A Little Tape’ll Do Ya!
Got a few drink-holder-sized holes in your steering console that need patching? Or a spot where an antiquated plotter used to be that needs filling in?
Tip of the Month
How To Dock Shorthanded
A few generalized tips on docking safely, whether you’re short-handed or single-handed.
How To Run an Inlet
Power is the biggie when running an inlet—precisely controlled power. The trick is to precisely fit speed and steering to the constantly changing conditions once inside the pass—going not too fast nor too slow.
How To Bleed A Diesel Engine
If you allow air to enter the supply line of an engine it will promptly airlock the engine and summarily shut it down. Here are the steps to get things going again.
How NOT To Leave The Dock
Before departing any dock any time there are a few things you ought to get into the habit of doing...
How To Anchor Like You Mean It
No matter how well designed an anchoring system is, if the basics are ignored, it won’t do you any good. Here are a few tips to help make your anchor stick.
Getting a Serial or Model Number
When you need a serial or model number from the back of a fixed-mount electronic unit and you can’t see behind it, use your mobile phone to take a picture.
Laundry Soap Battery Tote
How to make a battery carrier for your boat out of a laundry soap bucket.
Filling Batteries With Liquor Bottles
Refilling my batteries tends to be a tough job because they are hard to get at
Keeping your boat smelling fresh through the winter
Garmin’s Tip of the Month, Feb 2012: Add about one pound of baking soda to each and place them around the inside of your boat for the winter...
Installing an impeller in a hard-to-reach place
A tip on installing an impeller in hard-to-reach places.
Tip for boaters: Smart use of your smart phone
Carry frequently used maintenance part numbers, to-do lists, and shopping lists with you on your smartphone. Use any number of available free apps (try TurboList for the Droid and Easy Note for the iPhone) that will allow you to keep everything in either simple or categorized form. Or go a step further and use your smartphone calendar
Garmin’s Tip of the Month, Nov 2011
When you’re winterizing your freshwater system and want to prevent messy spurts and sprays that occur when you’ve finished running antifreeze through the lines to the sinks, and the tank and pump are almost dry, cut the bottom out of a few
Garmin’s Tip of the Month, Oct 2011
When installing a new water-pump impeller with a keyway it’s often difficult to insert the new impeller into the pump while lining up the keyway slots on the shaft and the impeller. Cut a piece of wooden square stock the size of the
Garmin’s Tip of the Month, Sept 2011
Even well-made splices in wiring can wick up moisture, especially if they are in a boat’s bilge. Wicking, of course, can cause corrosion, prematurely ruin a splice, and cause electrical issues. To prevent this sort of thing, I suggest adding a drop or two of oil to a splice before you crimp, heat-shrink, or otherwise seal it. The
Garmin's Tip of the Month, August 2011
When working in tight spaces with a cordless drill and stainless steel fasteners, here’s a helpful trick. If you can’t hold the fastener with one hand and the drill with the other, use masking tape to secure the fastener’s head to the driver bit so you can proceed single-handedly. Pull the tape off before sinking
Garmin’s Tip of the Month - June 2011
I’ve got a great tool for topping off batteries. Attach a length of clear plastic hose to each end of a gas-line squeeze bulb. Next time you’ve got low distilled water levels, simply insert one end in the jug and squeeze. You’ll be able to control the amount of water going into each cell and keep from spilling and/or over-filling while pouring directly from the jug.Dave Jogerst,
Garmin's Tip of the Month, July 2011
Splash-proof your smartphone with a (61/2" x 3 1/4") Ziploc snack bag. You can manipulate its touchscreen through the plastic and speak and hear clearly as well. This is not 100-percent waterproof, of course, but if you've ever bent over a livewell and watched your phone drop out of your shirt pocketwell, maybe you'll keep
Garmin’s Tip of the Month - May 2011
Boaters are always trying to splice and strip small-gauge wires in spaces where a pen-knife or wire stripper won’t fit. I use a letter opener—one of those you hold in your palm. It has a little arm that guides the wire to the fixed razor’s edge while keeping it firmly in place. And it cuts without stripping strands and produces a neat, clean job even in cramped places.Tom Fitzpatrick,
Garmin’s Tip of the Month - April 2011
Here’s a little suggestion that’s comparably green, at least in my opinion. Save the paint thinner you use to clean paint brushes in a plastic container. After you’ve set the container aside for a while, the paint residue will settle to the bottom and you’ll be able to decant the now-clear thinner through a paper towel into a second container for a fresh usage.Dave Jogerst, Gulf
Garmin’s Tip of the month - March 2011
To keep plug-in-type low-voltage chargers for electronics sorted so you don’t inadvertently use an incompatible charger on a pricey piece of equipment, put a dot of nail polish on each of your onboard gadgets (rechargeable spotlight, hand-held VHF, etc.) and a matching dot of the same color on the appropriate charger. You’ll never goof up again.
Garmin’s Tip of the Month - November 2010
To loosen a sticking oil filter that you can’t get to unscrew with a standard filter wrench; simply attach a hose clamp around the filter’s base, close and tighten it, and, after positioning a flat-head screwdriver sideways against the screw housing of the clamp, gently tap it with a hammer. I’ve had success with this method on more than one