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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.
“They don’t make ‘em like they used to”, is a phrase that many of us are familiar with. Most of the time it is in reference to a bygone era of better, and it’s used to lament the sorry state of what we have today. It is a phrase that can be applied to many areas of our lives: architecture, art, furniture, tools.
Read more: Winterization Isn't Like Your Dad Did It: Modern...
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A perfect sunset off St. John with St. Thomas views for backdrop.
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News
On November 15th 2022, Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), introduced the industry’s first ever V10 outboard with the official launch of its all-new 5.7L 350 and 400hp Verado® outboard engines.
Consistent with the award-winning Verado brand, the new V10 engines are the quietest and smoothest in their class running 45 percent quieter than a leading competitor at cruise. In addition to NVH, the new Verado’s are not only compatible with the latest Mercury SmartCraft® technologies but will also be offered with an optional dual-mode 48V/12V alternator to seamlessly pair with Navico Group’s Fathom® e-power system, an integrated lithium-ion auxiliary power management system, providing boaters the opportunity to eliminate an onboard generator system.
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