Prep Time

Less than 5 min.

I've have never had a list and didn't know anybody else did either!

I check the sea cock, bilges, turn batt selector to #1 (start batt), adjust throttle to a bit above idle, shift to neutral gear, turn on the glow plugs for 8 seconds an crank. Adjust for 1050rpm and lean over the stern checking seawater flow out the exhaust. Unplug the shore power chord and secure on deck. Untie the bow lines, stern line and then the midship line, step back aboard pushing the stern out about 18" by the time I get to the helm. Shift into reverse and back out at about 1500 rpm. Change to full stbd rudder, shift into fwd gear and apply 1500rpm untill parallel to the fairway then throttle down to 1000rpm. Then I gradually increase load in steps that bring the engine to cruise load in over 10 minutes and less than about 15. I keep my engine idle adjusted a bit high so when I shift gears backing out (or?) my engine positively won't stop.

Brooksie wrote;
"I always "warm up" my engine underway so I move off at no wake speed as soon as it is started. No idling without a load for me, it's bad for the engine."

As you can see I warm up immediately also but I see no harm in idling. What specifically goes on inside an engine at idle that's bad?
A mechanic told me having a load on takes up some sort of slack in the rod bearings and piston to rod clearances that's bad. I think the "slack" was in his head and typical of what a lot of mechanics will say. Well I'm not picking on my fellow Willard friend but I think idling for 5 minutes is just fine. 15 minutes no.

manyboats said:

As you can see I warm up immediately also but I see no harm in idling. What specifically goes on inside an engine at idle that's bad?
A mechanic told me having a load on takes up some sort of slack in the rod bearings and piston to rod clearances that's bad. I think the "slack" was in his head and typical of what a lot of mechanics will say. Well I'm not picking on my fellow Willard friend but I think idling for 5 minutes is just fine. 15 minutes no.

Click to expand...

John Deere says I shouldn't run the engine at idle (presumably without load) for more than five minutes at a time.

Experienced pilots and professional sea captains use a structured list for a reason. My reason as a recreational pleasure boater is that I personally need one even though I can recite it by heart, and it provides a record which can then transfer to the log. Also, I have a relatively complex boat; every time I don't break out the check list, I seem to have missed something.. turning off the block heaters, making sure the stabilizers are centered (and then turning them to "on" once underway), switching over the fresh water pumps, whatever.

My engines (Detroit 8v92tti) are particularly averse to long idling with no load; some kind of load, even idle speed is good for them. In the cool months say when temps get consistently below 50, I turn on the block heaters which serves many good ends. In that case, they are at 100 degrees before I press the start button. So starting the engines is one of the last things we do before casting off the lines or raising the anchor.

markpierce said:

John Deere says I shouldn't run the engine at idle (presumably without load) for more than five minutes at a time.

Click to expand...

And yet truckers often idle their diesel engines for hours at a time.

rwidman said:

And yet truckers often idle their diesel engines for hours at a time.

Click to expand...

Really, when was the last time you saw them truly idle their engine without as load created by a small generator, heater, air con etc? Not to mention most states don't allow it and truck stops set up "shore" pods to provide that stuff.

Unhook shore power. Back the van up to the trailer. Drop the trailer tongue on the ball and we're off. It's often overnight before we get to the water so there's plenty of time to get organized/provisioned while Wallydocking.

When we bought our boat we asked a good friend in the marine diesel and generator manufacturing industry to describe what he felt were the best ways to treat our engines (FL120s). Type of oil coolant, and additives, frequency of oil and coolant changes, best cruise rpm, etc., etc., etc. Here's what he told us regarding warm ups (I'm paraphrasing as it was 14+ years ago).

He said to start the engines one at a time, checking the exhaust waterflow and appearance from the first engine before starting the second one (my wife does this on the aft deck), and then let them idle as long as it takes to remove the groundpower cord and mooring lines. So perhaps three to five minutes. Then leave the slip and idle on out of the marina.

By the time we're clear of the breakwater the engines will have warmed up sufficiently to take more power.

I bring our engines up in stages just because I like to do it that way. So we idle out of the marina at about 600 rpm. Once clear of the breakwater we bring them up to 1200 rpm for five minutes. Then we take them to 1500 for five minutes. And finally we take them up to 1650.

I have no mechanical reason for doing this. I just prefer doing it this way over going right to cruise power from idle.

