What's your pre take off routine?

[B BARKER]

1-Go in cabin turn everything on check out everything in there put up groceries.
2-Rinse boat off clean windshields.
3-Check water tank gauge and fill up if necessary.
4-Check engines,trans,generator,look for leaks,sniff around for any unusual odors. I always check engines and generator every time before I pull out thats a must for me, my grand paw was a master mechanic and he drilled that into my head from the time I was 8-9 years old..always check the oil in an engine before you fire it up son, I can hear him saying it like it was yesterday and that was almost 60 years ago..
5-Get keys turn on blowers, start up engines let them warm up and start generator, I always start generator to make sure it is running ok before I leave the dock, I always, ALWAYS!!!! look at engine exhaust and generator exhaust and make sure they are pumping a good flow of water, turn on electronics.
6-Take down the back canvas fold up and store.
7-Un-hook shore power and TV cable.
8-Switch over power switch to generator and turn on air if hot, if weather is cool open vents and shut off generator.
9-Un-tie lines and let her roll !!!!!!!!
10-Have a cold one................

 

[Scott3262]

Looks like @Woody and I are the only ones who include checking the engines every time we go out.

At the beginning of every day I'm going to start the engines I make sure to go into the engine room/compartment and look for any leaks, check all my fluids (oil, powersteering, coolant, gear lube, trim tabs, etc.), and do a sniff test.

It only takes a couple of minutes and checking all your fluids can save you from serious mechanical damage.

I also check all my fluids while the bilge blower is on. Every time. Plus one on all other items.

 

[skibum]

Looks like @Woody and I are the only ones who include checking the engines every time we go out.

I'm one of those guys that looks the engine over when I return to port. If anything is leaking or wet, it might dry out by the time I get back to the boat. Leaky fluids have the most odor when they are warm, and oil drips can run off or spread out over time and make it harder to see where they came from. When I get back, I raise the hatch and take a quick look.

I rarely get on the boat without looking at the engine. It's just not part of my pre-start list. My maintenance routine is an entirely separate thing.

 

[juggernaut1]

"What's your pre take off routine?"
Take off the "Remove Before Flight" streamers
Clear the launch pad
Load fuel tanks (Liquid Hydrogen and Liquid Oxygen)
Double check that all of the low bidders really did things right
Say a quiet prayer
Press the big red button...

That sounds a whole lot easier than launching a boat

 

[skunkman]

My next door neighbor has OCD and his routine takes over 2 hours before he gets moving. It drives his wife nuts as he barks orders to anyone willing to listen. If boating were that much work for me I'm pretty shore I wouldn't boat.

 

[Leardriver]

Does anyone put the plug in their boat? That is my obsessive check. Or, are all of your boats left in the water.

 

[Bk124tt]

Does anyone put the plug in their boat? That is my obsessive check. Or, are all of your boats left in the water.

I stay in the water.

 

[AFD]

Battery switches are always on so no need to shut them off.


1. Peel off canvas and open vent wiND shield.
2. Open engine room hatch and sniff, check oil on both motors while checking for water, oil leaks, drive lube levels, funny smells, spare change Cheez-Itz from the kids. (Takes about 10 seconds to do both motors and visual Inspect)
3. Turn on blowers and help the wife and kids on board
4. Lift vhf antenna
5. Turn on GPS, make sure bilge pump turns on with switch, the lower one is automatic and switched, never been able to test the high water one without jumping the wires because it's automatic only with alarm.
6. Switch fridge to 12 volt on panel(always keep beer and water in it) shut down 120volt panel then disconnect Shore power cord from pedestal (I have a 50' cord and only need about 9' so I keep it bundles up in transom locker, not on the dock)
7. Fire both motors, one at a time while watching the volt gauges to check for issues with power. Once the temp gauges start to climb, I untie the bow andown Stern lines and keep spring line in my hand while the wife handles our disastrous children
8. Pull away fr9m dock and turn on the radio once we clear the fuel dock of our Yacht Club.

Whole thing takes about 5 minutes. Othere members from our club always come early to help and shoot the breeze with us when we come back to the dock b3cause they know we have our hands full with 2 very small kids and trying to dock I am narrow/shallow spot but since the shift cables have been replaced and the motors serviced, docking, even in poor winds or current has been pleasant and much less of a chore. I'd like to think I'm getting better at it too but really, our boat is a dream to handle with very little practice. Can't wait until I get 4 blades props for that little extra bite in reverse around do the dock. Should make it even easier.

 

[boatman37]

Well guess I need a pre-leave for the week checklist .

Left today and closed everything up. We live about 20 miles from the marina. Got home and couldn't remember if I had closed the port side sliding window. Tried to go through my steps in my mind. Clearly remembered closing the one in the bathroom but couldn't remember the other one. No biggie. My son will be down there tomorrow right next to the marina. He can check on it. Looked at the forecast and thunderstorms all night...ugh! So jump in the truck for that 30 minute drive back down and yup, left it open . Got there before the rain started so no harm other than a little time and a few gallons of gas.