Tagged: winter
Winter Oversight
Winter has officially begun here in the Northeast. The temperatures and snow are both falling and the boats are secured in their winter storage places. It seems like the prudent man or woman could ignore their boat until the spring thaw, but, unfortunately, that simply isn’t the case. Over time things shift and paths open up for foul weather to intrude. Recently, during a quick boat check-in, I noticed that a key cover support stand had started to cut through the cover where there was a lot of concentrated stress. The stand had been well padded, but as a result [...]
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 [...]
Winter Projects
It is mid-winter, a good time for boat projects. There are a wide variety of things which can be renewed, rebuilt or replaced from bilge pumps to upholstery. Importantly, the kinks in the supply chain have not been completely straightened out and lead times have been significantly impacted. So if you’re interested in being among the first in the water, there’s no time for delay. Get your projects underway today so you’ll be good to go once the warm weather returns.
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 [...]
Out of Sight…
It’s the dead of winter here in the Northeast. Temperatures vary daily between the teens to the mid-30s, and snow is a frequent occurrence. As most boat owners, I tend to think less about my boat during the winter months, it’s basically out of sight and out of mind. And, therein lies the rub. You see, I checked on the boat last weekend and, surprisingly, found a considerable amount of snow on the cover, which was placing excessive weight on many parts of the cover structure. This was unexpected as I have used the same basic cover set-up for several [...]
Ray of Light
The New England Boat Show, scheduled to start in just a few short weeks, represents a ray of light over an otherwise dark and cold environment. By attending the event, you can reconnect with familiar boaters and meet new ones. And you can learn about interesting new designs and trends. Perhaps most importantly, you can just be back around boats. So, plan ahead and don’t miss this important event which can provide you the emotional fuel to survive the balance of another New England winter.
Snap, Crackle, Pop
It’s that time of year again when the boys of summer hang up their cleats and, here in New England, we hang up our propellers. Now winter can be cruel in many ways, but it’s propensity to create damaging ice is certainly one of the worst. Ice can shred internal freshwater systems, split fittings and deck crevices wide open, and render big iron block engines useless. So create a checklist and follow it religiously to minimize the possibility of damage. Flush all the systems with fresh water and then use plenty of anti-freeze in the head, water system, and engine [...]
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 [...]