Canadian Power & Sail Oakville Squadron
Hi Boaters
It is time to start looking at all the materials that you have removed from your boat and give it an inspection for damages and a good spring cleaning. Fenders, lines, lifejackets, flares, batteries, cables all need to be checked. Did you know soaking your lines in a bucket of water with downey added will not only remove some dirt but can restore the the line’s suppleness.
It may be early to start removing the shrink wrap yet up here in the Cold North but it is not to soon to do an interior and exterior inspection. What you should at this time be looking for are those little varmints that crawl and nest in those open spaces like your exhaust tubes. Sometimes those creatures are able to gain access to the interior of your boat and need to be chased out safely. Racoons are very bad when they get onboard a boat set for winter storage as they can chew up insulation and wiring to make their nests as well as the cushions that may be left on the boat. So a quick inspection can catch these creatures and they can removed before too much damage is done.
Insurance policies can offer coverage from damage caused by these critters but be sure to ask for that coverage as not all policies have it. While checking your insurance policy go over the coverages that you want and the amount of liability coverage. I don’t want to scare anyone but I know of a person who grounded their boat and one of the questions that the insurance company asked is are you leaking any fuels or oil into the water. In this day and age it is important to have protection coverage for environmental spills. I was advised that the cleanup company charges $1,000 per hour as soon as they receive the call of a cleanup. I certainly wouldn’t want that coming out of your or my pocket.
Stay Healthy Everyone
I hope to see you on the waters of Lake Ontario this summer!
Keep on Smiling
Mike Johnson
Commander
Oakville Power and Sail Squadron
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