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An important, but often overlooked maintenance item on any type of boat is it’s steering system. Most are relatively safe and secure, and are generally bulletproof – requiring very little maintenance to operate well. That said, it’s important to perform at minimum an annual inspection before launch to avoid looming failures and potentially costly repairs.
Before you launch: Inspect all around the hose clamps for rust and replace as necessary. Double clamp fuel lines and exhaust hoses with marine-rated stainless steel hose clamps. While not technically required, it’s wise to double clamp whenever possible on all hoses − especially those below the waterline.
There is nothing worse than your boat trailer breaking down while on the way to a great weekend. Over the years I have towed a lot of items big and small and have owned a few trailers, and have been lucky enough to not have anything real bad happen to me with a boat on the trailer.
One of the items that gets taken for granted during the spring prep work is the bilge pumping system; it’s one of those on-board features that many of us assume is in working order….until something goes wrong.
When the boat is in the water, It’s easy to take for granted the parts of the boat that are under the water. It’s also simple to think ‘everything worked well last year, so I won’t worry about it this year.’
Read more: Ask Andrew: Below-the-water inspections in the...
Boating boomed in 2020, with scads of first-time boat buyers chasing respite from the pandemic. Now many of these new boat owners are learning how to maintain and store their vessels for the first time. A midwinter visit to check on the boat − no matter if stored ashore in a backyard, a yacht club or a marina parking lot − is a wise thing to do.
‘‘Twas the night before Christmas and all ‘cross the land, boats were left to slumber, exactly as planned. Engines were winterized and tarps were tied tight, but batteries – and what to do - give many a fright.
I passed by a person doing some shrink-wrap work recently, and as he installed a vent in the shrink-wrap he was completing, he muttered satisfactorily to himself ‘Air flow isn’t just for sail boats.
There’s nothing worse than wondering how much fuel you have on board. You’re left wondering how long you can motor for. As well, you have no idea how much more fuel you can take on at the marina pump. You’re forced to resort to using a combination of dipsticks and jerry cans to compensate for not knowing the tank level.
As the cold approaches, shrink-wrapping is a hot topic, and I’ve heard more than a few debates at marinas and yacht clubs about the merits and disadvantages of winter covers, tarps and wraps.
Related Articles
Boat Reviews
CY Virtual Video Boat Tours
We all love boats and nothing can break us up! So, what better way to spend our time than looking at interesting boats and going aboard in a virtual ride or tour. We have asked our friends at various dealers and manufacturers to help us assemble a one-stop online resource to experience some of the most interesting boats on the market today. Where the CY Team has done a review, we connect you to that expert viewpoint. If you can’t go boating, you can almost experience the thrill via your screen. Not quite the same, but we hope you enjoy our fine tour collection.
Read more about the CY Virtual Boat Tours....................
Neptunus 750 Enclosed Flybridge
By Andy Adams
In the February 2020 issue of Canadian Yachting magazine, we featured our review of the Neptunus 750 Flybridge, the company’s flagship yacht. The boat had been bought by a gentleman from Newfoundland and we reviewed it just before it was to be delivered.
We learned later that the boat did not leave immediately after delivery. The story is that the new owner reconsidered the beautiful big open flying bridge layout.
Destinations
Salt Spring Island with Gourmet Food and Drink
Text and Photos by Marianne Scott
Salt Spring Island, the largest among the Gulf Islands, has a certain mystique—much of it having to do with locally produced food. It started thousands of years ago when the Coast Salish First Nations used the Island as a summer camp, collecting wild foods while also processing the abundant sea food for winter sustenance.
In the 19th century, five main groups settled here and began farming: Northern Europeans—some of whom had abandoned gold rush dreams; Hawaiians brought here by Vancouver Island’s second governor, James Douglas...
Lifestyle
Oak Bay Marina, Photo by Derek Ford
Oak Bay Marina achieves eco-certification in Clean Marine BC, which helps boating facilities to reduce the impact of recreational boating on the Salish Sea and beyond through the implementation of improved environmental measures, including the reduction and containment of toxins, collection and disposal of various wastes, water and energy conservation, and habitat protection.
“It is important for us to be recognized as environmental stewards because we take caring for these local waters seriously,” says Jennifer McKimmie, General Manager at Oak Bay Marina.
This week, Feb. 22-26, is National Invasive Species Awareness Week and the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) released an animated video to raise awareness about the threat Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) pose to the boating industry and what manufacturers can do to limit the spread.
AIS can damage ecosystems and negatively impact fishing and the future of the boating lifestyle. Boat access to many aquatic resources has been limited due to AIS concerns and AIS infestation can result in serious damage to boats and their components. Invasive plant life can foul propellers,
As a life-long marine journalist, it has often occurred to me, that it’s a big leap to lay out the cash, (especially for those with no previous boating experience), to try it out. How does someone even know that they will like boating it if they haven’t tried it?
Well, joining a boat club, or a yacht club that has boats available for members to use, can get you started without the big financial commitment and with the support of the club’s education and resources. Try before you buy.
Marine Products
BE PLUSH, BE PRACTICAL, BE WELL RESTED
A good night’s sleep on the boat is a great pleasure indeed and custom bedding from SeaSwag can make a world of difference. Their Universal sheet takes the hassle out of buying sheets for the V Berth on your boat.
Available in 4 sizes and 2 fabrics, the set is packaged in a custom reusable bag perfect for storing the sheets on and off the boat.
Stay Winter Cool with a Yeti Tundra 65 Onboard
The YETI Tundra 65 is their most versatile cooler, just as adept at keeping your catch cold as it is storing drinks and food.
This cooler is plenty roomy, built with a Fatwall design and Permafrost insulation, so it has extra thick walls for unmatched thermal retention.
News
AIS can damage ecosystems and negatively impact fishing and the future of the boating lifestyle. Boat access to many aquatic resources has been limited due to AIS concerns and AIS infestation can result in serious damage to boats and their components. Invasive plant life can foul propellers, jam impellors and cause bilge pump failure. Mussels can attach to boats and negatively affect performance, attach to engines causing component failure, and obstruct water lines causing system failure.
Is Fiberglass Recyclable? Part 2 – Emerging innovations in fiberglass recycling
By Jay Weaver
Interest in finding alternative uses for used fiberglass can spark creativity and innovation. For example, a partnership involving the US, Ireland, and Northern Ireland Universities called Re-wind developed some interesting civil engineering project ideas for reusing and repurposing fiberglass blades. These include using decommissioned blades in civil engineering projects as part of powerline structures or towers, or roofs for emergency or affordable housing. In Northern Ireland, Re-wind is also considering piloting them for use in pedestrian bridges along greenways.
Read More about Fiberglass recycling....
Tug news: Theodore Tugboat heads Halifax to Port Dover
According to the Nova Scotia Tourism website, Theodore Tugboat began his travels in 1989, created by Cochran Entertainment, with master model maker Fred Allen, as a children's television series inspired by the Halifax Waterfront and the stories Andrew Cochran would tell his son at bedtime. The CBC television program Theodore Tugboat ran from 1993 to 2001.
A working replica of Theodore, named "Theodore Too" was built in Dayspring, Nova Scotia. Designed by Fred Allen and Marius Lengkeek, the tug was launched on April 19, 2000 at the Snyder Shipyard. After a successful tour of several North America ports, it made its home in Halifax.
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