BOAT SHOW 2016/ TORONTO QUICK REVIEW

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BOAT SHOW 2016/ TORONTO QICK REVIEW

After 30 years of attending boat shows I guess you get a little numb to the hype around seeing more new boats. Buy this years show really drives home some of the INFORMATION Boat Nut has been publishing about design, and ergonomics. I have to say there are some wonder full design ideas and the fit and finish on many new boats are remarkable. New technology in boat design and accessories is moving at a pace never seen before, but is this a good thing or a bad thing?  There are at least 1800 published new models, Why?

Cruisers and Runabouts are out numbered by Fishing Boats and aluminum is every were. Not only do metal boats take up half the floor space they are tucked amongst the fiberglass boats at every turn. This may be only a representation of Ontario Boating (but I don't think so). The fiberglass boat market seems to have priced itself to the sky. You know that the price is a hard pill to swallow when the only number on the sales sign next to many of the new boat informs you of the weekly payment price. What's that old saying " IF YOU HAVE TO ASK THE PRICE YOU PROBABLY CANT AFFORD IT". This is definitely one of the factors why start up boaters are buying  PWC's and reasonably priced metal boats. If you think I am wrong there are now some 60,000 PWC,s in Ontario alone. The show reflects the market! All of us who are writing or reporting on the boating industry better keep pace with this fact.

There is also a presence of the new Volvo Forward Drive, I have not yet had the pleasure of operating one but I would bet the pull and the side slip capabilities are remarkable as the props are clear of interruption and are two feet forward of the standard duo prop drives. That being said there are some draw backs 1- When trimmed all the way up on a trailer the props are very close to the ground, well below the bottom of the hull 2- You are not going to be able to crawl into shallow water at all 3- No beaching your boat, unless you have a drop off at the back to accommodate the drive and props 4- Better hope your trim limiter never goes out because what a wild ride that would create 5- Beware those lines tied on your rails this thing would eat up anything that fell of the deck, including your first mate.

I am going to assume that some of these designs at the show with there blunt bows, forward shifted beam, and huge hull side windows are created for fair weather boating or simply dock jewelry. I am just not sure how these designs would do in the punishment of really bad weather, I do not imagine very well at all. If your going to build a floating condo build one don't take a boat that can be drivin' off shore and turn it into one ! Also why do we need joystick controls at the back corners of a forty foot boat. The more they pile this technology on the more people will abuse it, you will have some captain figuring they can drive the boat while sitting in the aft cockpit, I know this sounds absurd but it is true I have been with owners who drive the boat with there thrusters after it is in gear, and not to control docking ! If its there it will be used. Redundant systems such as joystick piloting combined with thrusters are just to many things for some captains to mess with at the same time.

The Ski and Wake board sector has some awesome new additions to their breed. Malibu with fully digital dashes and surf gates for one example. These boats are really advanced and the fit and finish is second to none. I love that the wake boats have a lot of color and models to choose from, this is a sector of the pleasure boat market that knows its buyers needs and is developing product to meet all the requirements the buyer has. It works, they are not cheap but I am certain that very few buyers bitch about the disappointing performance of the boat they buy.

Fishing Boats are another line up were the quality of the whole line up has been moved forward. Not that many years ago there were only a hand full of high end boats to consider. If you take a look today there are many to choose from. The fit and finish is better than most of the runabout market
there really are some fantastic boats. Mind you there were a few odd things I seen, a Boston Whaler center console off shore style with a ski bar? Bayliner created another center console, and Mirror Craft is still building there floors the old fashioned way with bare plywood under the carpeted panels. That being said the power packages are awesome and a decision on who's boat to buy must be difficult. I would absolutely have to drive the boat before I made a purchase. I would consider all the options I wanted to add on the boat and how that would affect my deck space. Were I had room to add electronics, and the water I was going to be boating in regularly.

Pontoon Boats are all the rage, but these are not your grandfathers deck boats. They are fast and many of them are better finished than the interior of some yachts I was touring. I am not sure how you would keep a high end pontoon boat unless you had a boat house to protect it. This line up goes every were from basic to ridiculous high end and every were in between. They deck boat market has exploded, you can bring out all you friends and tour your lake or river in comfort at fifty miles an hour. You can't use one every were but on the right body of water with the right group these boats could be a lot of fun.

PWC,s are becoming more and more like motorcycles, narrowing and redesigning the seats, adding dry foot wells, seat suspension, even SPARK an entry level plastic model. They have all colors and designs for every type of application out there and can be modified to meet crazy needs. However I do have some issues with the PWC builders and those who over see the guidelines for this sector. PWC builders are manufacturing some of these models for touring and I think that's great but they should accept the fact that these are boats and that some basic items should be added from the factory I know it is illegal to drive them after dark but that is an unrealistic expectation of PWC owners, particularly when you consider extreme riders love big water and with weather comes poor light, add some dam lights I myself have practically ran several over in the years I have been boating in poor day light conditions or worse yet a fogbank moves in, or other weather patterns that make these boats hard to see. They can move at well over 50 miles an hour and can cut through unexpected places. If you don't want to put a navigation light package on board create a PWC marker light specific to the breed, and perhaps add an edict class because they love to run up beside you and cross behind you, I don't want to hurt any one any were!


