Analyzing Onboard Fire Claims

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. Fire ranked No. 5 among the causes of loss for GEICO | BoatUS Marine Insurance between 2015 and 2019. The majority of these fires started in a few very specific places […]

Installing A Through-Hull Fitting

Learn the crucial steps for installing or replacing a through-hull fitting on a boat’s hull. Expert advice for a safe, proper installation. My best advice for anyone contemplating adding a through-hull fitting is don’t. Through-hulls sink boats. If you can accomplish the same thing by installing a tee-connector in an existing inlet or discharge line, […]

Boat Fuel Systems

At the spring boat shows, as you’re looking at new boat models, ask about the fuel systems. Important improvements are being incorporated on the inside, that are not visible on the outside. Fuel systems in boats, even boats of fairly recent vintage, have more in common with those in 1930s-era automobiles. The great news is […]

Boat Plumbing

Boat plumbing is a lot easier for the DIYer than plumbing at home, mainly because it doesn’t involve rigid pipes running inside solid walls. Tanks Because water is heavy, tanks should be mounted low in the boat. Where space is available, it is a relatively simple matter to add extra tanks. Rigid polyethylene tanks are […]

Fiberglass Blister Repair

A fiberglass blister can occur because water passes through the gelcoat. Learn more on how to prevent and repair this issue. Water soluble chemicals inside the laminate exert an osmotic pull on water outside, and some water molecules find a way through the gelcoat. As more water is attracted into the enclosed space, internal pressure […]

Bilge Blowers

Protect your boat and life by ensuring proper ventilation with bilge blowers. Learn about regulations, types, and sizes for optimal safety on the water. Bilge blowers are important not only because the USCG may require it, but also because your life may depend on it. The Coast Guard stipulates the use of a mechanical ventilation […]

Spring Maintenance Tasks To Complete

Spring maintenance is the time to ready your boat for the season and do some chores you may not have gotten around to during winterization. Last winter was likely a flurry of activity as you put your boat to bed, spending hours checking off every conceivable chore to make sure it was ready come spring. […]

E-10 In Winter

Recommendations on Storing Ethanol-Enhanced Gasoline. For better or for worse, a shotgun wedding took place this past spring between boat owners and ethanol-enhanced gasoline. Everyone wore black. Now, almost four months into the honeymoon, it seems that at least some of the warnings of matrimonial acrimony may have been premature. The key word is some. […]

The Power Of Checklists

Our memories may be fallible — checklists are not. Learn how to use the power of checklists to your advantage. We’ve all been there. We leave the boat, then halfway home wonder if we remembered to close the seacocks or connect shore power or some other potentially worrisome chore. We either turn around and go […]

Boater Alerts & Warnings

Avoid exhaust leaks, improper fittings, and electrical hazards. Learn key tips to prevent potential disasters. Completely Exhausted On many boats, the muffler is connected to the exhaust outlet with a reinforced rubber hose. Exhaust hoses are pretty long-lived, but that doesn’t mean they can be ignored. A simple visual inspection confirms that this hose is […]