Tips For Maintaining Your Boat By Kristy Bateman
Like anything else, the best way to care for your boat is to take preventative measures. Don't wait until you can barely see your boat under all of the grime that has built up, to decide it needs a good cleaning. Wouldn't you rather spend the nice summer day enjoying your boat instead of cleaning it?
Let’s start topside:
Because the surface of the boat is a gelcoat, it makes regular cleaning easy. This gelcoat can be cleaned with a mild or boat soap, and then rinsed thoroughly with fresh water to prevent build up of soap scum or water spots. Start at the bow and work your way back because boats drain from bow to stern. You can apply a coat of automotive or boat wax twice a year to maintain a nice shine and protect the gelcoat. Only apply to the parts that will not be walked to prevent slipping.
It is important to dry the canvas before storing your boat to avoid moisture damage and mold buildup. To wash the canvas use a dishwashing detergent and a soft scrub brush if necessary. Every so often, you should lubricate snaps with petroleum jelly and zippers with a paraffin wax. You should also periodically treat the canvas with a waterproofing solution to prevent break-down of the material.
Don’t do windows?
Glass windows can be cleaned with a glass cleaner or a water and vinegar solution. To prevent scratches apply a clear silicon spray with a soft cloth.
Vinyl windows should be cleaned with water because chemicals in cleaners can break down the vinyl. After cleaning apply a clear wax.
If you roll up vinyl windows, do it carefully to avoid scratching. Leaving them rolled up for long periods of time will lead to discoloration.
Have a seat:
Upholstery should be wiped down with a wet cloth, removing dirt and salt. Apply a vinyl upholstery cleaner with a damp cloth, rinse, and wipe off with a clean cloth. You should then use an upholstery wax that protects against UV damage. To get rid of nasty mildew stains, use a solution of one part ammonia to four parts water. Scrub the area with a soft or medium brush, and rinse with fresh water.
Secure the line:
Ropes can be damaged by salt, oil, and dirt. It is important to keep these maintained because they are used for many essential purposes. These should be checked regularly, and replaced if there is any sign of deterioration or tears. Because knotting causes access wear on the lines avoid this as much as possible.
Keep the ropes out of direct sunlight when not in use, and rinse them after each use. Ropes can be washed in a washing machine with a mild detergent. Be sure to place them inside a pillowcase first to avoid damage to the machine.
Fender Bender:
Bumpers take the beatings, poundings and sometimes crashes for the side of the boat. Because of this, they are bound to get dirty. Dirt, tar, and grease can be removed with a strong cleanser and scrubbing pad. When using tar remover, test a small area first to check that it is not too abrasive for the plastic.
Quick Tips:
Do not use bleach; it can be too harsh on many of your boat parts Get in the habit of cleaning your boat each time you come in off the water. By cleaning more frequently, you will avoid an enormous cleaning job that could take a whole beautiful day.
Kristy Bateman is the the writer for Earl's Blog on http://www.SellUrBoat.com Her articles are unique and helpful to anyone looking to learn something about boating and or fishing. Please visit http://www.SellUrBoat.com to view other unique articles from Kristy Bateman. http://www.SellUrBoat.com is the simplest solution to buying and selling 'Ur' boat.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Bateman
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Choosing the Right Water Ski Tube
Choosing the Right Water Ski Tube
As summer approaches and the days get warmer, boaters will start to think about their favorite past time, boating. If your family is anything like mine, we tend get very excited about getting out the old water ski tubes. As you pull these tubes out of the shed or garage and start to pump air into them, you may realize, like we did this year, that its time to think about purchasing a new water ski tube. Here are a few tips when considering your new purchase.
Consider the following: Do you need more than one style of tube? My family has several ski tubes for different level riders. Our teenagers are going to be riding a much different tube than the younger children, and a different tube as the older parents. So strongly consider the types of tubes you’ll need.
For more advanced singe riders you may want to think about getting the lower profile deck tubes, such as the Sportsstuff Stunt Flyer or the Airhead Hot Shot. Both of these tubes are low profile, easy to store, and convenient for fitting on you boat while your not riding. Another fun option is the Sportsstuff Acrobat Solo. The Acrobats are taco shaped tubes that have been a very popular tube this season.
If you would like to have a ski tube that can fit more than one rider, you may want to look into the Airhead Matrix V2, or the Sportsstuff Frequent Flyer. Both are two person ski tubes that have a low profile deck. The Matrix V2 has winged sides for excellent maneuverability, and the Frequent Flyer has a large thin deck that makes you feel as if your speeding across the lake about to lift off.
