How-to

BoatUS sent this in an email news alert as a reminder of why you should wear your lifejackets. WATCH THE VIDEO From the email: The good news is all survived. The man referenced in the video who needed CPR to be revived is now sitting up in bed and in stable condition at the hospital. As we approach the [...] …Read More

Parker Hannifin has a remarkable new fuel polishing system that has been designed specifically to run nonstop, using extremely small amounts of electricity and with a design that makes it seem nearly immortal when compared to conventional pumps. The new FPM-050 Fuel Polishing Module (click on the photo above for a larger view) consists of a [...] …Read More

I really like the idea of using the newer plastic sea strainers you see being used increasingly on new boats. They offer one less thing to get green with corrosion and nearly impossible to open up to clean out once they get that way. But I have observed something about them that needs to be shared with all of you that may have one of these installed on your boat. The strainer I'm talking about is shown in the photo below to the left of the engine as you look at it. The caps on these units simply thread onto the reservoir. But, that's the catch. Having taken a few of these apart to clean out the strainer of debris I've observed that it is extremely easy to cross thread the cap when reinstalling it. Be Careful! I was amazed at how easily this can happen. If you get it cross threaded and then force screw the cap down either it won't seal or you may actually crack the cap. Either way you'll have a problem. Don't expect to be able to find a new cap at the next boatyard you pull into because you won't. When servicing these strainers make certain that the strainer basket is in its proper resting place within the plastic housing and carefully rethread the cap back. It should screw on easily with no force needed. If you encounter any resistance in threading the cap on, STOP! Back the cap off and start over making sure the threads on the cap and housing are properly engaged. A close up look at one of these units made by Vetus is shown here: With a little caution these strainers should last several lifetimes, just watch those threads! …Read More

Yesterday we hit on a couple of tips that could save your boat, so it seemed reasonable to talk about how to save a person on that boat, today. As captain of your craft it’s your responsibility to know what to do in an emergency, so it goes unsaid that every boat owner should be [...] …Read More

Have you ever: stood in the cockpit with water swirling around your ankles, bailing as though the word depended on it – because it did; reached for the pin in a fire extingusher, trying to control your wildly shaking fingers as adrenaline rushed through your veins; or stared at a dead motor, wondering how the [...] …Read More

Cole Hersee has just introduced a new battery master switch #75920 that is quite unique, and has a place on a lot of boats, especially small open boats. In my view all boats with a battery should have a master shut off switch. ABYC Standard E-10 does exempt boats with a single battery rated at 800 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) or less, but personally I prefer to have a master switch installed. What makes the Cole Hersee switch unique is that it has clearly been designed for extreme weather exposure. Its housing is made of a polymer and tested to an SAE 1455 standard for exposure to road salt, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. Its waterproof rating is IP 67, which is ideal for small open boats where the switch is most likely going to be mounted in a highly exposed location. The switch is rated for 300 amps at 12 VDC, more than ample for the average small open boat, even one of mine which has more electrical gear on it than the average 50 footer. Another unique feature is the slotted handle and matching housing slot. These are specifically designed for situations where tag-out lock out may be required in an industrial application, but for the small boat owner this feature provides additional security against theft. My skiff for example, spends the summer on a mooring and I'm certainly not around to watch the boat every day. Locking the power off adds just one more step a thief would have to go through to steal my boat. Waterproof, salt proof and I can lock the power off all add up to making this switch a winner in my view. This one is going on my boat before I launch this summer.     …Read More

Marina Life members are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the cruise planning and concierge service by voting for their favorite member marina. The company will feature the winning marinas voted “Best Transient Marina” and marina with the “Best Customer Service” in the summer issue of Marinalife Magazine. For those readers not familiar with Marinalife, it is [...] …Read More

One of the easiest but totally forgotten maintenance items that should be on your checklist this spring is to service the vented loops on your boat. In case you have no idea what a vented loop is, several pictures might help. Vented loops are used in on board plumbing systems where a thru-hull fitting brings water on board below the boat's water line. Typical uses are for head systems and engine raw water intakes. The idea behind the vented loop is to allow the water to enter the system it serves when needed, but prevent siphoning of water when the system is not in use. Without breaking the siphon, which the valve hidden under the cap at the top in the photo above is supposed to do, you run the risk of water siphoning in and well, maybe sinking your boat! These things are simple in design, but totally neglected when it comes to routine service. The details of the inside of the valve mechanism is shown below:   Not much going on under that cap, just a small rubber one way valve. But here's what happens to them. Over time they become contaminated with calcium deposits and or other small bits of debris in the water that flows through the loop on a daily basic. Eventually they can become permanently closed so that when its time to vent to prevent siphoning, they won't work. The fix is easy here and I recommend it as an annual maintenance item. Begin by threading the cap off to access the valve. You will probably need a set of water pump pliers or small pipe wrench to get the cap loose. Clean the valve, cap and the seat area the valve sits in with some warm water and vinegar. The vinegar will dissolve any calcium deposits. Once clean, re-install the duckbill valve and thread the cap back on. Note that some boats today are using more sophisticated valve mechanisms, and they may have an additional hose attached to the vent to divert any water that spits out to your boat's bilge, rather than squirting water all over system components near the valve. The photo below shows such an arrangement. The valve shown is a bit more complex than the units shown earlier, it's actually easier to close the sea cock supplying the water and removing the valve mechanism from its mount for disassembly and cleaning. Again, vinegar works great for dissolving any calcuim build-up. So, again, I'm hung on the small details that will help ensure a trouble-free boating experience. These vented loops / anti-siphon valves are installed for a good reason, to make sure sea water doesn't back up into your boat when you least expect it. Make sure they are able to do their job, an annual bath is all they are asking for.     …Read More

Take a look at the chart above. It’s from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). As you can see, sustained exposure to 85 dB-A and above ain’t good for you. Now browse through your nearest boating magazine and read through the boat tests–the good ones record dB-A throughout the rpm range. Where [...] …Read More

Kadey-Krogen yesterday released more details of its newest trawler, the Krogen 52′, which we first reported on here. It’s decidedly a classic Krogen trawler, with its raised pilothouse and 3,000 nm range at about 7 knots. It shares many of the features of its bigger sister, the Krogen 58′.  The main-deck galley is “Iron Chef”-equipped (my [...] …Read More