Boaters must prepare vessels for upcoming season
2/5/2006 11:30:47 PM by MIKE PETROVSKY
If you are one of the few recreational boaters who live along the coast or a canal or who can otherwise afford the luxury of taking your boat out on any sunny day with a light chop, then this article is not necessarily for you.
But, if you are one of the many South Florida boaters who wait for the peak boating season roughly between February and June to take a vacation from the job that keeps you away from your one true love and/or boating for much of the year, then read on.
Wave magazine enlisted Bob Figular, who founded a Princeton, N.J.-based captain training school, and Herbert Hanson, a volunteer marine safety vessel examiner for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliarys Seventh District, Flotilla 98 in Charlotte County, to help prepare a checklist for boaters who may have neglected their boats for months.
The two men we chose couldnt be more different.
When he is not a Coast Guard volunteer, Hanson works full time as a sales representative for a heavy duty industrial equipment company. He graduated in 1963 as a mechanical engineer from the Franklin Technical Institute in Boston. Hardly someone you would refer to as an old salt.
By contrast, Figular has spent more than 60,000 miles on the open ocean including crossing the Atlantic on his 43-foot catamaran. After successfully completing a Coast Guard course that earned him his masters license, he created his own captains training school, called Mariners School, because he was disappointed that the Coast Guard course did not teach more than the basics needed to pass its exam. Thinking other boaters would want to learn more too, he spent more than a year writing the curriculum now used at his many Mariners Schools.
People leave my school with more than just a certificate that they passed, says Figular in an article on the Mariner School website. They leave carrying with them a lifelong understanding and appreciation of boating and the water that they can apply in realworld situations.
So Hanson and Figular each have divergent credentials for giving boaters advice about how to prepare their vessels for the upcoming boating season.
Corrosion seems to be the major culprit for disasters at sea caused by, as Hanson says, boaters who typically leave their boat at a storage facility, and they put it in the water and turn on the key.
People who own boats in the 26- to 40-foot range are the most likely boaters to neglect proper maintenance, Hanson says.
Batteries sitting on the unattended boat will corrode, Hanson says. If a fuel stabilizer was not added prior to the boat being stored away, the fuel can corrode any container in which it is stored on the vessel.
The boats navigation light bulbs have a tendency to corrode at the base, Hanson continues. Oxidation causes a corrosive build up on the contact points in the bulb.
The horn is another big problem, he adds. Any soundproducing device, such as the horn, is going to pick up corrosion.
And, for those boaters who might think that having a horn on your boat is not important, Hanson points out that not having a fully functioning sound-producing device on your boat is a violation of federal and state boating laws.
Bilge pumps, Hanson says, have a mercury switch and if that switch collects dust and dirt as a result of the boat not being used, the bilge pump will not function.
Hanson relates that he knew of one boater whose vessel caught fire in open water after he used a rusty screw to bypass a nonfunctioning bilge pump fuse switch. That is a dangerous situation, he says. Metal to metal contact is not a good solution.
Hanson also warns the carbon
dioxide canisters that activate inflatable
life jackets need to be checked
and two-way radios should also be
examined before the boat goes back
into the water.
Although two-way radios are not required by law, they are the best way to communicate on the water. Hanson says a cellular phone is a poor substitute for the radio, which not only can get help to stranded boaters faster, but, as anyone knows who has spent any amount of time on the water, there are relatively few places that are in range for cell phones.
Figular prepared an exclusive checklist for Wave. That checklist is a Quicksplash, which accompanies this story.
This is a general list of things you should check at the beginning of the boating season, Figular says. It is a list of general suggestions and a good starting point. The type of boating and geographic area you operate in will dictate any additional steps to take. When doing your checks, be thorough. If something does not look right, investigate further. Remember that boating by nature is a great activity for the whole family to enjoy. With a little preventative maintenance you can limit any surprises along the way.
Hanson and Figular have been on a quest to attain boating knowledge that started when they each were very young.
At age 10, Hanson used to com- mandeer discarded rowboats he and his friends found floating on the Concord River in Billerica, Mass. Hanson said he and the other boys would repair the rowboats with tar and explore the areas waterways.
At 14, Hanson, his father and friends repaired an old Navy vessel. We went all over Boston Harbor and it was my first taste of big water, he said in an interview with the Sarasota Herald Tribune about the experience.
Now as assistant district staff officer with the Coast Guard Auxiliarys vessel safety check program, Hanson has logged 6,750 hours as a volunteer and, since he joined in 1997, received nine Sustained Service awards from the Coast Guard for his volunteer work performing safety inspections on boats at no charge. And, get this, Hanson and other auxiliary members dont report any violations they find on your boat to their fulltime Coastie counterparts after conducting the free inspection.
Also, when the vessel passes the inspection, it receives the Auxiliary Vessel Safety Check decal showing that the boat has met all federal, state and Coast Guard Auxiliary safety standards.
As for Figular, he wanted to be a sea captain since he was a boy. His late mother would urge him to pursue all dreams and her motherly advice is what prompted him, in 2001, to open his first Mariners School in Toms River, N.J. A success, Figular opened his second school in 2003 in Princeton, the companys current headquarters. Now, Figulars Mariners Schools have experienced Starbucks-like growth with more than 25 additional schools that have opened on the East Coast from South Miami to north of Boston.
It is my goal to open doors for boating enthusiasts by providing them with our courses, says Figular. I anticipate doubling my business every year and & expanding through the Chicago area.
