Beelining For The Bahamas

To enter the Bahamas, private vessels need a Bahamas customs clearance form, one Bahamas immigration card per person aboard, and proof of citizenship (a U.S. passport).

According to the Bahamian government website, visiting boaters must clear Bahamas Customs & Immigration at the nearest designated port of entry; fly the yellow quarantine flag and notify customs of your arrival. Only the captain is permitted to leave the boat until your vessel has been cleared, at which time customs will send officers to your vessel to check in the crew. All boaters entering the Bahamas are required to pay an entry fee of $150 for boats up to 35 feet; it's $300 for larger boats. Fees are subject to change.

Go to the entry requirements page at bahamas.com for info, including contacts and downloadable clearance form.

Headed To Mexico?

The Mexican government has attempted to make entering Mexico by pleasure boat less complicated, but there's still a checklist of documentation required. Getting that paperwork in order months ahead is necessary. Start with a valid passport, required for each crewmember.

Most critical for any skipper to enter Mexico on your own boat is having original vessel documentation for proof of ownership, obtaining a temporary import permit (TIP) and displaying the decal, as well having your boat's hull identification number (HIN) where inspectors can see it. This is especially important if you plan to leave your boat in Mexico while returning stateside. In 2013, Mexican authorities seized dozens of U.S.-flagged boats that didn't have the permit decal and/or the HIN visible.

Apply for a TIP at one of 10 Mexican consulate offices in the U.S. You can also apply and pay for the TIP online through its Banjercito website. The site is in Spanish, but you can switch to English by clicking the option in the upper right corner. The cost is around US$51 plus tax.

Everyone on board will also need an FMM visitor card (formerly called a tourist visa).

Vessels also must complete an International Clear-In Document on arrival. A fee of about US$15 is required for each person aboard and must be paid by credit card. The fee can be prepaid online through the Mexican government's Banjercito website.

Casual anglers should know that if there's fishing gear on board, every person on board must obtain a Mexican fishing license, whether or not they're fishing. 

In addition to proper documentation, boating in Mexico requires three types of insurance: hull coverage, liability coverage, and automobile liability coverage, if you're trailering your boat on land. The wrinkle is that a Mexican insurance provider — outside of your normal insurance policy — must issue liability coverage for boat and trailer.  Restrictions may apply for storm seasons, destination, and length of stay.

Americans must remember that it's illegal to carry firearms or ammunition into Mexico. For comprehensive information on border-crossing document requirements, visit CBP's "Get You Home" page on its website.

Unlike autos, for which every state requires at least liability insurance (in case you damage someone else's property or cause injury), few states require that you have such coverage for your boat. Arkansas and Utah, for example, are the only states that require liability coverage for powerboats (and, in Utah, only on those with engines producing more than 50 horsepower), though boats used in some state parks or kept in some state-run marinas may be required to be insured as well.

Note that if your state, bank, or marina requires you to carry boat insurance, your homeowner's policy will probably not be acceptable. That's because coverage under homeowner's policies is generally limited to boats under 16 feet with a small outboard and with a very low value (often as low as $1,000). Homeowner's policies don't have the necessary provisions to cover the different types of losses that may occur with a boat, such as salvage, wreck removal, or pollution liability. Boat insurance is designed to address the specific needs of boaters, including:

Litigation: Lawsuits have become common in our culture. Reading any newspaper makes it clear that people can and will sue others — even friends and neighbors — for just about anything. For example, let's say you take a friend out on your boat and encounter a large wake that slams your friend down against a hard seat. Even if your friend says he's OK, if it turns out later he's injured, you could be sued and held liable for all the medical bills as well as payments for lost time from work and even pain and suffering. Your boat policy will provide a defense attorney to represent you in such a suit, and it will pay any damages you're found to owe (up to the limit of the liability coverage).

Investment Protection: Without insurance, you risk losing your investment to accidents or to any number of other events. A single strong storm can (and frequently does) sink boats, a fire in a nearby boat can burn your boat, or you could be the victim of vandalism. If you want to protect yourself and your investment, how do you buy the right insurance and avoid overpaying? If you have a Chevy, you may not want to pay for Cadillac insurance; on the other hand, if you have a large investment, you may want to be protected from any significant loss

Ways To Keep Your Dog Happy And Healthy On The Water

By Jessica Stone

Taking your canine buddy on your boating adventures guarantees more fun for all.

With a little planning, you and your four-legged crew can have great fun on the water.

Here are six simple tips to help your pooch feel safe, comfortable, and happy on your boat.

