Electric Boats

FortBendBoats.com

Boat Care Tips

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Winterizing
Your Electric Boat

Whenever the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures in your area to drop below freezing for sustained periods during the next 48-72 hours, we naturally think about our pipes, plants, and pets. However, make sure your electric boat is also prepared, and that you take the proper precautions. We would like to provide you with some information from a number of sources that may help you to “winterize” your boat during the upcoming freezing spell and those that will follow during the next few months. The care of your boat during inclement weather involves at least the following items:

1. Make sure your boat is securely moored to your deck, dock, or bulkhead. Winds at speeds over 20 miles per hour will test the best tied knots and loops used to tether your boat. And be sure the boat’s fenders, or bumpers, are in good condition and securely tied to your boat in their proper position to keep your boat from “ramming” into your deck, dock, or bulkhead.
2. If your batteries are fully charged, there is no need to remove them from your boat and bring them inside. Make sure the electrolyte level is not insufficiently low. If it is, then fill it to the proper level. Keep your battery charger connected to the power supply at all times. If your charger is working properly it will only switch on to bring your batteries up to full charge, and then it will turn itself off.
3. If the temperature in your area is projected to fall below freezing for periods of more than six hours, then you should protect your boat’s motor from the effects of these adverse conditions. Precautions will vary with the type of boat/motor combination that you own. If you own an Eldebo or Escape Cruz, do not attempt to remove the motor from the boat. Instead, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to tilt your motor up out of the water, then cover the lower unit (where the propeller is) with a blanket and wrap duct tape around the blanket and shaft above the lower unit. If you own an El Lago, simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions to remove the motor from your boat and store it inside your home or garage where temperatures will remain above freezing during the periods of freezing temperatures. If you cannot, then follow the above instructions to wrap the lower unit. These steps will only take a few minutes to perform. When the atmospheric temperature rises above 40 degrees you can then safely remove the wrappings, or replace the motor, and resume your boating fun. WARNING: Do not lower your motor into the water during these cold snaps. There are some boat owners who feel that doing so places the motor in water temperatures above freezing, since the water temperature will rarely drop below that of the atmosphere. Others, us included, argue that this places undue stress on your motor’s seals and internal components. When in doubt contact the customer service department of your motor’s manufacturer.
4. Keep your boat’s seat cushions covered at all times, especially in times of extremely low or extremely high temperatures, as well as periods of excessive rainfall or proximity to a lawn sprinkler system. These precautions will save your boat’s furniture from premature demise.

We hope you find this information useful, and that your boat is spared from the damages that are just naturally caused by Mother Nature. If you still have any questions please e-mail them to us at info@fortbendboats.com or call us at (281) 650-4965.

Prepare Your Boat For

Hurricane Season!

Make sure your electric boat is prepared, and that you take the proper precautions. We would like to provide you with some information from a number of sources that may help you to secure your boat during the upcoming hurricane and those that will follow during the next few months. The care of your boat during inclement weather involves at least the following items:

1. Make sure your boat is securely moored to your deck, dock, or bulkhead. Winds at speeds over 20 miles per hour will test the best tied knots and loops used to tether your boat. And be sure the boat’s fenders, or bumpers, are in good condition and securely tied to your boat in their proper position to keep your boat from “ramming” into your deck, dock, or bulkhead. Placing a piece of plastic hose over the mooring lines will stop them from getting frayed.
2. Turn OFF the Master Battery Switch (if applicable). OR disconnect the battery leads (1+/1-)which run to the motor system. If your batteries are fully charged, there is no need to remove them from your boat and bring them inside. Make sure the electrolyte level is not insufficiently low. If it is, then fill it to the proper level. Disconnect your battery charger from the power supply until the storm passes.
3. Remove your boat’s seat cushions, swivel seats, tables and covers that are not securely fastened to prevent them from "flying" and becoming missiles that can cause damage and harm.
4. Lower and secure any shade canopies and navigation lights.

We hope you find this information useful, and that your boat is spared from the damages that are just naturally caused by Mother Nature. If you still have any questions please e-mail them to us at info@fortbendboats.com or call us at (281) 650-4965.

