Buying the perfect Runabout

From bowriders to deckboats, there's a runabout that suits your lifestyle on the water.

The term "runabout" is frequently used to describe a fast and maneuverable powerboat, but many boaters don't realize just how many styles are available, and just how different—or similar—they can be. The various Runabouts: Bowriders, Tow Boats, Cuddys, and Deck Boats.

 

When looking for the right runabout to meet your needs, many aspects must be taken into consideration. Buying a boat is a big decision, and every detail should be well thought-out so you can choose the perfect model for your needs. Let's look at some important questions boat-buyers need to answer, before they can make the best pick. By no means is this an all-inclusive list, but it should help you get well on your way toward making the best possible decision.

• What kind of water and conditions will you be boating in? The body of water can help determine what kind of runabout you should purchase. A narrow river versus a large open lake will have an impact on how large a boat you need. It may also affect whether you'll be best served by a boat that has a flatter bottom and better stability, or one designed with a deep-V to withstand rough waters.
• How important are watersports? Do you want to wakeboard? If so, a wakeboard tower is very handy and just about any manufacturer can supply a tower for your needs. Dedicated wakeboarding, wake surfing, or water skiing enthusiasts will probably choose a dedicated tow boat, but many boaters need the runabout's versatility. And if you only plan to pull skis or tow toys, you don't need a tower; a ski tow eye/rail will do the trick. Most runabouts come with this feature, but you still must make sure. In addition, you might want a swim platform for putting on and taking off skis. These platforms extend the length of the boat aft of the transom, and are really handy for re-boarding after playing in the water. Also, look for features such as stowage for water toys, ballast tanks, and wake tabs.
• Are you going to use your runabout boat simply for day excursions, or do you envision yourself and your family spending weekends aboard? If weekending is in the cards, a cuddy cabin might be the best bet. Some people enjoy camping on an open boat, but even in this case you probably want an enclosed changing area with a marine sanitation device (a toilet) and maybe even a freshwater transom shower. In addition, make sure you have the fuel capacity necessary for the distances you'd like to cover if marinas are not going to be along your route.
• How many people do you want your runabout to hold? A couple versus a larger family will have a huge impact on the size of the runabout you need. Today's larger runabouts, in the 23 to 24 foot range hold as many as 12 people.
• How important is speed and handling? Remember, runabouts can be like a sportscar on the water—but they can also be more like an econo-box. Many runabouts can be had either way, depending on what sort of powerplant option you choose.
Do you plan on fishing at all? If so, it's important to choose a boat with a fiberglass deck, which is far easier to clean up than carpet. This will also have an impact on what sort of options you might choose, like rod holders and livewells, which won't be available on all models. Some runabouts called "Fish-'N-Skis" come outfitted with both watersports and fishing accouterments.
• Will you bring young children aboard? In this case, a boat with tall gunwales and an enclosed head compartment may be a smart choice.

HIT THE SHOWS

After you've determined the answers to the above questions, go to some boat shows. Shop around. Check out sizes, styles, colors, options, and more, but make sure to determine your budget prior to becoming serious about a purchase. Many people fail to realize that buying a cheap boat may seem like the right thing to do, but cheaper boats don't perform as well in rougher water or hold their value.

One trick to finding the perfect boat for your family is to consider the worst boating conditions you'll face. If the boat you want will comfortably take you through those conditions, you'll be happy with it for a long while. Also, talk to owners of the brand you are considering. If you're having trouble hearing from satisfied owners, you might want to consider another brand.

SEE THE BIG PICTURE

Overall, which runabout is best for you depends largely on personal preference and the boating conditions in your area. Make sure you weigh every feature and decide accordingly. Understand that a runabout's main purpose is to provide enjoyment, memories and fun on the water for many years—and that spending a little more money on the front end can yield dividends on the back end.

To Buy Bayliner Runabout Boats in India, Contact Navnit Marine at 022 6677 6659 or Mail us at info@navnitmarine.com

Know More about Various Bayliner Runabout Series

Boat Cleaning Tips

From time to time, you have to do some boat cleaning. Not my favorite job, but the yacht looks like 'a million bucks', don't you agree?

Now, alltough cleaning your boat is fairly simple, you need to have the right technique and the right boat cleaning tools.

When I clean the boat, I use the following technique:

• Always start at the top and work your way down.
• Then, you begin at the bow and move towards the stern.

These are the basic rules. I do look at the wind and the sun too.

If you see that the wind is coming from a certain direction, you start cleaning upwind and then further downwind. Otherwise you're only wetting the surface again that you just cleaned.

If the sun is shining strongly, you need to be sure you're cleaning quickly.

If the water and soap dries up, it's only giving you more work. On such days, it might be better to wash the boat very early or late, so you're not cleaning at the hottest point of the day

Always hose down the surface, before you come with the boat wash and brush. Rinse it off well afterwise and mop the surface, to avoid waterspots.

