BOATING by Marie Krolikowski
A safe and care-free boating season
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ou’ve been waiting months for this, counting down the days before it becomes a reality. Today is the day you walk down to your dock, uncover it, turn the key and once again feel the wind in your hair. Today is the day you bring your boat out of hibernation. Although the anticipation is too much to take, there is still much to do before you can officially call it boating season. Take A Look Around
When you step onto your dock, take a few minutes to inspect the winter impact. Bryan Vance, supervisor of Shoreline Management at Ameren Missouri, noted that a visual inspection after the long winter can save you issues down the road. “The first thing you want to do is undo everything that prepared the dock for the winter draw down of the Lake,” Vance said. “This includes adjusting the cables to where they should be for the season. Make a visual inspection of your dock, and take note of anything that broke over the winter.” Vance suggested taking special notice of the electrical system, just to make sure there are no broken conduits, loose wires or damaged fixtures. Look at your flotation to assure there’s no ice damage, and check for damage to the structural frame of your dock that can result from movement. Foundation issues, Vance stated, can be common for docks in shallow water that sit on the ground all winter. Lastly, check the roof to make sure there’s no wind damage to the roofing material. 38 VACATION NEWS
“Once you’ve done a visual inspection, it’s recommended that you have a professional who services dock electrical wiring conduct an inspection,” he said. Jon Bussey owner of Catalyst Electric in Linn Creek, also recommends an electrical inspection. “Homeowners should call an electrician (us) for a free dock inspection to check for wear and tear of their electrical system,” he explained. “An inspection would include checking the GFCI function of the circuitry of the dock, checking for winter damage to the conduit, lights and other devices, performing a ground loop test to ensure the wiring from the house is in good order, and more.” Bussey added that owners need to be certain the entire dock is protected, which includes the power from the house to the shore as well as the house panel, and service on the outside of the house as well. These are all connected, he explained, and an issue in one of these parts could cause an issue on the dock as well. “Talking with neighbors and having the cove checked out by a professional is a good way to stay ahead of potential issues,” he said. The most common issues, Bussey said, are bad GFCI breakers for the dock, damage to conduit due to Lake levels varying so much from winter to spring, life motors causing breakers to trip, and water getting into light fixtures that were installed incorrectly. May 6 - 19, 2022
