GOT A BOAT? HERE'S SOME ADVICE FROM MARINE SURVEYORS

Photo 1
HULL, PROPELLER AND STEERING.

When it’s cold outside the boating season can seem a long time coming, but this is the perfect time to start getting everything ready for the summer months.  The last thing you want to do is carry out all the checks at the last minute and miss something that’s really important.

As a Marine Surveyor I inspect and check everything that carries passengers and freight on the water from small boats that do harbour trips right up to the biggest ocean going liners and cargo ships.  I want to share with you some of my experience and how you can check to make sure that your boat is safe for you, your family and your friends.

If you’ve taken you’re boat out of the water, now’s a good time to check the hull for any cracks or damage.  If you have a keel, make sure that any bolts are secure and that it is correctly sealed. Have a good look at the deck join and make sure there are no gaps and look at the hull anodes bolts to see if they need replacing. 

Photo 2
If you have a wooden hull it’s a good idea to do a poke test to see if the wood is rotten.  With a flat head screwdriver, press it firmly against the wood across the grain and you’ll know soon enough if it needs replacing.

Once you’ve thoroughly checked the hull, now is a good time to check your sea valves.  Make sure you can see them move, rather than just turning the handle.  If something has clogged it up, you might never know, so seeing is believing and the best way to know it works.

Once you’ve done that, you should check your propeller, give it a wiggle test to make sure the cutlass bearings are ok and look for any pitting and corrosion and replace it if needed. 

You should also check the bearings on the rudder and that all your steering connectors are all working as they should be.

Next week one of my colleagues here at the MCA will have some more tips on what to check on your boat before the season starts.

 MCA Marine Surveyor Leanne Grillandini, Southampton Marine Office.

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5


Photos
1 Cracked wooden hull.  This was taken on a wooden fishing boat and as you can see the planking has dried out.
2 Press test.  You can see just how far the flat head screwdriver has been pressed into the wooden hull.
3 Rudder pintle.  The pintle is coming away from the boat and the bearings are completely corroded.   The owners believed this would be good enough to pass a safety inspection.
4 De-zincification on the propeller. The pink areas show the areas affected and means that the prop is gradually wasting away.
5 Crack in the hull.  Any hole that lets in light will let in water.


All of these vessels were detained by MCA Marine Surveyors.

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