Tagged: checklist
Winter Lay-Up
Well, it’s that time of year again, the end of the season. In this neck of the woods, virtually all boats have to be winterized to prevent systems from freezing, corroding, and sticking in place, and to reduce the risk of calamities during the long winter layup If gear case oils have been contaminated with water, the casings can burst. And if engine oils are not replaced, sensitive internal components can corrode due to the acids in the used lubricants. Finally, moving pieces like steering units can lock in place due to non-use if not oiled and greased. Gas valves [...]
Spring Plan
There’s something to be said for a good plan. Activities as simple as painting the boat bottom just go better when you plan ahead in terms of the processes and supplies involved. For example, sanding typically involves: sander, electrical cord, correct grit sandpaper, gloves, goggles, mask, hat, gloves, and rags. Painting involves: paint, paint can opener, small paint carrier, correct rollers and handle, brushes, gloves, goggles, tape, rags, paint cleaner, etc. Now, obviously the fore mentioned list could be crafted by anyone that has done bottom painting before. The issue lies in being too casual about the planning process, and [...]
Details
Well, Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away and most of us have hauled and at least partially winterized our boats by now. In the middle of the process myself recently, two thoughts surfaced – 1) checklists are valuable 2) there are a lot of items that need attention and can be easily overlooked. For example, batteries will easily survive the winter in the boat, if they are fully charged before starting the lay-up period. Have you charged the batteries? Remembered to bring the charger? Set aside enough time to give each one a decent charge? Bilge pumps are perhaps [...]
Checklists Help
It’s mid-May and many of us are knee-deep in the spring commissioning process, in a socially distant manner. There are a multitude of tasks to be accomplished including: sanding and painting the bottom; washing and waxing the topsides; cleaning the cabin and cockpit; exercising the thru-hulls; checking the gas tank; clearing bilge debris; etc. Some of the tasks like spraying preservatives on the seats are relatively superfluous, while others such as ensuring that all the battery connections are tight and greased, are mission-critical. Even on a small powerboat, I find the tasks to be extensive and peace of mind is [...]
Check It Out
Well, we’ve come to the end of the boating season here in the Northeast. The temperatures at night are sub-freezing and daytime figures are not much higher. So, regardless of who does the work, it’s important that the boat be properly winterized to avoid significant damage over the winter. Checklists can help one remember a myriad of details: pulling the hull drain plug; flushing and filling the engine block with antifreeze; greasing propulsion components; changing the oil; attaching new gas filters; etc. Quite frankly, it can be quite a job, however, properly done it’s an activity that pays large dividends [...]