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5. CHEAPER THAN RADAR. If the view through your boat's clear-vinyl windows reminds you of a foggy day on Nantucket Sound, while outside your wife is tanning on the sundeck, replace the windows. See No. 4, if the seams are sealed with duct tape.
6. FADED, SPLIT, AND SOGGY UPHOLSTERY. Do your cushions make whoopee noises when you sit on them? Get new ones. And how many times can you pull into the yacht club sitting on Bart Simpson beach towels?
7. LIGHT UP. Navigation lights are crucial from sunset to sunrise and in the midst of rain squalls or fog. Vessels less than 39.4' require side lights to be visible from one mile, stern and masthead lights from two. Check the lenses on your lights. Are they foggy, hazy, or cracked? Stash replacement lenses and a few spare bulbs, too.
8. SQUASHED AND BLACKENED FENDERS. If scrubbing with soap, water, and bleach doesn't help, buy new ones. Invest in washable covers and keep them properly inflated - they will last for years.
9. RATTY AND FRAYED DOCKLINES. As with dirty sweatpants, wear them outside and everyone thinks you've given up. Your boat deserves better. Wash your docklines at least once a season by soaking them in a mild solution of detergent, bleach, and water. Skip the bleach if your lines are colored.
10. GAUGES ON THE FRITZ. Just because your engine is running doesn't mean it has the proper oil pressure and water temperature. Replace faulty gauges promptly. It costs a lot less than buying a new engine.
