Successfully preparing your fuel system and boat for winter storage is really a two-phased approach. Step 1 involves your boating and fueling habits during the boating season, while Step 2 has to do with the final steps just before winterizing the boat and engine.
Step 1: Basically, the more you use the boat, the better off everything will be! E10 gasoline (fuel w/ ethanol added) loses its volatility when exposed to air over time; the average shelf life of E10 is only about 60-90 days if not treated with stabilizers. As such, adding a good non-alcohol based fuel stabilizer to your fuel is a very good idea.
As we’ve mentioned before, the main problem with ethanol is that it absorbs water, in fact, scientist say that ethanol can absorb 2-3% by volume of water. This leads to the major issue with E10: when it sits for long periods of time “phase separation” occurs. In layman’s terms, this means that waterlogged ethanol begins to separate from the gas settling to the bottom of the tank while the fuel floats on top. This results in two solutions – neither of which is good. The gasoline left has no oxygenate, so it shouldn’t be burned by the engine and needs to be disposed of and pumped out, while the water left behind contains a high concentration of ethanol; a “cocktail” that is extremely corrosive and damaging to the fuel system; tanks, fittings, hoses, and filters. Once this separation occurs, the only thing to do is to dispose of all the fuel, clean the tank, and start with fresh E10 gasoline. Hence our dilemma when it comes to winter storage.
The first step to successfully preparing your fuel system for winter storage is to reduce the amount of water in your tank during the boating season. This can be done by running the appropriate amount of non-alcohol fuel drier and stabilizer through the system a few times each season. Chevron Techron, Starbrite StarTron® , and MDR Water Zorb are among the best products to consider. The other key to a healthy fuel system and tank is to not leave a boat with a lot of fuel for extended periods of time during the season. If you use the boat only periodically, then it’s best to run the boat with less fuel in it and just fill the tank with only what you need for the day before heading out.
Step 2: When it comes to actually preparing the boat for winter storage, the tank should be run completely dry or at the very least as dry as possible. Then treat the small amount that’s left for the winter. What I’d recommend is adding the same high quality fuel stabilizer/ dryer that you’ve been using throughout the season with some high test gas the last time you put fuel in the boat for the year. Then, run the boat completely dry with this final combination. This goes against traditional thinking - but it’s probably better to have a small amount of water from condensation that can be relatively easily dealt with than a tank full of bad gas that is highly corrosive and damaging.
This past weekend I relented and agreed to go out on my friend’s 17’ hard sided boat.
The plan was to leave Marblehead and head to Kettle Cove, which is about 6-7 miles away from Marblehead Harbor on the way towards Gloucester. With the wind steady and strong out of the N/ NW at about 20 knots, we began our journey. As soon as we left the harbor, we were soaked!! The ride was dicey at best and we were hanging on for dear life. Every time the boat would slam down off a wave, water would be splashed up in the air and the wind would throw it back into the boat and all over us. Horrible ride to say the least. After about a half hour of this, we decided to head home for calming waters and put our Kettle Cove plans on hold.
After our shortened boat ride, I couldn’t wait to get back on a RIB! Looking back on it, I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience how “other boaters” live – spending so much time on a RIB, you sometimes forget just how great the ride is and how lucky you really are. Needless to say, my friends and I have plans to head back to Kettle Cove this weekend – this time on my RIB!
Ever wonder what happens when you hit that red "distress" button on your VHF radio? Nothing. That is unless you’ve properly registered your radio and vessel through MSSI, the Maritime Mobile Service Industry.
Most VHF radios these days are equipped with a DSC function (Digital Select Calling), which dramatically increases your safety at sea by taking advantage of enhanced communications options. In the event of an emergency your VHF radio can link you to other vessels and rescue facilities and, if you have a compatible GPS unit, can provide the exact location of your vessel at sea, allowing search and rescue efforts to become simply a rescue effort.
DSC technology makes a VHF radio work like a telephone. It allows boaters to send a digital call directly to another DSC-equipped vessel or shore station, much like a person-to-person telephone call. In the event of an emergency, you can push the "distress" button on your VHF and automatically transmit a May Day call, which would include your MMSI number and location if the radio is linked to a GPS receiver to every DSC radio within range. When the Coast Guard receives the MMSI number it will use the information on file (emergency contact number, type of vessel, etc.) to mount a more effective rescue effort.
