I can remember one of my earliest boating trips as a youth. The fog came on thick and I had to pick my way home through shallows. I managed OK, using a compass and the flasher-type Ray Jefferson depth sounder (that should date the event for some of you), but as soon as I saw that green 17 can materialize out of the mist, my stress level dropped tremendously.

Today, despite owning a boat equipped with every modern bit of navigation electronics, times two, I still appreciate the sight and sound of a navaid.

The question being posed by the United States Coast Guard is whether I still need that navaid, or Aid To Navigation (ATON) as buoys and markers are officially known, or can marine electronics substitute for them? If I am running toward a waypoint, does it need to be a physical object on the ocean’s surface?

The Coast Guard has proposed to remove hundreds of navigation aids from District 1, which is the Northeast Atlantic Coast from New York to Maine.

District 1 just happens to be the most rock-bound of all the Coast Guard Districts.

A private firm, Great Harbor Digital, created an interactive map of the ATONs being considered for removal. We have not verified each one, but have spot-checked this map and it appears accurate.

In the Local Notices To Mariners of April 15   (LNM District 1; Week 16) the Coast Guard listed the locations of buoys that would be discontinued.

The buoys targeted for removal mark harbor entrances, ledges, and other routes and hazards. Some are lighted, while others have gongs, bells or whistles, according to detailed descriptions in the notice.

According to the Coast Guard, most, if not all of these ATONs would be removed to modernize a constellation of navigation aids “whose designs mostly predate global navigation satellite systems, electronic navigation charts, and electronic charting systems.”

The intention, the Coast Guard says, is to “support the navigational needs of the 21st century prudent mariner … Deliver effective, economical service — manage vessel transit risk to acceptable levels at acceptable cost.”

This will “support and complement modern mariners, today’s much larger ships, ECS [Electronic Charting Systems] availability and requirements, and powerful smartphone navigation subscription apps affordably accessible to virtually all waterway users.”

I am of two minds on this topic. On the one hand, I feel nostalgia, resistance to change, and possess good memories of navaids helping me find my way on the water.

Read Next: Marine Electronics That Make Boating Safer

Against this, I have my own experience running boats all over North America, and beyond, and can say that GPS is almost always working. It doesn’t always work, but, then, it’s not uncommon for buoys to be missing, off-station, or have their lights out.

I do not recall the last time I experienced a complete failure of all the electronics, built-in, and the portable backups.

My mind also dwells on the reasoning for this, which is to cut costs. Commercial shipping, with its electronic charting ( ECDIS) and backups upon backups, will probably miss physical ATONS less than recreational boaters. What do the rest of US taxpayers think about paying for buoys for boaters?

What do you think?

The Coast Guard is accepting public comment until June 13.

The post Coast Guard May Remove Buoys appeared first on Boating Mag.

The first spreaders—aka marine floodlights—that I installed on my boat 30 years ago were ITT Jabsco Ray-Line 50-watt 12-volt Halogens. Like most spreaders, they mounted overhead at the back and front of the hardtop and shone down on the deck. They provided plenty of light, but they were relatively large, would grow hot and drew 4 amps, so you didn’t want to leave them on too long with the engine off. 

Since then, marine lighting has undergone a revolution for the better, thanks to light emitting diode technology, which allows for more-compact fixtures, provides more lumens, creates less heat, and consumes less power than comparable incandescent lights. On top of that, LEDs offer a substantially longer service life than do incandescent bulbs.

That makes the LED variety of spreaders attractive to boaters looking to upgrade their onboard lighting. LED spreaders are available from a number of brands, including Lumishore, Lumitech, Scandvik, Seavolt and others. 

For this retrofit, we chose Lumishore’s Eclipse 4-inch bracket-mounted 30-watt floodlight, which pumps out 1,500 fixture lumens of white light and draws a scant 1.7 amps at 12 volts. It features a powder-coated aluminum body, three LED elements, a frosted lens, and an IP68 waterproof rating. The 70- to 90-degree beam creates broad, even light coverage.

Before you get started, be certain that the electrical power is off during the installation. Here’s how to proceed with this project.