There are lots of  runabouts to look at all the standard stuff that we know and love, with a lot of them optioned for utility use with wake bars, fish and ski, even some off shore style. As far as high end runabouts there are loads to look at and choose from, with price points to match. One that stood out was a Stingray with a throw back go fast style no real room but a cool design. There are stripped down bare bones runabouts that have made it to the market. Bayliner has made a fuss over there line up they call "Element". These are well I am not exactly sure, the most basic runabout/ deck boat hybrid I have seen in a long time. With all the trinkets and toys on most of the runabouts these 16-18 foot boats do stand out! They are bare bones right down to the dash, A starter boat for the masses kind of like the VW Beetle was, those of you who have seen one will get that!  They really do look like a bath tub with a motor. Imagine a huge Jazz with an out board strapped on the back. If you have read this blog before you will know that I mentioned platform boats , watch the Element its the start of a platform boat movement from Brunswick.

Yachts are few, Sea Ray and Pride have four this year to look at and Beneteau has two yachts and a trawler. Carver has a line up to see and there are some big cruisers from all the lines. I took a look at the Monti Carlo yesterday and understand why it is less than 800,000 a strange mix of high end and plastic all in one weird ceiling heights and a lower station that takes up to much room! As I previously mentioned the Carver line has really blunted the bow I have yet to tour the inside but I am sure it has more interior room than its predecessor, however this is a design that I will hold back comment on until I get a chance to drive one in not so kind conditions. The Coupe is the flavor of the day hard top enclosed cockpit areas. I wonder what this takes away from the top down boating experience that so many of us enjoy on a really nice day. Builders can add all the bells and whistles they want to but I am a believer that a boat should perform as well as it provides comfort lets see  how these boats are on the water. I  generally refuse to read the Boat Reviews as they just make me mad, copying text and pictures from manufacturer press releases, Do I really care how fast it goes or the exact decibel level of the motors. Not really, what I want to know is will it get me home in a storm can I dock the boat, will I be happy with the layout over the years, how much is this boat going to cost me annually and will this be a boat, when I am ready to move up or out resell.. Every thing else is just a lot of noise.

This week we will be at the show shooting video and answering questions for our readers. Got to the show see what's new. Enjoy yourself and forget about the winter for a few hours.

Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided

Author BW

BOAT SHOW HYPE

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              BOAT SHOW HYPE / Another year of Cookie Cutter Boats

Every year at this time I start getting requests for Boat Show Passes, and this year is no exception. I have been involved with several major Boat Shows over the years Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle and Miami. In each case I anticipate seeing something new, something exiting! The last few years I have not been thrilled about my Boat Show experiences at all. The only power boat sector that I have seen go through real engineering and physical changes have been the Wake Board Boat builders. Every one else is playing copy cat right down to the hull side windows. Some were along the line ergonomics and cost cutting have trumped usable design, and since when did boaters all become 5 feet tall. A lot of these new boats have claustrophobic spaces where sea sickness must be included in the price. Boat builders are all following the same trend slightly deeper hulls, flat decks, cramped spaces with more crap than ever crammed into theses areas. You can use the head, take a shower and wash your hands all at the same time on a forty foot yacht. All of this great (NOT REALLY) new design, comes complete with the boat builders all using the same color pallet. I think boat builders have a secrete meeting every year and decide that all the boats will be black (or green or whatever they deem the flavor of the year) so we have no choice as consumers, take the black one. Reminds me of the model A car, you can have any color you want as long as it is black.

I hope this year brings something new but I am not holding my breath. My biggest pet peeve is the Boat Show timing. I mean I get the fact that in certain climates Boat Shows generate off season dollars for dealers, but really they are selling boats! Why not an in the water show in the spring where a boat can be in it's element. A boat at a Boat Show and in the water are two different animals. A 27 foot power boat looks big when you are looking at it on land, however put the same boat at the dock and half of it seems to disappear. Hold it maybe I answered my own question, looking bigger must sell boats! As far as I am concerned the only people who do well at the Boat Show are the people who host the venue.

I know that the idea behind any show like this is to introduce new product to the consumer, however what about the non multi millionaires who are in need of a great used boat why not show some used product, hell quite often the two year old boat is a nicer design than the new one. Why not have a used product show or at least include an area for these boats at the show? Maybe Boat Nut should develop a used boat show  that wont cost the vendors a fortune to be in, what do you think?

Just remember that the boat show prices and deals are available after the show so if you feel you need time to consider the purchase you have it, don't be pressured. I had to laugh a couple of years ago I was with a client at the Toronto show to purchase a davit system. We asked for the Boat Show price (as they advertised a discount) it was hilarious to hear that the discount worked out to fifty cents. No joke a 15 thousand dollar purchase was discounted by fifty cents!! So don't buy into all the hype.

If you are thinking of buying accessories such as bow thrusters shop the boat show and make contacts but you don't have to buy one unless you are familiar with the way the system is rigged into your vessel, or you have been on a boat similar to yours with the same set up on board. Some of these new non tunneled thrusters may show well on a video but may not work in your application. A good vendor will be able to demonstrate one in the water in the spring for you, before you lay out thousands of dollars for a piece of equipment that will not fit your boat on the inside were the wires and relays are to be located.
It is important to remember that you are dealing with sales people and not installers in most cases, if there is an installer talk to them first. The vendors are there for one reason to get your money!

