Top 7 Solutions for Managing Your Boat's Maintenance

Maintaining a boat properly is both a safety requirement and a way to protect your investment. Whether you own a sailboat, motorboat or RIB, keeping track of maintenance tasks is essential. Here are 7 solutions that can help.

1. A Paper Maintenance Logbook

Simple and accessible, the paper logbook is the most traditional solution. You can find marine maintenance notebooks in chandleries. The downside: it can be lost or damaged by moisture.

2. A Spreadsheet (Excel / Google Sheets)

Create columns for date, task, cost and next service date. It's free and flexible, but requires manual updates and offers no automatic reminders.

3. Generic Task Management Apps

Apps like Trello, Notion or Todoist can be adapted for boat maintenance. They allow task tracking, reminders and document attachments — though they lack nautical-specific features.

4. Marine Maintenance Software

Dedicated platforms like Dockmaster, Siren Marine or SeaMate are designed for marine maintenance. They include service scheduling, expense tracking and parts inventory.

5. Connected On-Board Systems

Vessel monitoring systems (VMS) like Simrad or Garmin can be linked to maintenance apps for automatic engine hour tracking, alerting you when a service is due.

6. The BoatOn Book

Designed specifically for leisure boaters, the BoatOn Book centralises all maintenance tracking, document storage, expense management and reminders in one intuitive mobile app. It is accessible offline and syncs across devices.

7. Your Boat Yard or Marina

Many marinas and shipyards now offer digital maintenance tracking services as part of their mooring contracts. Ask your harbour master whether such a service is available.