Basic Knots For Mariners

To learn how to tie the basic knots used by most trained mariners its hard to beat the useful guide used by the Boy Scouts Of America (BSA). As the father of an Eagle Scout and former Assistant Scout Master I still find the above guide as the most simple to follow. For securing the basic equipment on your boat Fort Bend Boats recommends:

Lariat Loop: Use this knot to CLEAT your boat to the dock. Tie it once and use it hundreds of times without retying. Once set at the proper size for your boat simply slip it through the center hole of the boat's cleat, loop around the forward and rear cleat spike, then pull snug.

Taught-Line Hitch: Use this knot on the other end of your dock line opposite the Lariat Loop. The beauty of this knot is that you can easily adjust the tension to more or less as needed without having to retie it.

Clove Hitch: Use this knot to tie your fender/bumper ropes to the boat's railing. Tie the fender/bumper to the tag end with a Lariat Loop. The Double Half Hitch can be easily retied to adjust the fender/bumper to the desired height.

Square Knot: Use this knot whenever you need to tie two ropes of the same diameter together, or to tie a line around tarps, seat covers, etc.

Drain Your Pontoons!

If you own an Eldebo or early Escape Cruz, then you own a boat that is made out of a light grade plastic and it has hollow pontoons. These pontoons, especially the starboard (right) side bilge easily fills up with water, and if not pumped dry can lead to a split hull like. It doesn't even have to rain for this to occur. Because the hulls are made so thin it does not take much of an impact to create a hairline crack which allows water to enter the inside of the hull at a small amount at a time. Or, if your home sprinkler system is not properly adjusted, your boat gets wetter than it needs to and the runoff from the deck ends up in the pontoons. Make sure your bilge pumps are working properly and periodically drain them to keep a split hull from happening.

Do this yourself or e-mail to info@fortbendboats.com or call 281.650.4965 for service.

Clean Your Propeller!

BEFORE

Q: Why clean the boat's propeller?
(Do this yourself. Or call us at 281-650-4965 for on-site service)

A: If your motor begins to slow down from normal speeds, and/or you notice wires to the motor feeling hot to the touch, it may be due to fishing line or other debris in you motor’s propeller. Otherwise, it is a good idea to perform the following procedure as part of your monthly regular maintenance.
1. Disconnect battery charger power source, and switch circuit breakers to the “off” position.
2. Raise motor following instructions found under you boat’s center console arm rest.
3. Remove propeller’s wing nut. BE CAREFUL NOT TO DROP WING NUT INTO THE WATER.
4. Carefully remove propeller from motor’s shaft. BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET MOTOR’S SHEER PIN FALL INTO THE WATER.
5. Clean any fishing line, weeds or other debris from the shaft and/or propeller.
6. Carefully replace propeller onto motor’s shaft.
7. Replace propeller’s wing nut. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN
8. Make sure the motor turns freely.
9. Switch circuit breakers to the “on” position.
10. Turn the motor on for a few seconds in forward and reverse to be sure the unit functions properly. DO NOT RUN THE MOTOR LONGER THAN A FEW SECONDS OUT OF WATER AS THIS WILL ERODE THE SHAFT SEAL CAUSING THE SEAL TO LEAK.
11. Lower motor following instructions found under you boat’s center console arm rest.
12. Connect battery charger power source.
(Do this yourself. Or call us at 281-650-4965 for on-site service)

AFTER

You Don't Need a Dock

To moor and secure your electric deck boat you do not have to go through the trouble and expense of constructing a fancy boat dock. While they are nice they are certainly not necessary. To get you started you only need a pair of 11” lawn stakes and some 3/8” polymer rope. These items are available at most home and garden centers for less than ten dollars in cost. Simply drive the stakes into the ground parallel to your boat’s fore and aft cleats. Be careful to make sure there are no sprinkler lines or other objects before you drive them into the ground. Then, using a good knot at the stake end and a loop on the boat end you’ll have a permanent mooring system that you will never have to tie again. Just loop the boat end through the middle of the cleat, loop it around the top, and your boat will stay secure even in strong winds.

Battery Maintenance

• Keep you battery system in operating condition. This requires monthly checking, cleaning, and testing of all the batteries on your boat. If you use your boat more regularly than your neighbors this should be done more frequently. And of course, keep your trickle charger connected at both ends at all times. Some boat owners think their boat is just like a video cam so they plug in their charger(s) the day before the boat ride. See more on this below.

