Greetings fellow mariners,
For those of you who decided to take yourselves off the water for winter, pooped her in the boatyard and tucked her up for the winter as I see many owners do, I thought it timely to offer some thoughts on getting your pride and joy ready as the new season begins.
Why am I doing this? A bit of background;
The latest figures available on RNLI call outs is 2022
The RNLI was launched to 1,007 vessels with machinery or equipment problems, including engine failure, with 591 being motorboats and 411 being sailing yachts.
Total RNLI launches: In 2022 - 9,312. our 2 local RNLI stations each reported that the mechanical failures were easily preventable with maintenance as the common solution. For those that argue 10.8% is a very small percentage of call outs, consider this, every volunteer crew member is being put at risk because a vessel wasn't maintained. I could go on but I think you get the message.
Engine bay and Hull fittings
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Belts and drive wheels - If you decided to slacken or remove belts and to protect drive wheels, now’s the time to refit them correctly. Replace worn or frayed belts. Stern gland and shaft seals -Inspect and repack with grease if appropriate. Note, there are many types so make sure you know what is fitted and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Impeller - Impeller faults are a common cause of engine overheating and failure. Consider a preventative replacement as it may well have deformed if not removed or been used over winter. Gearbox - Check the gearbox/outdrive oil and replace if it looks cloudy or milky. Check that forward and reverse can be selected and all control cables function correctly. Coolant - Top up or fill the freshwater cooling system if it was drained and add antifreeze. Antifreeze is an excellent corrosion inhibitor and water pump lubricant. While you are at it, check all hoses to ensure they have not hardened or cracked and that clips are tight. Engine oil - Check and change if not done at lay-up. Filters - Oil and fuel filters should be replaced if not done at lay-up. Think about carrying spares. If you blocked the air intake with an oily rag to prevent rusting, remove it and refit a new air filter. Anodes - Inspect anodes if possible and replace if less than half is left. Sea cocks - Work sea cocks to ensure you can open and close them, lubricate if necessary. Make sure hoses are clamped and serviceable. Ensure bilge pumps work as intended Prop guard and rope cutters (if fitted) - are they serviceable. |
Safety equipment
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Lifejacket service - Ensure that your lifejacket is serviced according to the manufacturer’s instructions and by an approved service agent. Liferaft service - If you own your life raft - Ensure that your liferaft is serviced according to the manufacturer’s instructions and by an approved service agent. Servicing can be expensive, but it is a false economy to compromise on this and some of the equipment contained within a liferaft has a limited life expectancy If your life raft is hired make sure it is in date for servicing. Torch batteries - best to buy new rather than replace with some that have been tucked up in the drawer for a while. It is also worthwhile checking spare torch lamps are ok as well. Alarms tested and batteries replaced Distress signalling equipment - is your flare pack in date, is it dry? If not, time to replace. If you have to replace, don't forget to ask if the seller will take your out of date flares in the exchange. Fire extinguishers - in date? If not get them serviced. Is the fire blanket as you left it? First aid supplies - in date? Never use out of date medications. return to pharmacy, let the pharmacy dispose of them for you. Electronic flares - If you have gone down the EVDS (Electronic Visual Distress Signals) route - change the batteries with new rather than those from your battery store that may have been there for quite some time. Emergency steering (for wheeled steered vessels) - when did you last rig and test it? If it has been a while - set it up and make sure you remember how to do it. Equipment to deal with water ingress - Bucket with a strong lanyard (collapsable buckets are not recommended for this purpose), bungs, wedges, ram clams etc. Emergency VHF Ariel for fixed VHF SART / AIS Sart - change the batteries with new rather than those from your battery store that may have been there for quite some time. AIS if fitted - does it work EPIRB - (406MHz is preferred) - change batteries - for those of you not sure if you need one - an EPIRB could mean the difference between surviving an incident at sea and losing your life. This could be because you are in a communications “hole” or because your boat has lost its VHF communications (through for example losing the VHF antenna e.g. in a dismasting, electrical failure or sinking); you don’t necessarily need to be hundreds of miles off shore and miles away from other vessels to be thankful of an EPIRB. Sea anchor/ Drogue - also known as a parachute anchor, Used to stop a boat's drift and keep it facing into the wind and waves, allowing the boat to "ride" the waves more comfortably. while a drogue, deployed from the stern, slows the boat and maintains a steady heading downwind |
Electrics
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Engine batteries - top up electrolyte and fully charge.
Check nav lights are secure and working - where are the spare lamps
Chart plotter and radio - check they work - where are the spare fuses?
Kill cord and spare - check for integrity, does the safety system work?