Boat Shows are a great place to go and get ideas and if you are committed to a purchase sometimes to get a great early season deal. However experienced boaters know the best deals are usually END OF SEASON or previous unsold model years not at the Boat Show.

HAPPY HUNTING 

Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided

Author  RP

Boaters Pledge BOATING GREEN 2016

 

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     BOAT NUT GREEN BOATING PLEDGE


1- I WILL MANAGE MY SEWAGE RESPONSIBLY:
By using pump out services, never discharge my holding tank by way of an illegally hooked up macerator and open discharge through hull. I will only discharge overboard as permitted by regulation. If I am within regulation I will only dump away from anchorages, sensitive areas, shell fish beds and swimmers. Black Water Regulations

Black Water is defined as sewage that contains fecal matter and urine. It is illegal to discharge black water from a pleasure craft into Canadian waters.



Local Restrictions
Local waterways in Canada may have specific discharge restrictions in addition to those covered here.

Be sure to check for local restrictions before you go boating.
When operating on Ontario waters:

Portable toilets are illegal.

Pleasure craft are not allowed to discharge any type of sewage or sewage sludge overboard into the water

Remember …
  It is illegal to discharge untreated sewage from your pleasure craft into any Canadian waters.

　
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2- I WILL REDUCE MY GREY WATER DISCHARGE:

and use only products with all natural ingredients whenever possible.

WHAT IS GREY WATER: Grey Water is any waste discharge from any showers, kitchens, wet bars, bathroom sinks, washer, dishwasher, hot tubs. Any discharge that is not a toilet. GREY WATER systems are considered any water that drains from the boat directly into the water, some Grey Water systems are brought to a central sump box and pumped over others are drain to thru hull.

　

Discharge of GREY WATER is currently banned in BC's Inland waters.

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 3- I WILL TAKE CARE WHEN FUELING:

Avoid topping my tank, as fuel will expand in the heat and rolling of my vessel can cause fuel burping out the vents. By the time you see fuel at the cap when filling up there is quite often a stream of fuel running down the hull from the fuel tank vent. Use oil absorbent rags and other devises to prevent fuel from spilling in the water.

 

 

 

 

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4- I WILL USE BILDGE FILTERS OR BILDGE PADS:

To absorb oil and fuel so you do not accidently pump over board, This is even more important to keep in mind if you hire out your services.

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5- I WILLMAINTAIN MY BOAT:

I will use environmentally friendly products and or alternatives

　

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6- I WILL USE "HARD" BOTTOM PAINT OR ECO FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES

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7= I WILL NOT PRACTICE PROP TRENCHING:

I will not use my boat to excavate the bottom of the water way to make room for my drive or running gear.
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8- I WILL KEEP THE AIR I AM ARE BREATHING SAFE:

I will protect my crew and guests from dangerous fumes and environmental hazards by installing a Carbon Monoxide Detector and maintaining a safe cabin environment.

　

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9- I WILL HAUL OUT AT RESPONSIBLE BOAT YARDS:

With containment policies and equipment so my sanding's and pressure wash remains don't end up in the ENVIRONMENT.

Look for CLEAN MARINE SIGNS, here is what to look for

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10- I WILL DISPOSAL OF ALL WASTES PROPERLY

Use recycling facilities made available for me at or near my marina

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11- I WILL HELP OTHER BOATERS BE AWARE OF NON GREEN PRACTISES:

Be a role model and help educate.

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12-FOLLOW SOUND PRACTISES AND PRINCIPLES:
As outlined in our GREEN BOATING GUIDE.

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PLEASE SUPPORT ANY GREEN BOATING INITIATIVE:
You may have GREEN BOATING programs and facilities in your area, get to know who they are and what they are doing. Support a Local or National program. I will get involved in local water way clean up events when possible
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How to pledge:

International Boaters: please leave a comment or give us a like on our Green Boating in 2016 Facebook Page, for more information or to order a copy of Boat Nut Green Boating Guide complete with samples, tee shirt, decal for your boat and a  Boat Nut Green Boating Card for discounts while you are in North America. Please provide us with an email address and we will contact you privately for shipping instruction.
　Email address to contact us is boatnutmedia@gmail.com

All information we collect is private and not traded or sold.

　
North American Boaters:   Email us at boatnutmedia@gmail.com and we will forward you information on how to receive your  FREE Green Boating Package from Boat Nut.

All Information we collect is private we do not share, sell, or trade

 

Green Boating Package includes Green Boating App, Green Boating Guide, Event updates and Discount Card. The more boaters who register the more corporate attention Boat Nut can obtain. We need corporate and government attention to achieve all our goals to provide you the boater with the best free service possible.

Take the Pledge

 

Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided

 

Affects of New Power Boat Sales and Buyers

 

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 Affects of New Power Boats Sales and Buyers /  Changes are coming to boating

 After 2009 and the economic blow out, the Power Boat market has made a shift that I believe has changed our market forever. Boat buyers are buying boats that support lifestyle choices, not so much buyers who want to stick their toe in the boating pool and try it out. Boaters are more educated and know what they want. A great example of this was one of the Canadian Boat Shows last year numbers at the door were down but boat sales were up. Not as many tire kickers more persons who new what they wanted from their investment. As this shift to serious buyers takes place we will see the boats go through drastic changes to keep pace.