Wave caught up with Figular while promoting his school at an exhibit booth during the St. Petersburg boat show late last year. The captain now seems to spend much of his time traveling to boat shows on behalf of his school.
The school is open to all boaters from people who want to get a captains license, to captains who want to upgrade to a 100-ton masters license to boaters who just want to learn more about boating to enhance their recreational pleasure. The schools training staff members are all Coast Guard-licensed masters, and the training, instructors and course materials are approved by the Coast Guard. So the schools can be used as an alternative to license exams at Coast Guard regional centers.
BOAT MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
The following is a checklist compiled by Bob Figular, who founded a Princeton, N.J.-based captain and maritime training school called Mariners School. To learn more about the school, call 866-732- 2278 or 609-987-0555 or log on to www.MarinersSchool.com
Engines
Do a thorough visual inspection of all engine components. Do not forget to check:
# For any leaks that may have developed during your lay-up.# All hoses and belts for any abnormal wear and tear. Check to ensure than none of the hoses are rubbing against any sharp metal parts. If any engine hoses appear to be worn or cracked replace them now or be prepared to have them fail at an inopportune time.
# All fluid levels. If you did not change your oil at the end of the season now would be a good time. Do not forget to replace the oil filter during this maintenance. Record the date and engine hours on the outside casing of the oil filter so that you can track the next oil and filter change.
# The antifreeze level. Flush the system at least every other season and add new antifreeze. Follow the guidelines on the outside of the antifreeze container for your geographic area. Remember anti freeze is toxic so dispose of the waste properly.
# The engine exhaust and ventilation openings to ensure that they are free of debris if your boat was stored out of the water. These openings can be a favorite nesting place of the local wildlife.
# Visually check the amount of fuel in the tanks and ensure the fuel gauge correctly indicates your fuel level.
# To see that water has not entered the fuel canister if you have a portable fuel system check. Ensure that the fitting and hoses are not cracked or damaged. If the hose is hard and discolored from ultraviolet radiation it should be replaced.
# That all seacocks, thru-hull fittings and drain plugs are opened. If your boat is out of the water ensure that they are free from debris.
Electrical
# Visually inspect your batteries. Make sure they have a full charge and are free from any cracks. Ensure that fluid levels meet with manufacture recommendations. Check and remove any corrosion that may have occurred during the off season.
# Check your AC and DC electrical system. Test an
# Give a good overall visual inspection of any bus bars or circuitry in the system. Pay close attention to any corrosion at contact points. Replace as necessary.
# If you have an onboard generator follow the procedures listed underEngines above. Once everything checks out, fire her up. After the generator has time to warm, put a load on it and ensure it is generating electrical power for you. If it does not start with the most basic troubleshooting procedures, check the fuses and circuit breakers. Have you switched to generator power at the control panel?
# Turn on all navigational lights and do a visual inspection. If any lights are out replace the bulbs. When replacing the bulbs check for any corrosion or cracked lenses and repair as necessary.
# Check the operation of any sound signaling devices.
# Check all electrical bilge pumps. If they have a float switch manually activate it to check the pumps operation. This is also a good time to check the bilge for any floating debris or fluids. If there is a petroleum product in the bilge this is a sure sign of a leak in one of you hoses.
Steering Systems
# If you have a mechanical steering system check for any wear or tear on the cables. Check all pulleys to make sure they are secured properly to the bulkhead and that nothing obstructs the cable path. With a hydraulic system check the fluid levels and add as necessary.
# Make certain the steering system has a full range of motion. Manually rotate the helm both to port and starboard. The system should feel crisp and sharp. With a mechanical system, there should be no binding of cables. With a hydraulic system, if it feels mushy you need to bleed the system of air.
# Check the steering wheel and fittings for corrosion. Marine Sanitation Devices
# Change any
# If you have a vacu-flush system, make sure there are no vacuum leaks causing continuous recycling of the system.
# Add any necessary chemicals to have a fresh start to the new season.
Emergency Equipment
# Check all personal flotation devices. Replace any that are not serviceable. (Remember the USCG requires a PFD for each person onboard. The type V inflatable types must be worn to be counted.)
# Check all fire extinguishers for expiration dates. Make sure that they are fully charged and their seals have not been broken.
# Ensure that your first aid kit is properly stocked and readily available.
# Check the expiration dates and condition of your flair kits.
# Check your EPIRB, activate the manual testing circuitry for proper operation.
# Check to make sure your have the appropriate and updated charts for your boating area.
General
# Check all vessel documentation for currency. Are your vessel registration stickers affixed in the proper locations?
# If you have a liquid propane gas system onboard check and fill the tanks. Make sure that the shutoff valve is operating properly and that there is no gas leaks. Carefully inspect all hoses. If there is the slightest indication of any wear replace them before connecting the tanks.
# Replace the batteries in any fire detectors or carbon monoxide detection systems. Manually activate the alarm system to ensure proper working order.
# Check all hatches, doors and port lights for leaks and proper fitting.
# Ensure that all ladders, handholds and rails are clean and properly secured.
# Properly inflate any inflatable boats. Check the davits to be sure that the connection points are free from wear and tear.
FOR FREE INSPECTION
To get a no-cost safety inspection from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, log on to www.safetyseal. net then click on theI Want a VSC (Vessel Safety Check) icon. On the next screen typ