Coastguard – Are you prepared?

Every spring, boaties throw the covers off their boats and head straight for the open water, keen to make up for a long winter of inactivity. And like clockwork, every year, Coastguard attends dozens of breakdowns – problems that ruin a day on the water and often prove expensive for the user.

Here are a few tips to prepare your boat for winter, and save you problems and expense come summer:

Use your boat: Probably the best way to ensure your boat remains ready for summer, is to use it regularly over winter. Just remember to keep an eye on the weather.

Make sure your boat is safe: If you aren’t pulling it out of the water, ensure your boat is in a sheltered location, with ample fendering for the most severe of gales. Double up on mooring lines so that your boat remains safe, should one break or come loose. Close the seacocks and leave a reminder for yourself, then if a hose perishes it won’t sink the boat.

Fuel: Left for any length of time, fuel can spoil through degradation or contamination (e.g. from condensation in the tank). If you’ve got a full tank, consider adding a fuel stabiliser. If you have less, drain it completely and replace before use in the spring.

Change the oil and filter: Now is a good time to replace engine oil and oil filter. It never hurts to also check the gearbox, or outdrive oil as well, if applicable. If you get your engine serviced during the winter, do it early and beat the rush.

Flush the engine with fresh water, where possible.

Look after the batteries: Ideally, make sure the batteries are kept somewhere warm and dry, possibly on a trickle charger to keep them fully topped up (a cheap, low wattage solar cell can do this). Clean the terminals. Batteries left uncharged for long periods may need to be replaced completely.

Look after the interior: Store linen, clothing, blankets and curtains ashore, washed and dry. This also applies to life jackets and other wet weather gear. Check the life of flares if you have them and look after any handheld radios, ensuring they are charged up.

It’s a great time to check the nav lights and electronics are in good order, too, spraying them with water-repellent silicone where needed.

Cover up: Ensure you have tight-fitting covers for deck-installed electronics and consider a full wrap cover or tightly closed hatches for your boat. We also keep a dehumidifier in the boat over winter, but remember to empty it, otherwise it works for a day or so then stops because it is full.

A few short, quickly achieved steps can make sure you’re safe on the water come summer and will save yourself from ruining a great day on the water.

One other important thing to do is make sure you renew your coastguard membership, find Coastguard NZ on Google or similar. Only $150 per year but it saves having to pay $350 per hour to Coastguard New Zealand if we come out to you. Also, remember to put down Kawau Rescue as your local unit.