• Spring-Line

• The "Wicca" Chronicles

"Spring-Line"

by Doug Taylor

elcome to the first incarnation of SPRING-LINE in HARBOR WATCH. This column is intended to provide information, tid-bits, ruminations, and trivia about boating and water safety for the recreational power and sail boating community on Lake Champlain. We will attempt to find topics of interest to fill this space on a regularly-sporadic basis. One of the best parts of teaching boating safety for the Power Squadron over the past 14 years, was sharing the experiences of class members, and I'd like to continue something similar here. If you have an item regarding safe boating, or if you want to share a particularly unsafe boating practice you might have witnessed on our fair waterways, drop me an e-mail at harbor@together.net. We'll try to pass on the information or work the topic into a future column.

Speaking of boating safety classes; congratulations to all those highly motivated and far thinking individuals that participated in or completed either the Power Squadron or Coast Guard Auxiliary's boating safety classes this Spring in the Burlington area. According to information from both organizations, there are another 100 or so newly educated Vermont boaters on our lakes and rivers. Both organizations will be holding classes again in the fall. You'll find details in this column as we get closer to the respective class starting dates, but its not too early to start planning to take one of these very worthwhile courses.

As the first 1996 issue of Harbor Watch goes to press, most of us are trying to put the finishing touches on our spring commissioning chores. Despite the rush to get the old scow in the water for another season, now is a good time to go over all the equipment and systems that you rely on for a safe boating season.

It's a well known, but little understood law of boat gear that it costs twice as much as soon as they put "marine" on the label, that every piece of equipment and system on your boat will work fine until the time comes that you need it in an emergency, and then it will quit. Invariably, later you will find that a little bit of maintenance on the failed gear would have prevented its giving up the ghost just when you needed it to pull your buns out of a tight jam. Here are some maintenance items to put on your list that might prevent you from having a really bad day on the water.

PFD'S (life preservers) - You know, those orange colored things that are uncomfortable to wear, and are either 1) still wrapped in the clear plastic bag they came in or 2) covered with mildew having been stowed in a compartment where they get soaked in bilge water and never see the light of day.

Well, take them out of the bag, or clean them up and dry them off, and check that each of the fasteners and straps are still tightly attached to the PFD. Check for rips or tears, and make sure that the flotation part is not deteriorated or damaged. Now, here is the best part. For yourself and regular crew, put a PFD on. Note they come in different sizes. Find one that is the right size and adjust the straps for a comfortable fit. Mark the crew member's name with a water-proof marker on the PFD and put it where it will be easy to get to and the name will be visible. Now, when you really need these, usually in a moment of panic, you won't have to deal with finding a PFD that is the right size or spend time adjusting the straps. Of course, it's really best to wear these all the time when on the water. We'll talk in a later column about new approved inflatable PFDS that are more comfortable to wear.

Fire extinguishers - Federal law requires you to have mounted fire extinguishers; the number and size depending on boat length (see the USCG pamphlet Required Equipment for Recreational Vessels). But what about maintenance on these? To start, make sure the mounting brackets haven't come loose. Also, during winter lay-up or storage, the powder in dri-chem extinguishers can become packed and caked. Hold each extinguisher upside down and give the body of the extinguisher a good couple of raps to dislodge any packed dri-chem. It's a good idea to recharge (or with the smaller dri-chems it's cheaper to replace) your extinguishers every couple of years. Always recharge or replace a partially discharged extinguisher immediately. Clean out the nozzles of the extinguishers. Sometimes during lay-up, they become homes for unwanted creatures such as mud-wasps.

So what do you do with the old extinguishers before you recharge or replace them? Well, how about some crew (or skipper) training?

Build a small, contained, wood fire, and have everyone practice putting out the fire using the old extinguisher; making sure they know how to take it off the bracket, remove the safety pin, and discharge the extinguisher at the fire per the directions. You probably want to do this at home as most boat yards and marinas will have a real hissy fit if you start a fire in their storage yard or on their docks, even if it is in the name of safety.

