Now
that the start of the season is upon us it is time to do some simple
and not so simple work on our boats so that we can all be safe a secure
as we launch our boats once again, if this is your first season this
info will be of great assistance, if not it may offer a reminder of what
we should and need to do.
Interior:
· Check
all thru-hull openings and depending on the size of your boat there may
be many so look and inspect as many as possible, keep in mind they are
not always easily accessible. All
thru-hull openings need to be double clamped, yes that means two worm
clamps on each thru-hull opening, ( it is required for your survey which
is required by your insurance company) inspect each hose and make sure
there is no wear and tear. Grab each hose and give a reasonable tug to
make sure it is secure, if it breaks, good for you to find it before it
is a major problem out on the water.
· Look
for moisture within the interior check all thru-deck fittings and all
port windows, correct as required. If your boat is made of wood, tap all
areas with the handle of a screwdriver and listen for changes in the
sound, it may indicate soft spots due to wood rot caused by moisture and
mould.
· Inspect
your electrical system, look for corrosion on any connections and make
sure that your batteries are topped with distilled water and fully
charged, I recommend buying a hydrometer (cheap) it is a great tool to
determine the health of your batteries, be sure to check every hole on
the top of your battery, difference in each cell indicate a future
problem, fill with distilled water (not tap water) it will reduce the
amount of corrosion in the lead plates.
· VERY IMPORTANT:
Make sure the boats drain plug or if you have a sailboat, the Garber
plug (located on the side of the keel) is re-inserted. Many experienced
boaters get so excited about launching their boat they overlook this
simple task. Once the boat is in the water and secure, make sure you
inspect the bilge for any incoming water.
Exterior:
· Check
your hull (every inch if possible) if you see and original fibreglass
bottom or gel coat it need s to be covered to protect the fibreglass. If
you have VC17 (a thin, even, blackish coating), just recoat, if your
bottom is powder-ish it may be a sacrificial paint design to dissolve
over time, depending on the number of coats and the thickness of the
relief, you may wish to have it stripped and a waterproof barrier coat
applied and then re-apply an anti-fouling bottom paint. (It is an
expensive and dirty and exhausting job to get done but will be worth it
if performance is your thing) If your sailboat has rust on the keel
(most do) I recommend taking a grinder with a wire wheel to remove all
rust and paint it with Tremclad, yup Tremclad, it cheap and will last
about 3-4 years. The rust will come back over time but it is an
effective and cheap way to correct the problem.
· Inspect
your rudder or rudders and drive shafts, if there is a lot of wiggle
room then you may wish to focus your efforts to consult a seasoned salty
dog to get an experience opinion. Inspect your anodes; they are the
sacrificial metal that is added to a boat usually in the side of the
keel or the drive shaft. They eliminate the electrolysis that occurs
with metals and water. If they are corroded, and they are designed to
corrode, replace them, they are made of a soft metal and can be cut off
with a hack-saw. If you have an outboard engine, drain the bottom-end
oil. You will find two screws one above the other on the right side next
to the prop. The oil will drain out and if it is milky looking you have
water getting in to your lower end and needs to be corrected, if not
get the recommended lower-end oil and replace it by inserting the bottle
nozzle in the lower hole and squeeze in the new oil till it comes out
the top hole, with slight pressure on the bottle re-insert the top screw
and then the lower. (Closing the top screw will create a vacuum in the
lower-unit and very little oil will come out the lower hole allowing you
to make sure the lower unit is full.)
Last but not least:
Check your safety equipment! Flairs are required by law and will save your life!
Posted by: Robert Gow
Posted by: Robert Gow
