April 2025 Column SPRING BOAT PREP TIPS By Capt. John N.Raguso
We are finally past the vernal equinox (March 21st) where the sun has crossed the equator and spring in the northern hemi- sphere has officially begun, where the amount daylight is equal to the amount of darkness. Every day moving forward, we add a minute or two more sunlight and the sullen darkness that dominated the winter months becomes a distant memory. Spring is also the time to start thinking of the upcoming boating season. Accordingly, we will dedicate the focus of this month’s column to getting your boat ready to splash for the 2025 season. Pro Prep Tips
I recently visited one of my local boat dealers, Suffolk Marine Center in Babylon, NY, and spoke to managing partner Jimmy Luttieri.This 42-year old business sells Regulators, Sea Hunts and Jones Brothers boats, as well as Yamaha outboard engines.The following are some of Jimmy’s random thoughts on spring commissioning boat prep tips:
•Through-hull fittings with active seacocks should be checked for smooth operation and lubed at least once a season. To perform this task, stick the straw of your preferred spray
into the through-hull fitting hole and squirt a generous about of lube up into the fitting, while another person is positioned inside the boat working the lever back and forth. If it’s stuck, you might have to remove the inlet/outlet hose from the inside of the boat and squirt the fitting from the back side. If it’s frozen open or closed, it’s time to replace the fitting. • All through-hull fittings should be closed when the boat is first put in the water at the beginning of the season. This prevents nasty surprises and a potential sinking at the dock. Open up each through-hull seacock one at a time and check for leaks.
• Be sure to clean off all echo sounder transducers and underwater lights. Apply a specialized coating of products like Propspeed’s“Foulfree”on the transducers and "Lightspeed”on the underwater lights to ensure that they won’t be covered by nasty barnacles as the season progresses. • Change all zincs on your underwater gear, including those on rudders, lower units, trim tabs, outboard brackets, etc. If you have an inboard or I/O, be sure that all
underwater metal parts are interconnected and have continuity for uniform bonding. Check this with an ohm meter. • Put the boat in the water and run it for a few hours, at which point change all your primary fuel filter(s). Dump the contents of the old filter(s) into a bucket and observe the liquid contents for water, dirt and sediments. A new filter should ensure months of hassle-free operation from your fuel system. • Check all battery water levels (if not maintenance free) and refill with distilled water.- •Remove all battery terminal wires, clean them with a wire brush, check for a solid connection of the clamp to the cable, coat the battery post with a thin layer of dielectric grease and reinstall with lock nuts to prevent unwanted disconnects when underway. •Lightly sand your boat’s hull under the waterline before repainting the bottom and wear the appropriate gloves, coveralls and face mask for safety. •Check all bilge pumps for both manual and automatic operations, including float switch cycling. Check the wire connections to be sure that they are still waterproof. Repair/replace as needed. •Check your navigation lights for full functionality and repair/replace any dysfunctional parts. •Check the dates on all USCG safety gear like handheld and aerial flares. Replace as need- ed. These typically have a three-year shelf life. Make sure your boat registration and boat insurance are up to date. •All boaters in New York State regardless of age will need to have a boating license for the 2025 season.
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