When leaving the boat - Your shutdown procedures.

sharpness

sharpness

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Hello All

As the title says, when you leave your boat what are your shut down procedures. (Gas and batteries are assumed a given)
Mainly curious to know if you religously close all sea cocks, and if you have a "smart" battery charger fitted do you leave the shorepower connected so that the charger is left on, or do you unplug?
In my instance boat is left in fresh water, visit weekly to fortnightly.

Any replies are appreciated to my nosiness. :)
 
fridge and heads door left open.
cushions lifted and put on their sides to air.
heads seacock closed.
drive in full down position
battery switch off and shorepower off.
check hatches and port lights are closed apart from internal one for the aft cabin.
security of warps.
check sufficient stock in fun box ready for next outing.
pop covers on and leg it after locking up
 
I shut sea cock inlets to heads then flush using fresh water and conditioner, then shut outlet, leaves the heads smelling sweet, even after a long period,test bilge pumps are working, double check bow and stern lines, set springs,place fenders on the outside, just in case someone rafts up while I'm not there.
 
I have had a check list ever since keeping the boat in Spain.
We often found ourselves turning round on the M3 when we kept our boat on the Hamble - to switch something off or lock something that we had forgotten
Now that we live 1000 miles and an airline flight away, we have the following check list
It works well for us
It's actually a formatted Word file but this is a pasted version of it


Check List when Leaving the Boat (V3)

Mooring Lines
Dinghy Flush Engine
Dinghy Straps and Cover
Dinghy Battery Charger?
Stow hose in Lazerette?
Flybridge Covers on – 5 in Total
Screen Covers on – 2 in Total
Empty Holding Tank
Empty Grey Water Tank (Button under basin in master bathroom)
Check/Empty Lazerette Bilges
Check/Empty Engine Bilges
Generator Battery Charger?
Tube Heaters in Engine, Lazerette, Cabin, Companionway and Crews?
Lock Crew Quarters?
Lock Engine Room?
Lock Lazerette?
Lock Emergency (Grab Bag) Locker?
Check/Lock Hatches (Flybridge and Forward Cabin)
Mains Block off – Cabin and Under TV?
DC Panel – 24v Master off
DC Panel – High Load off – Engine Switch off – Passerelle off.
AC Panel – Both Blue Circuit Breakers on
AC Panel – Air Conditioning – all off
AC Panel – Battery Charger on
AC Panel – Saloon Outlets on – Cabin outlets on
AC Panel – Fridges on
AC Panel – Everything else off
Dehumidifier on?
Towel Over Woodwork
Lower Blinds
Draw Curtains in Cabins and Saloon
Remove Computer
Set Eye Spy Camera?
Lock Patio Door (as leaving)
 
Assuming I've already tidied up the flappy bits and related string, that you guys aren't interested in...

Quick wipe down if I've been cooking aboard.
Gas off
All panel switches off (I don't have a battery master)
Lock up and leave.

I often visit the boat for short outings after work etc - got to be frictionless to come and go.

Small boat helps with simplicity - nearly everything on Hurricane's list I don't have :)

Pete
 
Dont forget to take in the burgee and any other flags, most importantly the ensign .

But really dont you leave all this mundane stuff to the crew. ;)
 
Here's a copy of Play d'eau's

After 'landing check'
Shore Power - Connected
Inverter - Off
AC Service Selectors - As required
AC Battery Charger CB - On
AC CBs - As required
E/R Lights AC & DC CBs - Off
DC CBs - As required
24v-12v Dropper CB - As required
Water Tanks - Full
Cruise Logs - Completed
Log - As required
Fly-bridge covers - Deployed
Windscreen covers - As required
Warps and fenders - As required
Safety equipment - Stowed
Tech Log - Completed
Customs formalities - Completed
Engine room checks - Completed
Stabilisers - Locking Pins inserted (2)

