4. Anchor Rode
E. S. “Mack” Maloney, who has been editing Chapman Piloting: Seamanship and Small Boat Handling for more than 40 years, gave us a few tips on maintaining the anchor rode.
Most boats of less than 65 feet LOA use a rode of three-strand nylon spliced to a six- to eight-foot-long of chain that is in turn shackled to the anchor. These connecting points are the weakest links in your rode and are therefore susceptible to mechanical freezing and wear. Preventive maintenance should include coating shackle pins with waterproof grease or an antiseizing agent. Rotate them one-quarter turn from tight, using a black plastic cable tie (white is susceptible to UV degradation) to keep the pins in place. Between the chain and line, work an eye splice around a thimble to prevent chafing, secure with another shackle, and fasten as before.
While three-strand nylon is resistant to mold and mildew, it’s not resistant to rust. Affected areas must be cut out and spliced. Nylon is also not UV-resistant, so it should be stowed out of the sun’s reach. If the rode is stiff, the sun has broken it down. If it’s dirty, rinse the line with a low-pressure hose or dunk it in water. You can also scrub the lines with a stiff brush and soap and water to keep them clean, but make sure you have removed any grit first. Otherwise you’re just forcing it into the fibers. Finally, switch the bitter end of your rode with the working end on an annual basis, thereby utilizing the entire length and extending its life.
Be vigilant about wear and tear, too. Purchase chafe guards, or create your own using pieces of canvas or garden hose. These should be used anywhere the rode comes in contact with your boat.
5. Seacocks
Seacocks are special valves that either admit or restrict the passage of water through the hull. Water entering and/or leaving sinks, MSDs, air-conditioning pumps, and gensets is typically controlled by seacocks. They are necessary in case a hose or pump fails or requires maintenance. Since seacocks are not always opened and closed regularly, they are subject to mechanical freezing and may not work when they are needed.
Seacocks are typically made of cast bronze or a special plastic called Marelon. In both cases, the ball valve that controls the flow of water has a very tight fit with the housing to prevent leakage, making this juncture susceptible to binding and freezing. J.P. Massana, OEM sales manager of Perko Marine, says that debris, long-term disuse, or failure to properly winterize a seacock will cause it to seize.
To prevent seizing, open and close your seacocks at least once a year, which shouldn’t be a big problem for many boaters since they should be closed any time you are away from your boat for more than a few days.
If you winterize your boat, the seacocks should be winterized, too. Leave them open so that water doesn’t get trapped in the ball valve; if it does and freezes, the valve or seals could rupture. A leaking seacock indicates damaged O-rings or ball-valve seats. Dismantling a seacock and repairing its O-rings, seats, and valves can only be done when the boat is out of the water, so take advantage of the time your boat is on the hard. When painting the hull, Dan Gross of Groco suggests plugging through-hulls with a rag to prevent paint from getting on the ball of the seacock. If it does, it’s likely to leak.
6. Fuel Caps and Vents
Since proper ventilation is required for fuel to flow from the tank to the engine, even a small obstruction in the vent can cause problems for your engine and for the environment, too. During long periods of fuel storage, birds and insects build nests and set up camp in the vent. This becomes a problem at the fuel dock, since the blockage will cause backflow through the main fuel pipe and cause a fuel spill. To prevent spillage, maintenance expert Paul Esterle recommends cutting a three-inch hole in the center of an oil-absorbant pad and putting it over the fuel fill to catch any dribbles/spills.
But if the vent is completely blocked and air can’t reach the tank, fuel flow to the engine is significantly reduced. If the pump is unable to pull enough fuel through the tank to supply the engine, the engine will shut down. This is of particular concern with high-horsepower engines that consume great quantities of fuel. To clear an obstructed vent, remove the hose from the vent and push any debris through to the outside. Failure to do so can cause debris to be sucked into the fuel tank and eventually into your engine.
Check the fuel cap to make sure that it’s on tight; if it’s not, water and dirt can work their way into your fuel (see “Fuel Tank Contamination”). Periodically inspect the gasket as well, and replace it if it shows signs of wear.
Finally, especially where a gasoline-powered boat is concerned, inspect fuel-fill and vent fittings to make sure bonding wires (usually green-coded) are corrosion-free and properly attached to the fittings. This will ensure safety while taking on fuel.
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