Summer is finally here and we hope you are now out cruising!

Here are a few hints to make your boating safer and more enjoyable:

• Watch out for the other guy. There are a lot of inexperienced boaters out there and some scary experienced ones too.
• Test or install a carbon monoxide alarm.  Exhaust leaks are not uncommon and are hard to detect - know the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning:
  • headaches
  • dizziness
  • nausea
  • light-headiness
  • re-occurring flu-like symptoms
• Wind and sun can cause fatigue and sunburn. Be aware
• Check your water supply. Many marinas up coast have a limited supply of potable water.  Better yet, have Philbrook's install a watermaker.
• Check your shore power cords.  Water and electricity don't mix and we often see cord ends showing evidence of arcing.  Be prepared for all those variations of dock power

Philbrook's Dining Guide 

We have put this into a separate article on the website so you can print it off for future reference - please let us know your faves and where you would never go again and we will update our list accordingly. 

Marsha - Help!  Ask Marsha!  Marsha knows!

This has been a common refrain at Philbrook's for the past 11 years.  Marsha McGruer manages the service office, coordinates the project managers, schedules the haul outs, manages the moorage situation, solves computer problems, and apart from a million other tasks, has time to hold the customer's hand.  In her rare free time, she sailboat races, having participated in Whidbey Island Race weeks, and the VanIsle 360 Race (around Vancouver Island) as well as local racing in Vancouver and the Lower Island.  Marsha also loves to garden and cook.  She and her husband use their 11-foot 'rubber ducky' around Saanich Inlet.  If you have a problem, call Marsha and she will help.

Around the Yard

Are you just too busy to get your boat to the boatyard?  Philbrook's will be happy to pick up and deliver your boat.

Have you considered custom exhaust insulation covers for your boat?  They will minimize engine room heat, which reduces the risk of engine overheating and engine room fires.  They will also reduces the chance of getting burned when you are reaching around to those hard to get to places.  The covers are easily removable, resistant to salt, chemicals, water and are asbestos free.  Ask us for more information.

We are currently partially re-planking a wooden boat.  It was originally planked with fir that may have been harvested from trees taken off Mt. St. Helens after the volcano erupted.  What a great rumour!

Important news for iPad and iPhone users!  Philbrook's chamois are perfect for cleaning off fingerprints, and they are free - stop by and pick one up.

Planning for Post-Cruise maintenance and upgrades

To assist you, we have put together a list of items that may be on your mind as you are out there cruising.  It is way too easy to forget these once you have put your boat to 'bed' - we thought it might be easier to have a check list that you can use, ticking off those items that should be dealt with before the next cruise.  This list is shown as a separate article so you can easily print it off to keep close at hand aboard.

Remember our policy:  On Time/On Budget