June 2025 Newsletter – Fan Belt Shedding
Photo Essay: Fan Belt Shedding
Fan belts fulfill a vital role for engines; they transfer energy from the crankshaft pulley to other vital components and...
May 2025 Newsletter – Lifeline Corrosion
Photo Essay: Lifeline Corrosion
While plastic coated wire lifelines are a ubiquitous aspect of small boat safety, they aren’t without their shortcomings. Long ago, while...
February 2025 Newsletter – Plumbing Bonding Technique
Photo Essay: Plumbing Bonding Technique
As I carry out inspections, one of the issues I frequently encounter involves bonding or grounding (there is a difference,...
December 2024 Newsletter – Fixed Fire Extinguisher Manual Discharge
Photo Essay: Fixed Fire Extinguisher Manual Discharge
Fixed engine room firefighting systems are an invaluable safety option for virtually every inboard powered vessel. These familiar...
October 2024 Newsletter – Shaft Coupling Fasteners
Photo Essay: Shaft Coupling Fasteners
The average small vessel may have anywhere from hundreds to several thousand, fasteners aboard, used in everything from joinerwork to...
August 2024 Newsletter – Stainless Steel Raw Water Plumbing
Photo Essay: Stainless Steel Raw Water Plumbing
Stainless steel is undoubtedly the most commonly used boat building hardware alloy, and with good reason... it’s durable,...
July 2024 Newsletter – Through Hull Durability
Photo Essay: Through Hull Durability
I vividly recall working at a yacht club on Long Island, when a vicious nor’easter slammed into the region. Several...
June 2024 Newsletter – There’s Bronze and there’s Bronze
Photo Essay: There’s Bronze and there’s Bronze
Bronze, an alloy made from copper and tin, has long been used for raw water components aboard recreational,...
May 2024 Newsletter – Not A Cord Grip
Photo Essay: Not a Cord Grip
These are small, inexpensive, and readily available parts, and they are critically important; without them the worst-case result can...
April 2024 Newsletter – Steering Components
Photo Essay: Steering Components
Steering falls into what I call one of the three critical systems, along with propulsion and raw water plumbing/watertight integrity. On...