Everybody needs a boating checklist — things that you need to remember to do before you get underway.
Why You Need a Checklist
As you get ready to leave the marina slip or weigh anchor, do you find yourself wondering what you’ve forgotten to do? Whether it’s double-checking that all lockers are latched (so no cans will become missiles), or closing all the hatches and portholes, it seemed that Dave and I usually managed to miss something.
Tired of drying dishes sliding off the counter, cans falling out of lockers, dragging a bag of clams and more, Dave and I developed a “Before Moving the Boat” checklist. Now, this is just the stuff to prep the boat in general — not the things like checking the engine coolant and oil, which are also important. There’s a list of general engine checks at the end of Not-So-Easy Maintenance Chores.
Create Your Boating Checklist
If you want such a checklist for yourself, I’ve made mine into a downloadable editable Word doc (get it for free as part of Documents for Boat Owners & Buyers). But you’ll have to customize it for your own boat — you may not have to move a rug or get the dog’s leash out, for example. And over time, we changed some items and added others — initially, it seemed that we added items almost every time we went anywhere!
There are lots of columns so that I don’t need to print one off each time we leave an anchorage/marina. My way of using it is to check everything off as I do it — or if it doesn’t apply. Then, literally immediately before hoisting the anchor or casting off the dock lines, I double-check the list to make sure there is a check mark in every box in today’s column.
We taped it inside the cover of our log . . . and yes, you’ll see that I wasn’t always perfect about checking off the items that didn’t apply!
Get the .doc template to create your own “Before Moving Boat” checklist in Documents for Boat Buyers and Owners. It’s a FREE collection of six editable documents and checklists.
This was originally written in July 2013 and substantially updated in March 2020.
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Gretchen Hannsz Witzgall on Facebook says
Thank you and very timely…I was just discussing w/ Chris how having to stow everything to get going is bogging me down on wanting to pull anchor and go…this should help! Thanks!
James Giard says
I can see the need for a list like what you made up. For the most part if one has been doing this for a while the check list is in your mind and you check each item mentally before you leave the slip or mooring. I have a 26′ cabin cruiser tied at a marina slip.As I secured items in the lower cabin bring up the right amount of preservers one for each person that is going out on the boat. Do a final inspections of all systems and turn on bilge blower and finally turn start the engine.What has happen to me twice and it was very embarrassing between the time that I started mental check off list to undoing the ropes from the dock cleats someone would ask a question about my method of leaving the slip and or what they could do to help. and I will forget 1 very important thing, or thought I all ready took care of It….was to undo the shore power cord from the boat. I would have powered the boat 2 to 4 feet down the slip and someone on another dock boat would point out the shore power cord was still attach to the boat. I would stop the boat and unhook the shore power cord from the boat and thank the person for pointing it out and be on our way.I am sure the marina owner would not have been very impress if I pull the electrical tower off the dock and into the water.
After the last time it happen when I got home I went to the West Marine Web site and copied & pasted two pictures of 50′ yellow shore power cords and enlarge them to fill out one page and my wife brought it to an UPS store and had them laminated. I than place laminated picture on top of the cockpit gages and would not remove it until I had the shore power cord unplug from the boat at the electrical tower storage hook on the dock if it was a day trip, or unplug from the tower and all the cord brought on the boat if an overnight trip to another marina. I never had another incident like that again.
Kerri says
We have friends who laminated their list so that they can use a whiteboard marker then rub it off for next time. But whatever works!
Carolyn Shearlock says
Great idea! I’m a big fan of lists!
Mili Cook says
Wait! You’re gonna love catamaran life. You may be able to chuck the list overboard. 😉
The Boat Galley says
Oh, there will still be parts that are useful 🙂
Peter Shomers says
Ted has got his own lists I’m sure
Carla Adwell Webb says
Wild I had just asked on WWS if anyone had started one and yes as cat owners many of these apply. Thanks for getting me started!
Mili Cook says
Lol, I woke up at 0400, thinking, that wasn’t a very nice thing to say…let’s change it to “your list may get a lot shorter”.
The Boat Galley says
Sounds good! 🙂
Paula Spence, M/Y Sea Eagle says
We keep our “Moving the Boat” checklist in our smartphone. Works very well for us.
Kathy Belanger-Barber says
We institute a 20 minute rule everything is stow able in 20 minutes it helps us stay organized
Sherri Brenner says
We use checklists also. We have one for setting off, leaving the boat (used when we are leaving for an extended time), guest crew orientation, and heavy weather.
The Boat Galley says
Checklists are much better than relying on my memory!
Sherri Brenner says
What memory?
SV Matilda says
Nice to see the wine glass safety is first on the list!
Skylar Walker says
Cool, thank you!
Skylar Walker says
Cool, thank you!
Jan Bogart says
Reggie Botkin…….wheel!!
Beth Hipp Tyler says
Not bringing in the swim leader gets us a lot
Terry Michael says
I guess I don’t have the right kind of boat.
The Boat Galley says
Any boat is the right boat!
Terry Michael says
Well mine doesn’t have wine glasses or rugs. However we are pontooning!!!
The Boat Galley says
Nothing wrong with that — I grew up with one! And the good news is that your list is probably a lot shorter!
Terry Michael says
A lot shorter.
Joysealife.com says
Auto pilot not on. First time we used our boat was after we had been out on the ocean trial right after we bought it, and the auto pilot was left on. My husband had no idea why he couldn’t control the boat. What a nightmare! We were lucky to get some help to get it back in the slip.
The Boat Galley says
Yikes!
Donna Cantwell says
Rich
Connie McMartin says
Wow, thank you for this! Looks very helpful.
Shirley Russell says
Drain Plug
Carolyn Shearlock says
Absolutely if you’ve got one!
Cindy Williams Lowrie says
Agreed….always something will slide or fall out….will make one!!
Roger Danley says
I’m writing procedures for everything I can thin of we need to know, but hadn’t made any checklists. Great idea! Thanks so much.