Maintenance

I bought an 85 nautique, my first boat. I love it. Its like a hotrod on the water. Pulls anyone up on anything. Anyway, the guy I bought it off of was a cool guy I met on this site and he had done everything it needed for last summer so I just ran it. Before I take it out this summer however, I want to give it a full maintenance checkup. What should I do besides oil, plugs, and impeller? Should I change the fluid in the velvet drive? How should I adjust the propshaft packing? I heard to do it in the water and you want about one drip per second. Last summer my boat took on less water that any other boat I have been in. Im talking less than a couple of gallons in three days straight leaving it on the water each night as well. But when I turned under mid power, sometmes the prop shaft made a little moan. It didnt sound real bad but I dont know if thats normal. Also, sometimes its hard to start the first go round for the weekend, should I get some starting fluid or just make sure I always have good batteries. Sorry for so many questions, its my first nautique. My brother had an old boat, a 60's esquire with a chevy 4 banger, and we never did any maintenace on it for 15 years, not even oil or an impeller. and it always ran fine, but I want to take better care of this one; its worth more, and its my baby. Any answers are aprreciated.

For the hard start just give it a couple of full strokes on the throttle before you try starting it, they tend to run on the rich side a little, PLBC pretty much nailed evrythink else, Some like myself will fog the cylinder walls before starting it for the first time after winter lay-up. You did have it winterized didn't you?

also pay close attention to the color of the oil you are removing if it looks like chocolate milk or the tranny fluid isn't dark or bright red then it didn't survive the winter lay-up.

Thanks guys, I didnt winterize it because I live in ventura California and we don't have a winter. It doesnt get very cold here at all. I hope thats O.K. Ill change the tranny fluid, and it already has a petronix ignition. One drip per 30 sec is good? Ill read up on that propshaft noise. I have two batteries so cranking without starting fluid isnt a problem, sounds like starting fluid would be bad. Any other advice? Thanks to those who already posted. The cool people on this site are one of the main reasons I choose correct craft. Nautiques are great.   

you can get gore-tex packing flax instead of the waxed rope flax and it will pretty much eliminate the drip all together.

Check out www.skidim.com and inter the ccfan code to get an extra discount or you could try a local west marine or boaters world.