Spring Commissioning

For the last three months I’ve been going over the boat getting it i Sails
ready for the epic voyages planned for this summer. In the As for the sails the checks are fairly simple but time consuming
process I realized that I didn’t really have what you might calla if you inspect the stitching at all the seams, which really
checklist for anything I was doing. Years of doing the same shouldn’t be necessary. What may be needed is to look for signs
chores year after year had made me complacent, and now that of chafe in areas where lines rub across the stitching.
I’m getting older (I use this as a comparative term only) I find ; 2 Engine
that my steel-trap memory has rusty springs. Not a good thing The engine checklist depends on your engine; gas and diesel will
when it could severely limit the scope of epic anything! have different checks so we’ll only cover the basics on this one.
So where do you start? After giving it some thought I They are; air, fuel, exhaust, oil, coolant, and zincs.
decided that the checklist should follow the priority of necessity. 2) Alll engines have some form of intake screen or filter. It has to
Given that reasoning, my sequence of checklists was; boat hull, ¢ clean, and not restrict the airflow, especially for a diesel.
spars and rigging, sails, engine, safety equipment and navigation Check it.
equipment. Starting with the boat hull was obvious, if the boat _) If you topped off the fuel tank last fall like you should have,
doesn’t float you don’t have to worry about any of the rest of the you probably won’t have any issues with the fuel. If you didn’t
items. there is a possibility you have moisture or algae in the tank.
Boat Hull Make sure you have the appropriate clean fuel filters installed

The hull checklist would depend on the boat but should look like and have at least one set of spares aboard. Now, do you know
this: how to change them?
a) Garboard drain plug installed c) Check the exhaust hoses for cracks or other deterioration.
b) Hull caulking and seams in good shape (Your assessment here d) Diesels have a bad habit of leaving serious carbon deposits in
will be confirmed or condemned when the boat is launched, so if the exhaust elbow if run at low RPM for extended periods of
you are brave you can skip this check) time. This build-up causes a gradual loss of power over time
c) Sea cocks greased and closed since the engine can’t expel exhaust gasses easily. When was the
d) Double clamps on all connections below the waterline last time you checked it?
e) Hose clamps not showing any rust e) Change the oil. Even if you changed it last fall.
f) Propeller shaft stuffing box packing adjusted (When was the _f) Unless you are using an extended life anti-freeze you need to
last time the packing was checked?) change it. Anti-freeze contains several additives that provide
g) Rudder post packing adjusted coolant pump lubrication, acid reducers, rust inhibitors and other
h) Deck caulking in good condition especially over the berths! benefits to the engine that are depleted over time.
I) Deck hardware bedded and well fastened g) Most heat exchangers, both oil cooler and engine cooler, have

Spars and Rigging pencil zincs in the primary (salt-water) side. If they have been
The spars and rigging (with the sails of course) provide the reduced by more than half of their mass play it safe and replace
motive force for the boat so they come next. The things to check —_ them. Save yourself a potentially costly heat exchanger replace-
should include: ment or worse, engine replacement.
a) Checks and splits in the spars should not have grown worse Safety Equipment
over the winter, if they have they may need structural repair. Now that we have checked the major items needed to keep the
b) Check for loose or missing fittings, you know the ones that _ boat afloat and make it go we need to do so safely. The key to
were removed in the fall when you intended to refinish but never safety is preparation. All the things we’ve checked contribute to
got around to it. Try looking in the recycled peanut butter jar on safety but there are several pieces of safety equipment needed to
the back of the workbench, or the bottom of the tool bag. There ensure you can handle an emergency. Your safety equipment
are several options. Be creative! checklist should include:
c) How about those frayed lines you noticed last year, time to _a) Class I or I life jackets for the number of people you plan on
replace them? having aboard.
d) And when was the last time you put on a heavy glove and b) A working VHF radio and the know-how to broadcast a
inspected the wire standing rigging for excessive wear or broken © “MAYDAY”
strands in the form of “fish hooks”? c) Fire extinguishers capable of fighting class A (wood, cloth,
e) Check the blocks for free-running sheaves and excessive wear. _etc.), B (fuels, oil), and C (electrical) fires.
It might be time for a little maintenance. d) A good bilge pump and perhaps a good bucket too. (Buckets
f) Are the turnbuckle threads clean and well lubricated? Do you rarely fail or clog. A scared person with a bucket can move a lot
have the correct cotter pins? of water!).

e) An anchor.

Most folks don’t view navigation equipment as “Safety” gear,
but if you do find yourself in a bad situation, rescue will be a lot
more effective if the responder knows where you are. GPS and
Loran are good tools. They can give you a good position in a
reasonably short time. Battery powered GPS should be part of
your emergency kit.

See you safely on the water!