(Newport, RI)- The recent tragedy involving four British sailors lost in the Atlantic and their boat (the 40 foot sloop Cheeky Rafiki) that was found adrift without a keel, is a chilling reminder of the potential hazards of undertaking an offshore sailing passage. One can never be too careful when it comes to preparing for such a voyage.
We’d like to stress to all J owners the ongoing need to be vigilant in the routine inspection and maintenance of boats in the field. Boats should be inspected annually, surveyed every 5 years, and key components should be specifically checked and replaced well before their expected life-spans are reached.
J/Boats first published a Best Practices Boat Inspection article in 2008 which has since been circulated several times via dealer bulletin, J/News, and on J websites, including the Technical Bulletin section of all boat models on jowners.org. The document is also included in new Owner Manuals. Last year, we additionally circulated a Best Practices Corrosion bulletin for models equipped with sail-drives.
Please refresh your memory by reading these important documents and sharing this information with your boat service providers.
- Best Practices- Boat Inspection
- Best Practices- Corrosion
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