Many of you have proven ideas
and tips, that make your boating life easier.
If you would like to share
your tips with your fellow boaters, this is the place to do it.
You can e-mail your tips to
me at
boatwings@yahoo.com.
If you would like, I can include your name and state following your tip.
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-Don't winterize your own engines. Why not, I
am mechanically inclined, and I enjoy working on my own boat.
This is why-Mechanics are loyal to you, when you are loyal to them. Giving
them your business in the fall, can pay big dividends on a holiday weekend,
when your guests have arrived, and are ready for a cruise on your boat.
Wait, now you have a mechanical issue, and who are you going to call. The
mechanic you don't use in good times. Don't expect him to go out of his way
to show up and save the day. It won't happen, unless you have developed a
relationship with him before hand. There is no price that can be put on
saving the weekend with family and friends.
And as an added bonus, when the mechanic winterizes your engines, in
most cases they guarantee their work.
Can you say that about your work? Tom & Terry Miller
-Buy everything you can from your own marina.
Why, they are much more expensive than my local
Wal-Mart.
Running a marina takes the talents of many. You walk into the marina one
day, and ask the owner if he knows where you can get a part like this made.
Example 1: Marina owner rarely ever sees you purchase anything from his
ships store. He may tell you the name of someone who could help you, and
even help find you their phone number.
Example 2: You frequent your marina often. You purchase all your dock lines,
bumpers, ice, fuel from them. You walk into the marina one day, and ask the
owner if he knows where you can get a part like this made. He hands the part
to a dock worker nearby, and asks him if he can make that. The dock worker
says know problem, and has it ready for you the next day (no charge)! Your
boating life is made easy! So how much are you really saving by being a
tight wad? Tom & Terry Miller
-Boat Cleaner-One of the best all purpose boat
cleaners, we have found is "Spray Power", available at Wal-Mart in the
cleaning section. It works great on carpet, fabric, clothes stains, mold on
vinyl cushions, gelcoat stains, and stainless steel. (Caution: Not to be used on wood, because it will remove finish,
and keep from coming in contact with aluminum surfaces, (i.e. hulls and
rails), because it can stain aluminum.) Tom & Terry Miller
-Selling-Don't strip the boat! Meaning price
the boat so you can leave non personal items, such as towels, dishes, pots &
pans, trash cans, wall hangings, decorations, etc. If you are moving to
another boat, it will be nice to have new things, and if you are getting out
of boating, you won't need most of that stuff. It sure makes for a nice
transaction when the buyer feels like they are getting a good deal, and the
boat hasn't been stripped. Our first nice houseboat purchase, included all
the stuff, a sparkling clean boat, complete with a peach cobbler baking in
the oven. We always sang high praises of the sellers, and learned a valuable
lesson how to sell a boat with class. Tom & Terry Miller
-Heads with Type 2 Waste Treatment Systems-To
keep your Type 2 waste treatment system working problem free: 1-Pump out
tanks yearly.
2-Only use an approved cleaner for toilets. Cleaners with bleach will kill
bacteria, and cause system to fail.
3-Oxygen is the key to success, so make sure aerator is working at all
times. It should be connected to your inverter. Insure air hose is not
kinked.
4-Add chemicals once per week.
5-Some boaters never put paper in their toilets, and that is fine. However,
single ply toilet paper can be used in Type 2 systems, as long as a single
sheet will dissolve in a glass of water overnight. Tom & Terry Miller
-Heads with Purasan Waste Treatment Systems-When leaving
the boat for an extended period, flush head at least 3 times. This insures
there are no impurities remaining in the system, and the treatment system
has filled all hoses. This will give you a fresh smelling boat when you
return. Refrain from ever "dry flushing" heads capable of that, since it
removes all chemicals from the system, and will cause obvious problems.
