity can affect. Whether you’re a lifelong boater or heading into your second or third season, a thorough spring prep will save you money, frustration, and lost weekends on the water.
At Goodwin Marine Services in Hull, MA, we’ve been working through spring commissioning checklists with South Shore boaters since 2010. Here’s what that process actually looks like.
Start with the Engine — Before You Do Anything Else
The engine is the most expensive thing on your boat, and it’s the first thing that should get attention in spring.
If you had a proper winterization done in the fall — fogging the cylinders, flushing the cooling system, stabilizing the fuel — your engine is in good shape to wake up. If you’re not sure what was done, or if the boat sat without winterization, start with a full inspection before attempting to start it.
For inboard and I/O engines, check the raw water impeller first. Impellers are inexpensive to replace and catastrophic when they fail — a cracked or missing vane can overheat your engine in minutes. Replace it every season if you want peace of mind.
For outboard engines, inspect the lower unit oil for a milky or grey color. That’s a sign of water intrusion, usually from a worn prop shaft seal. Catching it in the yard is a $100 fix. Ignoring it until the season starts can mean a blown lower unit.
Diesel engines need additional attention: fuel filters, belts, zincs, and a careful look at the raw water strainer and heat exchanger.
If any of this feels outside your comfort zone, bring it to a marine mechanic who knows inboard, outboard, and diesel systems. That’s not the place to learn on the fly.
Bottom Paint: Timing Matters More Than Most Boaters Realize
If your boat is coming out of outdoor storage, the bottom paint applied last spring has had a full season — and a full winter — to do its job. Ablative paints are designed to wear down through use, which means after a full season in the water and months sitting on the hard, there’s often not much left.
Spring is the time to assess the bottom and repaint before haul-in.
A few things to consider:
- Hard paint vs. ablative paint: Hard (modified epoxy) paints build up over time and need to be sanded between coats. Ablative paints release biocides as they wear and are better suited for boats that move regularly. Which one is right for your hull depends on how and where you boat.
- Massachusetts waters: Hull Harbor, Hingham Bay, and the waters around the South Shore have specific fouling pressures — barnacles, grass, and slime — that vary by location and season. A local boatyard knows what works here.
- Fresh barrier coat: If you’re seeing blistering or the existing paint is failing, a fresh barrier coat under the antifouling paint is worth the investment before it becomes a bigger problem.
At GMS, we handle pressure washing, barrier coat, and bottom paint application as part of our spring service. We can assess what your hull actually needs rather than defaulting to the same paint every year.
Systems Check: Electrical, Safety Gear, and Through-Hulls
The engine gets all the attention, but the systems that keep your boat safe and functional deserve equal scrutiny in spring.
Electrical: Marine electrical systems are hard on connections. Saltwater, vibration, and temperature cycling corrode terminals and degrade wiring over time. Check your battery — if it’s more than three to four years old, test it before trusting it offshore. Inspect running lights, bilge pump operation, and any electronics that were powered down for winter.
Through-hulls and seacocks: Open and close every seacock before the boat goes in the water. They should move freely. If a seacock is frozen or stiff, address it on the hard — not while you’re afloat.
Safety gear: The U.S. Coast Guard requires current flares, a working horn, a throwable PFD, and properly rated life jackets for every person aboard. Flares expire. PFDs degrade. Spring is the right time to inventory and replace what’s out of date. The USCG Boating Safety Division has a full equipment checklist by vessel class worth reviewing.
Bilge pump: Test it. It’s the last line of defense between a small problem and a serious one.
Haul-In Scheduling: Don’t Wait Until April
This is the part most South Shore boaters underestimate.
Spring haul-in slots at a working boatyard fill up fast — especially as you get into late April and May, when everyone wants to launch within the same two-week window. If you’re storing with GMS, coordinate your launch date early. If you’re hauling from another location, give us a call as soon as you have a target date in mind.
The earlier you schedule, the more flexibility you have — and the better chance your engine work, bottom paint, and any outstanding repairs get completed before your launch window.
Goodwin Marine Services operates a three-axle Brownell trailer capable of handling a wide range of vessel sizes. We haul and service boats for owners throughout Hull, Hingham, Scituate, Cohasset, Marshfield, and surrounding South Shore communities.
Don’t Shortcut the Commissioning Process
It’s tempting to skip steps when you’re eager to get on the water. But the boats that cause the most headaches mid-season are almost always the ones that didn’t get a proper spring commissioning.
A few hours in the yard — or a call to a marine mechanic who can run through the checklist with you — pays for itself the first time it prevents a breakdown, a repair haul, or a ruined weekend.
Spring on the South Shore is short. Make the most of it.
Ready to schedule your spring commissioning or haul-in? Call Goodwin Marine Services at 781-925-1593, email us at goodwinmarine@gmail.com, or contact us online. Located at 1196 Nantasket Ave, Hull, MA — serving Hull, Hingham, Scituate, Cohasset, Marshfield, and the entire South Shore.