Wouldn’t it be nice if sailboat ownership was all play and no work? Dream on!
There’s no doubt that the joys of sailing vastly outweigh the work required. But as Spring approaches it’s time to do the work necessary to prepare your boat for a fun and safe sailing season. Adequate preparation ensures that the fun outweighs the hardships.
Unfortunately there are sailors that do little or nothing to prepare their boats for the season. Some pay a severe price for this neglect. Boats that aren’t properly commissioned may be subjected to serious hazards during sailing season. The following are just of handful of problems we hear about during the season. These are listed to emphasize the importance of Spring commissioning:
- Underwater fouling and permanent damage
- Blown out sails
- Sinking
- Rigging failure
- Dismasting
- Fire
- Drownings
The best way to commission your boat is to start planning now and then approach commissioning in a systematic, thorough manner: clean, inspect, repair, or replace faulty equipment when necessary.
Underwater fouling. Zebra mussels have become terribly prevalent. These little monsters can attach themselves to any and every underwater section of your boat (including your hull, propeller, shaft, through-hulls, etc.). When they fall in love with your boat and become attached they can turn hard as steel and nearly impossible to remove.
Zebra mussels act like cancer – they grow in places they don’t belong and make it impossible for their hosts to function effectively. Before launching your boat be sure to inspect for the presence of zebra mussels. Be sure their dead crusty remains haven’t inhabited vital areas, and especially through-hulls. If you find them on your boat be sure to remove them so they don’t obstruct important functions.
The most effective way to avoid fouling and permanent damage from zebra mussels and other growth is to prevent it. The best strategy for prevention is to have adequate antifouling on all vulnerable surfaces. The best antifoulants are the soft ablative type. Ablative paint functions like a bar of soap in a bathtub. The surface layer is shed as it passes through water. Zebra mussels that want a free ride on your boat should soon discover that they need to hitch up with someone else whose boat hasn’t been commissioned properly.
Blown out sails. Sails are made of various materials, including Dacron (most common), nylon (especially spinnakers), and plastics (for high performance). They are sewn together with various threads, including low-tech polyester and high-tech materials like Dyneema and Tenara.
As these materials age they wear out. Dacron sails are not supposed to be soft and silky like your bed linens. When they turn soft and silky they are weak, they don’t hold their shape, and they’re likely to rip apart. On calm days they may be fine but when the breeze stiffens they blow out like overinflated balloons. If this happens you will wish they were home covering your bed rather than on your boat pretending to be sails.
Besides the breakdown that occurs in fabric itself, sails can weaken at critical points (for example in the stitching, grommets, layers, slugs, batten pockets, bolt rope, headboard, reefing points, and more). Our Sail and Canvas Loft Manager, Earl Cameron, has written a blog on sail inspection. You can find this great article by clicking on this link.
Sunken boats. According to a study conducted by BoatUS four out of five boats sink while parked at their slips, rather than while underway. In their report they found that 50% resulted from leaks at underwater fittings (e.g., stuffing boxes, failed hoses or hose clamps, sea strainers, drain plugs, air conditioning fittings, gate valves, transducers, mounting bolts, and speedometer impellers). The remaining sinkings resulted from rain, snow accumulations, above-water fittings, and poor docking arrangements. The full BoatUS report can be found by clicking here.
The implications of this BoatUS report are obvious: Inspect all of these vulnerabilities during Spring commissioning. Don’t learn the hard way!
Learning the hard way: Inadequate commissioning!
Rigging failure and dismasting. Several times each season we work with customers whose rigs have failed, often resulting in dismasting. Sometimes boats dismast underway but other times boats dismast right at their slips. All it takes is the rocking, rolling, and jarring of a vessel to push it to its breaking point.
Here are some of the problems that may lead to rig failure:
- Corroded wires and/or fittings
- Broken wire strands
- Chain plate faults (especially bulkhead rotting due to leakage)
- Deteriorated mast or boom welds
- Cotter pins and/or rings missing
- Bent or distressed t-terminals
- Inadequate support under deck-stepped mast
- Curved mast (athwartships)
- Turnbuckle failure
Since these areas are the potential sources of rigging failure be sure to inspect them as part of Spring Commissioning. Make sure that:
- All clevis pins and rigging studs are secured by cotter pins (aloft) and cotter rings (on deck) and taped
- All wire strands are intact with no breaks
- There is no corrosion (brown spots, rust, etc.) on wires or around fittings
- No fasteners (screws, rivets, etc.) are missing from rig
- Spreaders are well secure and balanced
- Mast is straight
- Wires are tensioned evenly and properly
- Turnbuckles are lubricated with McLube and secured with cotter pins
- There are no leaks around your chain plates.