If your looking for a ski tube that would work great for both adults and children, check out the Sportsstuff Mable series. These ski tubes are available in (1 rider) Mable, (2 rider) Big Mable, (3 rider) Super Mable and (4 rider) Great Big Mable sizes. The Mable series feature multiple tow points with lots of handles, and has a high back for more relaxing rides. In the Airhead brand you may want to check out the Airhead Hot Dog. This ski tube is a three-rider, hot dog style tube that is great for relaxing rides either behind your pontoon or you ski boat. This tube is a ton of fun for both adults and children.
Budget minded consumers will find a fantastic value in the Sportsstuff Crazy 8 or Zip Ski tubes. Shaped just like the number 8, the Crazy 8 is like 2 single rider open top tubes together. The Zip Ski is the lowest priced tube available from Sportsstuff, and is a fantastic value. The Sportsstuff Outlaw is another fantastic open top tube that is a 48” triangular 1 person ski tube.
Cockpit tubes provide the same thrills as many deck tubes, but often make it easier to stay in the tube, without requiring massive arm strength. Sportsstuff has several types of cockpit tubes including the Speed Zone, Chariot Warbird and the Moto-Pod Series. Each of these models of cockpit tubes come in 1 to 3 rider models.
Now we’re getting into the extreme and specialty ski tubes. The Airhead UFO is one of the newest specialty ski tubes on the market. This tube has different tow points depending on the ride you want. This is a four-rider ski tube that will spin on its axle like a top. The speed of the spin will vary depending on the speed of the boat. If you don’t want to spin you can switch the tow harness to a different location, and simply ride it like a standard ski tube. Be ready to fly into the rushing cool water as the centripetal force may spin you off.
A few more specialty extreme ski tubes are available from the Sportsstuff brand. Two exciting options are the Sportsstuff Gyro or Sumo which offer a completely different type of enclosed tube that you actually get inside. These provide 360 degree fun, are an absolute blast to ride and provide a great show for anyone watching. The Sportsstuff Gyro is a cone shaped ski tube that has a handle in side the funnel. While you’re inside the tube, it will spin 360 degrees as the boat is pulling you. The Sportsstuff Sumo is similar, but your head and arms actually stick out of this tube and you hold onto the tow rope yourself. These tubes are recommended for the more advance tuber.
There are too many exciting ski tubes for me to mention here, but the most important aspect in your selection is the types of riders you are towing. Our site has great videos where you can see most of these water ski tubes in action, and help make your selection easier. We are always available to help you and to answer any questions. I’ll see you on the water.
This article was written by Keith Raven and Jaim Wolfe on 5/20/2007. All Rights reserved. You may not copy, modify, paraphrase or re-use this article in any way.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Sometimes you miss the boat. Sometimes he boat misses you.
Sometimes you miss the boat. Sometimes the boat misses you.
And sometimes you're lucky if the boat misses you.
A boater on West Point Lake was lucky his boat didn't boomerang on him April Fools' Day after he let go of the wheel at three-quarter throttle and was thrown overboard.
To drain rainwater from the boat, he went back to pull the plug while the boat was under way. But when he let go of the wheel, it turned on him. And over the side he went. Man overboard.
When the man overboard is the only man who was on board, he's lucky he doesn't land to starboard if the empty boat swings to the right.
This man got clear of the boat and swam about 100 yards to shore. By then his wife had reported the mishap.
"The man had told his wife, 'Take the boat trailer around, and I'll bring the boat over there and we'll load it,' " Park Ranger David Barr said. "Well, when the wife came around to the boat ramp, she looked out and all she saw was this boat with nobody in it spinning around in circles."
And that's where it was when park rangers arrived: circling on the water.
Now what?
So here's a question: How do you handle a boat unmanned?
(A.) Shoot it until it sinks.
(B.) Go out in another boat, throw a line to hook the loose boat, tie it off and watch the tethered boat ram you when the slack runs out.
(C.) Summon Spider-Man to ensnare the boat in his web.
(D.) Sit and wait for the boat to run out of gas.
If you guessed "B," nice try. Sometimes you can throw a line that tangles the propeller and stops the motor, if you get the rope in the right place.
After the evening accident on West Point Lake, authorities chose "D." The unmanned boat sputtered out of gas in about half an hour.
"That boat probably wasn't going in any more than a 25- to 30-foot radius," Barr said. "The guy said he had just put gas in the tank, so we were like, 'Golly, we're going to be here all night.' But it was one of those portable tanks, so within 40 minutes it had burned all the gas up."