Waterproof torch and spare batteries - does it work - replace the batteries with new.
Searchlight - does it work - replace the batteries with new.
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Upper deck
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Clean and grease winches, check pawls and springs. Where fitted, check chain plates and standing rigging to ensure there are no broken strands and that turnbuckles are tight. Make sure cockpit drains are clear.
Anchor and cable / Warp - Is the anchor cable and warp secured to the vessel, is it still marked as you remember is it fit for purpose?
Winch / windlass handle - does it work?
Boarding ladder - fit and test it.
Mooring lines - Open the lay, check for rot and broken fibres. replace as necessary.
Fenders - check the lines for damage.
Tow rope - Open the lay, check for rot and broken fibres, replace as necessary.
Radar reflector mounted correctly and secure.
Tender (if you have one), inflate, fit the engine make sure it all works.
Spare fuel in appropriate storage, Is it old fuel? Petrol (E10) is hydroscopic, consider replacing.
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Below deck
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Fresh water systems - Inspect pipework, filters and drains and refill the system taking care to remove airlocks. If you left water in the tank assume it is now no longer safe to use, drain tank, clean, flush then refill with fresh water consider adding a mild chlorine solution. Carbon Monoxide detector - `Test - Is it in date? Do the batteries need changing? Grab bag - For those of you who have grab bags check it, for those of you not convinced you need one - consider it. Prepare a list of the things to fill the grab bag with. The goal should be to ensure you are rescued alive having spent the shortest possible time in the liferaft. The order of priority is therefore: Items that will help you to ensure you plight is known and assist with your location Your liferaft should have a whole pile of resources in it, check its contents list then consider what else you need - rather than want for the grab bag - extra flares; cyalume sticks; inflatable radar reflector; life-saving signals (SOLAS 2) card; repair kit; bailer; sponges; safety knife; TPA's / survival bags; signalling mirror; GPS; EPIRB / PLB; SART; waterproof handheld VHF and spare batteries; waterproof torch with spare batteries and bulb; second sea anchor / drogue; tin opener; first aid kit and sun protection; food; seasickness tablets, polythene bags and method for sealing them; strobe light; medical supplies for pre-existing medical conditions; spare spectacles; wet note book with pencil and a spare; powerful (mouth operated) whistle (I love the fox 40); water (or hand operated desalinator and containers for the water) top tip, if the bottles are only 3/4 filled they will float; warm clothing including hat and gloves; wet wipes; clock / watch; compass; charts; ships papers and insurance documents; vital personal items such as passports, house keys, mobile phones; money and credit cards. possibly consider a solar charged power bank. This list is not exhaustive, don't get carried away. The size of the waterproof grab bag will determine what goes in. |
Navigation equipment
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Charts
Chart plotter
Radar if fitted does it work, is it calibrated to your preferences?
Relevant publications to the area(s) you will be operating in (Almanac, tide tables, pilot books etc.)
Navigation instruments
Hand bearing compass
Fixed steering compass (don't forget the deviation card)
Logbook
Accurate clock or watch
Binoculars
Echo sounder
Log
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This long, long list of getting her ready for your first trip is not exhaustive. I am hoping it does give you an idea of what you should be doing to get yourself going.
Have a great season.
Greetings fellow mariners. Back in October I wrote an article about owning a boat verses being in a boat club. Since then, I have had many emails thanking me for such a detailed piece on the pros and cons.
Yesterday, I received an email from a company I know well having done my advanced powerboat course and CoC exam with them. They have since developed another arm to their very successful company offering another option, Boatshare, Link to their website Here
Greetings fellow mariners, I was reading through the latest RYA email, it took me back to a recent conversation with some students that happened to be going out to execute their first passage plan when they spotted in the lock with us, a couple of vessels where the entire crews had no lifejackets on. Given my recollection of their following conversation, and as we approach the new season. I thought it timely and worth sharing some of the more important aspects of that email
We have spent a great deal of time fault finding and getting the lift and thrust engines to be reliable. We have replaced many original elements. We discovered the engine mounts were very much in need of attention, the lift engine was only just attached to the craft and the thrust engine mounts were quite loose and the exhaust had several holes in it.
Meet Light Of Elizabeth, she is on loan to me. We are doing some training for students new to the world of hovercrafting and have the most fantastic land training site not far from Bridgwater in Somerset with some open water training from Weston Super Mare.
Greetings, Back alongside after a very pleasant night passage having an evening meal and working my way through emails. I came across one from the Savvy Navvy crew reminding me about their 'you tube' channel which prompted me to go have another look.
