Sharing a Pre-Startup Check List > What is yours?

Like all things, boating is a learned activity and collecting tips and tricks from others is one way to avoid the school of hard knocks. As a part time seasonal boater, I have accumulated only 100s of hrs these past few years but even with my limited outings, I continue to be amazed at the high number of boaters having, what seems to me, a caliver attitude when it comes to the basics. One of my fav examples: last year, our dock-mate pulled in, an older couple who had been at this marina for last 10 years. I noticed they were struggling under the motor hood and offered to help. Accepting, they said they could not get the neg batt. cable off from the batt post, would I mind giving it a tug? This was their battery switch > pulling off the neg cable and not even by loosening it, it had not seen a wrench in years. Pop on and go. Done? Pull it off.

And I am sure we have all seen the boaters who simply jump in with their coolers, start up, cast off and go. While looks cool, they are gambling IMO.

Over the years I have developed from resources like this forum and the Hard Knock School (and what just makes common sense) a pre-start for the day process that I use at the beginning of each day that I want to share. This is not a pre-underway, that is a separate process. Note: boat is a smallish bowrider > a Larson 228 LXi with 5.0 VP.

• Key in ign but still off (I once forgot the key and now do this plus have a spare hidden on board)
• Blower Fan switch on (no blower yet b/c batt still off)
• Open hood and turn batt on > I listen for a good sound from the blower which provides me a sense of batt ok
• Look in bilge for excessive water or other fluids while sniffing for gas or other bad smells
• Check oil x 3 (motor, PS and Trim)
• Check belt tightness
• Try to move (push and pull) on battery, toolbox and spare prop > all these are properly mounted in eng. compartment so I am looking to see if anything loose
• General visual check and leave hood open
• Back at cockpit, trim engine up / down a little bit (to ensure works) then engine start, monitor oil press and volts and listen. If all good go back and another visual and listen with engine running and close hood.
• Monitor temp gauge while storing gear and doing pre-underway.

ESGWheel said:

And I am sure we have all seen the boaters who simply jump in with their coolers, start up, cast off and go.

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Locally, jump in and go is the norm.

Its expected that all loading and prelim checks be done prior to getting in line to launch. Spending excess time at the ramp will not only make you very unpopular with your fellow boaters, it will initiate a visit from the ramp Nazis in short order.

The beauty of an outboard powered boat with a self draining cockpit...no blowers, no belts, no oil pressure, no bilge checks, etc. Takes me 5 minutes or less to get under way

Prior to getting in line to launch:
Trailer Strap(s) off and stored
Safety chain/clevis removed
Dock lines on cleats
Battery Switch On
Put up VHF, AM/FM and GPS antennas
Ice in fish boxes, beverages in ice box

Post launch:
Start motor
Turn on Chart Plotters, Side Scan Sonar and Radios
Check water pressure gauge
Back out of slip and head out

Heading Out:
Adjust Trim (motor cover parallel to water)
Initial deployment of Trim tabs (one thousand one, one thousand two)
Enter destination on chart plotter
Radio check (VHF)
Clear no wake zone and get on plane
Adjust throttle to cruise speed (27 kts.)
Adjust running angle and lean with trim tabs
Sit back and enjoy the ride

I usually toss in an electronics check. All the other BS is taken care of at the house on the test run on land. At the ramp it's turn key and go. I'm not that guy.

I should have mentioned this this process is for when I have the boat at the marina’s dock for the season, not trailering.

When trailering completely agree all is checked PRIOR to backing down the ramp which is done by me with the wife keeping our place in line. Then we switch places, and I back it down while she is in the boat starting it up and pulling away.

And ramp etiquette seems to be all over the place. A few years ago, when we were still trailering, at the end of the day, the guy in front of us hauled out and stopped in front of the ramp (only single ramp at a busy marina) and proceeded to wipe down his boat! I was aghast as I sat there waiting to back the trailer down. I got out and asked him to move up into the lot, where there was plenty of space. He refused and said he was almost done, which took another 10 min. He finally left, without strapping down the transom or pulling the plug. Amazing.

So I don't typically pull the plug if I am going back out the next day or two. I also don't get water in the bilge normally. However I do strap and do all that as far away as possible. I even turn the headlamps off on the truck before backing down to not blind oncoming people if it's late. I agree, ramp etiquette is all over the place.

