How To Handle Spilt Gasoline
When it comes to spilt gasoline, there are crucial boat fire safety tips to follow. Discover more on fire safety tips here. Whenever gasoline is spilled in the bilge, anything more than a few dribbles, the response should always be to call the fire department. With the boat shown burning above, the new owners had […]
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 […]
Getting Your Vessel Ready Preseason
You may have prepped your boat for winter last year, but here are 14 tips to ensure this boating season will be trouble-free. You put your boat away for the winter by doing all the right things: changed the oil, winterized the water system and engine, and emptied the boat of all extraneous gear for […]
Sample Marina Hurricane Plans
When a storm is headed toward your marina, having a plan ready to follow—and ensuring your customers know what that is—is essential. As in real estate, the best place for a boat to be docked, moored, or berthed—particularly during a storm or hurricane—comes down to location, location, and location. And the same can be said […]
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 […]
The Future of Boats & Boating
BoatUS Magazine editors predict what recreational vessels — and boating in general — will look like in the year 2044. Boat electronics: Enhanced integration, touchscreen control, digital switching trend Mark Corke, Associate Editor: I think that what we will see in the future is more and more integration. The world of boat electronics is changing […]
Yacht Navigation Light Inspection
I’ve never understood why so many vessels I inspect as a marine surveyor fail in their ability to comply with mandated navigational lighting requirements. I’d estimate the percentage is as high as 30% (or worse), an appalling rate when it comes to safety-related equipment. Imagine if your life jackets or fire extinguishers only worked 70% […]