From personal experience, it's a very warm fuzzy knowing that you and your crew know how to operate the extinguishers if a boat fire breaks out. There is precious little time to ask questions or take time to read the directions when the cabin top is becoming engulfed in flames from the grease fire on the galley stove.

Electrical Systems - There are all kinds of electrical systems needed for safe boat operation from your running lights and automatic bilge pump to instruments and VHF radio. Now is the time to go through the wiring and check all the connections for loose fittings or corrosion. While you're at it, don't forget to check out your bilge vent blowers and tighten the connections to the ignition switch, alternator, battery switch and other safety gear such as fuel shut off solenoid valves.

If you have never done this before, this experience will teach you a lot about the electrical systems in your boat. That knowledge will make electrical repairs easier. If you don't feel competent to check these systems yourself, then by all means have your marina or boat dealer maintenance department perform the task. Watch and learn if possible.

Fuel Systems - While you are crawling around in the boat checking wiring, pay some attention to the fuel system components. Start with the built-in fuel tank. Check the fill pipe for cracks or loose fittings that would allow fuel to leak, and make sure the ground wire from the deck-fill to the tank is in good shape. After all, static charge build up while fueling can lead to some interesting pyrotechnic displays at the gas dock (we're talking much better than fourth of July fireworks here, folks.) Also check out the tank for signs of corrosion or any loose connections. Next, spend some time with the fuel lines, looking for any places that are worn or cracked. Obviously replace any damaged fuel lines, and then go through and tighten all connections, hose clamps, and any other component associated with the fuel system. If you have a galley stove, perform the same inspections and maintenance for its fuel supply.

Other Safety Gear - While you crawling around, banging up you knees, hitting your head and generally forcing your body into places it doesn't want to fit at weird angles that will leave you stiff for days, check and clean the back flame arrester on inboard gas engines. Don't forget to check the thru-hulls and hoses associated with engine cooling, sink drains, head flush intake, etc. It might be a good idea to double hose clamp these fittings, a recommended safety practice that few manufacturers seem to take to heart. (How much do an extra couple of hose clamps cost?) And finally, not least, check your steering system, cables, pulleys, hydraulics, whatever, and give the appropriate components a good lubricating to make sure they don't seize up during the season.

If you need to take a break from the contortions of the above, get out the flare kit. See those dates stamped on each flare? Those are the expiration dates. Its a good idea to have the minimum requirement of flares (again see the USCG required equipment pamphlet) with un-expired dates. But if the old ones seem in good shape, don't throw them away. We'll talk about what you can do with those in a later column.

Of course there's lots of other equipment that have safety functions (anchors, lines, fenders, etc.) that need to be inspected. And if all this seems a bit much or if you are new to boating and aren't sure about what is required or what's safe, do I have a deal for you! They say usually you get what you pay for, but in this case here is something free that is really worthwhile. It's called a Courtesy Marine Exam and it's given by the Coast Guard Auxiliary. These trained volunteers will go over your boat and look at your equipment. If everything is ship-shape, they will award you with a CME decal to display on the boat. The Coast Guard and knowledgeable local law enforcement officers recognize this sticker and unless you are doing something very dumb on the water, generally will pass you up for a boarding inspection. If the Auxiliary folks find something amiss, then they just tell you about it... no ticket, no notice to the USCG or local police. And after you correct the problem, they will come back and award the sticker.

Its bad timing on this column's part that the Auxiliary was out in force, performing CME's last weekend as part of National Safe Boating Week. You may have seen them at the Mallets Bay access or the Burlington Boathouse. However, they are still around. To find out where, or make arrangements for a CME for your boat, contact Auxiliary member Ed Merrill at 878-6619.

That's enough commissioning suggestions for one reading, In our next column, some time in June, we will talk about recent changes to boating law, including changes regarding inflatable PFD's and VHF radio station licenses. We'll discuss what to do with those emergency flares with the expired dates, plus share any letters and experiences (PG only) that you care to send me on line.