1. Dogs, like people, can get seasick. Hide a capsule of powdered ginger in a chunk of cheese to settle a queasy stomach. Doggy ginger snaps are an effective treat that help to prevent mal-de-mer while doubling as a reward for great behavior. See sidebar for a recipe.
2. If your dog swims in saltwater, take a moment to give her a freshwater rinse at the end of the day. Pay attention to her paws. Salt irritates the webbing between dogs' toes and may cause cracking or bleeding.
3. Dogs are safer if they're wearing a life jacket onboard, and easier to rescue. Avoid the styles with only one or two straps, as they can be unstable and pinch or cut skin. Select a style with full coverage under the belly to provide greater protection, and increased buoyancy.
4. To lift large or elderly dogs aboard, consider a Rappel Sling. Designed to lower rescue dogs into remote areas, these heavy-duty slings attach easily to hardware on your boat. They will reduce strain on your back, protect your pet, and can be used to lift other heavy items on board as well.
5. Train your dog to poop on a square of Astroturf on deck. Always keep the grass in the same spot so she understands that this is an OK place. Add a grommet to a corner of the turf and thread a line through it for easy rinsing. Solid materials should be collected and disposed of properly ashore.
6. You can save the work of toting dog chow down the dock each weekend by storing kibble on board in an airtight plastic box. Add several bay leaves to the dry food to deter bugs. Remove the leaves before feeding your pet.

The Paper Trail

When having work performed consider the differences.

Good shop: When you drop off your boat, expect an accurate work order (the initial paperwork describing what's wrong) with a realistic estimate. The nature of boats means that sometimes repairs on one thing will reveal further problems somewhere else. An estimate is just that, but a good shop will have realistic knowledge of how long most repairs take. When completed, a repair job includes a comprehensive invoice (final bill) detailing all labor, parts, and miscellaneous charges.

Not so good shop: i have seen many complaints with work orders that say nothing more than "fix engine." Such an open-ended work order is bound to end up

HOW DO YOU FIND A GOOD SHOP?

Look Online

Internet reviews make it easier to find shops that do quality work. Online review sites such as Yelp and Google can be helpful in choosing a repair facility. But look carefully — a single dissatisfied customer can carpet the internet with negative reviews. Look also at the reviewers' names. Real names carry more weight than fastboatguy98. Shops with several good reviews that go back a few years are a better bet.

Anyone can throw up a website, and many shops do just that with whichever volunteer is willing to step up. But a shop that goes the extra mile by including short articles or blogs about relevant topics, as well as matters such as hours, emergency numbers, and specials — and keeps it up to date — shows it understands what people expect today.

Not Sea-Trialing The Boat After Repairs Are Made

A client purchased a used powerboat with a large outboard that had a cracked head. Because he wrote into the contract that the engine had to be working before he would buy the boat, the dealer had the engine fixed and claimed they performed a compression test to verify everything was fine. After paying for the boat, the first time the new owner took the boat out, the rod blew a hole in the side of the engine. The dealer he bought it from first said he'd replace it with a used engine, but eventually said that the contract stated that boat was purchased in "as-is" condition and was working on the day of the sale.

Lesson: When contingencies are written into a contract, spell out the details and don't formally accept the boat until you've verified that all repairs have been made properly. Because of the high value of the engine, it would have made sense to have an independent technician check it out and even come along for a sea trial.

Not Allowing A Shop To Attempt To Honor Their Warranty

A client took his family out for a Memorial Day weekend trip when the inboard engine in his boat quit. In hopes of getting the boat fixed quickly to get back out on the water as soon as possible, he scanned the newspapers to find a repair shop. The shop he chose found water in the engine, estimated the repair at $1,500, and said it would have to send the head out for reconditioning.

When the member got the boat back and the engine was still not working, he lost confidence in the shop handling the repair and immediately took the boat to another shop, which fixed it. The member contacted the original shop to ask for his money back or have them reimburse him for the additional work. It refused, saying they were given no opportunity to correct the problem.

Lesson: Pick a shop carefully. Warranty law allows a shop to be given the opportunity to correct a problem. If you take your boat to another shop for further work, the first shop will have no obligation to refund your money or pay for extra work.

Boat Sealants

Based on an article by Don Casey                                                                                      

Perfect technique can't make up for the wrong sealant. If you really want to stop that leak, start by getting the sealant right.

Doing the job right starts with using the right sealant. Picking the wrong sealant can cause a host of problems from early failure to not being able to free a fitting if necessary. Some sealants will never bond to plastic; others deteriorate when exposed to chemicals. Choose the wrong sealant and, at best, you'll be doing this job again next year. At worst, you'll have to destroy some of your deck to free a cleat.

Unfortunately, the manufacturers don't make it easy to figure out what sealant will work best for your particular project. Well-stocked marine-supply stores have four types of sealant on their shelves — polyurethane, polysulfide, polyether, and silicone — most of which say only "marine sealant" or maybe "adhesive sealant." An additional sealant worthy of consideration will not even be on the shelf. Rather than a gooey paste applied with a nozzle, butyl tape is a sticky solid pressed into position (see sidebar).

The best-known modern marine sealant, 3M 5200, a polyurethane, has a well-deserved reputation for unsurpassed strength and tenacity that makes it the go-to sealant. But, as you'll see below, for many applications, including bedding deck hardware, another product would be a wiser choice. Formulated for cohesive failure (the sealant fails before the bond releases), 3M 5200's tensile strength of 700 psi (pounds per square inch; the force necessary to pull the bonded pieces apart) means it can take more than 5 1/2 tons of force to separate a 4-inch stanchion base from the deck. 3M 5200 is, in fact, a construction adhesive, not a sealant. A construction adhesive bonds two surfaces with a near-permanent bond; a sealant keeps water out. Strength is not the first requirement for a good sealant to bed deck hardware held in place by mechanical fasteners. Understanding what really matters will help you to pick the best alternative.

