December is upon us and winter cold is in full effect throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Many boaters are off the water during the cold months, but safe boating in the spring and summer starts with proper winterization and preparation.
Every year when the boating season opens up, the Coast Guard conducts numerous rescues due to preventable incidents which could have been avoided if the proper steps were taken for winterization and proper inspections were done prior to departing for the first time of the season.
Waiting too long may be a costly mistake. Expanding water can crack an engine block, damage fiberglass, split hoses or destroy refrigeration systems. Since most mariners go out less in the winter, or remove their boat from the water, it is a great time to perform annual maintenance. In addition to saving money, these preventative measures could save your life.
Through November of 2018, Coast Guard crews in the 5th District responded to 14 search and rescue cases due to dead batteries. There were 119 reported engine failures of different sorts and more than 200 cases were due to operator error.
Doing some preventative maintenance and taking a boating safety course could have prevented many of these potentially life threatening situations. The ocean can be very unforgiving and a disabled boat in the wrong conditions without the right safety gear can be fatal. Ensuring your boat is properly maintained will reduce the chance that you and your loved ones will need to be rescued.