Skill Level: 2 of 5

Finish Time: Approx. 3 hours without running new wires

Tools and Supplies

• Lumishore Eclipse 4-inch LED bracket-mounted ­floodlight ($198.99; westmarine.com)
• Crimp-on butt connectors with heat-shrink collars
• Diagonal cutter, wire strippers, crimping tool
• Power drill and metric bits
• Countersink bit
• Box/open-end wrench set
• Torque wrench
• Rubber grommets
• Cable gland
• Phillips screwdriver
• Marine sealant
• Heat gun
• Shop rags (to wipe away excess sealant)

Check the Wiring

This retrofit is relatively easy if you can use the same wiring as you did with the old lights. However, inspect the existing wiring and connectors to ensure that there’s no corrosion damage or chafed or broken insulation. Also make sure the wire is of sufficient gauge. If needed, run new American Boat & Yacht Council-approved wiring. Each Lumishore Eclipse spreader circuit requires two wires—a red positive and a black negative—a fuse and a simple on/off switch. To determine the correct gauge-wire and fuse size, visit the Blue Sea System circuit wizard at circuitwizard.bluesea.com. 

Mounting Hole

You might find that the existing mounting hole from the previous light bracket is the same as the single 6.5 mm hole needed for the Lumishore stainless-­steel bracket. If not, drill a new hole, or enlarge an existing hole to 6.5 mm in diameter. For a new installation, select a mounting location that is flat and thick enough for through-bolting the bracket. This could be the edge of a roof of a solid fiberglass hardtop that is at least 1/4-inch in thickness or a vertical or horizontal metal tab that is welded in place on the upper part of the pipework for the top, put there specifically for adding overhead spreaders. 

Install the Bracket

Fix the bracket in the alignment you need for the spreader to shine down onto the deck area. Insert the supplied M6 bolt through the bracket, then insert the M6 bolt through the hole in the mounting surface. The hardware kit includes a nylon locking nut and a washer to put behind the nut. If installing on a fiberglass top, bed the hardware with marine sealant. This step will help prevent cracking, crazing and water seepage. Secure the bracket with the supplied M6 nylon locking nut, and tighten. Louvres in the bracket help keep the bolt head from spinning while tightening the fastener. 

Mount the Spreader

Position the Lumishore Eclipse spreader light in the bracket so that the triplex wire is on the top side. Then mount the light to the installed bracket using the additional supplied M6 bolt, as well as the two nylon washers and nylon locking nut. Make sure the two nylon washers are placed inside the stainless-steel bracket, to protect the aluminum ­mounting surface on the back of the spreader light from suffering from electrolysis from two dissimilar metals coming in contact with each other. Tighten the stainless-steel hardware to a torque of 5 Nm. Do not overtighten.  

Read Next: Guide to LED Pontoon Boat Lights

Connect the Wiring

The pigtail on the spreader terminates with red/positive and black/negative wires, as well as yellow wire. For this project, ignore the yellow wire. Polarity is important with LEDs, so ensure that the red wire connects to a positive 12-volt power source and the black wire is to ground. Use crimp butt connectors with heat-shrink collars to connect the pigtail wires to the wires you’ve run to the mounting location. The connectors should be shielded from spray to deter corrosion. I tucked them inside the hardtop pipework and used a rubber grommet to protect the wiring from chafing and to prevent water intrusion. 

The post Installing LED Spreader Lights appeared first on Boating Mag.

The title of my article makes a bold statement. I’m basing it on the US Coast Guard requirements for establishing what’s called a Surf Station. Surf Stations are required at locations where surf runs 8 feet or higher for more than 10 percent—that’s 36 days—of the year.

That’s a real 8 feet measured by wave gauges and with lidar, not the 4-foot waves that some social-media sailors might call 8-footers. While the size of waves alone is not always the sole criteria for rough or dangerous seas, I think that prevalent 8-foot breaking waves qualifies.

