How To Tighten Your Boat Alternator Belt
Here’s what to do and how to troubleshoot if you hear a squeal coming from your boat’s alternator belt. You hear what sounds like a squealing noise coming from your engine. Maybe it’s been developing slowly. Maybe suddenly. Maybe it’s intermittent. Regardless, it may be a warning that your alternator belt is too loose. This […]
What Oil Says About Your Boat’s Health
Getting your engine, transmission, or lower unit oil tested can yield valuable information … if you know what to look for. Think of the oil in your engine like the blood in your body: You cannot survive without blood, and neither can your boat’s engine without oil. When you get a checkup, your doctor often […]
Changing A Boat Propeller
Whatever the reason for changing a propeller, it’s an easy project that almost anyone can handle. How To Change A Boat Propeller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2mHr-1chw8 There may be lots of different reasons why you might want to change out the propeller on your outboard or sterndrive. It might be damaged, it may possibly be the wrong size […]
Inspecting Marine Gasoline Engines
Some simple tricks to help you evaluate your engines condition and head off trouble before it gets started. Reading through the claim files, you get the uneasy sense that most skippers didn’t have a clue their engines were developing a serious problem until the minute that they sputtered and died. Unlike an automobile’s engine, which […]
Boat & Trailer Maintenance Checklist
Take care of the boat, trailer, and engine and the chances of a problem occurring on the water or the road will be minimized. Here’s what you need to know. So you’re a new boat owner. Your pristine center-console sits proudly in your driveway, the outboard shining brightly in the sun, and even the trailer […]
Battery Installation
Insights on preparedness amidst global challenges. Ensure safe battery installations on boats with expert advice and compliance considerations. From The Masthead Over the past few days, I’ve had feelings that alternate between… those I had after 9/11; those I had in 2008 and the early days of the Great Recession; and an impending hurricane or […]
How To Change Diesel Fuel Filters
Many diesel engine breakdowns are due to dirty fuel. Regular filter changes can help prevent stalls and other problems that could ruin your day. Many boat owners think nothing of major DIY projects but shy away from even the most basic of diesel engine maintenance jobs, thinking they’re too complicated. In many ways, however, a […]
How To Clean Your Outboard
Onboard fires happen more than you’d think. Here’s what digging into the GEICO | BoatUS Marine Insurance claim files teaches us about preventing them. In our outboard service business, we see a lot of different engines, some maintained well, many not. It’s usually pretty easy to see how difficult an engine will be to service […]
Mindful Maintenance
When troubleshooting problems with liquefied petroleum gas, safety always has to come first. The owner of a 36-foot lobster yacht called with a problem: He couldn’t use his propane galley stove. His propane sensor had been tripping the alarm repeatedly, and he had removed the fuse. With the fuse in, the system would not work […]
