It’s time to check up on your stored vessel while in the midst of her long winter nap.
How your boat fares over the long and (in some cases) brutal winter will help ensure a timely spring launch. However, checking on a boat during winter requires unique seasonal safeguards to avoid injury or even a fatal incident.
According to the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, there are eight tips for checking on your boat safely.
- If your boat is stored in the water, consider making a visit with a friend. Otherwise, there’s a good chance that no one will hear a potential call for help if you accidentally slip and fall into the water.
- Note where the dock ladders are located.
- Wear a life jacket. A simple little slip could have big consequences, and a life jacket buys you the time for self-rescue.
- Fluffy snow can be deceptively slick, so wear shoes or boots with traction. (According to BoatUS Marine Insurance, slip and falls are a common claim occurring in a marina.)
- Be extremely careful if using a ladder when boarding a boat stored in the marina yard or on a trailer. Ensure that it is firmly planted, secure it with a line at the top to avoid shifting, and have a friend hold it when you’re ascending and descending. Use a bucket and a line tied to a cleat to help move tools and supplies to keep your hands free to hold the ladder.
- Heavy snow loads add tremendous weight. Ensure any tarps or coverings haven’t come loose and that there’s enough pitch remaining to slough off snow and ice. Always keep one hand on the boat when adjusting covers or lines that are difficult to reach.
- Check jack stands to ensure they haven’t moved, but don’t ever attempt to move or adjust one by yourself—that’s the marina’s job. Do not tie tarps to stands as winds could pull them out.
- Shoveling or chipping away ice on your boat may cause damage. A stiff broom is best to clear a path.
More tips on winter boat storage: https://www.boatus.com/expert-advice/how-to-diy/winterization.
Photo courtesy BoatUS
