There are all types of boat preparations depending on where you’re going and what you’re doing! It could be that you’re entertaining at the dock and your preparations would include food, drink, a good boat wash down, and music of course. There are other boat preparations if you’re taking an offshore run to the Bahamas, Bermuda, or the Caribbean. These longer runs, either by powerboat or sailboat that can last overnight or several days to weeks need to have quite a bit more preparation, from plenty of food and fuel storage, to all kinds of safety equipment. You would also want to have an experienced crew that knows the rigors needed for these longer voyages.

            Coastal running does take a little of each…you must have enough fuel, food, and safety equipment to guard against any unforeseen event. One of the things you might consider is a bilge alarm allowing you to know how often your bilge pump is running. Whether it’s a powerboat or sailboat, things do happen like a thru-hull fitting coming loose…for reasons it could be many. The hoses attached also may start leaking or the hoses themselves may blow off because of the motion of the boat going through the water puts higher pressure into these hoses. If the hoses are in good shape and the two hose clamps (you should have two) are tight and in good condition then these problems should not occur. You could get leaky stuffing boxes, your water tank and/or related hoses and fittings can start coming loose and begin to leak also. You never know if it’s going to happen inshore or offshore….The thing is to have replacements or some sort of repair-ability to stop the water flow. This is why the bilge alarm is so important, it lets you know that it’s pumping out more often.  Because of this, it gets you to look under the floorboards and into the bilge. A man overboard system, whether electronically setup or a manual type with a flag and buoy, should be onboard as well. This equipment helps you get back to where that person or object fell overboard.

            Basically, having a well maintained boat always helps keep an emergency or unwanted event to a minimum. As you find yourself cruising in certain areas you will find that you usually gear your boat to that area. Reading more about offshore or coastal voyages will give you insight on different ways and additional boat equipment to prepare your boat. And Why Knot!

Tags: boat, powerboat, sailboat, boat preparations, offshore, coastal running, bilge pump, bilge alarm, man overboard system