Wintertime Boating?
“You can’t just forget you own a boat from October to May.” That quote came during an interview with Bruce Hartshorn, operations director at Shelburne Shipyard on Lake Champlain. He was making an important point: Even on dry land and under a canvas or plastic cover, a boat needs to be checked periodically through the winter.
But his quote raises a more interesting question: Why would you want to ignore your boat over the winter? Find a project to do that you’ll benefit from next summer. There are springlike weekends long after the first snowfall and well before the first budding leaves of spring -- that’s been particularly true of New England thus far this winter.
I just installed a drawer refrigerator to keep cold drinks at hand near the helm of my brother’s boat. (Okay, you caught me. His boat is in Florida -- but who wants to work on a boat there in the heat of summer? And this time of year there are days on end where it’s too windy to go offshore in south Florida -- perfect project days.) The job took a day to plan and collect tools and materials, and another day to complete. Exactly what a wintertime project calls for. Something that will fit within a short weather window.
Standby for details of the drawer fridge installation in an upcoming issue, by the way.
If you aren’t the handyman type, do something that you’d have to tackle before boating season to shorten your springtime routine. Inspect your safety gear and replenish expired flares. Look over your enclosure for loose seams and toothless zippers, and bring those panels to the canvas shop before the springtime rush. Clean out that disaster of a spare parts locker. Replace those hose clamps you noticed were going bad while winterizing.
If you’re like me, a day aboard the boat even in the yard can be almost as therapeutic as a day on the water -- particularly if it’s a day that couldn’t be spent on the water. On the next nice weekend, go visit your boat. You’ll both benefit from some one-on-one time together.
— Cap’n Vince
