Tagged: commissioning
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.
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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, [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
Summer Days
The first day of summer, Saturday, June 20, is just about a week away and the harbor boat population is still a few heads short of a full herd. It’s been a tough spring – rainy and cold, overhung by a global pandemic which has impacted virtually everyone in the world. This environment has, in many cases, derailed the spring commissioning train, leaving many boats on the hard longer than anticipated. While some areas of the country enjoy a wide boating window, here in the Northeast that is not the case, making every day on the water, precious. So, in [...]