Looking at new boats is always a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s fun to check out the latest new innovations and marvel at the latest engineering and amenities. On the other hand, most of us can’t help but think how much we’d like to have these great features, but on our current ride instead of a strange new hull with its attached learning curve.
Then of course there’s the whole price tag thing. While a new boat might be lovely, sometimes it just isn’t on the cards no matter how badly we want it.
The good news is that it’s surprisingly easy to add all kinds of fresh goodies to the current family runabout, bringing all-new excitement to the boat we already enjoy. Instead of pining for a pricey new yacht, why not just update the one you already have and enjoy the best of both worlds?
Here are just a few ways you can spruce up the old boat to give it all-new charm.
Get Serious About Shade
That glorious summer sunshine always feels so good after a long, wet winter – at least until you start to feel a bit crispy, and suddenly wish your boat had more shade. Retractable sunscreens and Bimini tops allow boaties to easily add awning-like sun protection to the cockpit, to the bow seating area, or both. Biminis are
a popular and easy DIY addition that greatly extend the comfort factor of any smaller boat, and come in both manual and power varieties. Some even include underside lighting for added convenience when boating early or late in the day.
If your boat’s too big for a Bimini, consider a power shade instead. People think that power shades are only for large yachts, but they bring a lot of added comfort to smaller cabin boats as well, extending aft over the cockpit at the touch of a button. Most are a fairly easy DIY install, or they can be set up by a dealer at minimal cost.
Enjoying the sunshine out on the water is a great thing. But the dangers of too much sun exposure are very real, making this comfort upgrade a valuable safety enhancement as well.
Check our an associated article: https://boatingnz.co.nz/2023/06/shade-systems/
Let The Light Shine In
Although shade is essential, so is a certain amount of fresh air and sunshine, explaining the growing trend among boat builders today of installing sunroofs everywhere – on the roofs of saloons, cuddy cabins, T-Tops and even flybridges. They’re
a great feature that really let the sunshine and fresh air shine through on a nice day, so it’s understandable that everyone wants one. What’s not so well known is that it’s really easy to put a sunroof in your existing boat.
That’s especially true if you’re installing a small sunroof as a direct replacement for an older pop-up hatch. Manually operated sunroofs are a straight plug-and-play replacement for old-style pop-ups, while even powered models are comparatively easy weekend DIY projects.
Installing a new roof opening where none existed before is also comparatively easy but does require specialised equipment, making it a job best left to the local dealer.
Keep An Eye On The Boat
Remote monitoring platforms like BoatSecure, Mooring Watch, Floatech and others were originally designed as anti-theft devices, allowing you to track the boat’s location in real time, anywhere in the world, using a simple PC or a mobile phone. But remote monitoring systems have evolved to provide even more useful information on the boat and its various systems while you’re away, allowing owners to keep tabs on things like battery levels, bilge pump activity and shore power status. The ability to spot potential problems before they get out of hand can save both simple inconvenience and real money.
A number of these systems offer two-way communication on boats which are equipped with digital switching, allowing you to operate onboard systems from your mobile phone. With a simple touchscreen tap or swipe, you can turn on the lights, crank up the air conditioning or start chilling the fridge before you even leave the house, so everything’s ready to go the moment you step onboard.
Smoothing Out The Bumps
Gyro stabiliser systems like the Seakeeper, MC2 Quick, Veem and others claim to eat the waves and eliminate up to 95% of a given boat’s rolling at sea, bringing big ship comfort to more modestly-sized vessels.
While we think of gyros as big yacht luxury, they’re actually available to fit boats down to about 7m in length. In smaller vessels, they most commonly install somewhere near the helm, either in the floor, in the helm console itself or even under the helm seat. The specific process of installing the device varies from one boat to the next, based on the boat’s structure and available space, making it more of a boat shop service appointment than a DIY project.
While gyros do eat up a certain amount of space and can impact storage options, the increased comfort makes the trade-off attractive for many boaties. Gyros make such a profound difference in onboard comfort that many people simply add them to their existing boat rather than trading up to something larger, saving even more money in the long run.
Check out an associated article: https://boatingnz.co.nz/2024/08/seakeeper-gyro-stabiliser/
Dock the boat from anywhere
It’s tough to be in two different places at once, and no one appreciates that more than
a skipper who’s coming into the dock. Remote helm controls that tie into the boat’s existing steering equipment give the skipper full control of steering, throttle and thrusters from anywhere on board, allowing them to control the boat with pinpoint precision while moving about the deck setting the mooring lines, or standing on the swim platform, boat hook in hand.
Floating, waterproof remote controls like the Dockmate or Yacht Controller work with inboards, outboards and even pod drives, delivering push-button or joystick control at the captain’s fingertips. Some can even operate the anchor, or sound the horn at the touch of a button. The system mounts out of sight under the helm, leaving only a small remote control on a lanyard behind as visible evidence it exists.
Upgrade Your Batteries
MFDs can talk to all sorts of other devices as well, including modern lithium-ion batteries that are increasingly being used to power things onboard the boat. Wonder how much battery power you have left? Just tap the battery icon on the MFD screen – with a single click you can see how much power remains, how long that will last at the current rate of use, and what devices on board are consuming the most power, so you can shut off the ones you don’t need and stretch out your day.
Lithium-ion batteries are a next-generation power source that bring a lot of advantages to
a boat beyond the ability to talk to other devices onboard. For starters, because they’re far more efficient than old-school lead acid batteries, lithium-ion cells deliver run times that are more than twice as long. Further, the lithium-ion battery delivers full power all of the time – unlike lead acid or gel batteries that only deliver full power for about the top 10% of their charge, then start to noticeably slow down and grow progressively weaker as the day wears on. To further sweeten the deal, lithium-ion batteries have a lifespan that’s seven times that of traditional deep-cycle batteries. Where most lead acid or gel cells have
a life of about 500 charging cycles before they need to be replaced, lithium-ion batteries run around 3,500 charge cycles before they give up the ghost. So while they do cost more money to buy than a lead acid battery or a gel cell, they save you cash in the long run because you don’t have to replace them nearly as often. Over that protracted life span, lithium-ion batteries represent a lot less waste going into landfill, and that’s something everyone can appreciate.
Bolt-on Upgrades
Upgrading even basic elements like boat hardware can immediately give your vessel a fresh new look and feel. Replacing clunky old mooring cleats with modern retractable ones or ones which fold flat when not in use is an easy DIY project requiring only a screwdriver. Flat cleats won’t inadvertently snag fishing lines, or get tangled on the landing net when it’s needed most. They also protect against painful stubbed toes and chipped toenails, while springing up ready for use immediately when required.
If you like to head out on the water in the chill of winter, replacing the original steering wheel with a nice, heated one is another simple but rewarding upgrade that requires only basic tools.
In some markets, and even in New Zealand where they are gaining a following with fly-fishers, anglers are increasingly looking to add shallow water anchors to their boats. Unlike the traditional weighted anchor on a rope, a shallow water anchor is a ski-pole-like device that bolts on to the stern of the boat and extends down to the bottom to hold the boat in place. They look a little strange, to be sure, but they work so well in shallow water that you’ll wonder how you ever got along without one. And, they can be controlled remotely by the MFD.
New boats may offer a lot of cool toys and great gadgets, but most of these goodies can also be added to older boats too. Whether you’re considering buying
a used boat or just want to refresh the one you have now, a few hours installing some new toys over the weekend can make your older ride even better than new.
Words by Craig Ritchie, Photography supplied
