Tag Archives: boat

Recreational

5 steps to winterize your boat the easy way

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It happens every year. The season comes to an end, and we have to put our boat away for the winter. Before you say your final farewell, however, take a little time for some maintenance. Handling these five winterization steps now, says Derek Wolfe, Watercraft Claims Specialist at American Modern, will make saying hello to your boat next spring even more joyful.

  1. Before winter storage, clean out all the damp and wet materials including any fabrics that can hold moisture. This will help prevent musty smells in the boat after the long winter.
  2. Be sure to clean and protect the canvas that protects your boat all season long. The reason for most canvas leaks is due to dirt being trapped between the canvas threads. The dirt will act like a funnel and allow water to pass straight through. Don’t forget to reapply a protectant to the canvas to preserve it from the elements.
  3. One of the most highly neglected boating accessories is not even on the boat—it’s the trailer your boat sits on. You trust the trailer to get your boat to and from the lake, but it’s rarely maintained until something breaks. Maintenance tasks such as brake service, paint protection, tire checks, lubing, and greasing the brakes and bearings will keep your trips on schedule.
  4. Remember to pull your boat’s hull drain plug when it’s stored out of the water. If your shrink-wrap or covers fail during the off-season, rainwater buildup could fill the bilge and submerge the motor and systems for a long period of time. That’ll ruin next season in a hurry!
  5. Be sure to have your boat, motor, and all systems professionally winterized. Most important, remember to have marine antifreeze installed. Marine antifreeze not only protects the systems from freezing temperatures, but it has corrosion inhibitors that help control the decay of metals inside the cooling systems. Relying on a knowledgeable marine service professional can put your mind at ease, because typically damage from freezing is not covered by most insurance policies.

For information only. Not applicable to all situations.

Recreational

Enjoying summer on the water: Essential boating safety tips

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The heat of the summer continues to drive more than 100 million Americans to spend their days boating on the water each year, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Swimming, tubing, fishing, there is always something for everyone to enjoy to escape the blistering temperatures.   

But no matter if you are operating a boat or merely along for the ride, boating can pose many dangers if safety isn’t taken seriously. According to the United States Coast Guard, there were 564 fatalities and 2,126 injuries involving boats in 2023. Risks can include drowning, crashing, hazardous conditions, not being aware of your surroundings and countless other injuries that can occur on and off the boat.   

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Recreational

5 boat maintenance tips

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Spending a bit of time on basic maintenance can help you have fun for years to come. Here are a few  ideas to keep your boat ship-shape.

  1. Keep Things Clean: Boating can be a messy business, but a clean and well-kept boat should last longer than its slimy and unmaintained counterpart. Regularly remove scale and algae scum from the hull and watch out for buildup. Upholstery should be maintained with proper marine cleaners and protectants to avoid replacing it down the road.
  2. Maintain the Battery: Marine batteries can last years if properly maintained. Make sure the battery is secured before every trip and firmly mounted to the boat. Immediately after use, recharge your battery fully to decrease the chance of sulfate deposit buildup. If your battery requires it, make sure its water is at the right level.
  3. Check the Engine: Most boats are run hard on the weekends and left idle for the rest of the week. This irregular use is hard on a boat. That’s why it’s so important to inspect and check all the engines components and fluids every time you go boating. If you find a leak, get it properly repaired right away to prevent further damage and keep toxins out of the water.
  4. Check the Propeller: Your propeller needs to be inspected on a regular basis because any dents, knicks, or dings which can hinder performance, drive up fuel costs, and create internal damage. A few times per season remove the entire propeller in order to remove any built up gunk or debris from your prop shaft and relubricate.
  5. Don’t Stop Now: The end of boating season doesn’t mean the end of boat maintenance. Be sure to have your boat professionally winterized to prevent freezing damage to the engine and hull. Then, make sure it’s properly covered for winter storage.

Keeping up with boat maintenance is the key to your craft’s longevity and safety. Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or you rely on the professionals, take good care of your boat and it should return the favor with years of boating entertainment.

For information only. Not applicable to all situations.

Sources:

Proper Boat Maintenance can help prevent major repairs. – YouTube
Boat Maintenance Checklist | Sport Fishing Magazine
Beginner’s Boat Maintenance for Dummies | Discover Boating
8 Everyday Boat Maintenance Tips to Give You Total Peace of Mind | BetterBoat Boating Blog
How to Maintain a Marine Battery | Gold Eagle Co.
Boat Maintenance Tips | The Family Handyman

Other, Recreational

5 tips to summer-ize your watercraft

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Summer’s just around the corner and the water’s calling! Time to make sure your watercraft is shipshape. Derek Wolfe, one of our senior watercraft underwriters, offers 5 favorite tips for preparing your vessel. Here’s how to get ready for a season full of fun.

