Boat season is here. It is time to get your boat ready for anything and be prepared in case anything happens.
In an attempt to make your first launch of the season an easy, safe and uneventful one, we have put together the following check list of tasks which should be taken care of before you put your boat in the water.
- Make sure your registration is up to date and your boat insurance has been purchased or renewed. Protecting your investment is always a good idea for you and your family.
- Do a walk-around of your boat. Check for any damage to the propellers including dings, cracks, being warped or out of alignment. Not only could that cause a problem for your drive train but it will impact your gas mileage as well.
- Check the hull for chipping, peeling or blistering. If everything looks good, give your boat a good washing.
- Get your engine ready by changing the fuel and oil filters, change the oil. You may want to put some additive in your gas tank to remove any moisture that has gotten in during its winter hibernation and then fill it up with gas.
- Check fittings, lubricate where needed.
- Check hoses, cables, and belts making sure they are tight and not brittle, which can happen during the w
inter months. - Make sure your battery is charged. Just like a car battery you can take it to most any auto parts store and they will check the charge. It is always a good idea to check your connections, clean them with a wire brush.
- Whatever your favorite activities are while boating, make sure you have all the equipment you need. Tow ropes for skiing, fishing gear accessories.
- Check your life jackets. The U.S. Coast Guard requires there be a life jacket for every person on board and it should be in good condition. Check their buoyancy and if there are leaks and cracks, you need to purchase new life jackets to keep everyone safe. Also check your PFD, your rings.
- If you have water tanks, flush them and clean them.
- Make sure you have fire extinguishers and medical kit.
- Check your trailer, trailer-hitch.
By doing these basic tasks, we hope you will have the enjoyable and safe boating experience you’ve been planning all winter.
Number one on that list is where every boat owner should start. A year ago a friend of mine and her husband had to go though a very difficult process. They had loaned their boat to their son, who was sixteen at the time and had completed a boaters safety course, as well. It was he and three friends on the boat. One of his friends fell out of the boat while it was turning, and fractured his back. He was not paralyzed, thank god! Had they not had insurance (progressive) they would have had to pay a huge settlement out to the family covering medical costs associated with physical therapy and surgical costs over 70,000 dollars. Make sure you have INSURANCE before the season starts, it is such a small thing that makes a huge difference!
I ran into this problem with a 78 caramo , Take your bill of sale and serial number of trailer to your county tax office , You may have to pay the taxes on the trailer for however many years its been since they have been paid but once you do they should allow you to file for a lost title , Worked for me and worth a shot . good luck !P.S. You may need to go to the tax office in the county the trailer was last registerd .
To add to this, part-time anglers shluod be aware that game wardens can be VERY tough on those fishing without a license to the point of seizing not just your fishing gear but your car as well .we are not talking impoundment here we’re talking seizure if you want it back you have to go to an auction and buy it back! If you plan to teach the kids to fish on your holiday, make sure you have all the appropriate papers.
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You are running in salt water? I stick mine in a trhsacan to flush it out then dry with cloth/paper towels. I then spray a light coat of WD-40 over it and wipe it off with another clean rag. This helps keep the water and rust off really well. My engine looks good and still starts 1st or 2nd pull. It is a 1955 johnson and all I have replaced is the starter cord twice.