By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted July 2008
Who knew? I mean, at the start of the project, I was under the impression that installing an autopilot would be a piece de gateau. You know, something akin to, say, toggling a new...
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By Mike Smith | Posted June 2008
This cutaway of a conventional wet battery shows individual cells.Most boats alternate between the genset and the yellow cord, so it's easy to overlook the batteries—but...
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By Mike Smith | Posted May 2008
The weather is getting warmer, and the sweet smell of sewage is wafting through your cabin. Why? Maybe you took a winterizing shortcut last fall and failed to clean the holding...
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By Mike Smith | Posted April 2008
You don't know what quiet means until your diesel goes "clunk" and dies—silence may be golden, but it rarely bodes well. "Clunk" is what a snapping crankshaft sounds like,...
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By Ben Ellison | Posted April 2008
The screen looks complicated, but updating a Raymarine E-Series is easy.When you go through your boat this spring, show your marine electronics some love, too.Let me acknowledge...
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By Mike Smith | Posted April 2008
Afire on land is bad enough; at sea it can be disastrous. Since most fires start in the engine room, if you don't have an automatic fire-extinguishing system, it's time to install...
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What finishing technique is best? These suggestions may surprise you.Ask any ten boaters how they protect the wood on their boats, and you'll get ten different answers, sometimes...
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By Catherine Pearson | Posted March 2008
Pessimists have been known to argue that engines are nothing more than constantly degrading machines. It's a somewhat depressing characterization to be sure, but it's also a...
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By Capt. Richard Thiel | Posted March 2008
You PMY readers are never satisfied. From the time you take delivery of your latest boat, you're thinking about just two things: the next one you're going to buy or ways to...
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By Capt. Grant Rafter | Posted March 2008
There are four chief types of boat adhesive sealants: polyurethane, polyether, polysulfide, and silicone. Knowing which sealant is best for each project and its proper application...
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By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted March 2008
A bad case of blisters can penetrate the skincoat and go deeper into the laminate.Except for one dispiriting little detail, the boat was exactly what I'd been looking for. She was...
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By Mike Smith | Posted March 2008
While most sportfishermen now come with ice makers, retrofitting an older boat with one is a no-fret, no-sweat way to keep your catch fresh.Most fishermen lug blocks or bags of...
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By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted December 2007
The way the average marine transmission accomplishes the mission is "Way more complicated."Okay, my education concerning things mechanical has not been formal. Indeed, you might...
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By Catherine Pearson | Posted December 2007
Here's the situation: You're in the market for an engine rated at 1,000 hp. But before committing you wonder, is that rating accurate? The answer is, sort of. The numbers on an...
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By Mike Smith | Posted December 2007
As seen here at Hale Propeller, measurements get fed into a computer for precise analysis.When did you last spend quality time with your propeller? I'll bet it was a long time ago...
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You've heard the mantra before, but it bears repeating. A diesel engine basically needs just two things: clean fuel and air. If it's missing either, it's dead. That's why...
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By Mike Smith | Posted November 2007
An ozone generator can be connected to any existing water tank that has an access plate.Any shellback will tell you that ships don't run on diesel, they run on coffee. If the...
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By Mike Smith | Posted October 2007
Even under ideal storage conditions, E10 gasoline has a "shelf life" of just 30 to 45 days. After that the ethanol and gasoline start to go their separate ways. During the season...
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By Mike Smith | Posted September 2007
Fifty years ago no gentleman left the house without a hat, and no yacht spent the winter outdoors without a fitted canvas cover. Supported by a sturdy frame, the cover not only...
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By Adam LaRosa | Posted September 2007
Late last winter, my crew and I were faced with a dilemma: sell our faithful 1987 48-foot Viking charter vessel, and be forced to purchase the best boat we could find, or refit...
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By George L. Petrie | Posted August 2007
Craftsmen apply core-bonding putty to the inner surface of the laminate.It's probably just human nature. Whether the controversy is Ford versus Chevy, Yankees versus Red Sox, or...
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By Mike Smith | Posted August 2007
Procedures such as the Farrow System are eco-friendly.Eventually the day will come when you have to bare your bottom. No, I don't mean your college reunion or Mardi Gras—I'm...
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By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted August 2007
Starbrite Star Tron Enzyme Fuel TreatmentMy trawler spends plenty of time sitting in a slip with her fuel tanks semifull and her powerplant twiddlin' its thumbs. To deal with the...
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By Elizabeth Ginns... | Posted July 2007
Craig Wallace DaleI probably don't have to tell you about the benefits of having strong, solid, reliable fenders; when correctly positioned, they provide a cushion between your...
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By Mike Smith | Posted July 2007
SeaKits' MMS keeps track of parts to save you the trouble.Think about how many individual parts make up your yacht: The engines are full of them, as are the genset, stabilizers,...
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By Mike Smith | Posted June 2007
Few things aboard your boat are as simple—or as important—as rope. Docklines and anchor rodes will give you years of service if you take care of them properly, but...
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Capt. Bill Pike
Kevin Koenig
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