Boat soap is designed to reduce residue and is better for the environment than dish soap, so it's your best bet for cleaning your boat. Mix together 2 parts warm water with 1 part boat soap in a large pail or bucket. Dip a mop into the soapy mixture and then mop along the surfaces of your boat. You should see dirt come up as you mop.  You can find boat soap at most home improvement and boat supply stores. You can use non-skid cleaners to clean the deck of the boat where the plastic is molded in and hard to clean. Once your boat is clean, walk along it, looking for cracks. It can be helpful to run your hand over the surface of your boat as you walk, since you might feeI a crack before you see it.  If you find small, hairline cracks in your boat, you can repair it yourself by using epoxy. Fiberglass epoxy is available at most boat supply stores. Follow the instructions on the epoxy for repairing the cracks. If the crack is deep or larger than a hairline crack, you'll need to take your boat to a professional to have it restored. A gel acid-based stain remover will work best to remove stubborn stains. Wear rubber gloves and eye protection before you apply the remover. Use a rag to swab the cleaner across the stain and then let it sit for 20 minutes. Use a hose to rinse off the remover.  Depending on how bad the stain is, you may need to apply more than 1 coat. If you find that one type of stain is resistant to the remover, look for a specialty remover. You might need one to remove mold, black streaks, or rust. Your boat likely has a lot of items that can't be removed, like metal fittings and railings. Use painters' tape to tape these areas off. It will protect them from getting scratched when you restore the gelcoat.
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One-sentence summary -- Clean your boat's surface with boat soap and warm water. Check for damage or cracks. Use acid-based stain removers to remove mineral and organic stains. Tape off any fittings that could be damaged.


There are certain environments that increase your chance of exposure to leptospirosis. Factors like climate and land use can make conditions more favorable to the bacteria that cause this infection, so knowing where and when to be alert to those conditions can reduce your chance of infection.  The bacteria that cause leptospirosis are found in temperate or tropical zones. Water is one of the most common places of contamination and infection. Urine from infected animals is also a common source. Both domestic and wild animals can be infected. These include, but are not limited to, cattle, pigs, horses, dogs and rats. Certain hobbies and professions carry a higher risk of exposure to infection. Know which environments can lead to exposure.  Athletes who participate in outdoor sports like kayaking and rafting have an increased risk of exposure.  Campers who swim or wade in contaminated water can be infected. Drinking water from contaminated streams or rivers while hiking or camping can be a source of infection. People who work in professions or industries involving animals have higher risks for infection. Veterinarians, dairy farmers, as well as workers in the fishing industry and slaughterhouse facilities all face the possibility of infection. There has also been an increase in infection rates among urban children in recent years. If you have been exposed, you may or may not exhibit symptoms of infection, so talk to your doctor about activities that may have put you at risk for infection. Depending on your history and what symptoms you do have, your doctor will decide which tests to do and if treatment should be started.  Symptoms are typically nonspecific so tests are needed to confirm infection. Signs of infection are similar to symptoms of other illnesses. If there’s reason to suspect you have been exposed and you develop flu-like symptoms, see your doctor. Some people are asymptomatic and may not be affected by the infection. You should see your doctor regardless of how you are feeling if you think you have been exposed. For many people, one treatment will be enough to cure them of the infection. Some people may seem to get better without having sought treatment at all initially.  However, the leptospirosis infection may not actually have been cured.  A more serious form of infection may occur after a seeming recovery, usually about a week after the first range of symptoms have cleared up. For people with a more severe form of infection, symptoms occur in 2 stages. The first stage of the initial illness will be the milder form, with flu-like symptoms. The second stage will typically be more severe and last longer than the first stage. The second stage of leptospirosis infection, called Weil’s disease, is much more severe and can have long term health impacts, or even lead to death.  This second stage can develop after the infection seems to be gone. The second stage can also overlap with the first stage of infection. At this stage, bacterial infection can cause serious damage to the kidneys or liver, even leading to chronic kidney disease or liver failure with jaundice. The bacteria can invade the lungs, posing a serious threat to respiratory health. Severe pulmonary disease, characterized as pulmonary hemorrhage, is a serious complication of leptospirosis.  ARDS or acute respiratory distress syndrome is also a complication of leptospirosis. Signs of lung infection are having a persistent cough, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood due to bleeding in the lungs. Infection can also spread to the heart, causing an enlarged heart, myocarditis, or cardiac arrhythmia. Other complications may include rhabdomyolysis and uveitis.
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One-sentence summary -- Determine your risk of exposure. Be aware of activities that put you at risk. Don’t rely on symptoms alone. Contact your doctor if you relapse. Be alert to signs of second stage infection.


Your reader doesn’t need to read about every event that lead to the problem your character is dealing with. They only want to see a snapshot of your character’s life. Pick an inciting incident that gets the reader into the plot quickly. This will help you ensure your story doesn’t move too slowly. For example, starting with Esther walking to the hospital is a better place to start than when she enrolled in medical school. However, it might be even better to start when she arrives at the hospital. Dialogue breaks up your paragraphs, which helps your reader’s eyes move down the page. Additionally, dialogue lets you present what your characters are thinking in their own words without having to include a lot of internal monologue. Use dialogue throughout your story to convey your character’s thoughts. However, make sure each piece of dialogue is driving the plot. For example, this piece of dialogue shows us that Esther is frustrated: “But I’m the top student in my class,” Esther pleaded. “Why should they get to examine patients but not me?” It’s hard to do mean things to your characters, but your story will be boring if you don’t. Give your characters obstacles or hardships that keep them away from what they want. That way, you’ll have something to resolve in order for them to reach their desires. For example, Esther being denied entry to the hospital as a doctor is a horrible experience for her. Similarly, being grabbed by security would be frightening. Use the senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste to bring your reader into the story. Make your setting more dynamic by showing your reader what sounds they would hear, the smells they would notice, and the sensations they’d feel. This will make your story more engaging. For example, Esther could react to the smell of the hospital or the sound of beeping machines. Try to make your readers feel what your character is feeling. Do this by connecting what your character is going through to something universal. The emotions will draw readers into your story. For instance, Esther has worked really hard for something only to be denied it based on a technicality. Most people have experienced a failure like this before.
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One-sentence summary --
Begin your story as close to the end as you can. Incorporate dialogue that reveals something about your characters. Build tension by having bad things happen to your characters. Stimulate the 5 senses by including sensual details. Use emotion to help the reader relate to your story.