For those of you using Savvy Navvy, I would encourage you to while away some time visiting their site and working your way through their various top tips and tutorials, you will find them very informative.
I hope you manage to get out on your pride and joy during the festive period, whatever you end up doing, safe travels.
Greetings fellow mariners
I met some of the Savvy Navvy crew recently, it was good to have a face to face catch up and put faces to email addresses. For those of you yet to discover Savvy Navvy, have a look here,
Greetings fellow mariners.
I mentioned earlier in the blog about boat clubs when I introduced you to Powerboat Club UK and Freedom Boat Club. I was at the Southampton Boatshow last week and came across two more boat clubs to add to the list. I thought it time to investigate a little deeper to see if it really did represent value for money.
Heads up fellow mariners.
The next round of the Trinity House RYA Yachtmaster Scholarship awards Closes Sept 20. Look Here for further details and the link to the application form.
Good Luck!!
With the end of summer almost upon us, I thought it time to answer the question I have been asked the most over the last few weeks.
What are the minimum legal requirements aboard a private vessel?
In the UK, it's surprisingly easy to buy a boat and navigate both inland waterways and the open sea.
I have, like many of you downloaded a bazillion compass apps over the years. I have the pleasure to introduce you to one I have downloaded, used a great deal on land and at sea and kept.
The Compass Eye
This is a compass that has some great features. It has the ability to use the camera on your phone. When the phone is held up as though taking a photo, you get a compass overlay on the view screen with the option to take a 3 point fix,
Greetings fellow Mariners
It has been almost a year since I started question of the week and the monthly quiz. I am planning ahead and looking for feedback and thoughts on what you would like to see covered, either in questions of the week, or the monthly quiz.
Please email me you thoughts.
Greetings fellow or aspiring mariners. I was reading an article about today about the TrinityHouse/RYA Yachtmaster Scholarship and thought it worth a share.
For those of you interested in a career in the maritime world have a look at this article , should you decide to apply, I wish you good fortune.
After a conversation with a friend about being aware of your surroundings, especially at night, and recounting some very close calls, I decided to share some thoughts on judging distance.
We know that a vessel with a constant relative bearing and a closing distance is going to end up on our fo'c'sle, which is never a good thing.
Today marks the beginning of Astronomical Winter and the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere (if you happen to live in the Southern Hemisphere, welcome to your longest day!). Daylight hours where I am in the UK today is 7 hrs 49 mins.
On the plus side, from tomorrow - summer is on its way.
Have a great day
Greetings fellow mariners, I have had occasion recently to talk with students about the pros and cons of owning a boat. I have had a few in the past that were desperate to be in the boating world but didn't want or have the desire to own a boat outright.
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In the December quiz, there is a question about the Northwest Passage. I found this YouTube video clip of a trip through the passage from Greenland to Alaska that I thought you might enjoy. |
Ahoy Stuart
Have you ever dreamt of feeling the wind in your hair, the sun on your face, and the waves beneath you as you carve through the open waters on a powerful, sleek powerboat?
Well, you're in for a treat that will make those dreams come true!
Welcome to Meteorological winter - for those of you unsure what it is, our year is divided into 4 meteorological periods each of 3 months duration. These seasons are split to coincide with our Gregorian calendar, making it easier for meteorological observing and forecasting to compare seasonal and monthly statistics. Winter starts Dec 01 and finishes at the end of February.
I had this awesome picture come through on a recent email from powerboat club.uk, thought I should share it not just because it's a great picture but as a reminder that despite the recent weather, there are some great places to visit out there.
Greetings fellow mariners.
At 0650 today we said goodbye to celestial summer and hello to celestial autumn. What does that mean? The September equinox is the moment the sun appears to cross the celestial equator (the celestial equator is a projection of the terrestrial equator into outer space).
Greetings fellow mariners. I was at the Southmpton Boatshow a few days ago - if you have not been, consider adding it to your to do list for next year, well worth the visit.
I came across this article and thought it worth a share.
In 1831, a 22 year old impressionable Charles Darwin boarded HMS BEAGLE to set sail on perhaps the most important event of his life. Many of us know the story that is now very firmly in our history books "On the Origin of Species".
I came across this and thought it worth a share.
This happened on the evening of December 30, 1899, as a vessel was once more making the crossing from Vancouver to Sydney. By chance, the ship was just a few nautical miles from the intersection of the equator and the date line.
On this particular occasion it was reported that this vessel achieved the following claims to fame......
Follow this link for the story A special claim to fame I will leave it to you to decide if it really happened.
(thank you to Big Think for a great share)
This months quiz is a look mainly at IRPCS with a couple of others thrown in to keep you on your toes, enjoy.
