Wet winters may produce the kind of moisture boats don’t need — especially ones that spent the off-season in the water. To make sure your boat keeps floating, check on it periodically.

There are important safety concerns for winter and early spring checkups for in-water boats. Most importantly, take someone along when making a boat visit and wear lifejackets.

Note that heavy snow on covers or tarps add tremendous weight, so attempt to brush or otherwise slide off snow and ice, rather than lifting. Never chip it away or your implement may cause damage! Always keep one hand on the boat when adjusting covers or lines that are difficult to reach.

When the interior is accessible, look for these signs of potential vulnerability:

• Cracked or weak hoses for the head, AC, muffler, and exhaust
• Corroded or cracked thru-hull fittings and corroded or cracked bolts
• Debris in the scuppers
• Drips, cracks, blisters, rips, and holes
• Dried-out caulking around hatches and ports
• Misaligned coolant lines
• Seacocks frozen open or shut
• Drain plug missing or ill fitting
• Corrosion or shifted strainer
• Rust streaks on the outside of the manifold
• Shift or loss of stuffing box packing
• Shafts out of alignment

Repair and replace as required. Finally, before departing, rearrange or add extra bumpers to fend off further damage during spring storms.