Pre Departure Checklist

[garman1]

Ok I can here the words....who needs a checklist, I have never forgotten to take anything with me......

So did I till the other morning, mate arrived early, got out of the routine that I normally have and got out on the river only to find no crab pots (on the garage floor) and the bait (on kitchen bench) Mate said something about alzheymers or similar (excuse spelling)

So I made up a checklist to see I don't leave anything at home, cept my mate maybe..........

Boat Pre Departure Check List

Engine

1. Oil Levels............................................ ...................................Car As Well
2. Fuel,enough for trip.............................................. ..................Car As Well
3. Bulb primed/any leaks etc
4. Engine Start?

Boat

1. Bungs in
2. Motor Tilted up, Locked in Place
3. Tie downs/Chains tight
4. Safety Flag on Prop

Safety

1. Life Jackets, enough for everybody?
2. Grab bag (everything in it)
3. Sunscreen
4. Hats
5. Boating Tool Kit
6. Charts

Food

1. Enough For Everyone
2. Water Enough For Everyone

Trailer

1. Tyre Pressure.......................................... ................................Car As Well
2. Check Bearing Oil Level
3. Trailer Lights............................................ ..............................Car As Well
4. Tiedowns/Chains/Warning Flags
5. Spare Tyre Serviceable/Jack/Winch Handle..........................Car As Well
6. Spare “D” Shackles

Electrical

1. Batteries Charged?
2. Spare Fuses
3. All Electrics Working/Sounder/Radio
4. Nav & Anchor Lights/Xtra Torches?

Tackle

1. Rods/Reels/Tackle Box/Line/Lures
2. Cast Net/Gaff/Knives/Gloves
3. Crab Pots

Bait

1. Fresh
2. Frozen (Still in Freezer?)

I havn't laminated it yet, do I need to add anything and no I won't be ticking off every item as i go, I just wanted it as a reminder the night before going or if it is bloody early in the morning................comments?

[Angla]

Maybe you should try a time line check list as yours is all over the place. This way you will just be able to go down the page 1 item at a time.

Don't forget to check the bungs twice. At home and just before it hits the water

Cheers
Chris

[on-one]

might be worth adding a first aid kit and telling someone where you're going to the list

[blueline]

hey mate
i make one the night before, usuly says rods, bait,ice,food,clothes(as in jumper).
the rest of your list i go through during the week as in charge batterys ect. but is a good idea as i have had freinds who got out the reef and forgoten the bait.

[Pete62]

Turn around u forgot the key for the boat

I'm not laughing at u, lists are your friend.............

Pete.

[Dicko]

With regard to leaving bungs out, there are only 2 types of boaties.

1/ Those that have already launched with them left them out, and

2/ Those that are yet to do it.

(I belong to group 1).

[PinHead]

I never take my bungs out so that is not a problem...and I have been a group 1 person in the past.

Garry..do you actually go through that list before you leave?

[marty+jojo]

You forgot the most important thing of all............................................... ........................
BEER!!!!!
Just joking, i forgot my hat yesterday, now i have a red head.
Marty

[PinHead]

You forgot the most important thing of all............................................... ........................
BEER!!!!!
Just joking, i forgot my hat yesterday, now i have a red head.
Marty

geeze..the beer is not the most important thing at all...the most important item on the boat resides in the holder just below the throttle...Stones Green Ginger Wine..never leave the ramp without it.

[garman1]

Thanks for the comments, I will go through some of the answers.....
i take the bungs out when i wash the boat but put em back in later, I do check em before I go, before the boat hits the water and double checked by the deckie.

I do go thrue the boat after I come back and charge the batteries, oil levels etc but I guess this is a final check before driving for a couple of hours to find out they were charged but dead now etc

I forgot the keys but have seen this at the ramp......my boat is garaged and locked under cover so the keys never come out, but a good point made though,,,,thanks

No i don't check each point off with a texta, I will use it as a general reminder

First aid kit in grab bag, deckies are shown were items are kept , fire extinguisher etc etc

I don't mind reading about people forgetting things, I just don't want to be one of them. I think simple things can be missed due to familiarity?????it can breed contempt doesn't it......

[countbaysea]

Check steering, plenty of people get to the ramp to find the cable has seized at the motor after not using it for a while..

[patrol50]

take the rods out of the rod holders before leaving ramp for home or before backing into garage is not a bad rule - saves buying new rods
cheers rob

[Dicko]

A list will work, but once you get into a routine stick to it, both at home and the at the ramp.

If a non regular mate is coming out, they should ask what you want done. Most mean well but having someone else jumping around doing things willy nilly will set you up to forget something.

[shrunken pojie]

One last check of the weather forecast.

[Haji-Baba]

Try putting your car keys in the freezer with the day's bait, a bit extreme I know but has worked for me once.

Crab pot floats are another one, left mine behind one time so had to use trees and logs to tie off the lines.

A list is very good at times, I have one for each of the following:

Caravan Trips.

Fishing/ Boating.

Hunting/ Fishing.

A lot overlaps but is a reminder from time to time.

Another thing, don't get distracted when you are hooking the boat/trailer onto the car, I almost try to do that by "numbers".

Have fun Haji-Baba