While the NA FL120s probably don't need much of a cool down period, if any at all, we bring the engines back to 1200 rpm (a figure I have ingrained into me from flying the Beaver so I use it here, too) when we're about a quarter mile from the breakwater entrance. One of us goes out and gets the fenders over and preps the lines. Then we go to idle when we enter the marina. The time it takes to idle to our slip provides a sufficient cool-down period assuming one is even needed for these engines.

I always check fluids regularly so there is no need to check them when taking the boat out. The first thing i do is a quick look at the bilge for water, oil or anti freeze. I always start and stop the engine from the lower station; that way I don't need to worry about the switches from each station being out of wack. Once started i make sure there is water coming out the exhaust. Those three checks can be done in just a couple of minutes then i can disconnect power, lines and go.
John
MS390

Marin said:

... and then let them idle as long as it takes to remove the groundpower cord and mooring lines. So perhaps three to five minutes. Then leave the slip and idle on out of the marina.

By the time we're clear of the breakwater the engines will have warmed up sufficiently to take more power.

I bring our engines up in stages just because I like to do it that way. So we idle out of the marina at about 600 rpm. Once clear of the breakwater we bring them up to 1200 rpm for five minutes. Then we take them to 1500 for five minutes. And finally we take them up to 1650.

I have no mechanical reason for doing this. I just prefer doing it this way over going right to cruise power from idle.

While the NA FL120s probably don't need much of a cool down period, if any at all, we bring the engines back to 1200 rpm (a figure I have ingrained into me from flying the Beaver so I use it here, too) when we're about a quarter mile from the breakwater entrance. One of us goes out and gets the fenders over and preps the lines. Then we go to idle when we enter the marina. The time it takes to idle to our slip provides a sufficient cool-down period assuming one is even needed for these engines.

Click to expand...

Almost exactly as I do except my idle speed is about 800 RPM, so when backing out of the berth I use that, then up it to 1000 (producing half of the engine's potential 80 HP) maneuvering out of the marina, and eventually working it up to 1800 (68 HP) for 6.3 knots. But then we do have different engines.

Ron wrote;

"And yet truckers often idle their diesel engines for hours at a time."

Yes many idle their engines all night long. Go to any big truck stop and the're will be trucks all around you idling away hour after hour.

But that dosn't mean it's right. Not at all. Fishermen do all kinds of things that aren't all that good of a practice either and they get away w it too because it's not THAT bad of a practice and it's supported w endless old wife's tales and similar nonsense. Most truckers run their engines for hours because they have no Espar or Wabasto so they run the engines to keep warm. And perhaps well over half don't own the truck. Now they have electronic instruments that tell minute by minute the engine rpm, time, speed of the truck and through gps exactly where they are so the practice of idling engines is now probably much less that it was when I was a truck driver.

Mark wrote;
"then up it to 1000 (producing half of the engine's potential 80 HP)". Mark I think half power is probably closer to 2000rpm.

manyboats said:

"then up it to 1000 (producing half of the engine's potential 80 HP)". Mark I think half power is probably closer to 2000rpm.

Click to expand...

Not according to my JD owner's manual. Two-thousand RPM is 74 horsepower (92.5% of the 80 HP maximum).

That's at full throttle.

Full throttle is at 2400 RPM. I don't do that; 2200 at 77 HP producing 7.3 knots (hull speed) is the most I'll do.

I might be late to this thread/party - but - we try to never be late to leave the berth!

When we get time for a break, Admiral and I usually arrive mid/late eve on a Wed or Thurs to load boat with goodies from SUV and then go to sleep; planning to go out the next morn and come back to dock Sun or Mon eve.

On first morn, while still at dock, I arise early (as always) and begin checking every mechanical, electrical, and other boat portion. Take canvas off the bridge while perking some fine coffee! Then I hose off and brush off the boat while Linda puts all the weekend's interior goodies in their place. Then we go to marina’s dry storage and launch our runabout that gets motored to and close-tied to rear of our Tolly. I start the genset to make sure she's operational, and then warm the twins up... always from the salon pilot station so my ear is real near to the motors as they warm. Then I go onto bridge, restart the warm motors, Linda casts off the last spring lines... and out we go... with our tow behind runabout tagging along!

I start doings on first morning at 5:30 to 6 AM; Linda is at it by 7 to 7:30. We usually get away from dock before 10 AM - - > which means we spend some 3 to 4 hours making sure everything is correct before we ever venture out!

