Tagged: commissioning

Spring Commissioning

It’s only a few days from the unofficial start of the boating season, Memorial Day, and boaters throughout the country are gearing up to hit the water once more. Checklists are invaluable tools to keep track of all the activities that need to be accomplished. Oftentimes, tasks can be grouped into families which makes it easier to pre-purchase the requisite supplies. One family might be surface maintenance where the tasks include washing and protecting all exterior surfaces such as the hull, topsides and upholstery. Another family of tasks might be electrical protection. Boats have a lot of electrical connections to [...]

May 21st, 2024|

Bottom Painting

In this neck of the woods, an integral part of the spring commissioning process is bottom painting. It’s a good revenue source for the yards, but not many DIYers enjoy the painting process.  If you’re actually involved in the process, take solace in fact that antifouling paint prevents growth on the hull, props, and running surfaces, which greatly enhances late season performance. There are a lot of options, so, get the right paint and tools, and use them properly to ensure your boat performs smartly and efficiently throughout the upcoming season.

April 26th, 2023|

Rusty

As the boating season gets underway once more, many critical boat system components from engine starters to navigation lights to bilge pumps, must be gently, but firmly, brought to life. During layup, connections corrode, linkages get sticky, and rubber parts lose flexibility, which can lead to untimely failure. Another area that typically needs the rust knocked off is basic piloting skills. From docking to anchoring, initial summer maneuvers typically are less smooth than “normal”, much to the chagrin of the captain and first mate team. Net, allow yourself some time to realign both the boat components and your mental processes [...]

June 9th, 2022|

Early Winter Check-In

  It’s the last day of November and temperatures have dropped significantly since Halloween. The harbor waters are largely empty, and shrink-wrapped boats form groups of white figures huddled on the edge. Most boaters have left for warmer, greener pastures, namely the living room couch and big screen TV. But, now is not the time to let your guard down as little things, left unattended, can lead to sizeable bad outcomes in the spring. For example, are the edges of the transom where cover contact is made, protected from chafing by soft towels or other materials? Are all the drain [...]

November 30th, 2021|

Summer Holiday Kick-Off

Well, the kick-off of the Northeast boating season, Memorial Day weekend, is coming into sight and the pace is quickening within local boat yards. Around here, both the water and ambient temperatures are still decidedly on the brisk side which will dampen enthusiasm among some in-water skippers, while others soldier ahead. The end result is a double-edged sword – less traffic to contend with, but also fewer boaters to lend a hand in adverse situations. The trade-off is usually a favorable one, but it’s critically important that your boat and accessories be in top notch condition to avoid pressing your [...]

May 25th, 2021|

One, Two, Three

The spring commissioning process is nearing completion with a number of small, but important, tasks accomplished this weekend from spraying wiring connections to clearing excess gear from the cabin. In the midst of this, I found myself counting – “one, two, three.” While many folks within earshot might have found this behavior peculiar, others might have suspected there was a method to the madness, which indeed there was. You see, the boat has two bilge pumps, of the same brand, but different sizes. The larger of the two, mounted just forward of the engine, and coupled with a mechanical float, [...]

May 17th, 2021|

Chemistry

Last weekend, half-way through a day of spring commissioning activities, it occurred to me that I was inadvertently involved in advanced chemistry, without a formal degree. I was working with, and exposed to: engine oil, boat soap, Lestoil, cleaner wax, electrical spray, teak cleaner, acetone, bleach and a number of other potentially toxic liquid chemicals. The problem - mixing the wrong chemicals together can cause an explosion, and even getting individual ones on your skin, or in your eyes, can cause long-term pain and injury. Now, there are a couple choices. One let a marine professional handle the chemical-based activities. [...]

April 26th, 2021|

Think Ahead

 We’ll, the snow is off the ground and the March spring thaw has begun. And, naturally boaters are once again starting to think of hitting the high seas. Now, that’s an interesting and positive idea, however, frankly, history has shown us that weather which is continuously good enough for boat preparation does not arrive until April 15 or so.   But, that doesn’t need to stop everything – you can start thinking ahead. Getting the boat into “Bristol” condition before launch day involves plenty of decisions and actions from where to get new mooring covers to how to get the [...]

March 14th, 2021|