Power Boats will no longer be a miss match of components from many suppliers they will become systems where the boat is a Mercury or Volvo (for example) package from stem to stern. This will mean that all panels, switches, gauges and pumps will be all supplied by one vendor. Power Boats will become more of a platform construction, similar to cars. Over all design, colors and layouts will, and already are becoming standardized through the industry. As more value and concern is placed on the environment the amount of companies that will be able to make substantial investments in R& D and keep up with the required changes to standards will fall off.  Power Boats will be so similar that other factors other than the name on the side of the boat will become the motivation for purchase.

Boaters will be making purchases based on warranties, resale value, retail prices, and after purchase cost of ownership. New boats are a costly venture, so boaters will be buying boats that come with inclusive services, so that after the purchase of the boat there are fewer out of pocket costs as possible. Buyers will want all the bells and whistles included in the purchase price. Why do you think the dealers who sell boats now have a eye to the marinas. If they can include docks and slips in the deal up front then you buy the package selling the lifestyle and controlling the stresses and cost of boat ownership. A boaters time at the boat is valuable they do not want to have to source service, marinas and after market items to meet their needs. One boat, One deal its not the price its the convenience.

If you are buying or own an older boat you need to consider how new boat sales and the structure of these deals are going to affect you, because they will. Marinas are closing their yards to outside technicians and providing in house services for their clients and these agreements are  being done more and more by the dealers. Equipment to be able to service new product, which will become used product is restricted. This will and in  many cases already has made your choice of service provider for you.

There is also a shift amongst  boat buyers today, city boaters are more apt to buy a PWC than a runabout, the overall cost of ownership is lower and you don't need a big slip or driveway to put it in. There are four kinds of boaters (does not include PWC owners),
 1- Cottage owner (The boat is an accessory to the lifestyle of being on the lake)
 2-  Cruising boater ( The boat takes me away to destinations)
 3- My boat is the cottage boater ( The boat is my getaway and I don't even care if it runs)
 4- The boater who loves the boating lifestyle but can not afford all that goes with it (The boat is older but I love being here anyway)

Dealers cater to boaters 1 thru 3, boater 4 is generally buying the older used boats that the dealers generally won't broker

 Since the late 1980's Marina's used to have a mix of all of the above boaters but even this is changing. Marina's are now a mix of boater 2 and 3 and very little 4. Boaters 2 and 3 are the marinas priorities and new boats play a huge role in this decision. Marinas require the high disposable income clients to carry their costs. It you want to watch a marina die start to move out the newer boats and their owners. They may fill the slips still but the boating experience diminishes. A great example of this is Ontario Place Marina, not because the park closed but boaters 2 and 3 did not want to bother with all the added stress that a partial (fuel and pump out only) service marina brings them. Now that they have decided to stay open they have a mountain to climb to get these boaters back.    

The whole industry is affected by new boat sales, new boats create quality used boats, certified service,  boating supplies and cash, lots of cash. I hate to admit it but the days of the independent service provider are in the books, and the book is closing. New boats are changing the service landscape, if you are not up to date with the new technology you will left in the dust. So boaters who have owned a boat for years and are comfortable with a marina and independent service providers fantastic. However I predict that change is coming and if you still  haven't felt the change that new boats are creating you will soon.

                                       We Will Make A Boat Nut Out Of You

                                                                                    Author RP

 

Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided

Green Boating

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                          GREEN BOATING    /  Do we ever think green when boating?

 

 

This may be the shortest article I write. Have you seen the Green Boating tips from Discover Boating? You could have knocked me over with a feather!

Seriously with all the environmental concerns about carbon foot prints and the condition of the lakes, rivers and oceans. You would think that the power boat industry would be high on the hit list. I have heard and seen many discussions on radio and TV about saving our water ways and fossil fuel burners, and some how we the boaters never come up, maybe that's because we are the most environmentally conscience people on the earth. I don't think so.

I wonder how much we pollute our environment? There is a scary thought.

The bottom line is one day in the not so distant future boaters will face cleaning up what we pump over board, and when we do it will be similar to how they cleaned up our roads with the clunker laws. It will only take big brother figuring out a way to standardize and profit from a method of inspecting pleasure boats They will be all over implementation of a program boaters have no control over, or input on. Either that or some type of carbon tax. If this happens those of us with twin big blocks and a generator will have a broom stick snapped off in our transoms. We should try to be proactive on this front. A shout out to all those groups who represent us, tell the boaters why Transport Canada is three years or more in reintroducing the pleasure boat inspection program what are they up too. Or is this just another surprise for us one day coming up.

