Boat spring commissioning on Lake St. Clair

The reverse of winterizing, plus a real inspection. Brad brings the boat back to reliable service at your yard, rack or slip, and confirms it with a sea trial before he calls the job done.

Book spring commissioning Text a photo of the engine

What's included

Hull and running gear check: bottom, anodes, prop, cutless bearing play, shaft, rudder, thru-hulls and seacocks exercised
Engine fluids checked: oil, coolant, gear lube level and condition, belt tension and condition
Raw-water side: new impeller if it wasn't done in the fall, seacock opened, strainer checked clean
Fuel checked for water, filters and water separators replaced, hoses and clamps inspected
Batteries reinstalled and charged, terminals cleaned and protected, tested under load
Steering and controls checked for full travel and no binding, hydraulic fluid topped up, fittings greased
Safety gear reviewed: flares in date, extinguishers charged and tagged, PFDs, bilge pumps and float switches tested, nav lights working
Plumbing flushed of antifreeze, head and pumps tested
Launch and sea trial: cooling, charging, shifting, steering and instruments confirmed with the boat in the water

The $150 visit fee is credited to the job. You get the price in writing before any work starts.

Why the inspection matters more than the checklist

Most of spring commissioning is straightforward: reverse what winterization did. The value is in what gets caught along the way. Milky gear lube, a stiff seacock, a cutless bearing with play, a belt that's glazed, corroded battery terminals: these show up during commissioning, before they show up on the water. Brad writes down what he finds with photos, and you decide what gets fixed and when.

Every engine is a little different

Gas sterndrives and inboards, diesels, and generators each have their own cooling, fuel and charging quirks, and their own manual for torque, capacities and drain points. Brad works from the engine's own service documentation for anything model specific rather than guessing at a number. See sterndrive repair, marine engine repair and marine generator repair if commissioning turns up something that needs more than routine fluid and inspection work.

Why it matters here: a boat that gets a real sea trial before the owner takes it out finds its problems at the dock, with help fifteen feet away, instead of out on Lake St. Clair or the Detroit River.

On the rack, in storage or already at the slip

Most of the fluid and inspection work can happen before the boat is back in the water, whether it's on a rack, in a storage yard or already blocked at the marina. Brad schedules the in-water portion, steering, shifting and the sea trial, right after launch. If you are checking things yourself first, the haul-out inspection checklist covers what to look for.

Where Brad commissions boats

Common questions

When should I book spring commissioning?

As soon as you have a launch date in mind. April and May fill up fast on Lake St. Clair, and the earliest launch dates get first pick of the calendar.

Do you do the sea trial?

Yes where it's practical. Brad checks cooling, charging, shifting and steering after launch and before he calls the job done.

What if something needs fixing before launch?

Brad sends photos and a written price for anything found during commissioning. Nothing gets fixed without your OK, and you decide what waits and what doesn't.

Can you commission a boat that's still on the rack or trailer?

Yes. Most of the engine and fluid work can be done before the boat is in the water, so the in-water time is just steering, shifting and the sea trial.

Winterized somewhere else last fall? No problem, Brad will start from what's actually on the boat. Heading into winter instead? See boat winterization.

Get on the spring launch list

Text the year, make and engine, or a photo of the engine, and your launch date.

Call or text 773-835-4289 Book online