The signature boat at a Surf Station is the 47 Motor Lifeboat (MLB), which can right itself from a capsize or pitchpole. You can read more about the 47 MLB on page 80 of this issue. Briefly, this boat is rated to operate in 30-foot seas or 20-foot surf in 50-knot winds.

Perhaps more important, Surf Station personnel, or Surfmen, are rated to operate the 47-foot MLB in its most extreme operating conditions after undergoing training at the National Motor Lifeboat School near the mouth of the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment, Washington.  Surfmen is the highest qualification in the Coast Guard for small-boat operations. There are currently about 200 Surfmen in the Coast Guard, and only about 500 have ever earned the designation.

Read Next: Running Breaking Inlets

Most Surf Stations are on the Pacific Coast. But a number of Surf Stations also exist on the Atlantic Coast. What follows lists the most dangerous inlets in the US, clockwise, from northeast to northwest. If you will be navigating these or any coastal inlet, time your transit for incoming water and/or times when wind is not opposing the current, and get local knowledge.

U.S.C.G. Surf Stations

With breaking surf over 8 feet in height, occurring for at least 36 days per year, these locations are served by special boats and people:

• Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey
• Oregon Inlet, North Carolina
• Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina
• Morro Bay, California
• Golden Gate, California
• Bodega Bay, California
• Noyo River, California
• Humboldt Bay, California
• Chetco River, Oregon
• Coos Bay, Oregon
• Umpqua River, Oregon
• Siuslaw River, Oregon
• Yaquina Bay, Oregon
• Depoe Bay, Oregon
• Tillamook Bay, Oregon
• Cape Disappointment, Washington
• Grays Harbor, Washington
• Quillayute River, Washington

The post Most Dangerous Inlets in the United States for Boaters appeared first on Boating Mag.

Military fighter pilots can suffer from a condition called information overload, which can be brought about by overwhelming amounts of technology in the cockpit that distract from the primary mission of flying the aircraft. 

This phenomenon has led to placing a second aviator known as a RIO—radar intercept officer—on board to relieve the pilot from monitoring, managing, and operating technologies such as radar, weapons systems, and navigation. If you watched the movie Top Gun (the first and best one, I think), you will recall that Goose, seated behind Maverick in the F-14 Tomcat, served as the RIO. 

Information overload also can occur for helmsmen piloting today’s boats. As marine electronics provide increasing amounts of information, there’s a tendency to become preoccupied with electronic displays rather than keeping eyes on the surrounding waters and driving the boat.

This is particularly true in challenging conditions such as in the dark of night or dense fog, when technologies such as radar, AIS, electronic chart plotting and night-vision cameras are relied on heavily for safe navigation.

These are times when I want next to me at the helm the boating equivalent of a RIO—a co-captain whose responsibility is to manage and monitor critical navigational electronics while I man the wheel and maintain a lookout.

In order to trust a ­crewmember in this role, they need to be someone who possesses the skillset to operate and interpret marine electronics—and remain focused. For me, this includes a handful of fishing buddies, most of whom have honed these skills aboard their own boats. 

On one occasion, I had the pleasure of working with a co-captain who had manned far more sophisticated electronics aboard a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. I really trusted him, and I learned a thing or two as we encountered heavy fog on a 35-mile spring return trip from Santa Catalina Island.

Vocal communication ­between you and your co-captain plays a vital role. The co-captain needs to speak up, for example, at the first indication of a radar return. Like in a scene from the movie Greyhound, they should provide a relative bearing and distance (such as 12 o’clock, 1 mile) and regular updates. They might also offer suggested course corrections as a target grows closer. Hand signals indicating direction can complement verbal communications.

Read Next: Seamanship Lessons From a Yacht Captain

A co-captain can help boost safety even when conditions are nice. I remember another return trip from Catalina in flat-calm seas with excellent visibility and no other boat in sight. I was focusing my eyes on the waters ahead, cruising at about 24 knots, and feeling relaxed when my co-captain grabbed my ­shoulder and shouted, “Jim, watch out!” Another boat was closing fast from about 150 feet off our ­starboard quarter with apparent intentions to cross our bow at a dangerously close distance.