Apparently if we use bio degradable toilet paper and cleaners, handle our trash responsibly, watch what we discharge overboard, and try to run at less than full throttle. This qualifies you as a green boater. So no one has a plan I am sure the industry will say that they are working on the problem, and that marine suppliers are making the environment a top priority by creating programs like battery recycling programs . OOP's I have not even seen that yet! The industry has however created some great logos, money well spent. What most boaters don't realize is that we have been left out in the cold. Marinas and boat repair companies have got together through groups like the OMOA ( Ontario Marina Operators Association) and created CLEAN MARINE, this way when the proverbial shit hits the fan they can shout from the roof tops that they were aware of the issues and got out front to do their part. When was the last time your marina management came and talked to you about what CLEAN MARINE is, and how you can do your part. That's what I thought. At the end of the day it is up to the boat owner to be responsible, and that's what they don't want to say!

Maybe the environment will be another issue that an independent will take on, we will create a contract were boaters sign up and commit to being green boaters. It will outline between ten and twelve ideas that boaters will commit to. Boaters will sign it, and we will be off the hook for a while. So what are our worst offenders on a daily boating basis?

• Ant foul ( Bottom Paint)
• Fuel burn and raw fuel discharge through the motor
• Fuel spills
• Oil discharge through the bilge pumps
• Cleaners and detergents used to wash the boat dishes and ourselves
• Junk that gets kicked off the dock
• Fishing line
• Batteries of all shapes and sizes
• Electronics disposal

We need a plan if we wish to get ahead of the curve, the question is will we spend the small amount of money per boat it would take to clean up, I wonder? I am not a environmental protection freak and I don't know the exact amount of pollutants that power boats dump on average per year, but I guarantee its a lot more than you are aware of. In some cases the owners do not even know the volume or contaminants that are getting pumped or dumped in the water. I don't know if anyone really wants to know.

Something to think about

 Just think about the amount of anti freeze that gets dumped during the winterizing process. The Shrink Wrap disposed of in the spring.  Have you looked at the ground when a bottom is pressure washed, we are years behind the US and other countries when it comes to this and other processes we get away with. I do know it will be up to us to weed out offenders, we all know boats that pollute, hell some never go to the pump out. That is what I am tiered of its our environment on the water we need to do more.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

                                                                                               Author   EC



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Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided.  



Boat Nut On Lline Magazine 2016

Flooring, Accessory Addition Part 3

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   MY HARDWOOD SOLE/  No more cabin carpet for my boat/ Accessory Addition Part 3

One of the trendy areas to make a change has been removing the carpet from the salon or cabin floor and replacing the carpet with hardwood flooring. I have seen this done in various makes and models over the last few years from small cabin cruisers to large salon yachts. Installations that have taken weeks by highly qualified installers to do it yourself and every thing in between. Some floors are beautiful and some have destroyed the interior appeal of the boat, but they all have the same things in common. Trying to make a product fit an application that the boat was never intended to have.

I am sure that like other accessories and modifications we make to our boats that boaters feal are either upgrading or adding a finish that the manufacturer was to cheap to install. After working at the product development level I can assure you both these answers are probably wrong. There are technical reasons why boat builders did not have hardwood floors in your boat. As a matter of fact there were many boats that were built with sections of wood floors in the galley area, and the wood floor section was nothing like the wood floors that installers are putting in the boats on an aftermarket level. Those small sections of floor were manufactured as a component and tied to the cabin floor with more than a pin nailer, and even with a stable backing and engineered installation methods quite a few were replaced at considerable cost and labor. So why not hardwood and what is the difference between a boat builders wood floor and aftermarket upgrade floors boaters have installed.

First lets think about wood floors in a salon style boat were hardwood floors make the most amount  of sense to install. The floor in this type of boat is generally well up from the bilges as the engine compartment is below the deck are you are covering up. But even at that there are factors that must be considered before you start to pull that carpet out.

Things to consider:

• Are there any sources of water higher than the floor area you are considering replacing (fridge, a/c unit, sinks)
• What do the access hatches in the floor look like (are there one two three or more and how much do they weigh)
• What is your plan for hatch pulls as there is the concern of emergency access to the motors
• What type of furnishings do you have and will they slide around on your new floor uncontrollably
• Does the product you are putting down require an air gap below it
• How do you plan to trim the hatch edges to look professional
• Do you have a traffic line through the cabin that will be continually worn back and forth
• Is there more wood trim in this area that should be considered (the last thing you want to do is introduce 6 different wood colors and types in a single area)
• Where are you going to make the transitions to other flooring that is in the boat
• At the boat factories that I worked at we were never allowed to use nails in the construction of a boat so how are you going to tie down the floor?

In a cruiser style boat of any size you are replacing carpet in a lower cabin floor area that is can flood particularly the back sunken mid cabin step down area in larger cruisers. There are all kinds of water sources, pumps and waterlines that run well above this area. In some cases there is a water holding tank mounted under the rear seat in the mid cabin, right on the same floor your are planning to have covered with wood. Some models don't even have a bilge area to speak of under the sunken rear floor. Water leaks that start at the rub rail and deck hardware can and quite often do find there way to the cabin floor. The shower in a stand up head only has a line of caulking stopping shower water from spilling over onto the main cabin floor. These are reasons why the manufacturers put carpet in this area. The carpet is mold resistant and can be dried out in the case of soaking the floor. If you install convention wood flooring in the cabin it will swell, the edge boards will lift and the floor will be a constant maintenance issue. This is not to over look the fact that most cabin doors open in a fashion that will let rain in. There is a product that I have seen installed in a few Sundancer's which is a plastic snap together flooring, it looks like hardwood, this stuff can get wet. It is easier to install and wont swell up. The issues with this product are still the same, hatches edges and transitions (in most cases the carpet runs up walls and under cabinets that are not easy to figure out how to blend).

