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8. Stuffing Box
What Happened: The packing gland surrounding the propshaft loosened. Or perhaps it rotted away as it hadn't been replaced for many seasons.
What You Should Have Done: Dripless shaft seals that require minimal maintenance are used by 90 percent of today's boatbuilders. But many boaters still use old-fashioned stuffing boxes on the rudder shafts. Check stuffing boxes often, and beware.
9. Damage From Dock
What Happened: The wind started to blow, pounding the boat against the dock until a hole appeared.
What You Should Have Done: Tie up on the downwind side of the dock so the wind holds you away from the structure. Fenders would help. Use the round-ball type when up against a flat surface such as a concrete seawall. Use fender boards, a heavy board suspended between two fenders, when you're against pilings.
10. Dockside Water Pressure
What Happened: An internal freshwater hose burst from the pressure of dockside municipal water.
What You Should Have Done: Shut off the water at the dock when you leave the boat.
11. Freshwater Flooding
What Happened: A fitting fails in the freshwater system. Thinking a tap has been opened, the pump senses a reduction in hose pressure and turns on the supply water-bad news if you're hooked up to dockside water, which will keep pumping into the bilge.
What You Should Have Done: Never leave the boat without shutting off the water at the dock. This way, if a fitting or hose fails, you'll pump only the water in your tank into the bilge. Better yet, disconnect the hose from your boat. Any moron walking down the dock could turn on the hose if it's connected.
