Boat Maintenance Software: How to Run a Planned Maintenance System on Your Yacht
A boat maintenance software system — or Planned Maintenance System (PMS) — schedules recurring tasks, logs completed work, tracks parts and inventory, and produces maintenance history for class surveys and resale. It prevents costly failures and keeps yachts compliant.
What is a Planned Maintenance System for yachts?
A Planned Maintenance System (PMS) is a structured schedule of all recurring maintenance tasks on a vessel, with records of completion, parts used, and observed defects. For ISM-compliant vessels, a documented PMS is mandatory. For all yachts, it prevents breakdowns and supports resale value.
A PMS turns reactive maintenance into proactive management. Instead of fixing things when they break, the captain and engineer know exactly what is due, who does it, and when. Class societies (Lloyd's, DNV, Bureau Veritas) expect a documented PMS for survey. Buyers and their surveyors inspect maintenance records; a complete log is a key factor in yacht valuation.
What maintenance tasks should be included in a yacht PMS?
A yacht PMS should cover: engine and generator servicing, fuel and oil system checks, hull and antifouling, steering and propulsion, navigation and safety equipment, fire suppression, bilge pumps, electrical systems, refrigeration, and all flag/class-required inspections.
Engine and generator servicing is the highest-cost maintenance category on motor yachts. Hull integrity and antifouling drive dry-dock scheduling. Safety equipment (flares, life rafts, EPIRBs) has mandatory service intervals defined by flag state and class. Navigation systems must be tested regularly. A PMS that omits any major system is incomplete.
How does maintenance software help with class surveys?
Class surveyors require evidence of planned maintenance and completed records. Maintenance software generates a complete, dated log with task histories, making survey preparation straightforward. Missing records can delay survey completion.
Annual and special class surveys are a fact of life for larger yachts. Surveyors want to see that maintenance is managed systematically. A maintenance software log — showing scheduled intervals, completion dates, and work performed — satisfies this requirement. Yards and surveyors can access the relevant records without the captain having to compile paperwork from scratch.
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