We reckon there’s plenty of you out there who have put a brand new boat in the shed over the last few years. It seems everyone has gone out and bought a new toy…and we’re all about it! What that does mean is that there will be a fair few new boat owners who are currently learning all the ins and outs of ownership.
A big part of boat ownership is how you set it up so you’ll know where everything is when you need it, and how everything works.
Gary recommends step one in the setup process is making sure you have up to date safety gear and know that it’s functional. A tip – keep registration documents from your EPIRB and flares in a waterproof box, on board at all times.
Another tip is to check all your cabin, anchor and safety lighting BEFORE you get on the water. It’s also worthwhile keeping a couple of spare fuses in that waterproof box, just in case something shorts when you don’t want it to.
Checking the function of your bilge pump is also worthwhile. Gary recommend putting the bilge drain hole somewhere that will catch your eye. That way if you’re travelling and the bilge clicks on, you’ll be able to tell there is a problem because you’ll see the water out the drain.
