Winter storms can sink unprepared boats & pollute our waters

Washington State Department of Ecology

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Department of Ecology News Release - October 8, 2007

07-300

Winter storms can sink unprepared boats & pollute our waters

OLYMPIA - Rain, wind, un-repaired leaks and other poor maintenance issues can cause a boat to sink, posing the threat of a fuel spill that will foul Washington waters.

In the last year alone, Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) received more than 190 reports of oil spills from recreational boats and more than 80 reports involving commercial fishing vessels. Most occurred as a result of inattention during fueling, automatic operation of bilge pumps, or vessels sinking.

"Although small spills may seem inconsequential, cumulatively they can cause significant damage to the marine environment," said Chip Booth, spill prevention manager for Ecology. "Petroleum products are toxic and contain organic chemicals and heavy metals. Gasoline has more than 100 hydrocarbon compounds that harm fish larvae, shellfish and other marine organisms."

Fuel often gets spilled during the summer months when thousands of boats and jet skis are out in our lakes and marine waters. In addition, during the rainy months boats can easily flood and sink, causing serious spills.

Steps to take to prevent an oil spill include:

Check oil and fuel leaks, and fix them before putting the boat away for the winter.
Keep the boat rainwater-proof. If the boat is left in the water, cover it so rainwater can't flood into the bilge area and sink the boat, or activate and automatic bilge pump.
Inspect all cockpit drain plugs and make sure the holes are clear.
If the boat's engine uses coolant, drain the existing fluid, recycle it and replace it with non-toxic, propylene glycol-based antifreeze - taking care not to spill any in the water or on the ground in the process.
Carefully replace the engine's old gear oil with fresh oil. Use the oil recycle center to get rid of used oil and old boat batteries.
Fill the fuel tank with non-oxygenated fuel and add the proper amount of fuel stabilizer to the gasoline or diesel fuel. Full fuel tanks prevent condensation from forming on the side of the tanks, thus avoiding corrosion and future leaks.
If your boat is permanently moored, visit your boat regularly in the winter months to check the bilge and the mooring lines.
Chris Wilke, director of the Clean Marina Washington Program, recommends putting a clean oil-absorbent pad in the bilge area. Many boats have an automatic bilge pump that discharges overboard. Accumulating rain water, boat spray and minor leaks cause bilge water to rise - a situation that automatically kicks the pump on.

"Once oil or fuel gets in your bilge area and your pump goes on, it will be pumped out with the water and foul the marina," Wilke said. "And little spills add up."

Some marinas give away absorbent pads for free to help prevent oil from getting into the water, and some have recycling centers for disposal of used oils and pads.

Report all spills immediately by calling 800-OILS-911 and the U.S. Coast Guard (800-424-8802). Act quickly to minimize the danger to the community and the environment.

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Media Contact: Mary-Ellen Voss, Public Information Officer, phone 360-407-7211, pager 360-956-8296

Ecology's Spills Program: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/spills.html