Then, move on to your boat’s accessories. You can wash your dock lines by putting them in a mesh bag or pillow case and washing them in your own machine, but this is only effective if the lines aren’t particularly dirty (dirt can’t escape the pillow case). If you do have disgusting dock lines, pre-soak them in your bath tub before putting them in the washer. And always use the gentle cycle. As for cleaning agents, go with a standard or half dosage of your normal detergent.
Check out your bimini top. Are you missing an annoying ring ding? If so, it’s time to head up to the boat supply store to get yourself covered. Is the canvas fraying in any areas? How’s your mold issue? Grab a soft brush and rinse the canvas or plastic with lukewarm water and a mild solution of soap; then get to scrubbing.
How about your boat cushions? If it’s been a while, you can take the cushion padding and mattresses to a carpet and upholstery cleaner to be fully cleaned for roughly a couple hundred dollars. But if the foam hasn’t deteriorated, we’ve heard you can also throw them in the back of your truck and run through the car wash, spraying them with a pressure washer for the price of a few quarters. Afterward, squeeze the water out and prop them in a clean, dry place in the sunlight.
If you have marine vinyl cushions, no reason why they shouldn’t look brand spankin’ new. Make sure you clean them thoroughly and then use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to scrub the tough spots. Spray them with a vinyl protectant to protect the coating of vinyl.
Next, ask yourself about batteries, for everything from the television remote to the fire alarms. Ever hear the story about the guy who ruined his family’s vacation in St. Michaels by spending the entire time searching for a D-cell battery? Don’t be that guy. At the same time, check out your fire extinguishers.
Take some time to go through your fishing gear and clean everything. Take stock of anything you’d like to replace or duplicate, since some of the year’s best fishing shows happen in these early months (for a list of local shows, check out our calendar, pages 26-29).
Go through your lazarettes, cubbies, dock boxes, and stowage lockers. Find anything disgusting? Chuck it; replace it if necessary. A well-organized boat is a well-oiled machine, so take the time to get rid of things that will only slow you down and clutter you up.
And finally, plan your manifest. Where do you want to go this season? What’s on the list? Where will you never visit again? Make a list, and keep it front and center, checking destinations off as you go.
Once springtime does roll around, all you’re going to want to do is be out on your boat. So take the time to get her ready now, and save yourself the time and hassle down the line.
Monday, March 21, 2016 - 08:45
If you’re itching to get started with your spring commissioning, there are things you can do now to get things underway without jumping the gun and stripping off the shrink wrap. So what can you do now?
Remember that when there’s still considerable snow on the ground, you don’t want to dismantle the whole boat in your driveway. Instead, make a list of the things you’ll undoubtedly need to deal with. When did you last change your impeller? When was the last time you changed your drive belt? See if you can wiggle your prop, and if you can, make a note to have your P-bracket or cutlass bearing looked at, as well as the prop shaft’s stuffing box.
If your batteries are with the boat, check them out for corrosion, and grease the posts with a thin coat of Vaseline if you find any.
Speaking of corrosion, what do you find inside your anchor locker? Hopefully not a family of raccoons, and hopefully no corrosion there, either. Check out the electrical connections on the windlass motor and clean them, give them the Vaseline treatment if they need it.
Salt water does a number to electrical connections, so go over any that hook up to pumps and systems. If you’re unsure of something, take pictures to bring to the pros. They appreciate that more than if you bring them in something you’ve ripped out of your boat (or so we’ve heard).
Then, move on to your boat’s accessories. You can wash your dock lines by putting them in a mesh bag or pillow case and washing them in your own machine, but this is only effective if the lines aren’t particularly dirty (dirt can’t escape the pillow case). If you do have disgusting dock lines, pre-soak them in your bath tub before putting them in the washer. And always use the gentle cycle. As for cleaning agents, go with a standard or half dosage of your normal detergent.
Check out your bimini top. Are you missing an annoying ring ding? If so, it’s time to head up to the boat supply store to get yourself covered. Is the canvas fraying in any areas? How’s your mold issue? Grab a soft brush and rinse the canvas or plastic with lukewarm water and a mild solution of soap; then get to scrubbing.
