Boats are meant to be light and cut across the water, but they can’t do that when dragged down with excess weight. Whether you want to save on fuel costs or reach your vessel’s full speed potential, we’ll teach you how to lose onboard weight for your boat so it’s as light as the day you bought it!
Clean Out the Deck
First, if you want to put your boat on a diet, you’ll have to do some serious cleaning and decluttering. If you’ve had the same vessel for a while, you can understand how a boat can become a magnet for loose junk and left-behind items over the years.
Go through every storage compartment and cabinet on your boat and toss everything you don’t need. All the little things may not seem like much, but they add up to a much lighter (and cleaner) vessel.
Pro Tip
Keep an inventory of all your gear and materials while cleaning your boat so you always know what tools you have onboard.
Switch to Lithium-ion Batteries
If your boat still uses lead-acid batteries, you have a ripe opportunity to lose some weight and improve the performance of your craft. Just make sure that you familiarize yourself with lithium batteries and their charging procedures as they are different from standard lead-acid units.
A lithium marine battery can be up to half the weight of a standard lead-acid unit and save you up to 50 pounds, depending on the battery and how many your boat utilizes. Combine the weight with enhanced longevity and power storage, and it’s easy to see why lithium marine batteries are so popular.
Lighten the Tanks
Most vessels have numerous tanks of different applications onboard—water tanks, fuel tanks, propane tanks, and holding (sewage) tanks. These tanks and liquids are necessary but can also be heavy, and you likely won’t need them for most day trips.
If you’re only going out for a couple of hours on the boat, you probably don’t need a full tank of water or fuel and can drop some weight by emptying the holding tank. Many boat owners keep a propane tank on board for a grill or stove, but if you don’t plan on cooking, you can leave it behind and save weight.
Swap Anchors & Chains
An anchor and chain are supposed to be heavy—they keep your boat from floating away! But most vessels will stay in place just as well with a much lighter anchor and chain.
If you have a heavy-duty anchor and iron chain for a relatively small or medium-sized boat, consider swapping to an aluminum anchor and nylon chain. They’ll get the job done, and your boat will lose possibly hundreds of pounds of onboard weight!