Close calls
That was just one of three close calls out on the lake that week. In other incidents:
• On April 5, a man launching his boat about 3 p.m. noticed the motor wasn't running well and the engine was smoking. When he pulled the cover off the engine compartment, boom! An explosion threw him against the boat's console, Barr reported. The man got the boat back to shore, but it burned. He was bruised and some of his hair was burned off.
• Also on April 5, about three hours later, a big wave caught and capsized a 22-year-old man's 12-foot johnboat, which immediately sank. He had to tread water for 15-20 minutes as rescuers from shore rushed out in another boat, Barr said. The man was treated at West Georgia Medical Center for hypothermia and exhaustion.
None of the boaters wore a life vest, and the one whose boat capsized came close to drowning, Barr said: "When the rescuers got to him, he had actually started to go under water. They had to reach into the water and pull him out. Had they been 15 seconds later, they probably wouldn't have been able to see him."
Boaters who'd rather not learn such lessons from experience can get a six-hour boating safety course in two sessions 6:30-9:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday and Thursday at West Point Lake. Call 706-645-2937 to register.
Under Georgia law, anyone age 12-15 must take safety classes to operate certain watercraft, including jet skis, while unsupervised. Under Alabama law, boaters must pass a test to get a license. Taking this class exempts Alabama residents from that test.
"This class is good because it allows you to operate a lot of different things unsupervised, but the best thing is it teaches you what the laws are, what the buoys mean, who has the right of way," Barr said.
Other class sessions are set for May 22 and 24; June 19 and 21; July 17 and 19; and Aug. 21 and 23.
Course corrections
Cpl. Brent Railey, a DNR enforcement officer, said one common mistake boaters make is neglecting to check their equipment.
"This time of year, the biggest problem we see is people getting out there with boats that they have not inspected before they put them in the water," he said. Some forget to replace old gear, and don't realize a vital piece of equipment is missing or damaged until they need it.
"One of the things that we see a lot of, if it's an inboard-outboard, is checking that gasket that's around the boat and the motor, because those things will dry-rot on you," Railey said. "Every year, we have several people, when they slow their boat down, the backwash will hit that thing and just collapse it, and the whole boat will sink."
Parents need to remember that an adult life jacket won't fit a small child, and any life jacket that's rotted or frayed needs to be replaced: "The floatation's going to rip out of it, and you might as well not even have one on," Railey said.
More courses
Boating safety sessions taught by a Georgia Department of Natural Resources instructor are set for 6-9 p.m. EDT Tuesday and Wednesday at the 4-H Clubhouse on U.S. Highway 27 in Hamilton, with a second set of classes May 15 and 16. For more information, call the DNR's Macon office at 478-751-6415.
Though Georgia requires the safety course before those 12-15 can run a boat or jet-ski without adult supervision, once you reach age 16, "you're wide open," Barr said. "You don't need any safety course or anything. Isn't that wild? It's kind of scary."
That's not the case in Alabama, which made licensing mandatory in 1999. Boating fatalities dropped from 32 in 1998 to 17 the next year, said Lt. Erica Shipman of the Alabama Marine Police.
To get a license, Alabama boaters must pass a test offered at drivers license bureaus or complete a boating safety course like the one required for kids in Georgia.
A six-hour course will be 6-9 p.m. CDT Tuesday and Thursday in the main auditorium of Auburn University's Ralph Brown Draughon Library, 231 Mell St. A $10 fee is required. For more information, call Auburn's outreach office at 334-844-5100. A second set of classes will be the same times June 12 and 14.
Contact Tim Chitwood at 706-571-8508 or tchitwood@ledger-enquirer.com
And sometimes you're lucky if the boat misses you.
A boater on West Point Lake was lucky his boat didn't boomerang on him April Fools' Day after he let go of the wheel at three-quarter throttle and was thrown overboard.
To drain rainwater from the boat, he went back to pull the plug while the boat was under way. But when he let go of the wheel, it turned on him. And over the side he went. Man overboard.
When the man overboard is the only man who was on board, he's lucky he doesn't land to starboard if the empty boat swings to the right.
This man got clear of the boat and swam about 100 yards to shore. By then his wife had reported the mishap.
"The man had told his wife, 'Take the boat trailer around, and I'll bring the boat over there and we'll load it,' " Park Ranger David Barr said. "Well, when the wife came around to the boat ramp, she looked out and all she saw was this boat with nobody in it spinning around in circles."
