Clean Boating Tips
Contain Trash
• Do not let trash blow overboard; trash must be retrieved.
• Purchase and pack food in reusable and recyclable containers.
• Buy products without plastic or excessive packaging – plastic used in products is harmful to fish and birds.
• Do not throw cigarette butts overboard – they are made of plastic and are also harmful to fish and birds.
Recycle
• Recycle cans, glass, plastic, newspapers, antifreeze, oil and lead batteries.
• Visit www.cleanup.org or call 1-800-CLEANUP.
• Bring used monofilament fishing line to recycling bins at your marina or tackle shop.
Prevent Accidental Spills
• The most common causes of accidental spills are:
1. Discharge of oily bilge water
2. Fueling and fuel transfers
3. Hydraulic system failures
4. Preventable vessel sinking
5. Improper vessel maintenance.
• Visit www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal for spill prevention programs.
• Immediately report all coastal spills to: 1-800-832-8224.
Fuel Cautiously
• Remember, fuel expands as it warms up.
• Fill your tank just before leaving on a trip.
• If you do fill your tank upon your return to port, fill it only 90%.
• Use oil absorbent material to catch drips from fuel intake and the vent overflow.
• Fill portable fuel tank ashore.
• Add a fuel stabilizer to your tank if you use your engine infrequently.
Control Oil in the Bilge
• Keep your engines well tuned: no leaking seals, gaskets or hoses.
• Place an oil absorbent pad under the engine.
• Replace oil absorbent materials at least once a year.
• Check fuel lines for damage – replace with alcohol resistant hoses.
• Secure fuel hoses to prevent chafing and leaks.
• Never discharge oily bilge water.
• Keep bilges clean and dry whenever possible. Pump oily bilge water into a dockside holding tank or have it removed by a specialized company.
• For locations of oily bilge water reclamation facilities along the Texas coast, visit www.glo.st.tx.us/coastal.
Properly Dispose of Oil Absorbent Materials
• If the pad is saturated with gas, allow it to air dry. Reuse.
• If the pad is saturated with diesel or oil, double bag it in plastic – one bag sealed inside another. Dispose in your regular trash.
• Bioremediation bilge booms should not be put in plastic bags; discard in the regular trash.
Clean Gently
• Wash your boat frequently with a sponge and plain water.
• Use detergents sparingly.
• Use phosphate-free, biodegradable and non-toxic cleaners.
• Wax your boat – a good coat of wax prevents surface dirt from becoming ingrained.
• Clean wood with a mild soap powder and a nylon brush.
• Conserve water – put a spray nozzle on your hose.
Maintain Your Vessel Wisely
• Collect all paint chips, dust and residue. Dispose in regular trash.
• Share leftover paint and varnish.
• Bring used solvents and waste gas to local hazardous waste collection days. For more information visit www.cleanup.org.
• Use less toxic propylene glycol antifreeze.
• Keep your engine clean so you can spot leaks.
• Slip a plastic bag over used oil filters.
• Consider alternatives to toxic bottom paints.
Sewage
• Never discharge raw sewage in U.S. territorial waters.
• Use restrooms on shore.
• Underway, use approved Marine Sanitation Devices (MSDs).
• Discharge Type I or II MSDs over deep water -- avoid swimming areas, marinas, anchorages and oyster reefs.
• Establish a regular maintenance schedule for your MSD based on manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Pump out and rinse holding tanks regularly.
• Use enzyme-based products to control odor and reduce solids in holding tanks.
• Avoid holding tank products that contain quarternary ammonium compounds (QAC) and formaldehyde.
Dispose of Fish Waste Properly
• Do not throw fish waste into marina waters.
• Discard waste over deep water or in the trash.
• Save fish waste and use as chum or bait.
Protect Sensitive Habitat
• Proceed slowly in shallow areas.
• Do not disturb wildlife.
• Avoid contact with submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV).
• Watch your wake -- it can lead to shoreline erosion.
Be A Responsible Boater
• Learn about environmentally safe products and practices.
• Share the information with other boaters.
• Obey laws governing speeding, littering and discharges.
• Encourage boating facilities to provide trashcans, recycling bins and pumpout stations.
• Support marinas that are environmentally responsible.
For information about the Clean Texas Marina Program or clean boating,
call 979-845-3857 or visit www.cleanmarinas.org
Publications made possible in part due to grant No. V-5-D-(2) from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to the Texas Sea Grant College Program as well as Institutional Grant NA060AR4170076 to Texas A&M University from the National Sea Grant Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
TAMU-SG-02-502 • 30M • June 2006