So what is the difference between the factory floor and the after market floor?

• The factory hard wood floors are components that are bonded to floor panels, these panels area designed in such a way that panels or pieces can be changed. 
•  There are no nails holding the floor in place it is all bonded down with materials that will not allow it to move around
• The materials are designed to prevent swelling
• The hatches are made or eliminated from day one and not cut with gaps to provide room for carpet tucks
• The structural floor of the boat is finished to accept the wood floor panels, a carpeted floor is not finished the same way. It can have a very rough finish and will not be even it will have humps and bumps, as carpet hides a world of sins
• Components that finish against the floor are designed with the correct transitions in mind
• Woods are selected and finished to keep the aesthetic appeal of the cabin
• Teak and holy floors are oiled and protected in such a way that water does as little damage as possible

Under certain circumstances upgrades are a nice option and add a level of  finish that is appropriate to the boat. In in other cases it is just not a great idea and can detract from the boat . This is true when the materials don't match and the fit and finish are sloppy. For a job like floors and particularly wood  to look right all the transitions from one material to the other must make sense.

On occasion even the factory gets this wrong a good example of this was the coin dot floor that would continually lift and would not accept corners very well.

Artificial WOOD Flooring

When considering wood floors be sure you take the design and systems of your boat into account or you could end up with hatches that are to heavy to lift, hard wood pieces falling off or swelling that will create all kinds of issues. If you must have a wood floor look at the alternatives that are available that will not be effected by mold, mildew and moisture  the three M's that all boats are susceptible to.

                                                                                                               Author BW

To guarantee access to all of  Boat Nut Magazine articles, pictures and featured services visit the official Boat Nut Magazine ©™ website. Be sure to reply to the Boat Nut Association registration on our site for the latest Boat Nut weekly and monthly news letters and opportunities.

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Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided. 

Trust Your Boat?

 

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                   TRUST YOUR BOAT?  Don't let your boat own you, own your boat

It is that time of year when the vultures show up trying to steel boats at great deals as the season is over and boats are now considered money pits. THE OFF SEASON. Deals are made based on spring sea trials or the risker deal were boats are purchased based on value and how they appear. Appearance the slippery slop of boat buying, the boat is so clean, its like new. The previous owner hardly put any hours on the boat and has been anal about maintenance. You can't take the boat for a test ride. I would never buy a new boat unless I could take it out and put it through its paces.
As a boater the most important thing you must be able to do is trust your boat. If this trust does not exist then you mentally chain yourself to the dock. That kind of mental block will take all the fun out of boating, the first question is usually what is my boat worth? Boaters start to question there choices.

If you suffer a realationship break down with your boat not only will it take its toll mentally, but you will start to listen to all kinds of advise and problem solvers who will un nerve you even more. Marinas are full of dockside experts who generally don't have a dam clue what they are talking about. The money will flow out and every time that you believe you have solved the issue your boat will let you down again. The leading causes of  unrealiability are water in the fuel, shift issues, tune ups, overheat, and corrupted components (parts that have been swapped or only part of the work is done) or a combination of these issues. In most cases the technician and boat owner come to an agreement and the repairs are done a step at a time instead of all at once, or the repair person fixes a genuine problem and doesn't realize there are other issues compounding the problem. New boats provide computors to compensate for many issues and will advise you were the problems lie ( plug and play). Older boats rely on a process of elimination which can be frustrating for all parties involved. These are areas of repair that boaters least like to pay for. They would rather add a accessory or have the boat washed. Money spent attacking these issues is not something shiny to look at. There is a belief like to that because they don't run the boat very much these items can't be necessary.

Here are some of the issues that I have faced in the last two seasons:

• Water  and silt build up in the gas tank (Won't start or stalls at low RPM)
• Coil wires breaking                               (Starts randomly and just cuts out when ever it chooses)
• Distributor caps corroding                    (Stalls randomly starts but runs rough and has no power over 200 rpm)
• Bad ground wires                                  (Cranks slowly and gauges fluctuate. trim pump slow) 
• Melted water pump housings plugging water flow (New impellor motor gets hot on one side and wont run well at all)
• stuck thermostats                                    (Over Heat with stall)
• Contaminated fluids                                (Builds over the top oil pressure or no oil pressure)
• Trim pump relay failure                         (Drive trim works randomly)
• Stretched shift cables                             (Cant find neutral when shifting)
• Corroded lower units                              (Stiff shifting , oil slick reservoir bottle alarm)
• Bad batteries                                            (Motor will not perform no top end hard time to start, other engine dies when I try to start)
• Wrong bolts on water pump housings    (Overheat keep changing impellor)
• Vacuum leaks at carborator base plates  (Engine idles up and down and is lacking power, stalls at idle speed)
• Fuel filters                                               (No start engine cuts out)
• Timing advance modules                        (No power at the top of the RPM range)
• Spark Plugs                                             (Stalls no power running rich)
• Corrosion                                                (No start, gauges dead, eating starters and alternators)
• Over heat causing head gasket failure    (Got hot now consumes coolant)
• Wrong starter                                           (Sounds horrible when starting or wont start at all)
• Broken Bolts                                            (No shift at all)
• Shift interrupter                                      (No start, thumps load through shift cant find neutral)
• and the list goes on and on