On-board fires. According to another BoatUS study the following are the main causes of boat fires:
- Faulty AC and DC wiring and appliances (55%)
- Engine and transmission overheating (24%)
- Fuel leaks (8%)
- Miscellaneous (7%)
- Unknown (5%)
- Stoves (1%)
Obviously the best thing to do about fires is prevent them. During Spring commissioning be sure to inspect all wiring and look for chafing, cracked or broken insulation, shorts, sources of heating that can melt plastic cover, aging appliances. Check all engine cooling systems to be sure that they are working properly. In particular water passages should not be obstructed, preventing water from passing freely though the cooling process. Fuel lines should be checked for damaged hoses and connections. And all passengers who plan to use on board stoves should be trained in the proper use of these. Perhaps most important, fire extinguishers must be on board, charged, and fully accessible.
Drownings. All drownings are tragic. The most common cause of drowning is the misuse (or the absence of use) of a life jacket. During the process of commissioning be sure to make sure you have all required an optional safety equipment on board you vessel, and especially personal flotation devices (PFDs):
- USCG-approved wearable life jackets for everyone on board (Type I, II, III, or V); these must be the right size for each passenger and fully accessible
- One throwable (type IV) PFD: ring, square, inflatable, etc.
- In some states all children on board a sailing vessel must be tethered to the boat or in an enclosed cabin
For an excellent listing of required safety equipment click on this link.
Miscellaneous. Besides the safety issues listed above there are many other assorted features of your sailboat to consider when commissioning. The following are just a few of these features.
Lifelines. Make sure that they are tensioned properly and that all fittings are adjusted and secure.
Topsides. It’s good to consider aesthetics when commissioning your boat. By maintaining your boat’s beauty you’ll maintain its value. Examine the deck for gelcoat cracks and repair them before they worsen. Thoroughly polish and wax your boat. Besides making it look nice most marine waxes provide excellent UV protection. If your gelcoat has oxidized use compound prior to polishing and waxing. Spray UV protection on select items that are consistently exposed to the sun (e.g., cockpit speakers, compass covers, beverage holders).
Lubricate. It’s important to lubricate moving parts on a sailboat for their protection and to be sure that they continue to move properly. The most popular sailboat lubricant is “Sailkote” (aka “McLube). McLube can safely be sprayed on sails, sail tracks, blocks, telltales, fairleads, lines, and more.
Anchor. During Spring commissioning check your anchor, tackle, and all fittings. Be sure that your anchor is attached to the boat and that all attachment points are secure.
Batteries. In most sailboats batteries are used for various purposes, including: house and navigation lights, sound systems, starters, flashlights, GPSs, VHF radios, and more. During Spring commissioning check all chargeable batteries to make sure they’re charged. And make sure that all other batteries have enough charge to enable their devices to function. And of course make sure that you have plenty of spare batteries on board.
Engine. Ooops, almost forgot the engine! Even on a sailboat you need to commission the engine before the season begins. Check all fluids and filters: open and closed cooling systems, engine oil, fuel. Make sure they’re properly filled and new filters have been installed. Also check belts to make sure they’re not worn out and appropriately tightened. Check the fresh water cooling impeller and make sure fresh cooling water is being pumped out as soon as the engine is started.
The beauty of a blog is that it is a dynamic process rather than just a static report. The above recommendations are certainly not exhaustive. Pleas feel free to use the comments section below to add your ideas and recommendations for Spring commissioning. As always we welcome your input!
I’ve been working on three new seminars for the past month and I’m very excited about them. I will present them for the first time later today at Kansas City Sailing and then again at the Strictly Sail Show in Chicago next weekend. The three topics are “Epoxy/Fiberglass Sailboat Repairs,” “Introduction to Coastal Navigation,” and “Advanced Coastal Navigation.”
