Maintenance

Swap or Not?

By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted July 2009

I explained to Joe Galati of Galati Yacht Sales that PMY was looking for a cruiser with incandescent or halogen lighting that we could swap for LEDs from Imtra Marine. We had four...

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The Creepin' Crud

By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted June 2009

Like lots of folks, I’ve got two diesel powerplants onboard, one for propulsion and the other for auxiliary power. And just a few months ago, the latter began showing signs of the...

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Wax On, Wax Off

By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted May 2009

Remember “Wax on, wax off?” It was Mr. Miyagi’s discipline-building anthem in Karate Kid. For years, I figured it was merely a figment of some movie maker’s imagination—it couldn’...

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How to Break in a New Inboard Diesel

By | Posted April 2009

I’ve just purchased a new diesel inboard. What’s the best way to break it in without damaging it? -- Walt ReidMost manufacturers list procedures for break-ins in their...

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The Bottom Line

By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted April 2009

Although I’m loathe to acknowledge my naivet concerning such matters (especially since I’m 61 years old and have owned boats all my life), my approach to in-water bottom cleaning...

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Walking the Plank of the Charles W. Morgan

By MiMi Yeh | Posted April 2009

Keeping a 19th-century whaling ship afloat requires a combination of old-world craftsmanship and new-age planning, especially when that ship is the Charles W. Morgan, the world...

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Maintenance Headache

By Jeffrey O'Neil | Posted March 2009

Maintenance issues are constantly stalking boaters. The simple fact is that on a boat stuff breaks and things leak. Boats are complex mechanisms with dozens of systems and...

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Confirming continuity

By | Posted March 2009

An inexpensive multimeter like this is one of the few tools you'll need to verify the integrity of your boat's bonding system. It’s a fair bet that every PMY...

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Boat scratch fever

By Capt. Patrick S... | Posted March 2009

I remember the scene vividly. The just-painted battlewagon was being brought into her summer slip. As the captain expertly backed the vessel, a burst of wind suddenly threw her...

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Getting your engine ready for launch in the spring

By | Posted February 2009

Question: I’ve always wondered if there was anything special I should do when getting my boat ready for launch in the spring. My mechanic says no, just start her up,...

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Alloy At Risk

By Jeffrey O'Neil | Posted February 2009

When it comes to metals in marine applications, most boaters think of stainless steel. But aluminum is also a good choice. It’s lightweight, relatively inexpensive and strong,...

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Separation Anxiety

By | Posted January 2009

Ever find yourself wondering if the fuel you're taking on is of good quality, or whether it might be contaminated by dirt, water, rust, or worse? Well, you should, especially if...

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Encounters With Ethanol

By Capt. Patrick S... | Posted December 2008

In 2003 several states switched their on-the-water gasoline from the traditional methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) blend to one containing ten-percent ethanol, called E10....

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