Winter is coming!
Five tips from Mary LaFleur of ALT Insurance Group on preparing your boat for winter.
- Check the dates of when you bought your heaters. Often times heaters are the cause of boat fires. Just because they still work does not mean that they are past life expectancy. Under no circumstances do you want to replace a cord or plug. Plugging in a heater safely does not make you liable, tampering with a cord could.
- Secure all of the canvas, outdoor furniture and anything lose on the decks. The winds in the Fall can be strong and cause anything not secured to leave the boat, damaging another boats or boaters.
- Loose canvas can cause the life of the canvas to be cut short.
- The friction caused from back and forth movement can cause damage to the fiberglass finishes and upholstery.
- Be aware that lines that have been dry all season may now stretch once they are wet from the rains. This can leave the vessel swaying in the slip, periodically check your lines. Old or worn lines can snap in high winds especially in freezing conditions, replace with new lines.
Have a safe winter!
Mary LaFleur
Marine Specialist
819 Commercial Ave Suite D
Po. Box 1525
Anacortes, WA. 98221