I stabbed the throttle to quickly accelerate and force the ­reckless boater astern of us. I should note that this occurred during COVID, at a time when a lot of new ­boaters were on the water with little or no knowledge of what constitutes prudent seamanship, ­including giving another boat a wide berth on an otherwise vacant ocean. Thank goodness for my ­co-captain, who kept his eyes up, his head on a swivel, and ­alerted me to the threat.

The post The Importance of Having a Co-Captain appeared first on Boating Mag.

Launch a boat in Green Lake, Wisconsin, and you may run into Tracy Nowacki, a friendly woman with a clip board. We met Nowacki on duty at the Horner’s Landing ramp, dressed in her bright blue “Clean Boats/Clean Waters” shirt and standing next to a compost pile of weeds she’d removed from boat trailers. Her mission is education and data collection. Funded by a grant from the Wisconsin DNR, the Green Lake Association stations Nowacki and other watercraft inspectors at six launch ramps on the 7,300-acre lake primarily to gather data for the DNR and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources, which is studying how invasive species such as zebra mussels and spiny water fleas spread. The information is entered into an online DNR database called SWIMS, which stands for Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System. In 2024 the program inspected 144,691 boats across the state.

How often are you out at the launch ramp?

This is my third season, and I work a four-hour shift three days a week. They usually have some college kids doing this, but I’m semi-retired and like to be outdoors. It gives me something to do while my husband is fishing.

What kind of questions do you ask boaters?

When they pull in to launch, I ask if the boat has been used in another body of water in the past five days. If the answer is yes, I ask where the boat has been. The idea is to help researchers track patterns that could transport invasive species.

Looks like you are collecting weeds too.

When a boat is retrieved, I help remove any weeds from the trailer and remind the owner that by law they need to drain their boat and discard any live bait. I try to keep it friendly. I’m not enforcing the law. Many people are still unaware about the spread of invasives, especially younger people. I also point out the wash stations we have at two of our ramps.

Read Next: How Boaters Can Stop the Spread of Invasive Species

How many boaters do you encounter a day?

Usually 30 to 40 boats launch in my shift, more if there’s a tournament on the lake.

Does anyone give you a hard time?

Most everyone is cooperative, and many people actually thank me for being out here to protect the lake. I’ve only had one a$$hole this year.

The post On Board With: Tracy Nowacki appeared first on Boating Mag.

Marine VHF antennas have not changed much since VHF radios were adopted by recreational boaters in the 1960s. We have seen improved durability and materials, optimized transmission and reception range, and enhanced mounting systems. Yet, the function of a VHF antenna has remained much the same—until now.

Shakespeare Marine, a long-established leader in marine antennas, has reimagined what a VHF antenna can be with the new CommLight. The 6.5-foot tall, 6 dB gain, and 5 MHz bandwidth CL-6 antenna not only offers outstanding transmission and reception capabilities, but it is also the first antenna to offer LED lighting. Controlled with a mobile app, boaters can adjust the vibrant glow of the antenna across the full RGB color spectrum and cue up flashing modes and adjust the pulse speed. It has multiple presets, and the CL-6 can sync its changing colors to the tempo of downloaded music. 

Lighting aside, the CL-6 features brass and copper elements for range and reception, a corrosion-resistant stainless-steel ferrule designed to fit a standard threaded (­­1-inch diameter/14 threads per inch) ratchet mount, a durable high-gloss PMMA antenna finish, a 15-foot RG-58 coaxial cable with a PL-259 connector, and a 25-foot two-piece power cable with a controller that connects wirelessly to your mobile device. 

Because you need to route and install both a standard coax cable and a power cable, retrofitting your boat with the CL-6 differs a bit from installing a replacement VHF antenna, but this DIY project is still fairly easy. 

