Boat Storage Policy

 Purpose: To promote organization, safety, and security of scientific research vessels stored at the Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture (CABA) facility at UC Davis.
    CABA provides watercraft storage space to UCD-affiliated faculty and staff with authorization from the CABA facilities manager. Boats and ancillary equipment may be stored at the main CABA facility as space allows. Only watercraft used for the purposes of UCD research and business will be allowed to be stored at CABA.  Privately owned vessels may not be stored at the CABA facility unless they are part of an active UCD research project. This will only be allowed on a case by case basis. The final decision as to whether or not a boat can continue to use CABA facilities will be made by the Director of CABA, in consultation with the Facility Manager.
It is the Principal Investigator’s or Lab Manager’s responsibility to ensure that personnel assigned or attached to a specific vessel(s) protect, maintain, and inspect the status of the vessel, and notify CABA of changes to the storage status of the vessel stored at the CABA facility.
    While CABA will make every effort to provide and maintain suitable storage space for UC Davis vessels, the quality of provisions depends highly upon the user groups and their ability to keep our facilities clean and orderly while respecting the needs of others and the demands of the CABA facilities.
Protection: PIs or Lab Managers are responsible for providing their own protective coverings, locking compartments and securing equipment on the boat to prevent weather exposure, theft, damage, wildlife infestation, and general degradation of motors and mechanical parts.
Maintenance: PIs or Lab Managers must provide their own maintenance and upkeep of the vessel and assigned trailer. The boat and surrounding space should be kept clean of trash, debris and hazards, the trailer should be maintained and be ready to allow transport at all times should CABA staff be required to move the vessel and/or trailer about the storage area.
Inspection: The PI or Lab Manager shall periodically inspect the condition of the stored vessel and trailer to ensure that the storage conditions have not been subject to unanticipated changes due to weather exposure, personnel traffic, and to ensure staff practices comply with general upkeep standards and this policy.
Notification: All boats must be “pre-approved” by the CABA facilities manager prior to arrival and must be stored in accordance with the CABA Boat Storage Policy. The PI or Lab Manager responsible for the boat will be required to provide specific information ( Vessel Information form) for each vessel stored at the CABA facility, ensure the information is kept current, and inform all staff and boat crews of the storage policy requirements.
    The PI or Lab Manager must provide the CABA facility manager(s) with timely notification if a vessel’s storage status changes or requires special provisions. Examples of a significant change in status are when a boat is moved and stored somewhere else on or off campus, such as moving to Bodega Marine Laboratory for research or vice versa, and when the boat is returning from other storage areas to CABA for storage. The user group is responsible for any damage to the CABA facility or another vehicle or vessel caused by their boat or action, as well as any theft of their boat or equipment while in storage at CABA.
Questions, suggestions, and concerns should be brought to the attention of the CABA facility managers:
Paul Lutes - Facility Manager            (530) 752-8160    pblutes@ucdavis.edu
Erik Hallen - Assistant Facility Manager    (530) 752-7600    efhallen@ucdavis.edu

CABA Boat Storage Policy Guidelines
Access and Security: The CABA facility is open during regularly scheduled business hours. After hours access must be arranged through the facilities managers or lab managers, provided that access has been previously authorized for an assigned user group.
Fuels and Oils: All petroleum products, gasoline, lubrication oils, etc., shall be stored in an approved container and kept onboard the boat. Petroleum products are not permitted to be stored on the ground; if they are removed from the boat they should be stored in an approved flammable storage locker, not provided by CABA.
Chemicals and Hazardous Materials: Laboratory chemicals and hazardous materials must be removed from the boat prior to storage of the boat, and transported to a proper materials storage facility. Boat flares may remain on the vessel and should be kept in a weatherproof box away from flame sources and ignition points.
Research Equipment: Each laboratory should allocate the means to store and protect scientific equipment. Research materials and ancillary boat equipment should be consolidated to a box or storage apparatus and not spread about the storage yard.
Wash-down, Engine Flushing, Fueling, and Oil Changes: Any of these activities must take place on the asphalt parking area on the west side of the ABES building. These activities are prohibited in the gravel boat storage area to prevent fuel and oil contamination of the soil near the CABA well. It is the responsibility of the vessel operator to ensure all pollutants are removed and controlled prior to these activities. CABA will supply a spill station containing absorbent compound for spills. Proper disposal of the contaminated absorbent will be the responsibility of the responsible PI or Lab Manager. After use of the station, all residual matter from the vessel must be collected and properly disposed at the approved waste facility. If the boat or trailer has the potential for obvious pollutants to be left behind during maintenance, the vessel custodian is directed to perform these functions at Fleet Services, where the wash-down station has a grease and oil trap/sump. It is strongly encouraged that each vessel operator washes the boat and flushes the engine following each use and prior to storage.
Automobiles and Vehicles: Personal automobiles may be left at CABA temporarily when teams are performing field research. University vehicles may be left at CABA attached to a vessel trailer for short durations, so long as the location and configuration do not prohibit access for other facility users and vessels in storage.
Winterization and Long Term Storage:  Storage status of all watercraft will be reviewed annually.  Specific storage practices are recommended for long storage durations and during seasons of harsh weather. These procedures and specific maintenance techniques are available through the UC Davis Office of Boating Safety, boating@ucdavis.edu
Prevention of the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species: CABA strongly recommends that UCD water vessel operators familiarize themselves with practices to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species such as dreissenid mussels (Quagga mussels and zebra mussels). Operators should know the contamination status of the waterbodies in which they work, make sure that vessels are “clean, drained, and dry” before entering a new waterbody, and allow for sufficient drying time between waterbodies to kill any attached organisms. For more information see the following documents.
Miscellaneous Information: Any situation or condition not outlined in these policy guidelines must be presented to the CABA facilities manager for consideration and determination. CABA does not offer boating safety training, but boating safety classes are available through the UC Davis Office of Boating Safety, boating@ucdavis.edu.