Start the boating season out right

Spring has finally sprung.  Many seasonal “Skippers” are itching to get their boats in the water.  That means all the preseason checks on land.  Oil, fuel, battery, cleaning, put the plug in…

Verify your license, registration and insurance are all current.

Memorial Day is just around and the corner and for those in the North, that kicks off the unofficial summer boating season.  We all are hoping for warm sunny weather.  What can go wrong?
As you load the SUV/Truck/Car;  the cooler full of deliciousness.  Hitch up the boat.
Did you inspect the trailer:
Inspect the tires!  Look for cracks in the side walls.  Replace these.   Blown tires are the number one claim. Take it from someone that has learned from experience.  Picture this:  Driving down a busy interstate at 65MPH on an 80 degree day only to experience the frustration associated with the treads splitting away and damaging the trailer and fiberglass hull.  Check the inflation while the tire is cool.  If not properly inflated, you run the risk of the tire overheating and blowing.  Check the spare and most car jacks won’t work.
 

Lubricate/Grease the bearings if necessary.  If you need to clean the bearings kerosene works and repack them with wheel bearing grease then replace the seals.  Check these while traveling to see if either hub is abnormally hot.  This will indicate a potential need to replace.
 

Check the winch, whether it is electric or manual.  Hate to get to the launch and the winch not work.
 

Test the Lights all the way around. I’ve found many drivers like to get up real close.  Not sure if it’s to read the name on the back of the boat, but having working lights is very important.
If you’ve changed vehicles, inspect that the trailer and vehicle are horizontal or is the tongue weight too heavy or too light causing the back of the vehicle to be sagging down or riding higher than horizontal.

These are a few of the areas that will help you and your family enjoy a wonderful time this season.