This year I plan to install a high-volume 12V Jabsco Water Puppy wash down system that reaches all the boat and a high flow pressure washer to compliment when/where needed. I have all the parts and pieces ready to install. That should reduce first morning’s dock side wash down by at least 45 minutes... to a simple/easy spray off with no scrubbing... which I could do while on the hook in fresh water!

Ain’t pleasure boating GREAT!!

We average more than two outings a month (year-round boating here), with 90% being for just one day. So taking the boat out isn't usually a major undertaking for us. Napa River:

That's our target annual average too Mark. 3 if we can fit it in.

ARoss said:

Never timed it. As Ron says, it's not a race.

Click to expand...

Absolutely right. I suggest to my Ex/O the time I'd like to be down at the boat, then I have disciplined myself to just go with the flow so as to be as near to the planned time as we can, but otherwise I say nuss-sing....
The atmosphere is ever so much better that way and we're usually pretty close...but as Alan said, 'it's not a race', the bay won't go away, and we have no bar to cross, or bridge to go under.
Once there, we load any perishables we needed to take, (the frig is always on and ready, so we just transfer frig stuff from a large wheeled cooler bin, (here called an Esky, in NZ Aussies allege we/they say Chullibin), and clothing, books, CDs etc, not already on board, while at the same time I connect the hot water cylinder to the shore power for the one and only time we ever have AC on board other than running the smart chargers. This is enough in the 30-30mins it takes to get underway to bring the water up to quite warm, and the engine running does the rest.

I then go round disconnecting all lines except the last bow and stern line, remove the front window screen, and the flybridge cover if the weather's nice - if not I leave it on for later, then get the engine running, and ER checks done about 5 mins before departure. We then after about 20 mins to 1/2 an hour at the dock all up, disconnect the shore power lead and bring it on board, drop the last tow lines and we are off. The mandatory 4kn no-wake distance being sufficient, by the time we clear the marina and local swing moored boats outside to have her up to temp, and we can ease her up to cruising revs of about 1750-1800rpm.

5 minutes when a boat explodes and catches fire four slips away.

I like to leave my dock in about 5 to no more then 10 minutes. Fluid levels are on time intervals. I would rather leave the dock and perform routine maintenance at the beach, in a cove or when some else has watch. To may distraction at the dock and if you are to focused at the dock you come across rude.

funangler said:

Too many distractions at the dock and if you are too focused at the dock you come across rude.

Click to expand...

That happens to me all the time and it really makes my wife mad. When we return, however, without any problems, she marvels at how great a little boat we have.

funangler said:

I like to leave my dock in about 5 to no more then 10 minutes. Fluid levels are on time intervals. I would rather leave the dock and perform routine maintenance at the beach, in a cove or when some else has watch. To may distraction at the dock and if you are to focused at the dock you come across rude.

Click to expand...

I don't think we're talking about "routine maintenance" here. You don't check the engine oil or coolant levels? You don't look in the bilge for water? You don't check that you can shift into and out of forward and reverse gear? You don't check to see that your steering works? Bow thruster? If it's dark, you don't check your running lights? Your chart plotter? VHF radio?

When I'm doing something important, I don't let people distract me. I've learned to focus. Otherwise, I would never get anything done.

KJ said:

How long does it take to prep your boat to take out, away from the dock? Do you have a check-list?

This is for you liveaboard folks too. KJ

Click to expand...

After reviewing the checklists that I received in PMs, as well as thinking about how we prep our boat, attached is the checklist that I built last night. My plan is to laminate it and keep it at the lower helm like someone else on this thread suggested.

Please feel free to use, ignore, criticize or contribute.

manyboats said:

Ron wrote;

"And yet truckers often idle their diesel engines for hours at a time."

Yes many idle their engines all night long. Go to any big truck stop and the're will be trucks all around you idling away hour after hour.

But that dosn't mean it's right. Not at all. Fishermen do all kinds of things that aren't all that good of a practice either and they get away w it too because it's not THAT bad of a practice and it's supported w endless old wife's tales and similar nonsense. Most truckers run their engines for hours because they have no Espar or Wabasto so they run the engines to keep warm. And perhaps well over half don't own the truck. Now they have electronic instruments that tell minute by minute the engine rpm, time, speed of the truck and through gps exactly where they are so the practice of idling engines is now probably much less that it was when I was a truck driver

Click to expand...