Skill Level: 2 of 5

Finish Time: Approx. 3-4 hours

Tools and Supplies

• Shakespeare Marine ­CommLight VHF antenna ($199.95; thegpsstore.com)
• Shakespeare Marine 4187 or 4187-HD ratchet mount (westmarine.com)
• Power drill and bit set
• Phillips screwdriver
• Socket wrench and box/open wrench sets
• Solder gun
• Resin-core solder
• Marine crimp terminals with heat-shrink collars
• Heavy-duty self-adhesive 1-inch Velcro strips
• Crimping tool
• Heat gun
• Zip ties
• Blue Sea Systems medium cable clam No. 1002

Download the App

Before getting started, it’s a good idea to download the free Shakespeare ­CommLight app on your mobile device. For Android, visit Google Play; for iPhones, go to the App Store. Once it’s on your phone, scroll through the functions, which include the on/off button at the top of the homepage, connecting to Bluetooth, a color wheel, pulsating and flashing color modes, music-sync mode, brightness and more. Having the app on your phone ahead of time will allow you to confirm that the illumination system is operational before you finalize the installation and button up everything on your boat. 

Mount the Antenna

If you do not already have an existing VHF antenna on your boat, choose a mounting location that is as high as possible (such as on a hardtop), free from obstructions, and as far as possible from any other antennas. Use a Shakespeare 4187 or 4187-HD or similar ratchet mount (sold separately), and ­follow the directions with the mount that you have chosen. If your boat has an existing VHF antenna that you are planning to use with the CL-6, remove the old antenna completely, and then thread the ferrule of the new antenna onto the ratchet mount, and tighten by hand. Do not use pliers; they can scratch the ferrule.

Route the Cables

Route the RG-58 and power cables from the antenna through the same pass-through that you used for the previous antenna. Once through, route the RG-58 cable to the VHF radio, keeping it away from electrical equipment and other cables. Roll the cable in a coil of at least 8 inches, and stow it out of the way. Install the PL-259 connector (­supplied) on the RG-58 cable according to the connector’s instructions. These call for soldering the connector to the cable. For a video tutorial on soldering on a PL-259 connector, visit Boating’s YouTube channel.

Install the Control Box

Position the compact illumination-control box in a spot that can receive Bluetooth signals from an onboard mobile device. The control box should also be close to an onboard power source. There is no supplied mounting system for the control box, but we recommend using a strip of heavy-duty Velcro with peel-and-stick adhesive (not supplied) to secure the lightweight module. Add a 3-amp fuse or breaker to the red positive wire from the power cable, and connect it to a switchable 12-volt DC power source. Connect the black negative wire from the power cable to the ­onboard ground circuit.

Read Next: How to Make DSC Fully Functional on a VHF Radio

Route and Connect the Power Cable

Run the power cable from the pass-through to the illumination-control box, and connect these two elements using the special cable-to-cable watertight plug, ensuring that the small pin connectors align properly and that the two knurled turnbuckles thread tightly against each other. Switch on power to the control box using the CommLight app previously installed on your mobile device, and test the system and its various features to ensure full ­functionality. Then secure all of the cables along their runs with zip ties to prevent ­chafing or other damage.

The post Installing a Lighted VHF Antenna appeared first on Boating Mag.

We are deep into mud season here in the North Woods, that interminable meteorological period that has winter lingering and spring reluctant. My affluent farmer neighbors have escaped to a warm beach, maybe Gulfport or Biloxi, and it’s quiet at the Lake View Inn. Perfect time for me to work on my annual list. I hunch over the worn blue Formica bar top and draw two columns on the back of a napkin.

“Working on that list again this year?” Wally asked from behind the bar. “Does it ever help?”

“I like to start with regrets from last season in one column,” I replied, “so maybe I won’t repeat those mistakes this year.”

“Ah, regrets,” crooned my good friend Chuck Larson from down the bar. “I’ve had a few. But then again—”

“So, for example, the weekend of boating I missed out on last year for my niece’s wedding. This year, if it’s a daughter getting married, I might attend, but I won’t go deeper on the family tree,” I said.

“And I’m going to skip taking the old Ford to the Iola car show, even if my departed father rolls in his grave. This year I’m all-in on the boat.”

