| General Clean Boating Tips |
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| Boat Cleaning and Maintenance |
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- Do hull work inside or under cover where rain can't wash dirt, dust, oil or solvents into the water.
- Clean boat bottoms ashore over hard surfaces or a tarp, where all debris can be contained.
- Try to use cleaners labeled "phosphate free" or "nontoxic", and use as little as possible. Remember-cleaners can travel from the driveway to the storm drain and then to the river.
- Use cleaning alternatives found in your cupboards at home. For example, baking soda and a scrub brush can be used to clean heads, and one cup white vinegar in two gallons of warm water will make a good floor cleaner.
- Change oil with a spill proof oil pump or vacuum tank. Wipe up drips with an absorption pad.
- Recycle used oil, oil filters, antifreeze and batteries and dispose of cleaning products properly. Many classify as household hazardous wastes. Call your local government or garbage hauler for collection information.
- Inspect fuel lines for leaks or cracks.
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| Anglers |
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- There are many things anglers can do to "give back" to the waters of this state. The clean boating practices below are just a few. For more information on how to get involved in stream and fish restoration efforts, check here...
- Use fish cleaning stations.
- Recycle fish parts by composting with peat moss or burying in the garden as fertilizer. Or freeze and re-use fish parts as bait on your next trip.
- Avoid releasing bait either dead or alive into the water; it can introduce foreign species to freshwater lakes.
- Most anglers, even if they use a boat, don't consider themselves "boaters." If you do use a boat, you are a boater. Please pay attention to the other tips in this article.
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| Boaters and Litter |
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- Bring a container aboard to collect your garbage and keep it from blowing overboard.
- Teach everyone on board that tossing anything into the water is just not done. Nothing overboard. (Smokers, use an ashtray and bring butts ashore.)
- Pick up trash in the water or along the shore if you can reach it safely.
- Fueling
- Outboards: Fill up carefully to avoid spillage. Close tank fuel vent when boat is not in use to save fuel from vapor loss. Built-in fuel tanks: Install fuel/air separator in air vent line from tank to prevent vent spills. Use a drip pan under your engine.
- Avoid overfilling tanks; remember, fuel expands as it warms.
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| Bilge care |
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- It is unlawful to pump any bilge water that appears oily or has a sheen.
- Having oil absorbent pads in the bilge can prevent oil from entering the environment.
- Avoid using detergents or emulsifiers to clean the bilge. Detergents can pollute the water. Emulsifiers will disperse the oil, making the water appear clean, but it still may contain harmful pollutants.
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| Oil spills |
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- Identify and stop the source, and contain the spill with absorbent pads.
- Notify the Coast Guard at 1-800-424-8802 AND the Oregon Emergency Response System at 1-800-OILS-911.
- DON'T squirt spill with a detergent or an emulsifier; this is bad for the environment as well as being illegal.
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| Oregon Adopt-A-River |
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- For those who'd like to participate in organized clean ups, the Oregon Adopt-A-River program offers opportunities for volunteers. Individuals, clubs, businesses, schools and organizations can "adopt" a stretch of river, stream or lake. Call 1-800-322-3326 for information.
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| Foam Encapsulation |
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- White-bead foam used for dock and building flotation must be encapsulated (covered). Encapsulated foam lasts longer and helps keep fragments from polluting waterways. The Marine Board administers the state program, which requires all new and repaired structures supported by foam to be encapsulated. You need to apply for certification with the Marine Board (there's no charge) before you go ahead with your project. The application form is available in html format or PDF format download here (in PDF). For information, contact the agency's environmental coordinator, Glenn Dolphin, at (503) 378-2625.
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| Facility Managers |
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- Adopt best management practices, train your staff, then educate customers and ask their help in making the marina and its water better.
- Provide recycling facilities and well-marked trash receptacles.
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