So - how do you equip your radio's DSC with GPS capabilities? Here's how: You first need to register your safety information and receive your free MMSI number from Boat US, at http://www.boatus.com/mmsi/ . Follow the steps to complete the registration, providing emergency contact names and cell phone #'s, vessel information and registration #'s, etc. You will then receive your free MMSI number, which you will use to program your VHF and GPS. Your owner's manual for each unit will give detailed instructions on how to enter your MMSI number into the VHF and connect the radio to your GPS. The following link from ICOM is very useful in learning how this whole system works. http://www.icomamerica.com/marine/video/
One of the best pieces of safety equipment any boater can have onboard is a marine VHF radio. Should an emergency happen, having a functioning marine radio onboard can make the crucial difference. There’s really no excuse these days not to have one when out on the water. Today’s VHFs are compact, reliable and relatively inexpensive (depending on the model). VHF radios provide boaters with instant access to the Coast Guard and local marine responders. Though you might not think it, they are far more reliable and effective on the water than your cell phone.
Plus, many of the new VHF radios come with a Digital Selective Calling (DSC) feature which is designed to get emergency help to the distressed vessel with pinpoint accuracy. In an emergency the DSC radio will send an automated digital distress alert consisting of your identification and exact position (provided the radio is connected to a GPS unit) to other DSC equipped vessels and rescue personnel.
At the end of the day, just make sure your boat has a working marine radio and that you test it regularly to make sure it works well.
About a month ago, I posted a piece on Ethanol and its damaging effects on fuel systems. In it, I addressed at length the problems associated with aluminum tanks and also touched on ethanol’s relationship with fiberglass tanks. Since that post I’ve received a lot of feedback, mostly about the small bit I wrote on fiberglass tanks. Here’s what I had to say on that subject:
Plastic and fiberglass tanks aren’t really any better off either. For molded plastic tanks, ethanol increases permeation of the tank walls. For fiberglass tanks, ethanol can cause leaks, but more importantly, there are reports that ethanol causes heavy black deposits on intake valves of marine engines which causes bent push rods, pistons, and valves. Testing is currently underway to fully determine the effects of ethanol on fiberglass tanks.
Since that posting I have learned that the alcohol in ethanol gasoline reacts with and dissolves the resin in the walls of the fiberglass fuel tanks. This eventually compromises the structural integrity of the fiberglass tank, causing them to leak. Additionally, the styrene and related chemical byproducts dissolve and work their way into the engine where they can wreak havoc. Unfortunately, it’s believed that all standard fiberglass resins are attached by ethanol.
I have been told that resin manufacturers do have resin formulations that can be used safely with ethanol, however most of the marine industry has little to no experience with these resins. What’s more these resins aren’t widely available. Though these new formulations could prevent problems in the future, it doesn’t address the thousands of boats today with fiberglass tanks.
The good news is that diesel fuel systems are unaffected so far. So, there’s my update for now, I promise that my next posting on Ethanol will involve some positive news!
Every state requires that RIBs be registered just like every other boat. So, for many RIB owners, that leads to a logical question: “Where the heck do I put my registration numbers and how do I do it”?
It’s a very good question. Putting registration numbers on a RIB isn’t difficult; there are just many more options to choose from than for hard sided boaters. For hard sided boats, it’s very simple, you just go down to your local marine store and purchase the standard 3” stickers and apply them to the side of the boat.
But, on your RIB, you have three good options:
Plastic Placards used for dinghies can be clipped to the lifelines. The placards can be bought at any marine store and then all you need to do is simply stick the standard plastic 3” registration numbers purchased at the same store.
Vinyl Letters – most economical and if done right, looks very finished. Life expectancy is the shortest of the three options as the stickers don’t stick perfectly to the tube. They’ll typically last 2 years, but they’re easy enough to replace and re-do. If you go to a local sign shop and have them cut out of vinyl sign material they’ll last even longer!
Custom Hypalon Letters direct from the manufacturer is by far the most finished and permanent option. The only downside is that these can be quite costly to have done and should you plan to sell your boat, the new owner will have to deal with removing the Hypalon patch.
