Have a Better Summer, Dewinterize Carefully...

Winter is slowly... coming to an end and it's time to pull out the pre-launch checklist to guarantee a painless, quick and simple splash day. Of course everybody's checklist looks a little different depending on what sort of boating you do, where you do your boating, who takes care of your boat(s) and so on, so we'll give you an example checklist from our own experience and you can pick and choose the applicable tasks.

If you're lucky enough to have a marina or boat yard who winterizes, stores and recommissions/dewinterizes your boat for you, then your "to do" list is pretty short.  Call your local dealer and schedule an appointment for dewinterization, routine maintenance, and spring cleaning, to  guarantee many hours of adrenaline pumping excitement in the coming months.

Next check and renew insurance policies and registrations for all boats and trailers. Don't overlook the trailer, or you may get an unhappy surprise from the guys with the flashing lights when trailering your boat to the launch site. Is the license plate current? Is it attached to the trailer? Are the tires in road-safe condition? Long months spent sitting, often in adverse weather may have resulted in cracked sidewalls. Or, you may simply need to top up the air. (Note: Be certain to inflate your trailer tires so that they fall within the safe range recommended by the tire manufacturer. Over-inflating is as dangerous as under-inflating.) Other trailer components that experience wear are the wheel bearings and the winch cable or rope. Last, but certainly not least, check to make certain that your trailer's brake lights and turn signals work properly when connected to your vehicle.

We store, dewinterize and launch an outboard powered vessel, so we'll order new spark plugs and lower unit lube.

There's plenty of general maintenance to tackle early like cleaning and bottom painting and touching up the bright work. Always be certain to follow the safety instructions when painting and varnishing! On the Whaler I'm going to sand down and re-varnish the bow hatch cover. Once finished painting and varnishing, the obvious next step is polishing.  Take a few minutes to go online and match polish and application for best results.

Now's also a good time to inspect seams and update calking anywhere that needs it. Feel free to poke around a little because a hasty inspection might result in overlooking old caulking that has loosened up or hardened due to weathering. This the best time, while your boat is still high and dry, to seal everything up so that you stay nice and dry during the summer.

What about lines? Even the highest quality lines gradually break down due to the natural weathering effects of water, sun, temperature change, and salt. Even short-term use can shorten the life of lines due to abrasion, stress, rot or other damage. Now's the time to evaluate dock lines, anchor lines, and (for sailors) your entire rigging. Don't overlook your halyards! And if you decide it's time to replace line(s), be particularly attentive to what lengths and sizes you need before discarding your old lines.

It's a good time to poke around inside your boat(s) as well. Is it time to replace the bilge pump? Does the float switch work? Inspect your vessel's safety items to ensure that everything is current and in tip-top shape. Start by checking to make certain that your boat(s) is/are equipped with everything required by Coast Guard and regional authorities. These requirements sometimes change from year to year, so you should verify that you are still in compliance. Also check the dates on flares, fire extinguishers, and compressed air emergency horns. Be certain to count your flares, since sometimes an overzealous July 4th boater may have imprudently (and illegally) launched a safety flare to impress the fireworks watchers! You may also want to add or update a small first aid kit.

Perhaps the most important safety items on any vessel are Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs), also called lifejackets. We've prepared a special PFD primer that you'll receive shortly in a Beacon newsletter, but I'd suggest you go ahead and take a look at your PFDs now. Do you have enough? Are they in good condition? Do you have the right sizes?