http://tagishmarinesurveying.com/

Tagish Marine Consulting & Surveying, 8459 Kimberly Street, Juneau, AK (2026)

10/03/2026

🚤 Tarping your boat for winter? Give moisture a way out!

Here in Southeast Alaska, a tarp can help protect your boat from rain and snow—but trapped moisture can leave you with mold, mildew, and musty odors by spring. A little preparation now can make a big difference.

✅ Start clean and dry. Remove dirt, food residue, wet gear, and standing water. Allow washed surfaces to dry thoroughly before covering the boat.

✅ Bring soft items indoors. Take cushions, bedding, life jackets, and other fabric items home whenever possible. Make sure they’re dry before storing them.

✅ Support the tarp. Build a sturdy, peaked frame beneath it so rain and snow shed off instead of collecting in pockets. Keep the tarp elevated above the surfaces you’re protecting.

✅ Allow protected airflow. Install cover vents or provide sheltered openings at opposite ends to encourage crossflow while keeping wind-driven rain out. Avoid sealing the boat airtight.

✅ Let interior spaces breathe. Open lockers and cabinets, and lift any remaining cushions so air can circulate underneath. Keep exterior hatches weatherproof.

✅ Use moisture absorbers as backup. Secure containers against spills, check them regularly, and replace them as needed. They won’t make up for leaks or poor ventilation.

✅ Check throughout the winter. Especially after storms, look for pooling water, blocked vents, damp upholstery, condensation, and musty smells. Address moisture problems early.

Think of your tarp as a ventilated roof over your boat. Keep it supported, keep the interior dry, and keep air moving to help prevent an unpleasant spring surprise.

— Tagish Marine LLC

10/03/2026

⚓ TAGISH MARINE SAFETY PSA: CARBON MONOXIDE ON BOATS

You can’t see, smell, or taste carbon monoxide (CO)—but it can kill. CO interferes with your body’s ability to get oxygen, and exposure can become deadly quickly. It can affect you underway, at anchor, or tied to the dock.

🚤 COMMON SOURCES
• Engine and generator exhaust.
• Fuel-burning cabin heaters, cooking stoves, and water heaters.
• Charcoal grills.
• Exhaust from nearby boats.

CO can collect inside cabins and canvas enclosures, but also outdoors around cockpits, sterns, and swim platforms. An open deck does not guarantee safety. (uscgboating.org⁠, uscgboating.org⁠, cdc.gov⁠)

🤕 KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS
Headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, or confusion. Severe poisoning can cause collapse, unconsciousness, and death.

These symptoms can resemble seasickness or intoxication. If several people suddenly feel ill, take it seriously. Losing consciousness near the water can also lead to drowning. (cdc.gov⁠, uscgboating.org⁠)

🚨 IF YOU SUSPECT CO POISONING

1. Get everyone into fresh air immediately, away from exhaust.
2. Call 911 or contact the Coast Guard on marine VHF Channel 16. Give your location and explain that you suspect CO poisoning.
3. Shut down suspected sources only if you can do so safely. Don’t enter a contaminated cabin and become another victim.
4. If someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally, begin CPR and use an AED if available. Follow emergency instructions.
5. Seek emergency medical care—even if the person starts feeling better. Keep everyone out of the affected area until it is safe. (cdc.gov⁠, uscgboating.org⁠)

✅ PREVENT IT
Install marine-rated CO alarms and test them regularly. Maintain engines, heaters, generators, and exhaust systems. Keep ventilation and exhaust outlets clear, and keep people away from exhaust areas—including swim platforms. Never use a charcoal grill inside a cabin or enclosed cockpit.

As colder weather arrives and cabins get closed up, make CO safety part of your boating routine.

10/02/2026

🔥⚓ October Fire Safety Reminder from Tagish Marine

Fire prevention doesn’t stop at your front door—it belongs aboard your boat, too.

