A Close Call - Exercise Good Winter Boat Care

We had a close call with a 28-foot sport boat last night. Snow buried the vessel and its bilge pump was inoperative. About four feet of snow have hit Valdez Harbor within as many days, placing a great deal of weigh on the unshoveled vessel. The aft through-hull fittings were underwater and luckily, they didn't provide additional problems for the boat.

The boat was listing to one side and had a couple feet of water in its engine compartment. Snow was removed evenly from the boat to prevent it from rolling and a pump was placed onboard to dewater the vessel. The boat's owner was able to get onboard this morning and pickup after the incident.

This is a case that further demonstrates the importance of good winter boat care, especially for vessels stored in water for the winter season.

Tags: Winter Boat Care, Boating Safety, In Water Boat Storage

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