How about your boat cushions? If it’s been a while, you can take the cushion padding and mattresses to a carpet and upholstery cleaner to be fully cleaned for roughly a couple hundred dollars. But if the foam hasn’t deteriorated, we’ve heard you can also throw them in the back of your truck and run through the car wash, spraying them with a pressure washer for the price of a few quarters. Afterward, squeeze the water out and prop them in a clean, dry place in the sunlight.
If you have marine vinyl cushions, no reason why they shouldn’t look brand spankin’ new. Make sure you clean them thoroughly and then use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to scrub the tough spots. Spray them with a vinyl protectant to protect the coating of vinyl.
Next, ask yourself about batteries, for everything from the television remote to the fire alarms. Ever hear the story about the guy who ruined his family’s vacation in St. Michaels by spending the entire time searching for a D-cell battery? Don’t be that guy. At the same time, check out your fire extinguishers.
Take some time to go through your fishing gear and clean everything. Take stock of anything you’d like to replace or duplicate, since some of the year’s best fishing shows happen in these early months (for a list of local shows, check out our calendar, pages 26-29).
Go through your lazarettes, cubbies, dock boxes, and stowage lockers. Find anything disgusting? Chuck it; replace it if necessary. A well-organized boat is a well-oiled machine, so take the time to get rid of things that will only slow you down and clutter you up.
And finally, plan your manifest. Where do you want to go this season? What’s on the list? Where will you never visit again? Make a list, and keep it front and center, checking destinations off as you go.
Once springtime does roll around, all you’re going to want to do is be out on your boat. So take the time to get her ready now, and save yourself the time and hassle down the line.
Then, move on to your boat’s accessories. You can wash your dock lines by putting them in a mesh bag or pillow case and washing them in your own machine, but this is only effective if the lines aren’t particularly dirty (dirt can’t escape the pillow case). If you do have disgusting dock lines, pre-soak them in your bath tub before putting them in the washer. And always use the gentle cycle. As for cleaning agents, go with a standard or half dosage of your normal detergent.
Check out your bimini top. Are you missing an annoying ring ding? If so, it’s time to head up to the boat supply store to get yourself covered. Is the canvas fraying in any areas? How’s your mold issue? Grab a soft brush and rinse the canvas or plastic with lukewarm water and a mild solution of soap; then get to scrubbing.
How about your boat cushions? If it’s been a while, you can take the cushion padding and mattresses to a carpet and upholstery cleaner to be fully cleaned for roughly a couple hundred dollars. But if the foam hasn’t deteriorated, we’ve heard you can also throw them in the back of your truck and run through the car wash, spraying them with a pressure washer for the price of a few quarters. Afterward, squeeze the water out and prop them in a clean, dry place in the sunlight.
If you have marine vinyl cushions, no reason why they shouldn’t look brand spankin’ new. Make sure you clean them thoroughly and then use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to scrub the tough spots. Spray them with a vinyl protectant to protect the coating of vinyl.
Next, ask yourself about batteries, for everything from the television remote to the fire alarms. Ever hear the story about the guy who ruined his family’s vacation in St. Michaels by spending the entire time searching for a D-cell battery? Don’t be that guy. At the same time, check out your fire extinguishers.
Take some time to go through your fishing gear and clean everything. Take stock of anything you’d like to replace or duplicate, since some of the year’s best fishing shows happen in these early months (for a list of local shows, check out our calendar, pages 26-29).
Go through your lazarettes, cubbies, dock boxes, and stowage lockers. Find anything disgusting? Chuck it; replace it if necessary. A well-organized boat is a well-oiled machine, so take the time to get rid of things that will only slow you down and clutter you up.
And finally, plan your manifest. Where do you want to go this season? What’s on the list? Where will you never visit again? Make a list, and keep it front and center, checking destinations off as you go.
Once springtime does roll around, all you’re going to want to do is be out on your boat. So take the time to get her ready now, and save yourself the time and hassle down the line.