Keep safe.To prevent a sinking, here are ten tips from the boat owner’s group:1: For inboard-outboard powered boats, inspect sterndrive bellows annually and replace every three to five years. The shift bellows is usually the first to fail.
2: For inboard powered boats, check the stuffing box every time you visit the boat, and repack – rather than simply tighten down the nut – every spring.
3: For engines with raw water hoses, replace them the moment they indicate wear – such as when small cracks appear or they feel “spongy” when squeezed. Rusty hose clamps are also a concern and should be replaced.
4: Replace the engine cooling system impeller every two to three years.
5: Inspect the boat’s cockpit and live well plumbing – again look at hoses, clamps, and cracked or broken fittings. Make sure you can inspect all such plumbing, and if you can’t, install inspection ports to make the task easier.
6: Each season take are hard look at all below-waterline fittings, hoses, and clamps.
7: Don’t forget the drain plug – you knew this one would be on the list.
8: Keep a good lookout and ask guests to help keep their eyes peeled for deadheads. If you’ve grounded or hit something, consider a short-haul to inspect the bottom or drive gear.
9: Always pull trailerable boats from the water when storms are forecast. These boats generally have too little freeboard to stand up to any kind of wave action.
10: Dock line management systems that keep the boat centered in its slip can prevent snags that sometimes lead to a sinking.