October brings fire safety into focus, with Fire Prevention Week commemorating the Great Chicago Fire of October 1871. It’s a good reminder to check for hazards at home, on the water, and around our harbors.

As Juneau’s boating season shifts toward winter, take a few minutes to check your vessel:

🧯 Check your fire extinguishers. Make sure they’re serviceable, easy to reach, and everyone aboard knows how to use them.

🔌 Inspect electrical systems and shore power. Look for damaged cords, loose connections, corrosion, and signs of overheating. Have problems corrected before continuing use.

⛽ Pay attention to fuel odors. Inspect fuel lines and fittings for leaks. A gasoline smell should never be considered normal—find and correct the source before starting the engine.

🔥 Use heaters carefully. Keep combustible materials clear and follow the manufacturer’s installation and operating instructions.

🚨 Check your alarms. Test onboard smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and replace batteries or expired units as needed.

🚪 Have an escape plan. Keep exits clear, know how to leave the boat and dock safely, and make sure passengers know how to call for help.

If a fire occurs, alert everyone and get to safety. Call 911 at the dock or use VHF Channel 16 for an emergency on the water. Only attempt to extinguish a small fire if you can do so safely and have a clear escape route.

A few minutes of prevention can help protect your boat, your harbor neighbors, and the people who matter most.

Stay safe, Juneau. — Tagish Marine

09/25/2026

It’s not too early to start thinking about winterizing your boat. Jack Frost is just around the corner, and a little preparation now can prevent expensive surprises next spring.

Here are 10 things to put on your fall checklist:

1. Stabilize your fuel – Add marine fuel stabilizer and run the engine long enough to circulate it through the fuel system.

2. Change the engine oil and filter – Old oil can contain moisture and contaminants you don’t want sitting in the engine all winter.

3. Protect the cooling system – Drain water where required and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for antifreeze and winterization.

4. Check the lower unit – Change the gear oil and inspect it for signs of water intrusion.

5. Take care of your batteries – Fully charge them, clean the terminals, and either remove them or maintain them properly through the winter.

6. Drain freshwater systems – Empty water tanks, pumps, hoses, livewells, washdowns, and other plumbing that could freeze.

7. Check bilge pumps and drains – Make sure the bilge is clean, dry, and able to drain. Standing water and freezing temperatures are a bad combination.

8. Clean and dry the boat thoroughly – Remove food, wet gear, fishing equipment, and anything else that can encourage mold, mildew, or unwanted critters.

9. Inspect your cover and ventilation – A good cover should keep weather out while still allowing enough airflow to prevent condensation and mildew.

10. Do a full inspection before storage – Check hoses, belts, wiring, fuel lines, zincs, steering, trailer tires, bearings, lights, and anything else that might need attention before next season.

Winterizing isn’t just about protecting your engine. It’s about protecting the entire boat so spring commissioning is easier, safer, and less expensive.

09/15/2026

Marine fires are extremely complex in Alaska. Most departments have very limited resources and equipment.
Major marine fires in Alaska do happen but they are sporadic and happen in a wide variety of locations.
The Alaska marine firefighting program has been a low priority for several years and there have been very few classes for our municipal fire departments.

09/14/2026

🍂 Fall has been treating Southeast Alaska pretty well! 🎣

We’ve had a great run of fall weather, and the fishing hasn’t disappointed. Silver salmon are still hitting hard, and we’re seeing some monster halibut coming in and being filleted right on the docks.

With the rain expected to return in the next day or so, now is a good time to knock out a few simple maintenance items while the weather is cooperating.

⚓ Make sure your bilge pumps are working
🔋 Check that your batteries are charged and connections are clean
🪢 Take a look at your mooring lines for wear and chafing
🧽 Give the boat a good scrub down before the wet weather settles in

A little preventative maintenance now can save a lot of headaches later—and a good wash will help keep your boat looking as good as it’s running.

There’s still plenty of boating and fishing season left. Enjoy the fall weather while we have it, stay safe, and we’ll see you on the water!

