Preparing for Boating Season - Do You Have a List?

[BosnBill]

How do you prepare for boating season? Every year around this time, sometimes earlier, I take out my Spring prep list and gather up all the tools, rags, cleaners and lubricants I'm going to need to put my boat in the water, clean, mobile and safe. How do you prepare for your season? Do you have a list?

 

[john lamon]

I start preparing for the season the day I take the boat out of the water in the fall, it gets a good cleaning of any scum thats built up over the summer, a new water pump impeller every 2 years, lower unit gets drained and filled with new oil and then I spend 7 months or so making vroom vroom noises in the garage, LOL.

I leave the battery hooked up all winter because I use the stereo when making vroom vroom noises and give it a good charge every few weeks, I enjoy working on it over the winter and last year replaced the interior, when it's time to empty the christmas lights out of the big rubbermaid container I fill it up with water and lower the merc in for some sweet sounds and the smell of 2 stroke oil burning, my neighbors think I'm crazy, last year january 1 it's -30 outside and I had it running in the garage, OK I will admit I have a sickness but I don't care, it's way too much fun, the day there is enough open water to float we go for a ride, usually around the first week in april when normal people aren't even thinking of boating yet, here's the new interior and a few ice pics, I can't wait to see what I'll decide to do to it next winter.

it just don't get any better

gotta pass this love on to the kids like my Dad did for me, it was him that started the tradition of our family being the first on the lake every year for about 30 years or so now, I remember going out with him in my 14' lund and breaking ice, LOL

Curious what type of boat you have BosnBill?

 

[BosnBill]

G, JL, I just came back to visit this website. Can't help but notice, you have the kind of boating love I have, maybe worse! April in Canada? How cold is that?

You ask what kind of boat I have. Sorry to get back to you so late in the season, which I know you are enjoying-great year so far...I have a 30 foot Sea Ray with a 4 foot swim platform, big enough to put a palm tree on, heh heh. I'm in CT, USA so we have a 4-6 month season on Long Island Sound. I love my boat, have thought of moving up (my wife's idea), but like what I have. We started out with small sailboats, went to a bowrider for tubing and waterskiing, a 26 foot Express Cruiser and now 30 footer. It's great for 3 adults and 2 small kids, but no more and that is where the dilemma lies. Do we go bigger for the extra adult....I don't think so.

I love your enthusiasm and pix. Keep them coming. If you'd be interested in our passage into boating you can visit my website re: my book about our first experiences in moving up to a bigger boat at Lubber's Log

Stay in touch John. You remind me of me 30 years ago.

 

[john lamon]

Yes we have had a great summer, been out every weekend and the boat has ran great with no issues.

I checked out your Lubbers log, good stuff

What kind of power would you run in a boat that big? we don't see anything that big around here.

My buddy's parents bought a new 89' 18ft Sea Ray with a 135 Merc O/B when we were kids, we put that boat through hell dragging us around the lake, they still have it and it's still a solid boat, I always thought it was ahead of it's time compared to other similar sized boats, even came with hydraulic steering instead of cable which was rare back then, there's looks the same as this one, must look like a toy compared to yours, lol