Tips For Boating: Keep Away the Winter Blues
Published: Thursday, January 31, 2019
By: Captain Fred Davis
Capt. Fred Davis is a retired charter captain and nationally published author of boating articles. His “Boat Smart” articles are published online at www.tipsforboating.com.
Winter months are tough for boaters and anglers. They’ve finished putting their boats away and caught up on back issues of boating articles in their favorite magazines. The boat show schedules are helpful but some are a long distance away. In some areas, ice is not yet safe enough to go fishing.
Previewing memories of the past boating and fishing season could be one way to pass the time. As you recall incidents, make a list of things you might do differently. Think back about the time you needed help or could have helped someone else. How about when the cell phone battery went dead and you needed to make a call? Or when your anchor was hung up and you had to cut the rope? Perhaps you only witnessed an incident on the water but now realize it could have happened to you.
When you visit the marine supplier, you should find a large display of VHF radios, cell phones, and accessories to choose from.
After you complete your review, make a list of things you could have done to avoid the problems you recollected. Do you need a new radio? Put it on the list. How about an accessory plug and cord to charge your cell phone? Add it to the list. To help with the anchor problem you recalled, have you seen the ball and ring retrieval system? I’ve not only seen the system, I’ve used it for a number of years and have had great success with it.
Remember the time you saw a boat on the rocks or one under tow and thought about how glad you were that it wasn’t you? Have you had that shaft and prop checked out for wear? When you saw the boat on the trailer sitting on the side of the road, were you glad it was not you? Well, do you have a spare trailer tire? Do you carry a jack to change a trailer tire or a heavy-duty lug wrench? Or a wedge in case you have to disconnect the trailer?
The ball and ring anchor system should be available at most suppliers, and if not, it can be ordered.
After a fair amount of time in this line of thinking, you will probably have a good list of things you could use – and all things you never think of during the boating season. It will help you to make your purchases as you visit the boat shows this winter. If you are unable to get to one of the shows, pull out one of the boat supply store catalogs and spend some serious time browsing through it. Compare items to your list and then head over to your nearby marine supply stores. There are always knowledgeable service people working there that can assist you.
Preparing for the boating season by trying out some new equipment – perhaps mounting it on your boat now – will help pass the time until you are able to get back on the water.
This article first appeared in the Winter Issue (Jan/Feb) 2019 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.
tags: Boating 101, Service & Repair