Monthly Battery Diagnostic Testing

A word of Caution: Batteries contain a sulfuric acid electrolyte which is a highly corrosive liquid. Don't get any on you! In case of a spill or splash, immediately flush the affected area with lots of cold water to dilute the acid. A mixture of baking soda and water can also be used to neutralize the acid, but watch out for the foam that will be generated! Be careful and pay attention to what you are doing! Also, avoid generating sparks, smoking or open flames in the vicinity of batteries. Batteries produce flammable hydrogen gas and can explode violently if the gas is ignited. This is especially important when batteries are housed inside any sort of compartment. Again, protective clothing and safety glasses are recommended to protect you in case of accident. Please treat batteries with the respect they deserve.

First off, visually inspect for obvious potential problems.... for example; damaged cases, corroded terminals or cables, loose hold-down clamps or cable terminals, or low electrolyte. If you have just recharged your battery, then a phenomenon known as "surface charge" will cause the battery voltage to be higher than normal. To insure accurate readings, you must eliminate any surface charge before testing. Use one of the following methods:

1. Allow the battery to sit for six hours with no load or charger connected, or...
2. Apply a 25 amp load for three minutes and wait five minutes, or...
3. With a battery load tester, apply a 150 amp load for 10-15 seconds.

The battery under test must be disconnected from any load or charger when testing. This is referred to as "Open Circuit". Use the following table, determine the battery's state-of-charge. The best way to measure the state-of-charge is to check the specific gravity in each cell with a hydrometer. If the battery is sealed, then the correct procedure to test it is to measure the battery's voltage with a good quality digital DC voltmeter with an accuracy of .5% or better. Voltages are shown for both 12 volt and 6 volt batteries.

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Check both the specific gravity in each cell with a external hydrometer AND the battery terminal voltage with a digital voltmeter without the engine or converter/charger running. If the state-of-charge is BELOW 75% using either the specific gravity or voltage test then the battery needs to be recharged BEFORE proceeding.

Replace the battery, if one or more of the following conditions occur:

o If there is a .050 or more difference in the specific gravity reading between the highest and lowest cell, you have a weak or dead cell(s),

o If the battery will not recharge to a 75% or more state-of-charge level.

o If digital voltmeter connected to the battery terminals indicates 0 volts, you have an open cell, or if the digital voltmeter indicates 10.45 to 10.65 volts (5.2 to 5.35 volts for a 6 volt battery), you have a shorted cell. [A shorted cell is caused by plates touching, sediment build-up or "treeing" between plates.

Do This Yourself Or Call Us At

281-650-4965 For Onsite Service

Routine Cleaning

Keep your entire boat clean. We know this shouldn’t have to be said, but more unwanted repairs are the result of inadequate routine maintenance which includes regular cleaning of not just the deck and chairs but also the boat’s major systems. Here are some (but not all) of these:

• Scrub or power wash your deck at least once a month. Be careful if you have older carpet or store the boat where it is exposed to sunlight. A strong power washer can cut through old carpet easily. Be careful of the upholstered parts on your boat, too.

• Use a non-abrasive cleaner on the upholstery. Keep the seats, canopy, and console covered when the boat is not in use. Some folks prefer the large single cover that wraps over the outside of the railing. Try a light layer of protectant over your upholstery and allow it to dry before covering.

• Brush the lower part of the hull pontoons with a stiff plastic brush. This will slow down, if not eliminate, the buildup of algae and other barnacle-like growth that occurs along the water line. Most manufacturers suggest you do this at least once a week. Get a brush with a handle on it and the job is much easier than leaning over the side. You may even try using a plastic scraper or putty knife to remove the hard stuff.

• Clean the storage and battery system areas as needed, too. Old beverage containers, snack wrappers, tree leaves, and just plain yuck accumulate in the drainable cooler and dry storage boxes. This is also a good time to inspect and recoil ropes and lines that are usually kept in these storage areas.

Do This Yourself Or Call Us At

281-650-4965 For Onsite Service

Carpet Replacement: Give Your Boat A Facelift

Deck Carpet-Before

Yuck!!!