A stalling issue which is the one that really makes a boater uneasy and can be contributed to any number of these issues, stalling can the worst problem to diagnose (you can chase this issue around and around).  For boaters who really enjoy their time on the water this is the most fear full issue, made worse if you have a single engine. At least 11 of the failures on the above list can cause the motor to stall. Over a dozen of the failures listed above are considered maintenance and are most often over looked because the boat doesn't see many hours. WRONG.

LOW HOURS only contributs to these isssues as the motor doesn't get a chance to get hot and dry out engine components or the engine compartment. Run your boat regularly and you will have a better more reliable boat. Bad fuel is  a sign that the boat doesn't see or did not see any hours at all you have to burn off and turn the fuel over this issue can really be a pain in the ass. If you have a third fuel tank on board have it pumped out and disconnected if you never use it. Don't spend all your money on dock jewelry spend some on fuel and run the boat regularly. If you intend on using the boat as a cottage then either set the boat up for this usage or expect the boat to bite you in the wallet when you suddenly want to go out. If you are looking at buying boats in the off season have a plan to spend cash in the spring don't expect to drop the boat and all will be ship shape (some numbers have been released that say to be prepared for as much as 50% of the boats purchase price on a larger boat). If you purchase a boat that has low hours and you start to use it expect issues to pop up! The same applies if you buy a boat which has been up graded with a lot of new bells and whistles.

Your boat will talk to you if you let it, it will tell you how it is feeling and what it needs. Just listen you can develop a relationship with a boat they are quircky and some times give you attitude. Some days they just do not want to go (remind you of anyone). Keep your problem solving  simple stupid, boats live in the worst environment constant movement, shock, weather, and long periods of no use. It is said that 90% of breakdowns are operator error and there is some truth to that statement however failures will happen due to the environment. If you prepare a service plan that is not full of holes, educate yourself or find a technician you can trust, and do more than make sure the shore power is plugged when you are away for extended periods. You can keep your boat reliable and know that the boat you love can be trusted.

Don't let your boat own you, take steps to own your boat!

                                                                                                           Author  BW

To guarantee access to all of  Boat Nut Magazine articles, pictures and featured services visit the official Boat Nut Magazine ©™ website. Be sure to reply to the Boat Nut Association registration on our site for the latest Boat Nut weekly and monthly news letters and opportunities.

http://boatnutmagazine.com/

Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided. 

What you need to know about bottom paint

 

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ANTI FOUL IS WEARING ME THIN   What do you need to know about bottom paint



 Anti Foul/ Bottom Paint: One of the products we apply to our power boats that we know will just wear off and we will have to recoat it again and again. So what does bottom paint do, what makes it work and how long should it last? These are all questions I have heard over the years. Bottom paint is used for the reason it was developed (preventing growth by wearing a thin layer off every time you run the boat, it contains a high concentration of copper to inhibit growth) it is also used to hide a world of sins (easy application to hide patch work and repairs). Boats which are to big to trailer are expected to be bottom painted due to the fact that they are in the water at all times, except for a winter season, and out for repair work. 

When do you need to bottom paint a boat?. Well the first thing that must be considered is the amount of time you will be in the water. Next is the water that you intend to keep your boat in. A boat should only be painted if it is going to live in the water full time.

 If you bottom paint a boat or buy a boat that is bottom painted and you are going to keep the boat on a trailer, the paint is a waste of time and money. As a matter of fact you will end up recoating just to keep the boat looking good, not for reduced growth. Which is what bottom paint is designed to do. If you allow the bottom paint to dry out which only takes a couple of months it is no longer effective and will start to come off in pieces. If you are shopping for a boat and it lives on a trailer and already has bottom paint there could be another reason for the bottom paint to be on the hull. Bottom damage is expensive to repair and repair technicians will offer a bottom paint finish to save money and time rather than trying to repair the hull to a factory finish with gel coat. So be care full with bottom painted hulls on trailer boats do your best to get the history don't rely on a survey. You will notice that trailer boats with bottom paint usually have paint all over the bunks, rollers and trailer. This is a sign that the owner has been repainting the boat on the trailer, so there is likely next to no paint under the bunks. Unless you are in heavy growth water such as salt or unusual fresh water conditions you really need to calculate the cost of a bottom paint program over the time you own the boat versus cleaning the bottom of the boat regularly. The amount of growth without paint is directly related to the hours of operation a boat that sees a lot of hours will see a small amount of bottom growth if any at all.

I have bottom painted boats as small as 15 foot due to the fact that the boat was being kept in the salt water all year round. For boats that are in the water all the season and do not see many running hours bottom paint will save you the growth problem that will occur from lack of movement, even in fresh water. Bottom paint will not stop growth, it simply allows the growth to come off under normal boat operation. This only works if you use the boat regularly if it sits all season and you take the boat for a late season run you will find when you haul the boat that you will still have a lot of growth on the bottom of the hull.