Here’s the reality of boating at our latitude. The traditional pleasure-boating season starts on Memorial Day weekend and ends on Labor Day. That’s 15 weekends for a working person. You can count on at least two of those weekends getting rained out, and a couple more “rained out” because your wife—in my case, the deputy medical examiner—is on call and can’t leave the house. Another two will probably be lost to an unavoidable social obligation, a wedding or a graduation or, worst of all, a birthday for a toddler grandchild. Forget about the big holiday weekends, when the launch ramps are mobbed and too many other captains on the lake are deep into a six-pack. If you have a 14-foot vintage runabout like mine, there will be days when it’s too windy and rough to launch the boat and have any fun. Next thing you know, the leaves are turning and you’ve still got a jug full of pre-mix in the shop, and you realize how little your hour meter has turned.

Read Next: Top Gear for Boating Adventures

“It’s going to be different this year,” I said. “In this column, I’m listing Plans for 2025. I’m going to start by getting the Bearing Buddy kit that I bought last year installed on the trailer, and the vintage spring cleats mounted on the gunwales so we can hang fenders. I’ve got four weekends devoted to wood-boat shows in Wisconsin and Minnesota. And I’m going to propose that we celebrate the grandkid’s birthdays on the boat!”

“That last one is brilliant,” Chuck said. “Do you think your Evinrude Lark could pull a small tube? It’s a vintage boat, so maybe you need to put them in an old tractor tube and pull that around.”

“It’s still going to rain,” Wally said. “And the wind will still blow.”

Maybe we’ll get a nice drought this year. Regrets? I’m hoping for too few to mention this season.

The post Setting Goals for the New Boating Season appeared first on Boating Mag.

Removing and replacing batteries from boats is an age-old challenge. Batteries are heavy, and they are often housed in small spaces. This combination can make it difficult to handle batteries for DIY boat owners. In this piece, we aim to provide some insights for installing and removing batteries that prove safer and easier for you. These tips are not intended to be universal. Situations vary. Take what you need, and leave the rest.

OEM Straps

Many batteries come from the factory with a strap attached. These straps usually snap in on the sides of the battery. You’ll see the molded-in slots if your boat battery originally came with a handle. The handles are often removed for installation in a boat in order to make more room for cables. ­Unfortunately, this can make battery removal from a tight space difficult. Know that you can buy such battery handles on the internet via eBay and other sites. Search your battery make and model. You also might be able to get some for free from the battery maker, the battery seller or your boat dealer. Just ask.

Battery Carriers

There are a variety of devices—most often called battery carriers—available from tool stores, auto stores and home centers. These can be used if the handle is missing, or for batteries that have molded-in recesses on the sides for handholds that don’t work well in confined spaces where a two-handed grip on the sides can’t be achieved. Some of these are rigid handles. Others are straps. What these devices have in common is that they grab or hook under a protruding lip or ridge at the top of the battery. When you go to lift, the weight of the battery itself helps provide a good connection to the battery. Be careful that a metal carrier does not touch the battery terminals. Also, do not use any carrier designed to lift the battery by its terminals.

Drop Your Pants

Even if the allotted space is so tight that you can’t fully lift the ­battery, the ­ability to partially lift a ­battery can be combined with a push or a pull, making all the difference in handling batteries aboard boats. This happens to be the situation aboard my own boat. The hatch opening is not big enough to get two arms through at the same time. Furthermore, the batteries sit below the level of the hatch opening. I could “one-arm” the group 24 batteries originally installed. When I repowered with an engine requiring larger batteries, I could no longer apply enough strength to remove the battery with one arm extended inside the hatch. There’s plenty of room in the compartment; it’s just that the hatch opening is tight. Anyway, by tilting the battery forward and looping my pants belt around and under the aft part of the battery, I can use one hand to pull on the other ends of the belt outside the opening while lifting in the opening with the other hand. In this way, I can move the battery to a halfway position in the hatch opening. From there, ­Robert’s my father’s brother.

Read Next: AGM vs. Lithium Batteries

Relocation

In many cases, as boaters repower with newer engines, more battery power will be required to run the advanced electronics inherent. Sometimes the original location of the batteries in the boat simply might not be big enough—or offer large enough access—to install the appropriate battery for the engine. In these cases, it might be better to move the batteries. If this is the solution you need to employ, be sure to upgrade your battery-cable size. Longer runs means increased resistance, which means you need thicker-­diameter cable to achieve the same performance.

The post Tips for Handling Batteries in Awkward Spaces appeared first on Boating Mag.

The definition of seamanship is apparently a matter of contention among some boaters, including other marine journalists not working for this publication. I will settle the matter right now: To practice seamanship means, in part, to practice good preparation. Seamanship is not limited to acts of high adventure on stormy seas.

Now that that’s resolved, let’s examine why boaters who winterize—or who store their boats otherwise—for months at a time should develop a routine for that first run of the season.

First, I never met a boat that wasn’t a work in progress. There’s always one or more tasks that need to be done or that are not 100 percent completed and one or more items that have failed or are about to fail. It’s the nature of the beast. Break out those Benjamins. Some of these tasks might be aesthetic and some might be critical. Along that spectrum, first-run boaters should make a checklist prioritizing critical items and working toward aesthetic.

Here’s my main point: Things that were in process or top of mind before you laid up the boat have had time to sink into the mire of disuse and distraction. Other things take up space in our brains. The holidays, house projects that got delayed while you were boating, plus the simple passage of time can all push boating tasks and repairs beyond recollection. So, make a list.

Start with safety: Check your flares for sufficient number and type as well as for expiration dates. Check your life jackets by pulling on the straps and ­tugging at the buckles, rearming the ­inflation mechanism, and noting whether any of your regular crew have grown over the winter and so now need a new size. Does the horn work? Do the nav lights work? Does your EPIRB, PLB or other beacon need a battery? Perform a self-test on these per the manufacturer’s procedure.

Other accessories that I’d give ­priority to include the VHF ­radio. Make sure it works by ­either requesting a radio check, radio-checking yourself with a handheld VHF, or by installing an inline wattmeter on the antenna cable (these come ready to go for easy installation).

Checking the bilge pump probably works as well in the safety paragraph, but I needed a good transition. Reach into the bilge and raise the pump’s float switch, and also check for manual operation by flipping the switch at the helm. What about livewell and washdown pumps? Better to find out before you launch, so check ’em out now.

Read Next: Six Tools for Spring Make-Ready

Let’s not forget propulsion. More than one boater shows up for spring launch with an ­engine that won’t start. Or won’t shift. Or otherwise doesn’t run right. ­Connect a hose, and fire off the engines in the yard or on the trailer. Shift gears. Check the alternator output, oil pressure and fluid levels before you head out for your first run.

This list is not intended to be complete for every boat. Nor is it an indictment of every boater. Instead, I’m hoping to provide you with a head start. I want to prompt you to think about your first run before you make it. Much of good seamanship is mindset and routine.

And don’t forget your drain plug. 

The post The Importance of a Spring Launch Checklist appeared first on Boating Mag.

After 30 years of saltwater use, the intricately curved anodized-aluminum trim along the cap of the open transom of my outboard-powered 21-foot center-console fishing boat was falling apart. Corrosion had eaten away at the metal, and its once-lustrous finish was now crusty and riddled with ragged holes. 

I wanted to buy new trim from the factory, but production of the model had long ceased, and no replacement trim was available. Commissioning a custom piece of trim from a fabricator proved a bit too expensive for my budget.  

Making my own seemed like the way to go. I started with 1-inch aluminum 90-degree angle stock for the straight run across the outboard edge of the transom where the liner meets the hull. On each end of the straight run, however, the transom curves upward to meet the rail cap. Bending the aluminum stock proved too difficult for me, so I turned to another material—1-inch PVC 90-degree angle stock—to adjoin and bookend the aluminum trim. The PVC is 3/16-inch thick, which is drillable and holds fasteners well, and the light-gray color complements my boat and blends well with the aluminum angle stock. It is available in up to 6-foot lengths for $21.08 each from grainger.com.

PVC angle stock is rigid and chemical-resistant but becomes malleable with the application of mild heat, and so it can conform nicely to inside and outside bends. It returns to a rigid state once it cools. Here are the steps I followed to shape one curving piece of trim, a process that needs to be repeated in a mirror image on the opposite side.