And that's where it was when park rangers arrived: circling on the water.
Now what?
So here's a question: How do you handle a boat unmanned?
(A.) Shoot it until it sinks.
(B.) Go out in another boat, throw a line to hook the loose boat, tie it off and watch the tethered boat ram you when the slack runs out.
(C.) Summon Spider-Man to ensnare the boat in his web.
(D.) Sit and wait for the boat to run out of gas.
If you guessed "B," nice try. Sometimes you can throw a line that tangles the propeller and stops the motor, if you get the rope in the right place.
After the evening accident on West Point Lake, authorities chose "D." The unmanned boat sputtered out of gas in about half an hour.
"That boat probably wasn't going in any more than a 25- to 30-foot radius," Barr said. "The guy said he had just put gas in the tank, so we were like, 'Golly, we're going to be here all night.' But it was one of those portable tanks, so within 40 minutes it had burned all the gas up."
Close calls
That was just one of three close calls out on the lake that week. In other incidents:
• On April 5, a man launching his boat about 3 p.m. noticed the motor wasn't running well and the engine was smoking. When he pulled the cover off the engine compartment, boom! An explosion threw him against the boat's console, Barr reported. The man got the boat back to shore, but it burned. He was bruised and some of his hair was burned off.
• Also on April 5, about three hours later, a big wave caught and capsized a 22-year-old man's 12-foot johnboat, which immediately sank. He had to tread water for 15-20 minutes as rescuers from shore rushed out in another boat, Barr said. The man was treated at West Georgia Medical Center for hypothermia and exhaustion.
None of the boaters wore a life vest, and the one whose boat capsized came close to drowning, Barr said: "When the rescuers got to him, he had actually started to go under water. They had to reach into the water and pull him out. Had they been 15 seconds later, they probably wouldn't have been able to see him."
Boaters who'd rather not learn such lessons from experience can get a six-hour boating safety course in two sessions 6:30-9:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday and Thursday at West Point Lake. Call 706-645-2937 to register.
Under Georgia law, anyone age 12-15 must take safety classes to operate certain watercraft, including jet skis, while unsupervised. Under Alabama law, boaters must pass a test to get a license. Taking this class exempts Alabama residents from that test.
"This class is good because it allows you to operate a lot of different things unsupervised, but the best thing is it teaches you what the laws are, what the buoys mean, who has the right of way," Barr said.
Other class sessions are set for May 22 and 24; June 19 and 21; July 17 and 19; and Aug. 21 and 23.
Course corrections
Cpl. Brent Railey, a DNR enforcement officer, said one common mistake boaters make is neglecting to check their equipment.
"This time of year, the biggest problem we see is people getting out there with boats that they have not inspected before they put them in the water," he said. Some forget to replace old gear, and don't realize a vital piece of equipment is missing or damaged until they need it.
"One of the things that we see a lot of, if it's an inboard-outboard, is checking that gasket that's around the boat and the motor, because those things will dry-rot on you," Railey said. "Every year, we have several people, when they slow their boat down, the backwash will hit that thing and just collapse it, and the whole boat will sink."
Parents need to remember that an adult life jacket won't fit a small child, and any life jacket that's rotted or frayed needs to be replaced: "The floatation's going to rip out of it, and you might as well not even have one on," Railey said.
More courses
Boating safety sessions taught by a Georgia Department of Natural Resources instructor are set for 6-9 p.m. EDT Tuesday and Wednesday at the 4-H Clubhouse on U.S. Highway 27 in Hamilton, with a second set of classes May 15 and 16. For more information, call the DNR's Macon office at 478-751-6415.
Though Georgia requires the safety course before those 12-15 can run a boat or jet-ski without adult supervision, once you reach age 16, "you're wide open," Barr said. "You don't need any safety course or anything. Isn't that wild? It's kind of scary."
That's not the case in Alabama, which made licensing mandatory in 1999. Boating fatalities dropped from 32 in 1998 to 17 the next year, said Lt. Erica Shipman of the Alabama Marine Police.
To get a license, Alabama boaters must pass a test offered at drivers license bureaus or complete a boating safety course like the one required for kids in Georgia.
A six-hour course will be 6-9 p.m. CDT Tuesday and Thursday in the main auditorium of Auburn University's Ralph Brown Draughon Library, 231 Mell St. A $10 fee is required. For more information, call Auburn's outreach office at 334-844-5100. A second set of classes will be the same times June 12 and 14.
Contact Tim Chitwood at 706-571-8508 or tchitwood@ledger-enquirer.com
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