June 01 is here at last, welcome to meteorological summer, the jet stream is well to the north of the UK giving us a relatively stable high pressure and as we know high pressure gives us some lovely weather. Don't get too excited,Glastonbury is not very far away and if history is anything to go by, it's usually a mud bath which means rain within the next 2 - 3 weeks. Enjoy the sun whilst it's here.
This months quiz is all about chart abbreviations and symbols. Hope you enjoy it.
I had the misfortune to be out in the Estuary recently to see a couple of RiBs and 2 PWC's in company. Whilst it was sunny when I saw them,
Happy Spring Equinox day. For those of you unsure what that means, it is when the sun moves over the celestial equator as it heads north giving us a day of equal equal night and day, the time it passes over will be 2124 (it is also the start of Astronomical Spring). For those of you interested in a bit more information about the difference between astronomical and meteorological seasons along with a Solstice have a look at this website for some really good descriptions. Almanac.com.
It is also the International Day of Happiness. It is said to represent a shift in global attitudes towards wellbeing and the recognition of happiness as a human right.
Have a great day.
One of the questions I am often asked is about flags and are they still used in today's modern society.
Spring is here - although my garden flowers and rhubarb are suggesting it has been here for a little while!
However, with the SSW (Sudden Stratospheric Warming) a couple of weeks ago and its looming effects, I know it won't quite feel like spring in a couple of weeks, I hope you are ready for some chilly weather. The Balearic Islands are still reeling from the impressive rare dumping of snow courtesy of storm Juliette yesterday (their last notable snow was seven days of snow in 1956 and two days in 2012).
I mentioned in an earlier blog about the monster tide this month. We took ourselves for a potter just after sunrise and made a short video. Hope you enjoy it.
There are occasions when we need to be able to work out how much water we will have below us at a specific time - perhaps when there is a need to cross a bar or go over an area that has several drying heights or possibly for your mast or superstructure to clear a bridge or power cables. This quiz will help you master the calculations.
February has arrived with a bang. Two highlights of the month for me are:
1. The second highest tide of the year at Avonmouth on the 22nd with a predicted range of 14.3m, I will try to be there for some photos. (the next monster spring tide will overnight on 30th September with a predicted 14.5m).
Happy New year to you all. Our quiz this month is all about lights and buoys, enjoy!
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Our December quiz is a mixed bag of questions, some aimed at Day Skipper level. Enjoy |
As the year draws to a close and your pride and joy comes out of the water for a winter maintenance period. Although I am not so sure that working on your boat in the yard when it's uncomfortable, cold, wet and the days are short is a better option
I expect you all know what these sound signals mean (Well, I hope you do!)
Well into the month and it's all go despite the weather. I recently read a useful article the RYA put out about not being afraid of the dark, I'd encourage you to
My goodness the weather has announced October already, where has the summer gone? it has been a busy time for the team. Thanks to the great weather, our main site at Cromhall, in addition to the usual plethora of courses, has been inundated with swimmers and divers as well as hosting some great swimming and triathlon events.
Here is a tides quiz aimed at day skipper level, enjoy.
Things to consider in early August there is a heatwave forecast until mid month. Be mindful of your time on the water, consider adding more water and sunscreen to the stores list on your passage plan.
As we approach the end of June and look forward to the summer holidays, our courses have rapidly filled up. We have put on extra courses to accommodate the inquiries we have had.
We now have 4 vessels at the Marina,
This quiz is for those of you perhaps considering refreshing your PB L2 theory or maybe as a taster for those of you considering a PB L2 course.
Enjoy
Another L2 course as we move towards the end of May. Our students had a whole pile of questions to start the day off, ranging from how do I come alongside without embarrassing myself to why are there 2 propellors on my engine and many more. I could see it was going to be a good course.
"Happy as a sand boy". On a riverbank in Bristol, on the site of the original harbour opposite the Thekla, not far from where the replica Mathew was built is a pub called The Ostrich. The Inn stands next to the Redcliffe Caves,
Thanks to the stunning weather, another great weekend for a PowerBoat course.
Interesting videos - these may lead you to explore other videos, be prepared to fall down the YouTube rabbit hole !
Websites for Mariners - These are a few examples of websites you may find useful in enhancing your knowledge base. There are many more out there, consider this a start.
Apps you may wish to consider - there are many, many more, these are a few examples that may encourage you to explore what’s out there.
This quiz is to help you fathom the delicate balance of you verses the sea when it all goes horribly wrong. Enjoy.
A Level 2 student getting to grips with the challenges of steming a buoy in a 6 knot current