Also, I've forgotten the keys a few times. I keep a paper clip in the cupholder for that reason. Hotwiring your own boat is always fun.

Beyond that my in water checklist is nearly the same though I don't bother with the belts and oil every outing. Holding tanks and such on the 33, and make sure the steering goes lock to lock. Had the manual hydraulic steering go out once without knowing. Won't let that happen again. Pulled out went to turn and was like... wait a minute. Luckily it was open bay in front and it has twins so right back in we went.... I also test the battery parallel switch on the helm before large outings as that's important to work.

Pmt133 said:

So I don't typically pull the plug if I am going back out the next day or two.

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Pulling the plug is a ‘requirement’ when pulling out at Lake George, NY. Every ramp has an inspection / inspector process and they will not tag you if you do not pull the plug. The tag allows you to reenter the lake without inspection. I have asked why that is the case and never gotten a clear answer.

However, I always pull the plug regardless. Weather is unpredictable here in the northeast and summer thunderstorms can dump a ton of rain in a short period....

ESGWheel said:

Pulling the plug is a ‘requirement’ when pulling out at Lake George, NY. Every ramp has an inspection / inspector process and they will not tag you if you do not pull the plug. The tag allows you to reenter the lake without inspection. I have asked why that is the case and never gotten a clear answer.

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My daughter and her husband have a place on Lake George.

Just watched the Lake George clean, drained and dried video.

I don't get water in the bilge so that's not a problem. Have a couple of questions if you don't mind...

How do they check the hoses running under the deck from fish boxes, live wells, ice boxes to the thru hulls?

They also said boat must be "dry" and mention 5 days to dry.
You have to wait 5 days between outings?

dingbat said:

They also said boat must be "dry" and mention 5 days to dry.
You have to wait 5 days between outings?

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While I do not have live wells or boxes with drain lines overboard, my experience watching them do other folks as well as mine is one of ‘common sense’. I.e. I have never seen or experienced them going overboard (no pun intended). Example: we had a good rain the night before we were putting in the first time so had to do the inspection. Part of that is to drop the sterndrive and they saw water coming out, a no, no. I told them was dry before but was due to the rain and they let it pass. Normally if water coming out, they hook you up to their hot water system to flush / kill any invasive species. They also look in the bridge, anchor locker, etc., and if dry, is ok.

This is for the initial inspection. Once in the lake and pulling out at the ramp, there is someone who will tag the boat and thus you are free to go back in at anytime without inspection. Thus, when trailering the boat, it’s the initial inspection that is needed and they tag the boat (it’s a serialized wire tie from the bow eye to the trailer) same as when you pull out at the ramp. If that tag is there, it is understood you have had the inspection and not boated in other waters. So, no five day waiting period.

More: I usually am wearing my Navy submarine ball cap so that may help as a lot of these folks are ex-military. Regardless my personality is to always chat these guys up and I ask lots of questions and have not heard about the need to be 5-days dry before initial launch. Perhaps its new but I will not know, as this season we are not going to be at George. While sad, it’s for a joyous occasion: my daughter is getting married in July and we are focusing on that

These are the folks in charge and may have a better answer is Link

In Illinois, you have to have the plug removed and the bilge drained, ostensibly to minimize the chance of transporting invasive species (e.g., zebra mussels) from one waterway to another. I believe that would include livewells and other types of holding tanks that empty into the waterways.

I've always wondered about the water in the engine jacket, though... seems like that is just as likely to introduce invasives.

ESGWheel said:

Pulling the plug is a ‘requirement’ when pulling out at Lake George, NY. Every ramp has an inspection / inspector process and they will not tag you if you do not pull the plug. The tag allows you to reenter the lake without inspection. I have asked why that is the case and never gotten a clear answer.

However, I always pull the plug regardless. Weather is unpredictable here in the northeast and summer thunderstorms can dump a ton of rain in a short period....

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The freshwater body I go to also does inspection. Typically they ask where it's been launched the last 7 days or so. I primarily boat in brine in NJ so it isn't normally an issue for me. Though whatever they ask of me I do. At the end of the weekend when I'm driving home the plug gets pulled and that's it. Luckily I've never sunk a boat on land yet.

