Saildrive Maintenance 101: How to Care For, Inspect & Prevent Failures (with Jay Williams)

Step aboard for a deep-dive on saildrive care, maintenance, and long-term reliability with DWY yacht broker Jay Williams. Whether you operate a Volvo Penta, Yanmar, or ZF saildrive, this guide explains the critical inspections, service intervals, and early warning signs that every sailboat owner should understand. Jay breaks down real-world maintenance practices that prevent costly failures and keep your saildrive performing safely and efficiently season after season. 👤 About Your Host: Jay Williams Jay brings a lifetime of hands-on experience to this topic. A lifelong boater who grew up sailing classic wooden yachts on Lake Michigan and later cruised the Bahamas and Caribbean aboard live-aboard dive sloops. A marine industry professional with decades of experience ranging from Alaskan commercial fishing to fleet captaincy of dive liveaboards. Has overseen new-build projects in Italy, managed U.S. shipyards, and even assisted with alternative-energy powertrain development for electric boats. Known for his integrity, technical depth, and client-first approach at David Walters Yachts, where he helps buyers and sellers make confident, well-informed decisions. With that background, Jay explains saildrives the way only a lifetime mariner can — combining technical knowledge with practical, real-world insight. 🔧 What You’ll Learn How saildrives work and how they differ from traditional shaft drives What to inspect before every trip, every season, and every haul-out The correct timing for primary and secondary shaft seal replacement Identifying early signs of water intrusion, electrolysis, and corrosion Best practices for saildrive oil changes, anode protection, and leg antifouling How to evaluate a saildrive when buying a used cruising sailboat Maintenance strategies that extend lifespan and reduce long-term ownership cost This video is ideal for new saildrive owners, long-range cruisers, hands-on sailors, and anyone buying or maintaining a modern production cruising yacht. If you have questions about saildrives, yacht systems, or choosing the right cruising sailboat, reach out to Jay Williams at David Walters Yachts. 📞 Jay Williams – David Walters Yachts: 305-788-1121 📧 Email: jay@davidwaltersyachts.com 🌐 davidwaltersyachts.com – Search all listings and market reports Saildrive maintenance, saildrive repair, how to maintain a saildrive, saildrive care tips, Volvo Penta saildrive, Yanmar saildrive, ZF saildrive, saildrive oil change, saildrive seal replacement, saildrive corrosion, saildrive troubleshooting, sailboat maintenance, yacht maintenance tips, marine diesel drive systems, cruising sailboat systems, sailboat drivetrain basics, how to inspect a saildrive, boat survey tips, marine systems education, saildrive antifouling paint, saildrive anodes, saildrive failures, how to prevent saildrive damage, Jay Williams David Walters Yachts, boat ownership tips, sailing education, offshore cruising systems, liveaboard maintenance, boat repair guide