Replace that worn carpet.

Worn carpet is unattractive and can be unsafe. Don't let your guests trip on torn carpet and hurt themselves. Instead head to your local hardware store and purchase a 9'X 5' piece of outdoor carpet. Take off the plywood deck to remove old carpeting. Lay out new carpet and staple to plywood deck. Replace screws in original holes and be careful to insure they do not protrude and present a hazard. Do this yourself or call us at (281) 650-4965 for on-site installation.

Deck Carpet-After

Nicer, Isn't IT?

Boat Registration Information

Q: Do you have to register and license your electric boat?

A: This is a very common question. The answer is, "it depends." If you use your boat AT ALL on any Texas open waters, you MUST register and license your boat with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). If on the other hand, you operate your boat only on private lakes and waterways, you DO NOT have to register and license your boat, and there is no title required. For more information please
call the following phone number: 1-800-792-1112 or visit the following website:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/owner/

Staining Your Boat Dock?
Don't Until You Read This!!!

Fall is the time of year when many boat owners repair and restain their decks or boat docks where their electric boats are moored. It is also the time of the year when Fort bend Boats gets many calls for removing paint or stain from their boats. Unfortunately, they only notice after the contractors have been paid and are gone. Please either move or cover your boat before the paint can top is opened. This will save you allot of unnecessary trouble and expense. Also, make sure your contractor (or relative) sees that your boat is paint-free when they start the job. And don't forget to inspect their work before you pay them for their services. If it does happen, call us at 281.650.4965 or e-mail us at info@fortbendboats.com for a free estimate.

Get Your Boat Hurricane Ready

Fall Boat Care Preparation

Click Here To Order Your Boat Cover

Available In All Popular Covers

For most people, there comes a time when the boat must be put away for the season, the cabin locked up and all is left to fend for itself through the slumber of the winter. In most locations, you will cover or store a small boat in open or unheated storage. Larger boats will be secured to the dock or hauled out and winterized. The number one thing that people complain about is the smell when you get back to the boat in the spring. Fort Bend Marine is here to offer you some understanding about what happens during the winter with moisture and what can be done to protect your boat.
If your boat is small, you should first get a boat cover to protect the topsides and interior from weather and reduce moisture coming in from the environment. If your boat is large, you will need to seal it up well; yet still supply some form of ventilation. The number one enemy of the interior of boats in the off season is moisture.

The Problem(s)
Fungus (Fungi) consist of molds, mildews, yeasts and more, in this unique Kingdom that is neither animal nor plant. Fungi are part of the natural environment and operate primarily by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees. Indoors, fungus growth tries to break down dead matter (wood, cotton, rayon and other organic materials) as well as pseudo-organic materials (like foam, polyester). Fungi reproduce by many means, including tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. The more commonly recognizable mold and mildew may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and few of them will grow without water or moisture. This Kingdom makes up the most diverse life on the planet with worldwide distribution and some 1.5 million species. Fungi also has the ability to become an allergen, irritant or significant pathogen to humans.
Fungi gradually destroy the things that they grow on. Ultimately Fungi thrive as a result of a high level of moisture encouraging their growth; rather than trying to just treat the fungi to kill them, resolve the moisture issue to prevent the problem that encourages Fungi growth.

The Solutions:
Requiring Power - For boats that are left within the reach of an extension cord or dock cord you can help keep moisture to a minimum with a number of heater or dehumidifier options.

Dehumidifiers offer inherent safety features like no fan, simple installation, constant heat output and simplicity. They eliminate dampness, mildew, condensation and humidity with size options for areas from 100 to 500 cubic feet.

Non-Powered: If you leave your boat and there is no means to power anything, you still have several options.
Hard mounting vents are are installed in the cabin top or on hatches and used when leaving your vessel for the season, while it is uncovered but still weather-tite. The big news here is solar vents that have the advantage of a fan without leading power wires.
There are a variety of moisture control devices that rely on a salt like Calcium Chloride to draw moisture from the surrounding air and can be used in nearly any location, onboard or under cover.
Lastly, if you have a boat cover, a vent with support pole can help in any season with moisture control. This system is easily installed with a pair of scissors and your hands for a clean vent installation.