So yes, in freshwater it does get pulled after every outing. I should have clarified though this is normally 3 days of the year that happens.

JASinIL2006 said:

I've always wondered about the water in the engine jacket, though... seems like that is just as likely to introduce invasives.

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You are correct. One of the aspects of what they do at George is if any water drains out of the engine or they suspect an issue, is to use a hot water flush of the engine. It takes some time, but they are through about it. From what I have read about this, it is the most intensive anti-invasive protocol around. As a reflection of their aggressiveness, and while perhaps not in the same vein, the residents around the lake directly draw their drinking water from the lake, sand filtered maybe but not chemically treated from what I have been told. There is a 200’ from shore anchoring restriction to keep from pulling up their water pipes.

We were once in a cove with a single house on one side and anchored exceeding the 200’ restriction. My (at the time) young boys and I were having a lot of fun in the water when my youngest expressed a sigh of relief at, well, relieving himself. Five minutes later, a lady from the house came swimming by and said she appreciated that we were beyond the 200’ restriction. so, thank you, but please do not pee in the water. After she was well on her way, we could not help but LOL when my other son wondered out loud if she asked all the fish the same thing.

If you have an I/O or inboard check the tightness of every fuel line clamp & cooling hose clamp! Especially the ones that are for the hidden hose from the transom mount to the P/S cooler behind the engine.

Anyone leave it running at the dock to warm up while putting the trailer away? I've done that, but not so much recently.

I'm not nearly as thorough as the original post, but I've usually got the doghouse off priming it a bit since I'm only out a handful of times a season.

I test the blower and bilge pump before leaving the house.

I'd add though, after I run out away from the dock a quarter of a mile or better, I leave it idling and look in the bilge again to see if it's taking on water. I settle down and enjoy the time after that.

I used to reference a notepad with list for pre-start, and also shut down, but have slacked on that. Drive down before start, up before pulling out; stuff like that...

ESGWheel said:

You are correct. One of the aspects of what they do at George is if any water drains out of the engine or they suspect an issue, is to use a hot water flush of the engine. It takes some time, but they are through about it. From what I have read about this, it is the most intensive anti-invasive protocol around. As a reflection of their aggressiveness, and while perhaps not in the same vein, the residents around the lake directly draw their drinking water from the lake, sand filtered maybe but not chemically treated from what I have been told. There is a 200’ from shore anchoring restriction to keep from pulling up their water pipes.

We were once in a cove with a single house on one side and anchored exceeding the 200’ restriction. My (at the time) young boys and I were having a lot of fun in the water when my youngest expressed a sigh of relief at, well, relieving himself. Five minutes later, a lady from the house came swimming by and said she appreciated that we were beyond the 200’ restriction. so, thank you, but please do not pee in the water. After she was well on her way, we could not help but LOL when my other son wondered out loud if she asked all the fish the same thing.

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Surface water (lakes, streams, etc.) Are required to have both disinfection and filtration in most cases. Lake george also treats and dumps their waste water (sewage) back into the lake. Chances are they're chlorinated as well as adding polymer to their filtration process.

check tide charts
check weather
remove cover
hook up hose
run motor for ~5 minutes while I look over the trailer
install garboard plug
pull boat from yard to street
run for fuel if it needs it
load coolers
load towels
drive to ramp
while in-line, remove transom straps.
pull onto ramp apron
back down to water
hand wife the bow and stern lines
disconnect trailer wiring
back in
disconnect winch line and safety
push boat off and park truck
come back, hop in and turn key
go boating

sometimes run out of water....... damn skinny water with ever changing channels

Pmt133 said:

Chances are they're chlorinated as well as adding polymer to their filtration process.

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Maybe is a pride thing but when I have talked to the locals it is my impression only a particulate filter. According to this (link), you are correct, it’s a combo or should be

ESGWheel said:

Maybe is a pride thing but when I have talked to the locals it is my impression only a particulate filter. According to this (link), you are correct, it’s a combo or should be

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Yes. Surface water treatment rule. Thats a national thing. I pulled their CCR for the year and there it was. Running average disinfection residual of 1.2 mg/l of chlorine in the system.

I'm not a nerd by the way. I'm licensed by the DEP and my day job is water quality and production at a surface treatment plant lol. So I do actually know something about something for a change.