What A Marine Surveyor Wants You To Know
If you’ve never had a marine survey before, here are some things to help make the experience better and smoother. Over the years, BoatUS has written plenty on the importance of getting a marine survey on a boat you’re considering buying, and for good reason. For many people, a boat may be the second biggest […]
Diesel Fuel Additive
Determining if a diesel fuel additive is needed, and selecting the right one, while avoiding the hype, can be a daunting task. The “Soft Science” Of Fuel Additives Hardly a month goes by where I’m not solicited by a fuel additive manufacturer, requesting that I try and write about their new or improved product. On […]
Cleaning Marine Fuel Injectors
Fuel injectors are a vital element in the lifecycle of your engine. Periodic maintenance is just what the doctor ordered. Having engine problems? Yours won’t start with a quick key flick, idles roughly, and surges through midrange and full throttle? It’s likely the fuel injectors are dirty. Dirty injectors make the fuel spray pattern intermittent […]
Seacock Maintenance
Seacock valves are essential components that keep water on the outside of your boat. Ignore them and you could be sunk — literally. Next time you’re hauled or on your trailer, count the holes in your hull and make notes as to their location and function. Now see if you can find each one and […]
How To Replace A Bilge Pump
Often forgotten, the bilge pump is a vital piece of equipment on your boat. If yours is on the fritz, here’s how to change it out. https://youtu.be/9c3J3iTpJNw Unloved and neglected, the bilge pump sits forgotten until the day it’s called upon to pump water out of the boat. Except that sometimes they don’t work as […]
Bilge Pump Systems: Design & Installation
Ensure your vessel’s safety through bilge pump systems. Electrical, plumbing, and capacity considerations for effective installation. There are few things I enjoy more than cruising, particularly in remote locations. Not only does this fulfill a personal need, it enables me to remain fresh and sharp, to see, feel and think what my clients and readers […]
Maintaining Engine Temperatures
Guard your marine diesel engine against heat-related havoc. Cooling systems, heat exchangers, and maintenance prevents failures on your boat. Diesel engines generate high internal temperatures and this heat wreaks havoc with the various systems. In addition to keeping the engine from overheating, the cooling system on a modern diesel must also maintain the temperature of […]
Inboard Transmission Maintenance
When planning to change boat fluids, don’t forget the transmission. It’s messy, but someone’s got to do it, and no reason it can’t be you. Yes, it’s a messy job, but someone’s got to do it, and there’s no reason it can’t be you. In fact, you could argue that it’s better if you do […]
Choosing A Marine Battery
There’s more to choosing the right battery for your boat than you may think. Making a smart decision now could save you big in the long run. So, the batteries on your boat have come to end of their life, and you need to buy new ones. But what should you choose? You would think […]
Bleeding A Marine Diesel Engine
To rely on a diesel inboard, and to help you get to know your engine better, put this skill in your mental toolbox. Despite all my years of boating, I’m still surprised at the air of anxiety-inducing mystique that surrounds diesel engines. A comment I often hear is that diesels are complicated to work on […]