Now, apart from the technique, you need a good set of boat cleaning products. 'You can't win the horserace with a donkey...'

you probably also have limited space on board. There's just too much stuff on board or there's not enough room in the lockers. Both are true.

So, it would help if we have good quality cleaning tools that last long and that take a minimum of space on board.

For example, they have the telescopic handle. One handle that you can make longer or shorter whatever the length you need. And through a quick-lock system you can put several accessories on it. So, one handle, multiple functions! Sounds great, doesn't it?

Among the accessories, you have brushes, mops, scrubbing pads, boathooks and so on...

You decide which kind of brush. They have several sizes and levels of softness. Depending on the surface you want to clean, you choose soft, medium or hard.

There's a lot of choice, so I'm sure you'll find the right one for your boat!

You need a bucket too, of course. All the cleaning accessories can fit in the bucket, so that with your 1 handle is all the place you need for your cleaning equipment.

For wiping the windows or to get water from a larger surface, I use the water blade from Shurhold. Together with the synthetic leather from Vinalon. Makes it much quicker to dry a surface!

About the Soap

Boat wash is specially made to clean your deck and everything around it. It washes off salt, dirt, grime... much more than a kitchen soap will do.

you should try to get a good boat wash on board from the Starbrite boat products. They offer good quality products to clean the deck, non-slip, hull, transom and so on...

To Your Luxury Motor Yacht Servicing in Mumbai India, Contact Navnit Marine us at 022 6677 6659 or Mail us at info@navnitmarine.com

Navnit Marine Private Limited
 

Navnit House, Gokul Nagar,
Mumbai Agra Road,
Thane (W), 400601
Mumbai, India
Tel: (+91) 22 6677 6659

E-mail: info@navnitmarine.com

Engine Cooling System Tips

WAY COOL: HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR ENGINE’S COOLING SYSTEM AND THE COOLANT THAT FLOWS THROUGH IT.

Engine Cooling System

The tubes on the closed cooling side of this heat exchanger were fouled by a film that required solvent flushing, after which the change in color was clear to see

Most marine diesel engines rely on what’s known as a closed cooling system. As with an automobile engine, the heat of combustion is absorbed by antifreeze (or, more accurately, coolant). In a car, that heat is then released airborne, via a radiator; with a sailboat, it’s transferred to the ocean via a heat exchanger.

Closed cooling systems, which typically operate at between 180 and 195 degrees F, offer several important advantages over open cooling systems. The latter allow seawater to flow through the iron engine, the predictable result of which is corrosion. Additionally, open cooling systems must operate at a cooler and less efficient temperature, typically around 150 degrees F, to prevent salt from precipitating out of the seawater and depositing itself within the cooling system’s passages, where it acts as an insulator and reduces the heat transfer efficiency. This comparatively cool operation promotes the formation of carbon within cylinders.

 

 

Perhaps the most important advantage of a closed cooling system is the pressure under which it operates, typically between 6 and 15 psi. The pressure is important for a couple of reasons: First, while coolant already has a higher boiling point than ordinary water, the pressure further increases the boiling point of the coolant (for each pound of pressure applied, the boiling point rises about 3 degrees F). Second, and even more important, the increased pressure reduces the occurrence of cavitation within the cooling system. Cavitation, the rapid creation and violent collapse of vacuum bubbles, can be destructive, as each implosion can scour away metal from the cooling passages.

Unless you purchase it pre-mixed, coolant should be mixed in equal parts with distilled water. (Distilled water contains no minerals, which can be deposited inside the closed cooling system.) How often should you replace coolant? Many engine manufacturers specify two-year intervals. However, depending upon the cost of replacement, sending the coolant to a lab for analysis, may make more sense, especially if it extends the period to three or four years. (Some extended-life coolant is rated for six years or 14,000 hours, but it should also be analyzed annually.)

Alternatively, coolant test strips can be used for field analysis, although they yield less definitive results. When you do replace or top up coolant, avoid mixing brands and types, and stay with those recommended by the engine manufacturer; at the very least, use coolant designed specifically for diesel engines. Every few months, when the system’s cold, closely inspect the pressure cap and neck for corrosion, gasket failure or other defects. When doing so, check the coolant as well. It should look clean and bright; green, blue or orange; and never rusty.

Now back to that chronically overheating engine. The culprit turned out to be a little-known phenomenon wherein a film forms inside the closed coolant side of the heat exchanger. The result of a previous overheating episode, the film inhibited heat transfer, which led to the chronic high-speed overheating. Flushing the heat exchanger with a proprietary solvent removed the film and put the temperature gauge back in the green. The moral of this story is twofold: One, systematic analysis will eventually lead you to the cause of the problem. And two, once overheated, coolant should always be replaced and the closed cooling system flushed to prevent future overheating.

To Your Luxury Motor Yacht Servicing in Mumbai India, Contact Navnit Marine us at 022 6677 6659 or Mail us at info@navnitmarine.com