De-commissioning
Customs formalities - Completed
Tech Log - Completed
Cruise Logs - Completed
Water Tanks - Full
Fuel additive - Completed
Courtesy ensign - Stowed
Ensign - Stowed
Boat - Cleaned internally
Heads 3-way valve - Set to Overboard
Dirty Laundry - Removed
Radio handset - Removed from Flybridge
Fly-bridge covers - Deployed
Windscreen covers - Deployed
Fridge - Cleaned, decommissioned, water OFF
Perishable food - Removed
Kettles - Empty and open
Safety equipment - Stowed
Warps and fenders - As required
Portlights - All closed
Curtains - Closed
Portuguese bridge doors - Closed
Personal items - Ready for removing
Ship’s Papers - Removed
Shore Power - As required
E/R Lights AC & DC CBs - On
Lazarette hatches - Locked
Lazarette Main Battery Switches - All Off (5)
Lazarette / Engine room door - Closed and locked
12v battery CB - Off
Sea-Fire extinguisher - Safety pin removed
Thruster battery switches - Both Off
Sea-cocks - All off (8)
Stabilisers - Locking Pins inserted (2)
Engine room checks - Completed
AC CBs - All Off
24v-12v Dropper - Off
DC CBs - All off, except
- Bilge pumps ON
- Sea-Fire System ON
AC & DC Service Selectors - Both OFF
Saloon Windows - All closed and latched
Doors - All locked and bolted
Water pressure - Released (use rear cockpit taps)

Piers
 
Nip round the corner on way from/to work/pub/nothing on tele/wifes grumpy/bored ....and check everything that needs checking.:)
 
sharpness said:
do you leave the shorepower connected so that the charger is left on, or do you unplug?
In my instance boat is left in fresh water, visit weekly to fortnightly.

Any replies are appreciated to my nosiness. :)
Click to expand...
I'm really nosy too!
Most important - mains power disconnected. Inside boat, internal power switch off - i.e. no power taken from batteries.
If a boat was out on a mooring, obviously no chance of mains power, some may use a solar panel, or perhaps a wind generator, but in my experience batteries are OK to be left for a while.
Wish more owners disconnected in a marina - pretty certain my anodes would last a lot longer if they did !
 
The replies so far have made interesting reading, definately a couple of items i had not thought of, so will be adding to my own shutdown list, thanks.

My query regarding if i should leave shore power connected, it seems ok to disconnect if visting boat on a fairly regular basis. My concern over leaving connected was how safe it is having the "smart" battery charger constantly powered up, i understand they are self regulating, but if it were to fail could there be risk of the charger "cooking" the batteries ? Also take on board the point of accelerating galvanic corrosion.

Closing all seacocks (even though engine ones are a pain to access) seems a good habit to get into.
 
Smart chargers can be left on, but of course it is worth checking the failure mode on the spec sheet or the manufacturer. I disconnect mine as the batts are quite new, but mainly because it reduces the galvanic corrosion on the leg, props and anodes. My anodes last 2 years at Tewkesbury, I don't think they would last that long connected all year. When I need heaters left on in the winter, clearly I leave the shore power on.
 
re anodes - fit a galvanic isolator - made a big difference on last boat.
I usually leave my boat connected to shore power to keep batteries charged/maintained. turn everything off though and close all sea cocks. I often leave the loo window open a bit and all the internal doors open to let the wind blow through. I just check that there are no ropes or fenders anywhere near the windows that are slightly open in case of rats climbing aboard
 
Last edited:
I leave my power connected as I like to leave the de-humidifier running - it doesn’t run continuously as I set it to ‘comfort’ so it pips on and off as needed.
 
Shutdown procedure.

Shut door and walk away. :D

On a more serious note we do check that the gas is turned off as well.

We leave NC with the shore power plugged in (got to keep the beer cold) and the battery charger turned on. In the winter we also leave the heaters on and a dehumidifier running.

All sea cocks are turned off anyway (flush loo with fresh water and keep oulet shut until we need to empty the tank) so no need to check those.
 
CX54WEK said:
Shutdown procedure.

Shut door and walk away. :D

On a more serious note we do check that the gas is turned off as well.

We leave NC with the shore power plugged in (got to keep the beer cold) and the battery charger turned on. In the winter we also leave the heaters on and a dehumidifier running.

All sea cocks are turned off anyway (flush loo with fresh water and keep oulet shut until we need to empty the tank) so no need to check those.
Click to expand...

I am with you.
Take keys out of ignition...empty fridge...errrr that is it then.
 
Piers said:
Sea-Fire extinguisher - Safety pin removed
Click to expand...

Piers, when would you ever want the safety pin engaged, other than removing the extinguisher for service/replacement? Are you concerned about boat cleaner or hooligans pulling the manual levers, or is there another reason?
 
Use a laminated checklist.

Essential Summary
1. Mooring: lines/fenders/tender
2. Covers
3. Electrics (fridges, shore power, charger, master switches, dehumidifiers)
4. Security: hatches, windows, curtains, doors
5. Lock & Leave
 
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