Don’t Be Hasty: Get A Surveyor
Hiring a professional surveyor before you buy could be the most important decision you’ll make. Don’t be hasty, get a surveyor. When it comes to boats, Peter Berman is no novice. The author of Outfitting the Offshore Cruising Sailboat, Berman has 45 years of cruising experience in nearly a dozen vessels of different types. Last fall, […]
Fire! Now What?
An onboard fire is one of the most feared events. What you do about it in the first few seconds will likely determine the outcome. As with any fire that threatens people or property, the time between ignition and detection is critical. Fiberglass burns ferociously, and wood, particularly dry, resin-soaked wood, burns quickly. In engine […]
Smoke Detectors
Reliable smoke detectors have been around for decades, however, early smoke detectors went through a growing pain phase. How To Protect Yourself And Your Vessel Within the last week I’ve read about several serious vessel fires, one in Thailand aboard a 62-foot trawler and another in Coconut Grove, Florida, which started aboard a 65-foot motor […]
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 […]
Don’t Forget To Check It!
11 points worth checking before you hit the road. While this may look like a lot to do — it might just save you a whole lot of trouble. 1. Safety chains or cables need to be crisscrossed between the trailer and the tow vehicle, not simply attached. When this is done, if the trailer disconnects […]
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 […]
What Do You If You Hit a Submerged Object
Striking submerged objects are the second most frequent claim. If you can’t avoid it, know what do if you hit something in the water. In my three decades as an accredited marine surveyor, I’ve seen struck submerged object (SSO) claims that involve floating logs, pilings, dock timbers, tree branches, moorings, dredge pipes, floating nets, crab […]
Navigational Hazards Or Hazard to Navigation?
A marine-accident investigator shows how it’s easier to probe a case with a hazard to navigation than when the skipper is the navigational hazard. A navigational hazard is pretty clearly defined as something you might hit on the water. A “hazard to navigation,” however, could very well be the person at the helm. BoatUS Marine […]
