Spring commissioning checklist for Lake Ouachita boats

Spring on Ouachita arrives fast. One warm April weekend and every ramp on the lake is busy. This checklist is what our crew runs, in order, to get a stored boat from wrapped to ready.

Systems first

• Pull the wrap or cover and inspect for winter surprises: mildew, rodent damage, pooled water.
• Reverse the winterization: fuel, fluids, impeller check, battery charged and connected.
• Run the engine on the hose before the first launch, not at the ramp.

Then the finish

• Wash the winter off. Even under wrap, a film settles. The wash program runs est. $7-12 /ft.
• Compound the winter chalk. A single-step compound & wax at est. $18-28 /ft clears the light oxidation most boats pick up in storage. This pairing is our Season Opener package for a reason.
• Check the vinyl. A winter closed up is hard on upholstery. Clean and condition before the first sunscreen of the year meets the seats.

Worth deciding in spring

If the hull needed correcting this spring, it will need it again sooner without better protection. Spring is the natural moment for ceramic at est. $45-90 /ft: the surface is freshly corrected, and the coating faces the full season it was bought for.

All figures are estimates. The written quote is the final price.