Boat Repair MN | Fiberglass Boat Repair
The first day of summer, June 21, is still weeks away. But, for the nation’s 80 million recreational boaters, the upcoming Memorial Day weekend marks the start of the summer boating season. Boaters are working to a frenzy to get their boats in the water for the weekend. And who can blame them. It’s been one heck of a long winter.
Memorial Day Weekend Could Mean Trouble For Boaters
Memorial Day Weekend is traditionally the second busiest time on the water. Be Careful out there people!
Memorial Day is also traditionally the second-busiest day of the year for boaters, after July 4th. One of the preferred holiday activities in Minnesota is boating. Local waterways will likely be crowded, as people take advantage of three days off and what looks like good weather ahead.
National Safe Boating Week 2013
It just so happens that National Safe Boating Week 2013 is May 18-25, and the U.S. Coast Guard wants to make sure everyone remembers safety rules. Both the Holiday and National Safe Boating Week (May 18-24) present an opportunity to emphasize the importance of remaining safe while boating.
The Coast Guard is promoting National Boating Safety Week’s 2013 campaign slogan – Wear It! The promotion focuses on the availability of comfortable and lightweight life jackets, as well as the safety aspects of wearing a life jacket at ALL times!
Safety first with passengers is the responsibility of every boat captain to ensure a happy day afloat. The Coast Guard frowns on bow riding, which officials describe as an “unsafe practice of remaining on the bow of a vessel while it is underway.”
Boat inspections are on the official safety list, especially for the beginning of the season, to avoid breakdowns on the water. Local Coast Guard Auxiliaries offer free, no-fault vessel safety checks. Volunteers will verify the presence and condition of safety equipment required by state and federal regulations. For more information, visit cgaux.org/vsc.
File A Float Plan
Another important safety tip is to file a float plan that details where you are going and how many people are aboard your vessel. The float plan should include a vessel description, your destination and a timetable of where you expect to be at a certain time. If you must change your float plan, make sure you tell someone who will let others know of your change in plans. In case of an emergency, a good float plan can help the Coast Guard narrow down a search to find you.
Take a look at the Coast Guard Float Plan form (PDF). While you’re downloading documents, you might also want to grab a sample Pre-Departure Checklist (PDF) to keep on your boat. We also have separate equipment checklists and vessel system checklists.
Check The Weather
Check the weather before taking off. The forecast for the coming Memorial Day weekend looks fairly decent but with a slight chance of thunderstorms each day. The Coast Guard reminds residents of how quickly weather can change, “so mariners planning of making way should keep a watchful eye on the forecast conditions.” Your boat responds differently from day to day as a result of weather, current, temperature, load, and other factors.
- Check the weather forecast for where you intend to boat. Don’t just check the regular weather channel – find the marine forecast to learn about the sea state at your destination. This report tells you about the weather, wind speeds, and wave height. The best place to look is the NOAA weather.gov site.
Know Your Boat!
Know your personal capabilities and the limitations of your vessel. What you don’t know about your own capabilities, your boat, what the boat can and can’t do, how to deal with wind, speed, tides, currents, and hazards (both natural and man-made) can–and will–hurt you (or someone else), sooner or later. Murphy’s Law applies with a vengeance when you’re out on the water.
Also, make sure you know your way around the water. It can be really helpful to know where the shallow spots are. Like when you hit a rock and it shreds the propeller blades.
Boat Repairs & Renovations
Hull & Inboard Propeller Mount Damage Repair (Fiberglass)
Propeller Mount Before & After
Hull Before & After
After Assembly
Let’s Be Careful Out There Folks!
Whether you’re a nautical novice or King Neptune himself, there is always a chance of getting in a boating accident. It happens!
Yes, you may be an experienced boater, but even if you were born with tiller in hand, it’s worth taking a little extra time to make sure you’ve mastered the handling of this boat on this day under these conditions to avoid a boating accident.
So do yourself a favor and make the lakes and waterways (and you) a little bit safer this Memorial weekend by making safety a priority to ensure that boating stays fun!
