Category Archives: sail boats

Using a drone to inspect a boat

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Once you buy a drone, what do you do? There are only so many photos of the house.  

We tested a drone as a way to inspect a sailboat mast.  Need to climb 60 feet to see whats at the top?  Use a drone first. Might save you the trip and the photos are in great details. 

In this case we used a Yuneec Typnoon Q500 – 4K and a Yuneec Breeze.  The breeze is flown using he smart phone as a controller.
Check out the video here,  Drone mast inspection

Spring Boat Service – Interior

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Interior
Cleaning the interior includes not only the fabric and carpets, but also checking for leaks or signs of damage to the hull, hatches and port holes.  Most interior fabrics can be cleaned with any household fabric cleaner.  Dedicated vinyl cleaners are available for cleaning and protecting the vinyl seats and cushions. 

This is also a time when any wood trim or joinery should be cleaned and protected with an appropriate material such as teak oil, polyurethane, etc.  If your boat happened to develop moisture during the storage, you may need to remove a little mold and mildew from the surfaces.  It’s a good idea to wipe all the surfaces down with an anti bacterial cleaner anyway, even if you don’t see mold spots. 

Once the basic interior is cleaned it is time to look into bilges, under engines and at storage tanks.  Clean the bilges checking for any debris or oil that might have dropped or seeped into the area.  If there is oil in the bilges you have to find the leak before putting the boat in the water.   You will also need to check the bilges pumps for operation.  Make sure you check both the automatic and manual operation if necessary.  If you only have one bilge pump you may want to take the time to install a back up.  If you leave your boat on the water for the season a back up pump can be a lifesaver during a heavy rain.

Of course, while you’re digging around in the bilge areas, check, test and lubricate all the seacock’s.  Make sure you inspect any hoses and clamps. It’s highly recommended that any hoses that are below the waterline get a little extra protection by being double clamped.  This might also be the time to make sure you have a few appropriately sized wooden plugs as emergency stoppers for through hull fittings.

Systems
Depending on the size of your boat the systems could include the head, water galley and electrical components, all of which need to be inspected, cleaned and tested.
If your head is a portable system the checking is pretty simple, make sure the tank is cleaned out, you have chemicals on board and it works. 

If your have a permanent systems, it’s really not much different. The system need to be cleaned and lubricated for smooth operations. The tanks need to be cleaned and maybe even flushed if possible. If you have chemical treatments make sure you have a supply on board and accessible.  If you have to have your own dump hose for the marina, make sure it’s accessible and not damaged or leaking.  

One other thing, if your boat has a Y-valve make sure it is working, labeled for the correct operation and secured in the appropriate position.

The water system is pretty basic. The storage tank needs to be flushed to clean it out. If it was sitting with water in it, you’ll need to run a sanitizer through it.  In fact, you should sanitize the tanks even if you had antifreeze in it.  Using a pool or spa chlorine will remove bacteria and clean the tank.  Once you add the chlorine to the tank, let it sit for a while and then run the water through the system so that the chlorine gets a chance to pass through all the fixtures and drains. 

While running the chlorinated water through the system; inspect the hoses, clamps and pumps for leaks.  At the same time you can test the water heater to make sure it works. But remember; don’t run the water heater without water in it.

After testing the water system you should inspect clean and operate the refrigerator, freezer, stove and any other appliances.  Depending on your individual situation, this might include operating the appliances on the shore power, battery power or “gas” (like propane).  Any gas fittings should be inspected for dirt, damage and leakage.  A small bottle of bubble blowing liquid works great to find leaks in gas line fittings. 

The electrical system inspection and preparation can be quite extensive depending on your specific boat.  Typically you’ll have batteries that need to be inspected and charged. Batteryfluid levels need too be checked and the terminals should be cleaned and lubricated to prevent corrosion.  Fuses, breakers and wiring should be inspected for corrosion, damage, cracks, worn spots, signs of arcing and operation. 


If you have a fishing boat you may have the addition of a cleaning station and live wells. The live wells should be checked for operation and leakage.  Many boats also have a deck fresh water shower or spray system that needs to be tested.  

How much does a boat cost

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I like to think of the purchase price of the boat as an investment.  I know it probably won’t increase in value, but for me it is an investment. Whether it was a “Venti Carmel macchiato with two pumps and whipped” or a new issue of Go Boating, I would be spending the money on something.  I figure the money I spent on the boat and the hours of pleasure I get from it are a lot cheaper than hours I could be spending on a psychiatrist couch.  Come to think of it, it’s not just an investment but a health benefit.
So let’s be real. The boat is using money that could be gaining interest (small as that might be) in an investment account. It’s always good to remind yourself where the money is going and how much. Not that you’ll care, but at least you won’t be surprised.

 There are other costs which I like to break out into “variable costs” and “fixed costs”.  Variable costs are items like fuel and oil. The amount of money it costs me is based on how much I use the boat. Anything that is consumable, time limited or based on wear and tear or hours used, can be considered a variable cost. 


Fixed costs are just that, fixed, no matter how much I use the boat. This can include slips, insurance, license etc.  I still have to pay the fixed costs even if I leave the boat in my yard on the trailer.  And don’t forget to throw in a few extra costs like GPS, charts, skis etc…..
Insurance is not only a fixed cost it is a major cost on some boats.  Make sure you check buying the insurance before you buy the boat. Don’t commit to the deal and find out you can’t buy the insurance because the boat is too big or too fast. I own a specialty insurance agency, take my word on this. 
Last and probably more important than any other factor is your personal preferences.  What do I really want in a boat? This can actually override all the common sense factors; it’s the wild card in the “selection deck”.  It is very important, but don’t let it get in the way of buying a good boat.
Make sure the boat you buy is something you can handle and afford. Choose something that fits the way you live and where you live.  Remember, if you can’t afford the boat or can’t handle the boat, it will sit in the driveway and never see the pounding waves. And if you just have to get it, buy it. But if you are not sure, keep looking, there’s always another boat coming into the used boat marina. 

Want to figure how much your boat cost?  Send me a note and I’ll email you a cost analysis spread sheet. You can plug in the numbers and see what your boat is costing you. Or what that new boat you are thinking about buying, might cost.