Massachusetts is joining a growing number of states that is considering mandatory boater education. The current bill before the legislature, H.B.4543, would require all people born after January 1, 1988 to complete a boating safety course. This pending law is similar to ones being reviewed in over a half dozen different states.
It makes sense. Boating education is essential - it will make boating safer and thus more enjoyable for everyone. We don’t think twice about driver’s education when it comes to cars and I don’t think it should be any different for boats. Everyone needs to know the “rules of the road”.
To see if your state currently requires a boating education course or has similar legislation pending as Massachusetts, please visit the NASBLA website. Education is the key to everyone's boating safety and on the water fun!
So you keep your RIB on a mooring – so what’s the best way to secure the mooring pennants so as to not damage the tube?
As with tying a RIB to the dock (we’ll cover this in a subsequent posting –stay tuned) you want to avoid anything that can lead to a line chafing the tube. The best way to go about this is to secure the mooring pennant directly to the bow eye.
You can do this very easily with a stainless steel clip or stainless steel karabiner that is clipped through the loop at the end of the mooring pennant and then clipped directly to the bow eye. For a more permanent set up, you can have your local mooring service company splice the mooring clip to the end of the pennant. If your mooring has two lines, make the second line 3’- 4’ longer so that you can drape it over the tube and secure it to the deck cleat. This line is intended only as a safety line and should have no pressure on it. It’s literally draped over the tube and hangs in the water.
This set up works extremely well and makes mooring your boat quick and easy.
You can see the primary mooring line goes directly to the bow eye and the secondary (grayish-blue line) drapes over the tube (note there is no pressure on it)
A mooring clip spliced directly to the pennant.
What Not To Do - Here's an example of the secondary line being too tight - see how all the load is on the line over the tube - You can actually see the line going to the bow eye is slacked.
Today the United States Coast Guard celebrates 216 years of dedicated service to mariners here and around the world.
It all began on August 4, 1790 when Alexander Hamilton authorized the building of ten ships for the Revenue Cutter Service, the forbearer of today’s United States Coast Guard. In 1915 the Revenue Cutter Service and the Lifesaving Service merged into one organization to form the Coast Guard we know today.
The smallest of the five military armed service branches, the Coast Guard on an average day saves 15 lives, assists 114 people in distress, conducts 23 waterfront security inspections, and monitors the passing of 2557 commercial ships in and out of US ports. How did you spend your day today?
In recognition for all they do, we salute and say “Happy Birthday” to the United States Coast Guard. We are proud to build boats for you and wish you another 216 successful years.
New boat sales of hardsided boats were off in June according to preliminary registration data showing sales of fiberglass boats falling 3.3 percent and aluminum sales flat. The data is from Statistical Surveys.www.statisticalsurveys.com.
The report is based on information from 19 states representing 48 percent of the recreational market. For the first six months of 2006, sales were off 4.9 percent.
Perhaps all the folks who are smart enough not to be buying fiberglass boats are buying RIB’s. That would certainly explain a few things here...
Though RIBs make the perfect platform for marine photographers covering regattas, even a RIB can't avoid a collision. Glad I didn't loan these photographers my RIB for the day!
In all my years on RIBs I have never been on a white water rafting raft – that is until this past weekend. If anyone knows about the resiliency and durability of inflatable tubes (Hypalon and Polyurethane) it’s me – but I was amazed to see what the tubes of a white water raft go through – truly unbelievable!
We used rafts made of both Hypalon and Polyurethane on our trip. Just to launch our rafts - we dragged them over sharp medal racks and jagged rocks. I found myself wincing and wanting to lift the tubes as we slid them along the granite outcroppings. But our guide, who has been doing this for years, had not a worry on her face. As we made our way down the rapids – the abuse continued but the tubes were up to the challenge (though many of us were not).
At the end of our 4 hour trip of punching through breaking waves and ricocheting off bolders, I was thrilled, and I must admit amazed, to see that as we hauled the boats out the tubes showed virtually no signs of wear and tear.
Though I’ve always known how durable RIBs are – it was nice to see an example of just how rugged and durable the tubes really are.
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