End of the Season Blues

Empty Docks on Lake Macatawa | Michigan Captain

Empty Docks on Lake Macatawa | Michigan Captain

Boating season is over for 2018, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep playing with our toys. There are endless winter projects that can keep us busy and there’s no time like the present to get started. 

This year, I have to make up for the fact that the last two I was a little lazy. Not overall, just with my own boat, mainly because I was running other people’s vessels all summer. By the time I got done, I was too tired to get in my own bilge and get to work. 

The projects waiting for me this year include – 

New stuffing boxes

Shaft Packing (yeah, stuffing boxes, I know)

Cutlass Bearings

New backrest cushions in the aft seating area

New rear seating on the bridge

Those are the big ones, the rest are little things like changing light bulbs for LEDs to cut down on my battery drain while hanging on the hook. Or, general maintenance items like fuel filters and oil changes. Since most of my own boat’s use is entertaining, just drifting or sitting on the hook off the Holland Bowl or Oval Beach and swimming, my needs are fairly simple. 

But, I still need a good, reliable vessel under me and I would like it to be presentable. There are other cosmetic things I would like to do, such as new carpet in the cabin, but this year I think it’s going to be all about the prop shafts first. 

IT might seem like spring is a long way off in West Michigan, but the truth is we only have December, January, February, and then need to wrap things up in March. If you work full time, getting bigger projects like these finished can be a challenge so don’t wait and then rush to put things back together three days before launch. 

Especially since spring brings its own round of maintenance items like bottom paint and zincs. 

So, put down the clicker and head over to the boatyard this weekend. Get started on those big things and you’ll be ready for the water when they start launching in 2019. I go in the very first week they will allow it in the Holland MI area, if it gets a little cold, I just turn on some heat. 

Get started on your winter projects now and hit the water ready to rock. 

Chuck