  1. Check the battery. Your wet cell battery probably lost water over the winter. Charging it when it’s low on fluid can invite all sorts of unpleasant surprises—from engine control issues to electrical shorts, even fires. Before you drop it in the boat or on charge, make sure it’s topped off with distilled water.
  2. Show your trailer some love. We could do an entire blog on prepping your trailer. Let’s just say it needs as much affection and attention as your boat does. To keep wheels rolling smoothly, your brakes working well, and protect your boat from scuffs:
    • Pack and lubricate wheel bearings and seals.
    • Bleed brake fluid to keep it clean and free from water and rust.
    • Check trailer bunks for deteriorated wood or worn-out carpet that needs replaced.
  3. Inspect the hoses. Look for deteriorated or dried out hoses, splits or cracks, or foul odors coming from your black or gray water tanks. Even a minor water, fuel or exhaust leak is a problem. While you’re down there, double-check and tighten your hose clamps.
  4. Replace trailer tires. Between summer sun and winter storage, trailer tires may be ripe for replacement long before the tread wears out (usually every 3 years). To see if it’s time, check for any cracks, splits and tread separation. Or just check the date code stamped near the mounting ring.
  5. Protect the top deck. Not all damage happens below the water line. Sealant can shrink and crack over time, loosening fittings and creating gaps in the fiberglass deck. Rainwater loves gaps. Left untreated, it’ll find its way into the cabin, hull and deck. Simply loosen the fitting, apply a high quality marine sealant with UV protection, and tighten it back up.

Of course, if you’re not sure about anything, you can have it inspected or serviced by a qualified marine technician.

For information only. Not applicable to all situations.

Prevention Tips, Recreational

5 things to know before you get back on the water

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Summer is right around the corner—and that means it’s time to take the boat out of winter storage. Although there will always be risks, some marine losses can be avoided if boat owners (and agents and underwriters!) know a few warning signs. Here are 5 tips to help navigate toward a ship-shape voyage:

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Other, Recreational

Boat spring commissioning

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A properly maintained boat can provide years of enjoyment. While year-round protection and maintenance are crucial, a good spring commissioning can set your mind at ease. Here are a few reminders you may have missed while focusing on the oils, impeller and wax.

  1. Review boat records. Reviewing your maintenance records is a great way to start the season. Although having a good memory of what work has been done is great, recalling what year you did it can quickly slip away. It’s best practice to check the manufacturer owner’s manual to familiarize yourself with recommendations for your boat, motor and generator. Recording the manufacturer’s recommendations and proper cataloging of services you performed in a ship’s log or maintenance manual will keep the guessing games to a minimum, keeping you out of the slings and off the trailer.
  2. Check battery fluid. Make sure the battery fluids are at their proper levels. This simple task can keep your wet cell battery from shorting out internally and wreaking havoc to your boat’s electrical systems. Absorbent glass mat (“AGM”) batteries typically used in boats need to be charged slowly. If they weren’t on slow chargers over the storage period, a slow, deep charge is required to bring AGM batteries back to life.
  3. All hands on deck. The deck hardware and thru-hulls have sealant which deteriorates from the sun, harsh cleaning chemicals, and time. Making sure hardware such as thru-hulls, hatches, windshields, rails, and snaps are properly bedded in sealant can prevent premature deterioration of wood structural reinforcements and keep water from leaking into the cabin or hull.
  4. Inspect the hoses. Rubber hoses, propeller shafts and rudder packing should be inspected and serviced regularly. If not properly seated, the shaft packing can rub the shafts wearing unevenly, allowing leaks. The rubber hoses that carry liquids in and out of the vessel can also rub hard motor parts, chaffing holes in them. Replace or remount hoses at any signs of chaffing or cracking. This will help prevent sinking, motor damage, and dangerous carbon monoxide inhalation from leaks and wear. If you’re not sure, you can always check with your mechanic.
  5. Don’t forget about the trailer. One of the most overlooked tasks of boat ownership is trailer maintenance. While getting your boat ready for the season, don’t forget to spend some time with your trailer. Brake fluid, wheel bearings, lug nuts, and trailer lights need to be serviced. Close care should be considered on the trailer tires. Check tires for any signs of dry rot, cracking or tread separation, tire pressure, and wear. Rubber tires can often dry crack before the tread has worn out, requiring replacement. Tires are date coded by the manufacturer so you can track their age. When it’s time to replace them, ensuring proper load range and tire size for the weight of your boat will keep you off the side of the road.

For information only. Not applicable to all situations.

Recreational

We’ll help pay to get your boat, yacht, or car out of harm’s way

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When someone yells, “Get out of the way!” you should. In fact, we’ll pay you for getting out of the way.  One of the benefits of your Boat or Yacht policy, or Collector Vehicle policy, is that we’ll cover part of the cost to move your vessel or vehicle to safety when it’s threatened by a named storm, wildfire, or other pending disaster such as a flood.

A little advance planning is needed. For smaller watercraft you should contract with hauling company to get it to on-land storage when threatened (of course you will need to make that kind of arrangement well in advance). For larger watercraft, it’s much easier just to navigate out of harm’s way in advance. Either way, we’ll reimburse you up to $500 for the cost and a higher reimbursement limit is available as an optional endorsement.

For a collector car, just drive or tow it away from the impending disaster. We’ll reimburse you up to $200 for that cost.

Your agent may provide you with a short form that lets us know where you are normally moored or garaged, and where you expect to be during an emergency. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of acting quickly and then showing us your expense receipts later.

You may never need it, but this policy perk will save you both money and a headache if you don’t get out of the way when you can.

For information only. Not applicable to all situations.
Coverage is subject to policy terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, underwriting review, and approval, and may not be available for all risks or in all states. Rates and discounts vary, are determined by many factors and are subject to change. Policies are written by one of the licensed insurers of American Modern Insurance Group, Inc., including American Modern Home Insurance Company d/b/a in CA American Modern Insurance Company (Lic. No 2222-8).