Again, no they are not at pure idle, they put a load on them. For instance, many of those you used to see "idling" have refrigerated trailers. But go around a big truck stop some night, talk to the guys. You'll be brought up to date. In a prior life I had a distribution company that served this market, went to the trade shows, got to know some fleets, learned what's up.

Checklist :
- Water topped off.
- Blower on
- Wind direction to see what lines come off first
- Engine start and warm at high idle
- Instrument and horn breakers on
- Fridge DC breaker on
- Hoods off the instruments.
- AC Power down, disconnect and secure cord
- First lines off (leeward side)
- Second lines off (windward side)
- Pull out.
- Pull up fenders and secure.
- Gather lines and secure.
- Set autopilot and get coffee to the bridge.
- Radio check
- Play with GPS, pet dog, adjust autopilot, check depth about 400 times. (It is the Neuse River after all).

I'm sure I forgot something.

I keep my boat ready to leave at a moments notice. The boat leaves the dock at least three time a week during normal boating season. We may not go far but try to use it often. I could see using an extensive check list if you are leaving for extended trip or don't use the boat often. When I read this thread if I had to do these check list I would hardly ever leave the dock. I do lift the hatch to check the bilge and a quick peak at the motor then cast the line off and enjoy.

mattkab said:

After reviewing the checklists that I received in PMs, as well as thinking about how we prep our boat, attached is the checklist that I built last night. My plan is to laminate it and keep it at the lower helm like someone else on this thread suggested.

Please feel free to use, ignore, criticize or contribute.

Click to expand...

I personally think you have too much stuff on it, but I have no idea of what level of detail you need or are willing to use.

We started out with a checklist similar to yours but with even more items on it. We soon realized we weren't using it because it took too much time to wade through it all.

So I revised it way down to include only the items we deemed essential to the boat's safety and proper operation. Things like flags, all the various pieces of electronics, life vests, etc. came off. We have no trouble remembering those things anyway.

So it's in essence critical valve, switch, and breaker positions, fluid checks, control functions (steering), and lines. Plus a few items specific to the boat like the zinc we hang down some six or eight feet into the water on a heavy wire off the stern quarter.

That's it, and we find we are much more willing to use the lists before leaving and after arriving, and they have now become habit before starting engines and before leaving the boat to go home.

We do not use the lists as one does in a plane--- read this, do this, then read the next thing, do the next thing, and so on. Instead we do all of it by memory and then check the list just prior to engine start or prior to closing and locking the cabin door after a cruise.

So the lists take less than a minute to use. And they have helped us catch something we forgot to do. If we see something on the list that we can't remember if we did or not, we'll go check it. But so far we've held dementia far enough at bay that if we did something we will remember doing it as we run through the list.

I think the leaving the boat check list is more important then the departure. You will notice you did not turn on the ac power on when out on the water. I know I have turned around and gone back to the boat to verify I turn something off or on. Coming back to a boat that lost is it freezer power because you did not flip the breaker is not a happy monument.

Before you start taking short cuts, I will relay another one of my favorite quotes. This from the professional captain of a lovely high end sport fisher boat. Everyone was hanging out at the end of the day enjoying beverages in the cockpits and aft decks, and a guy came along and asked this fellow, "gee that's quite a boat, what does it take to maintain one of these?":

"Let me put it this way son, even as we sit here, things are breaking".

I suppose if all you are doing is day tripping on protected waters, you could "get away" with shortcuts. But to what real end??

Our fridge is AC/DC and I have glut of batteries thanks to the prior owner. Plus solar panels. I might run the generator while on the hook from time to time. Panel check and line check is part of the shut down routine. I have a photo of all the correct switch positions and lock-ups in case leave the boat to my in-laws to stay on.

I didn't put all the start-up details in my post # 44. Reason I don't need a check list is because ALL items needing checking are indelibly ingrained into my mind's eye. When young, I was responsible to be the start-up and shut-down person for well over a decade on our family boats. The reason Linda and I take our time to exit dock is due to usually a month or more between our long boating weekends and that I feel obligated to check all items out and get everything well ready before leaving.

Better safe than sorry... for many reasons on a boat! At least that is how I was trained and still see it to this day. Now, if we lived closer to our berth and used the boat more often (like a couple times per week for short stints – as some have posted) the start-up and shut-down schedule may become shorter.