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(Original Article by Phil Sensibaugh, edited by Bill Pickl)
Steps 1 to 6 should be accomplished immediately after the battle, the rest a week before your next battle.
Remove all excess water from the hull interior and leave the deck off and the hull open so it can dry. This will help to prevent de-bonding of fiberglass hulls and dry rot of wood hulls.
To prevent corrosion squirt alcohol or WD40 on the drive and pump motors and electrical connectors.
Inspect all electronic gear for signs of water or wetness. The short-term effects of water on electronics is negligible, but if the electronic gear is allowed to remain wet for very long, even overnight the electronics can be destroyed by corrosion.
Disconnect CO2 supply and make sure the cannon accumulators are discharged.
Test all systems to ensure they are working properly. You will then know if anything needs repaired before the next battle.
Remove steel balls from cannon, especially if they got wet. Otherwise the will rust and damage your cannon.
Disconnect batteries from the wiring harness, removing all power from the ship before storage.
Remove any remaining hardware from the hull and vacuum battle debris from the hull. This will help prevent the pump inlet from getting clogged next battle.
If time permits, remove temporary silk span repairs from heavily damaged areas and replace the balsa wood panels. I prefer to battle with balsa armor rather than silkspan armor.
Check all barrels for dents by running an appropriately sized drill bit down each barrel.
Reassemble the boat and do a full systems check (make sure those cannon are empty before cutting loose in your workshop).
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