{"id":324,"date":"2013-02-10T22:59:17","date_gmt":"2013-02-11T03:59:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/?p=324"},"modified":"2015-07-12T14:04:03","modified_gmt":"2015-07-12T18:04:03","slug":"visit-your-boat-in-midwinter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/2013\/02\/visit-your-boat-in-midwinter\/","title":{"rendered":"Visit Your Boat In Midwinter"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Chafe<\/a>If your boat is winterized afloat, be sure to check the chafe gear on the dock lines.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

First published in several Maryland newspapers, 2\/10\/89 \u0004\u000e<\/span><\/p>\n

Visit your boat in midwinter<\/strong><\/span>
\n \u0004\u000e\u0003by \u0004\u000e\bTom Dove<\/span><\/p>\n

She is sitting out there patiently waiting for you. All she needs is a little attention and a few kind words and she will repay \u0004\u001cyou next summer with support in your stormiest hours, shelter \u0004\u001cfrom the outside world and absolute dedication to your safety, \u0004\u001c\u001ecomfort and mental well-being. \u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

Go see your boat this week. It will be good for both of you.\u0004\u001c\u00a0Although the winter has been a mild one, it is not over yet \u0004\u001cand cabin fever hits us all about this time. There are several \u0004\u001cways you can use your boat, even if it is too cold to take it out on \u0004\u001cthe water.<\/span><\/p>\n

When there is a break in the weather, slip down to the boat, \u0004\u001cgo aboard with a book, light the stove for a bit of warmth and \u0004\u001cread for a while. This is guaranteed to lift your spirits, especially \u0004\u001cif your vessel is afloat and you can remind your body of how it feels to rock gently in a snug harbor.\u0005\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

Be sure to have enough ventilation that the stove does not \u0004\u001cdeplete the oxygen supply in the cabin. Carbon monoxide poisoning \u0004\u001c\u001ccould spoil your entire day.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

If the weather is dry, open the cabin and let the air circulate \u0004\u001cthrough the boat to dehumidify it. Fresh air will prevent mildew \u0004\u001cand preserve the hull and upholstery.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have a gasoline engine, this would be a perfect time to \u0004\u001creplace spark plugs and ignition wires that you neglected in the fall \u0004\u001c\u0006layup.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

Is there a small improvement project you could do aboard? \u0004\u001cHow about installing a teak rack to hold the handheld VHF radio or \u0004\u001cchart plotting instruments? Should you replace that broken door \u0004\u001chook or lubricate the drawer slides with wax or silicon spray?\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

It is too cold to take on major projects, but little things that \u0004\u001ccan be done in less than an hour will reduce your spring outfitting \u0004\u001cby that much time and give you a feeling of accomplishment to \u0004\u001c\u0013shorten the winter.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

Did you spray the electrical wiring with silicone spray when \u0004\u001cyou laid up the boat in the fall? Do it now and preserve the entire \u0004\u001csystem. The back of the main electrical panel is the most \u0004\u001cimportant place but remember the battery terminals and engine \u0004\u001c\u001celectrical connections, too.\u0004\u00a0If the batteries are still aboard, check them with a \u0005\u001chygrometer and bring them up to full charge. You will welcome \u0004\u001cyour solar charger now, if you have one. \u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

Be sure water is not collecting anywhere inside the boat. If it \u0004\u001cis stored ashore, be sure it is level so rain and snow run out the \u0004\u001c\u001fnormal cockpit drainage system.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

If your boat is afloat, check the connections of all hoses where \u0004\u001cthey attach to the through-hull fittings. Inspect them for freeze damage and close all except the cockpit drains.\u0004<\/span><\/p>\n

Boats that sleep on land in winter must be properly \u0004\u001csupported. Be sure the jackstands, timbers or cradles are on firm ground and that they press on the hull evenly.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

If your boat is covered, insure that fresh air can get \u0004\u001cunderneath the canvas or plastic tarp so things do not rot and \u0004\u001c\u0007mildew.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

A midwinter visit to the boat can be a welcome break in \u0004\u001cthese short days. I have a ham radio station aboard and often \u0004\u001cspend a half hour or so chatting with other hams around the world until the cold of the cabin gets too severe.\u0004\u001c<\/span><\/p>\n

Tinkering with a boat in midwinter is not as nice as cruising \u0004\u001cthe Bay or chartering in the Caribbean, but it is better than \u0004\u001csulking at home and your boat will respond by being ready for \u0004\u001c\u0018springtime when you are.?\u0004\u0010<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0004\u001c\u000e\u0010– The End —<\/span><\/p>\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If your boat is winterized afloat, be sure to check the chafe gear on the dock lines. First published in several Maryland newspapers, 2\/10\/89 \u0004\u000e Visit your boat in midwinter \u0004\u000e\u0003by \u0004\u000e\bTom Dove She is sitting out there patiently waiting for you. All she needs is a little attention and a few kind words and Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,1],"tags":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=324"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":614,"href":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/324\/revisions\/614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomdove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}