Skill Level: 2.5 of 5

Finish Time: Approx. 3-4 hours per each curved piece of trim

Tools and Supplies

• PVC 90-degree 1-inch angle stock ($21.08/6-foot length; grainger.com)
• 2-foot-long piece of ­two-by-six hardwood lumber
• Jig saw or coping saw
• Scrap cardboard and ­masking tape
• Pencil or marker
• Heavy-duty scissors and ­razor cutter
• Assorted vises and clamps
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Heat gun
• Miter box and fine-tooth back saw
• Bastard file
• Power drill and bit set
• No. 10 Phillips 3/4-inch-long truss-head self-tapping screws 
• Phillips screwdriver
• Marine sealant
• Shop rags (to wipe away ­excess sealant)

Create a Template

If you have not done so already, remove the old trim. If it comes off without bending or breaking, you can use the old trim as the template to build a jig as outlined in the next step. If the old trim is not usable for this purpose, securely tape a piece of cardboard against the outside of the transom, then with a pencil or marker, carefully trace along the curve of the transom. Then remove the cardboard and cut carefully with pair of scissors or a razor cutter with a fresh blade along the line you traced. This piece of cardboard will serve as your template for building a jig to shape an inside curve in the PVC stock. 

Build a Jig

I used a piece of two-by-six hardwood lumber about 2 feet in length to build the jig. Using the template, trace the radius of the curve so that it carries from the top edge of the wood to merge with the end of the piece of lumber. Next, use a jig saw or coping saw to cut carefully along the line that you drew, ensuring that the cut is as perpendicular as possible to the broad side of the board, thus creating a flat surface on the narrow edge for clamping and ­bending the PVC 90-degree angle stock. If not, you might have to sand the narrow edge of lumber to obtain a flat and level surface after the cut. 

Tip: Depending on the radius of the curve you need to create, you can use a two-by-four (for a smaller radius than in this project) or a two-by-ten (for a larger radius) to build the jig.

Heat and Bend

Lock the jig into a vice with the broad side vertical and the curved portion on top and hanging over the edge of your work surface to allow the heated PVC to bend around the end of the board. Clamp one side of the PVC angle stock to the top of the jig so that the ­other side of stock is ­oriented upward (to accommodate the inside curve). Gently and slowly warm the PVC in the area of the bend with a heat gun. Keep moving the heat gun to avoid overheating or crinkling of the plastic. As it softens, guide the stock carefully around the radius of the curve until you have created the desired bend.

Tip: A pair of heat-resistant gloves allows you to shape the curve of the heated plastic without suffering any burns to your hands. 

Fit and Trim

Let the angle stock completely cool with the clamps in place until the PVC angle stock becomes rigid again. Then unclamp it from the jig, and test-fit it to the transom edges to ensure that the newly curved piece follows the bend and fits flush on all surfaces. Assuming a good fit, also note where you need to trim the PVC stock on each end, marking both with a piece of masking tape. Cut the angle stock to fit with a miter box and a fine-tooth back saw. Leave at least ¹/₈ to ¹/₁₆ inch of extra length on each end. This will allow you to file down the last little bit of material for the tightest fit possible.

Read Next: How to Apply Clear Coat to a Fiberglass Boat

Drill and Secure

Refit the piece of trim in place—recheck your cuts to make sure everything fits well and flush. Then mark the best location for the mounting screws. Avoid screwing into the apex of the curving portion of the trim or along the vertical leg of the angle stock. Instead, secure it along the straight horizontal portions of the PVC. Drill pilot holes with a No. 21 bit through the trim and into the transom cap, and use stainless-steel 3/4-inch-long No.10 Phillips truss-head self-tapping screws. Bed the surfaces and pilot holes with marine sealant. Don’t overtighten the screws so as to prevent cracking the plastic.

Tip: Before attaching the replacement trim, fill in and seal the old screw holes from the original trim. In this case, I filled in the old holes with Marine Tex. 

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