— Tagish Marine ⚓

09/09/2026

The weather may not be hot, but the fishing still is—and deer season is open!
Southeast Alaska weather can change quickly, so preparation matters every time you leave the dock:
• Check the latest marine forecast
• File a float plan with someone you trust
• Monitor the weather throughout your trip
• Know where your safe harbors are before you need them.

Remember, not every harbor provides protection from every wind direction. Learn which locations offer the best shelter based on the forecast, and have more than one backup plan.
Enjoy the season, stay alert, and come home safely.

—Tagish Marine

09/01/2026

🌧️ The weather is finally breaking after all that heavy rain—now is a good time to head down and check on your boat.

Make sure the bilge pump is working, the battery still has power, the drain plug and scuppers are clear, and your lines and fenders are secure. While you’re there, look for accumulated water, fuel leaks, damaged covers, or anything that may have shifted during the weather.

A few minutes at the harbor today could prevent an at-the-dock sinking from ruining your week—and costing you a lot of money.
Even if everything was fine the last time you checked, Southeast Alaska weather can change things quickly.

Stay ahead of trouble and check your boat.

—Captain Don
Tagish Marine

08/21/2026

⚠️ Tagish Marine Safety Note: Your Batteries Shouldn’t Be Going for a Ride!!
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A boat battery is heavy, full of stored energy, and connected to cables capable of delivering a tremendous amount of current. It needs to be properly secured.

A battery should be installed so it cannot move more than 1 inch in any direction. That means it needs a proper battery box, tray, hold-down strap, or other secure mounting system — not just sitting loose in the bilge or tucked into a corner.

⛴️🚤Why does it matter❓❓

A loose battery can slide, tip, damage its cables, crack the case, or allow the terminals to contact something conductive.
And while you’re checking the hold-down, take a look at the positive terminal.

The positive terminal should be covered with a protective boot or insulating cover so a dropped tool, metal object, or other conductive material can’t accidentally bridge the positive terminal to ground.
A wrench across the wrong two pieces of metal can turn into an impressive welding demonstration very quickly — except you’re standing inside your boat when it happens.

✅ Battery securely mounted�✅ Less than 1" movement in any direction�✅ Positive terminal protected�✅ Cables tight and free from corrosion or damage.

It’s a simple inspection that only takes a minute, but it can prevent electrical shorts, fires, damaged equipment, and a very bad day on the water.

Take a look at your batteries before your next trip. Be safe & have fun 🎣

08/19/2026

⚠️ Captain Don’s Safety Note: Gasoline Vapors Don’t Care How Nice Your Boat Is
Over the last couple of months, we’ve seen a rash of boats that either aren’t compliant or aren’t meeting basic minimum safety standards.
Two problems keep showing up.
First — inadequate ventilation for fuel v***rs.
Gasoline v***rs are heavier than air. They don’t politely float away. They settle into the lowest parts of the boat — usually the bilge, cabin, or other enclosed spaces.
And wouldn’t you know it, those are often the same places where you’ll find wiring, switches, motors, heaters, or something else capable of making a spark.
Gasoline v***r + spark = a really bad day.
Second — petcocks on the bottom of fuel filters.
We’re seeing these more often than we’d like. They can get bumped, damaged, loosened, or start leaking. That little convenient drain can quickly become a convenient way to put fuel where fuel absolutely doesn’t belong.
If you smell gasoline on your boat, don’t shrug it off and say, “It always smells like that.”
It shouldn’t.
Fuel leaks and v***r accumulation can lead to fire or, in the worst case, a catastrophic explosion.
Boating already gives us plenty of ways to get ourselves into trouble. We don’t need to manufacture new ones.
Take a few minutes and make sure your fuel system and ventilation are up to standards. If you’re not sure what you’re looking at, give us a call.
We’d much rather help you fix it at the dock than discuss what happened afterward.
— Captain Don
Tagish Marine
📞 907-723-7086

Tagish Marine Consulting & Surveying

10/03/2026

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