Pre-Season Boating Checklist

First off, all of us at Happy Captains Boating Instruction hope all of our followers are safe and following state and federal guidelines.

Many of you are anxious to get your boats in the water, and we don’t blame you! But this is a great time for you and your family to conduct a pre-season audit of your boat. I recommend emptying everything out and taking an inventory of what you have. First start with the very basics. See my check list below:

1) Life Jackets
Are they in good condition and the proper size and classification for the activities you plan to do? Do you have enough for the expected number of guests? Have you and your family tried them on? Set a stopwatch. How long does it take to put on? Are you happy with the results? If not, it might be time to invest in some new life jackets. We recommend stopping by The Boat Shop.

2) Anchor & Ground Tackle
Lets take a look at your anchor and ground tackle. Pull the entire line & chain from the boat. Is it in good condition? Would you trust it to save your life? At Happy Captains, we recommend you have a 7 to 1 scope of line. To put it simply, you need 7 feet of anchor line for every foot of water you expect anchor in. If you typically spend your time in Barnegat or Manahawkin Bay, you should have a minimum of 100 feet of anchor line readily available. I will be talking more about anchor size and type as well as recommendations on anchor chain in the next couple weeks.

3) Electric
Now let look at your fuse/breaker box. A bad fuse is a leading cause of boaters getting stranded. Do you know where your fuse box is located? Do you have extra fuses?

The steps you take now will help to make your boating season safe and enjoyable. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments.

Fair Winds and Calm seas!
Captain Ed