Boating is a real joy, but for dedicated boat owners, it is not all fun and games. You can’t just buy a boat, toss it in the water, and visit it on weekends with no thought to maintaining it. Like any engine, a sterndrive or inboard or outboard engine needs specific care to stay in top running order.

While the sterndrive has many good qualities, it does have the unfortunate disadvantage of having multiple parts beneath the waterline, among them hoses, rubber bellows, oil lines, and, of course, the propeller. Obviously, it is harder to examine and maintain at top working condition elements which are beneath the water surface. It is important to give these parts proper attention, however, as corrosion can cause problems. Just as a car has certain parts which will need regular replacement, like brakes and windshield wipers, certain boat parts need occasional replacement.