Cub Jamison
-Preheat switch on Westerbeke Generators-When
you press the preheat switch it does a couple of things. First it activates
the fuel pump to prime the system and second it by-passes all of the safety
shut down switches until the unit starts and gets oil pressure.
by Tom Miller
-Generator-Always carry an extra fuse, and
impeller kit on board. Even new boats can ingest debris into the water
filter, and damage the rubber fins of an impeller. Having an extra impeller
or fuse on board can save your outing.
by Tom Miller
-Generator Impeller-When
installing an impeller, lubricate with dish detergent first before
inserting. This will protect the new impeller fins until water reaches the
impeller.
by Chris Owen
-Propane Tanks-In
April, 2002 Kentucky along with 26 other states, began enforcing new
regulations requiring an overflow protection device on propane tanks. You
can easily tell if your tank has the new device by the shape of the handle.
The old tanks have a star shaped, or more round knob, while the new tanks
have a triangle shaped knob. You will not be able to refill your old tanks
in Kentucky any longer. You may exchange them for a fee running as high as
$25.00 (Ouch)! Sources say Wal-Mart will exchange the tanks for only $4.00 +
the price of the gas to fill the tank, ($12.95 in Somerset).
by Terry Miller
-Propane Tanks-Extreme
caution should be used when storing extra propane tanks on board. They
should be secure according to A.B.Y.C. Standards, and never stored in engine
compartment.
by Tom Miller
-Mosquitoes a problem-Try
rubbing Bounce dryer sheets on your skin before exposing yourself to those
pesky bugs. Though the dryer sheets are a bit rough feeling to your skin,
they smell pleasant, and they seem to do a great job repelling mosquitoes.
by Terry Miller
-Wet cove ropes-Try
storing your ropes in plastic clothes baskets. They have holes in them,
which allows the ropes to air dry easily, as well as make a neat way to
store them.
-Thunderstorm season-Never
leave the dock without first checking the weather. In addition, turn off
your radio or CD player every hour or so, to check the weather radio for
fast approaching thunderstorms, which can pop up quickly this time of year,
and spoil your day.
-Leaving Port-As
Captain you are responsible for your ship. Never take your passengers word
that all lines and hook-ups are removed, before throwing her into gear. This
could save you an embarrassing moment, not to mention possible damage to
your vessel.
-Docking-Boating
and flying share a common interest, the wind! To avoid windy docking
situations plan to leave or return to your harbor before 10am or after
6pm. These are calm periods that exist before the heat of the day begins
producing thermals (wind).
by
George Karambellas
-Docking-Always
check wind direction before approaching your slip. Dock neighbor flags are
your best resource to determine which way the wind is blowing, how hard, and
which side of the slip you should aim for.
-Docking-Always
have the ability to turn the key off from the station you are driving from
in case there is a throttle emergency. Hydraulic shifters can become
disconnected in the engine compartment, and MMC electronic shifters have
been known to lose their memory. In both cases forward becomes reverse, and
you could find yourself in an extremely dangerous situation, if you cannot
quickly reach up and turn the ignition keys off.
by Tom Miller
-Docking-Never
turn your engine(s) off until the boat is completely stopped. Many large
cruisers, and houseboats are more than a man can hold onto, or push away in
a wind gust. Never relinquish your ability to control your boat until you
are safely stopped, and dock lines are secured to your boat.
by Tom Miller
-Boarding Guests-As
Captain of your ship you are responsible for the safety of every person
aboard. Put together a quick orientation as guests board your boat that
show them where all safety gear is stored (LIFE JACKETS etc.), your
expectations and needs as the captain, and how to use the heads just to
name a few. Your trip will be much more enjoyable, and everyone will
arrive back to the dock safe.
by Donna
Fridenmaker
-Volvo outdrives-Volvo
outdrives should be parked in reverse, to protect the shift cables which
recede up into the housing, and are then not exposed to potential water
corrosion problems.
-Not using your boat much? #1-If
so, you should be aware that the rubber water pump impellers can become dry
rotted and brittle from lack of use, which could cause your water pump to
fail, your engines to overheat, and you to have a very expensive engine
repair facing you. Short of driving your boat more often, you should at
least start your engines once a month and let them warm up to temperature
for at least 30 minutes. by Tom Miller
-Not using your boat much? #2-You should
inspect the engine compartment before starting the engines, and leaving the
dock. Look for signs of fuel leaks, oil leaks, and steering fluid leaks, in
bottom of hull and along transom. A quick fix, could prevent a serious
problem. by Tom Miller