BOTTOM PAINT TIPS

• Do not try to sand and remove old bottom paint it may contain arsenic this would be pre 1990
• Do not roll coats of anti foul just because of discoloration you will build up massive thickness that is horrible to try to make right
• Bottom paint does not have to be applied in super thick coats to work
• Bottom paint will rob the boat of speed
• Select the right product for the job, there are anti fouls for hulls, running gear and transducers do not paint every thing with one paint.
• Do not paint running gear unless you purchase the correct primer and paint
• They make bottom paint with tin instead of copper content for aluminum boats and drives.
• Do not paint the copper based anti foul up to the drives or tabs leave a gap the copper bottom paint and the metals in the drive and other components will cause electrolysis (corrosion) on the transom plates and drives.
• Do not paint over anodes this makes them useless.
• If you are repainting a hull or are starting new it is a good idea to have the first coat a different color than the top coat, first coat blue the rest black this way as the bottom paint wears you can see when and where you need to recoat.
• Do not feel that you need to repaint the whole hull you can touch up for many seasons before recoating the whole hull.
• It is a rare occasion in fresh water to need to paint the running gear.
• Be sure your bottom paint line allows for two inches (higher) at the water line this will prevent those nasty water line stains
• If you have to raise the bottom paint line and you have not added any accessories to the boat , there is a reason. Boats will pick up weight over the years this is natural, however a sudden change is a sign that you are probably holding trapped water some were. If you use a travel lift to haul out get the weight of the boat every year at haul out and launch, keep track of these numbers and you will know if the boat is gaining weight.
•  If you add accessories such as swim platforms, generators, radar arches you will have to adjust the bottom paint line.
• Do not paint to a list to the port or starboard correct the load in the boat first, get ride of the list.
• Try not to paint to far above the water line it looks okay for a week or so then you will see the paint above the line start to get green as the copper in the paint ages.

Several attempts have been made to create a anti foul that will last the life of the boat without recoating, as well as a coating that can be applied in the mold at the time of construction. The life time anti foul was very close to working but it is super expensive and messy to apply. I did a proto type of this product once and wasn't a fan of the overall cost versus end product. You would have to own the boat over 15 years and need to re anti foul every year to make the system worth while. (The life time system does eliminate the need for a barrier coat).

If you use a lift or keep your boat in a high and dry facility you can remove bottom paint. It is a back breaking job, dealers have done this to 320 and 340 boats that have been sold new and will not live in the water full time. I have seen many products sold over the years that promise to make the hull so slippery that growth will not stick, I have never seen one that works that well. Generally due to the fact that the boats that receive these coating still do not see the amount of running time to make these coatings really effective.

Bottom Paint is the only real sensible option to prevent growth that is available to boaters. Bottom paint comes in many different brands and speeds. The speed terminology refers to the hull speed. Soft paints that sloff off at low speed will not work well on power boats and visa versa. Be sure you explain to your supplier the boat that the bottom coat will be applied to and the hull speed you run most of your time at. This way you get the best paint and value for your money. Bottom paint is available in blue, green, red and black (and other crazy colors). I recommend you pick any color you want as long as its black. It works the best, most colors are soft and only look good twice a year when you put it on new and after the boat is pressure washed at the end of the year. If you own a power boat and when the hull is pressure washed you see the bottom paint running all over the ground the paint is probably to soft and wearing of the hull to fast.

 Hull Preparation:

•  Never had bottom paint- The standard hull preparation for bottom paint is to sand the gel coat surface remove all the shine, remove the dust and apply at least two coats of your favorite brand of paint
• Never had bottom paint- The option I choose is the sand less primer system, you must buy the same brand paint as the sand less primer, I like this option better because you are not cutting through the resin rich gel surface.
• Recoating- If you are sticking with the same paint, Start by giving the hull from the water line down a really complete pressure wash try to remove what ever will come off (time spent here will save time later), then you sand down the edges of chips and flaked areas, mask off your line and items not to be painted. Start your re coating by covering the bare areas first and then coat the whole hull. This will keep the material build up fairly even over the hull.
• Annual clean up- This usually entails a few touch ups and at the very most a belly band, this is strip re coated around the water line a foot or so wide that's it. all you need here is a clean dry surface that's it.
• To find your water line you may need to float the boat if you are not full of water and fuel don't worry just add an inch. I did this on all new bottom paint jobs until I had a book with the various models to refer to, and even then one or two would throw a curve ball and be different.

A SPRING START UP TIP FOR YOU:
 
DO NOT RE COAT WITH NEW BOTTOM PAINT BEFORE YOU POLISH  THE HULL

Like any other service or maintenance job we do to our boats buying the right materials and working in the right conditions will pay off . The finished job will last longer and provide better value for the money spent. Be sure to inform your supplier of your needs and ask them the expected life of the bottom paint you are purchasing, some bottom paints come with a limited warranty.

To guarantee access to all of  Boat Nut Magazine articles, pictures and featured services visit the official Boat Nut Magazine ©™ website. Be sure to reply to the Boat Nut Association registration on our site for the latest Boat Nut weekly and monthly news letters and opportunities.

http://boatnutmagazine.com/

Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided.