Boat Winterization Services and Charges, Part II
July 14, 2007
Boat Winterization Services and Charges, Part II
If you own a boat maintenance business you may have considered what your charges should be and what the boat owners are willing to pay. Here are some thoughts on the type of charges and services you should consider. This is Part II
Fuel:
Fill up fuel tanks to avoid condensation during winter. Add a fuel stabilizer by following exact instructions on the container. Change out fuel filters and water separators.
Main Engines and Generators: (Optional $150)
Change the sump oil and oil filters. You should run the engine for 10 minutes to warm it up first. Hot oil tends to allow impurities to be drained with the oil. Acids have formed in the oil from combustion heat and are attacking vital engine parts. Leaving old oil in an engine during the non-use period is a bad idea. The old oil adheres to bearing and other important engine parts and causes corrosion. Change fuel filters on primary and secondary filters. Check fuel filters for algae and water. Advise owner if really bad. Make sure to change protective zincs in the main engines and generators. Add anti-freeze to cooling system and run for fifteen minutes. Use only environmentally friendly anti-freeze. Never use silicone based anti-freezes or even ones which contain any silicone what so ever. If the engine block freezes and cracks, it’s usually covered under the boater’s insurance policy. Plug up all exhaust ports. Remove spark plugs and use fogging oil spray to spray into cylinders. Wipe down engine with a rag sprayed with WD-40 or fogging oil. You may also wish to follow engine linkage and spray it down with WD-40 and wipe excess.
Yacht Winterization Service Business
July 14, 2007
If you own a boat maintenance business you need to be providing winterization services to your customers. Many boat owners who get to know you may trust you to help them winterize their boats. The best place to store a boat is under a cover in a controlled climate environment. This can be very costly and although there is debate on whether a boat should be “shrink-wrapped" for winter or not that too is very costly.
Since during the winter you will be requested to either halt services or curb washing to a frequency of every two months. Of course, the charge for these washings will be at double or triple the weekly price but you still lose a lot of weekly wash monies. If you charge $20 for weekly washing then that is $160 for two months of washes instead of $60 every two months for one wash. Including snow and debris removal.
10 Thoughts On Picking a Cruise Ship Cabin
July 13, 2007
The best advice is to be informed about cabins and pick the right cabin for you among the thousands available on a cruise ship.
1. One of the most difficult parts of planning for a cruise is choosing the right cabin. Everyone has different tastes, and what is not important to one person might well be important to you.
2. Look at the cruise ship layout and decks online or in brochures. Know that there are different types of cabins on different cruise ships. The biggest differences between cruise lines–mainstream and luxury–ships are the quality of accommodations.
3. Sometimes there are over 20 different categories on a ship! So it is important to know the different cabin categories. One reason is that thanks to modern shipbuilding, most inside and outside staterooms are standard in size and amenities. Comparing one vessel’s cabins against another is daunting task, so keep your eye on the square footage as the most important criteria.
4. Know your budget and what you can afford. The price of a cruise ship cabin or stateroom (the terms are interchangeable) is dependent on its size, layout, and location. The cabins on large cruise ships come in standard, ocean view, balcony, and suite. A luxury line’s smallest cabins are much larger than those on large cruise lines and are either ocean view or balconied.
Royal Caribbean Cruises! Where Their Slogan Is Get Out There? And They Mean It
July 12, 2007
Imagine a cruise line where choices include ships with golf courses and rock-climbing walls looming 200 feet over the ocean. Where there is so much happening, so much to discover and experience it’s just possible the crack of dawn will need to be your wake up call.
They say it is the journey and not the destination ? and the case can certainly be argued in favor of Royal Caribbean International (known everywhere as RCI). Even the imposing names of the ships are literally synonymous with the experience - Adventure, Grandeur, Rhapsody, and Splendour!
As the thrum of the engines heralds your departure, miles of heaven open ahead of you, filled with overflowing free-spirited fun and entertainment, contagious hospitality, simply superb dining and an infinity of pleasure. Complete escapes from the humdrum, these absolutely nautical wonders, literally packed with adventure and leading edge guest facilities. No wonder Royal Caribbean International’s slogan is "Get Out There?"!
Atmosphere
Sparkling, stimulating, sensual, stress-less! You can take a siesta from the world and glory in dinner by candlelight, walks by moonlight, excursions by daylight. As RCI put it: get pampered, get pumped! One of the greatest blessings of a Royal Caribbean cruise is that the atmosphere allows you to go from unassuming to absolute glamour with everything else in between.
Celebrity Cruise! Opulence Perfectly Staged
July 11, 2007
Each generation of Celebrity ships has emerged to assume a leadership role in the cruise industry. From the contemporary elegance of Horizon to the stylish and high-tech Century, to the latest epoch, Constellation, Infinity, Millennium and Summit, all are five-star vessels of incomparable allure. In true Celebrity style every conceivable luxury awaits you. Every stateroom is a sanctuary; culinary standards are impeccable, entertainment a masterpiece! There’s poetry to be found in the perfect symmetry of grace and strength, which is the hallmark of Celebrity’s trim, powerful ships. The ships are designed for your complete fulfillment and beauty is in every detail. In every painting and sculpture, in foyers so grand they resemble Venetian courtyards, in the exotic fabrics tinted to rich jewel tone colors, in the handsome accommodation, and in the sophisticated restaurants and stylish lounges and bars. Polished mahogany, etched glass, soft leather and crisp linen harmonize with immaculately maintained public areas and perfectly prepared staterooms.
Celebrity’s Fleet
Update April 2005 - Holland America Cruises, Signature of Excellence Program
July 10, 2007
Holland America Cruise Lines has initiated a program of up-scaling their cruise ships, cruise line image and passenger cruise experience. This initiative is called the Signature of Excellence program and will soon be experienced by cruise passengers on all Holland America cruises.
The award winning Holland America five star fleet of cruise ships will all have the unparalleled enhancements by the end of 2006. Included in the program are enhancements to the impeccable service Holland America guests have become accustomed to as well.
Premium cruising aboard Holland America’s fleet will be enhanced by state-of-the-art facilities and public areas. Included are stateroom amenities, luxury beds and bed linens. All Holland America cruise ships will include the Neptune Lounge, Pinnacle Grill, Explorations Café, the Greenhouse Spa & Salon, and a Culinary Arts Center.
Changes will be made for children and teens cruising with Holland America as well. The program includes newly expanded youth facilities with the “Club HAL” program. For teens, Holland America has included The Loft and The Oasis.
Boat Hull Cleaning; Equipment Needed
July 9, 2007
How do you clean the hull on a boat when it is out of the water? As a boat cleaner or detailer there are ways to speed up the process of boat hull cleaning. It is important to do a perfect job if you are to later detail the boat or put wax on it. You must protect yourself and you will need safety equipment. First, you’ll want some protective equipment as you’ll be using some harsh acids to remove the algae growth that accumulates on the bottom of boats. Some very strong nitrile gloves, goggles, and/or respirator are all recommended. Here are some of the best places to buy safety equipment, we have used all these companies and they are all fast, responsive and knowledgeable:
http://www.hullsafety.com/products/index.htm
http://www.micronsafety.com/page2.html
http://www.polywater.com
http://www.ahsafety.com
http://www.alimed.com
Make sure that you keep any acid from splashing up on your skin. First-aid eye kits can be purchased at: Wal*Mart, Target, ACE Hardware, K-Mart, etc. You should have a first aid kit with eye flushing fluid with you if you are going to use muratic acid or acetone. For more information on this please go to:
http://www.chargar.com/ab.htmOSHA
Tips on Marina and Dock Sealing
July 9, 2007
It is important to follow these procedures when sealing a private dock or a dock at the marina. Always let the dock dry for three to twenty-four hours before applying any coating or sealant. You cannot put a seal coat over on top of moisture or wet wood.
Mask off boats, shrubbery, masonry, foliage with drop cloths or large sheets of cardboard. When using an airless sprayer use a 0.014-inch fine tip at about 250 to 500 PSI. if you are using a lower pressure sprayer or pump sprayer that is okay, but get in close. Apply water repellant, coating or sealant to railings, spindles, etc. first. Then move to the floor of the dock, deck or pier. Always work with the grain spraying in that direction. Use liberal portions of coating.
Be sure to brush out any puddles or drips aiming for smooth uniform application. Make sure whatever product you end up choosing is a preservative and not just a ‘water repellant’. Always have your EPA information with you, which you can download from the Internet;
www.EPA.gov
Advice for Pressure Washing Companies Cleaning Marina Docks
July 8, 2007
So you are in the pressure washer business and you want to clean the local docks at the Marina. Good plan, let us give you a little advice on this. First you have to sell the account. Explain to the marina manager or the dock master or municipal purchasing agent that their clientele and/or citizens will be very impressed to see that this normally much neglected area of the marina and/or pier is being taken care of and cleaned. It’s going to make it much more presentable. The clientele will be happier, therefore will be more likely to keep their moorage in storage there and be happy-paying customers for long into the future. Explain to the dock master or marina manager also that it can be a safety issue. The cleaner and less slippery their docks are the better and safer it’s going to be for their clientele. This is also a good selling point. This is an easier sell to government agencies since everyone wants to stay away from lawsuits.
Dock Cleaning Procedures
July 7, 2007
It is important when cleaning a dock that you use these steps as to not cause wood damage or hardship. If you do not follow these steps, we told you so. So here is how it is done by the professionals who would rather get it right the first time, get it over with and get back out on the water where we belong.
Remove any furniture, grills, etc. Watch for damage to the wood, scout out where you will clean before you start, sometimes once wet you cannot see the flaws in the wood as easy. If you are doing this as a contractor you may wish to point out these areas to the Marina management. You may want to bring this to the attention of the boss as a good P.R. move. Wet the deck, dock or pier with low pressure if you plan on using any chemicals; we do not recommend chemicals if you can help it. You may not be able to use chemicals due to environmental laws but if you can use soap and chemicals try to find ones that do not contain sodium hypochlorite, bleach or acids. After the chemical has had proper dwell time, use a Hydro-twister or a 40-degree nozzle tip. You must use the 40-degree tip with an extension wand for railings and stairs. Either way 1500 PSI is fine for this type of in-close detail work. Remember the sensitivity of the wood fibers while keeping in mind how delicate the wood is.
