Courtesy of the kind folks over at BoatUS, we have a great list of some things to be on the look out for when you’re sprucing your boat up this spring. Some of these are honest mistakes, like forgetting which safety gear made it back onboard after winter storage. Others are more specific to boat types that we pontooners don’t usually deal with, but overall, it’s a good reminder of the little things that slip through the cracks when we’re getting things ready for the first time in a season. Here are some highlights:
- The battery goof-up #1: “When reconnecting my batteries I missed one of the ground wires that had slipped down behind the battery box. I noticed something was wrong when the trim/tilt worked fine but the motor would not start. With so many cables going to multiple batteries, I’m taking a photo this year of how things are properly attached so next spring things go as planned.”
- The battery goof-up #2: “While this did not happen to me personally, it’s something we see in the claims department every spring: hooking up the battery backwards, causing reverse polarity and a massive electrical short or fire.”
- The safety gear goof-up: “We remove a lot of gear to store inside each winter, but realized after leaving the dock not all had made it back aboard. Now I download a checklist of required safety equipment and inventory everything to ensure it gets put back on the boat before launch day. I also check the dates on my flares and ensure my extinguisher is in the green zone.”
- The rushing to get it done goof-up: “Every spring, boat sinking claims start to come in. Nearly always you can chalk it up to rushing to get it done. I take my time inspecting engine hoses and hoses clamps, the bilge pump, stern-drive boot, clean out scuppers and double check the through-hulls and sea strainer. I once found a plastic through-hull for a sink drain at the waterline that initially looked fine, but it was only until I took the time for a closer inspection that I found it was cracked nearly in half on the inside.”
- The be prepared goof-up: “My neighbor went out for the first trip of the season and his engine died and needed help to get back in. He suspected fuel issues. Having spare filters aboard or keeping an eye on the fuel-water separator helps, but when all else failed him, he didn’t have an on water towing plan as a backup. Our towing fleet sees this issue frequently each spring.”
All in all, not a bad list of things to watch out for. Keep these in mind when you’re working on your boat after a long winter’s nap.