What Really Matters

A good marine sealant for bedding deck fittings must be waterproof, of course, but it must also be flexible, UV resistant, and, ideally, chemical resistant (fuel, bleach, and other solvents do find their way on deck occasionally). It should not be so strong that the deck hardware can't be removed if necessary, or so tenacious that it leaves a residue that prevents other sealants from adhering. From an aesthetic perspective, it should resist dirt and not age in an unsightly way.

If you can't find butyl tape or have more faith in a curing sealant, Boatlife Life-Calk polysulfide, applied as described in the article, "Re-Bedding Deck Fittings", will be your best choice for bedding metal and wood (but not ABS or Lexan) because of its excellent chemical resistance and emphasis on sealing rather than bonding. The polyethers accommodate movement better than the polysulfides and have better UV resistance, and 3M 4000 UV is even compatible with plastic. But the stronger bond will be problematic if disassembly is required.

Sikaflex 295 UV polyurethane is another alternative to polysulfide. A combination of superior UV resistance, liberal elongation, and compatibility with plastic (in concert with a primer) makes this a versatile sealant. Its advantage over 3M 4000 UV and over all of the other polyurethane products is its lower strength, which makes future disassembly/removal easier. You can, of course, use any of the other polyurethanes, but unless your intent is to bond rather than seal, these are choices you may come to regret.

The alternative for sealing framed windows, if you skip butyl tape, is silicone sealant. Bonded windows require a structural glazing silicone such as Dow 795 (or Sikaflex 295 UV polyurethane protected with a special primer). Beyond portlights and specialized uses, you'll save yourself grief if you keep silicone sealant away from the deck and hull.

Don't just pick up any tube of marine sealant from your favorite chandlery and set to work. If you want to make sure that leak doesn't come back, take the time to select the best sealant for the job. While it may not be as much fun as playing with drills and bolts, choosing the right sealant is every bit as important as the proper technique to make that fitting watertight

There's much to like about butyl tape for bedding deck hardware. It takes a bit longer to apply, but it's easy, relatively mess-free, and the job is finished as soon as the nuts are tightened — no waiting for the sealant to cure. It's the best choice for framed portlights, but should be avoided where it may come into contact with chemicals. It does not cure, so butyl tape properly installed should remain watertight for decades, yet it's also the easiest to dismantle.

How To Use The Right Fastener

Based on an article by Don Casey

Anything you want to attach to your boat has to be fastened in some way. Today we have astounding glues that are stronger than the materials they bond, and some tapes are capable of joining railroad cars. Most of the time, though, mechanical fastening will be the attachment method of choice. Metal fasteners set the bar for strength, offer unmatched longevity, and most can be disassembled without destruction. Select wisely and install carefully to ensure your fasteners hold to their maximum strength.

Selecting the right fastener (see below) begins by assessing the load that will be placed on it. Any metal fastener will hold well against a sideways (shear) force. But with a tensile force pulling the fastener straight out, holding strength becomes increasingly dependent on the threads (or formed head in the case of rivets) holding the fastener in place. The load on lifting and towing eyes is almost entirely tensile — it is trying to stretch the fasteners or pull them from their holes. When the tide goes out, docklines start to tug upward on cleat fasteners. Pedestal seat bases pry up mightily on their forward fasteners, then on their aft ones as your body weight shifts in a chop.

In general, the weak link in the attachment of a fastener is the internal threads that the fastener's external threads engage. Threads cut by wood screws into wood, or by sheet-metal screws into fiberglass, lack the strength, consistency, and durability that machined threads inside a metal nut or other thick metal component can provide. Bolts or machine screws must be used to secure any component or piece of hardware essential to boat function and/or safety that might experience a load that will or could pull or pry it from the boat. In addition to nuts on the backside of the fitting, through-bolt mounting should include a strong backing plate made out of aluminum or stainless steel or, at the very least, heavy fender washers to spread the load.

The most common mistake when installing fasteners is to overtighten them, which either strips the threads or breaks the fastener. A stainless-steel 10/24 bolt has a maximum torque of less than 2 foot-pounds (22.8 inch-pounds), a force you can apply curling your fingers. A 1/4-20 bolt shouldn't be torqued beyond about 6 foot-pounds (75.8 inch-pounds). Even the 21-foot-pound maximum torque of a 3/8-24-bolt requires only wrist strength to apply. With regularly selling torque wrenches for under $10, there's no reason not to own one of these tools if just to gauge your own strength. Without long experience or the guidance of a torque wrench, snug threaded fasteners, then stop. The keys to fastener reliability are to select wisely; use lubricant, insulator, or thread locker when called for; install carefully; and tighten gently. Do these four things every time and all your fasteners will deliver their maximum strength