Ask Steve

Text and photos by Steve D’Antonio Copyright © 2017 Photo Essay: Battery Lugs Reliably connecting batteries to their associated cables sounds easy.  In practice, however, it can be fraught...

Steve: I am doing a major refit of a 1986 Trawler. I've done some of the big stuff, such as a new electrical panel, all...

July 2014 Steve: Good luck with your new venture. Always enjoyed your articles. I just returned from a trip on a 2 year old Viking 50 that...

Photo Essay     Life Cell, a Better Ditch Kit   Ditch bags are an invaluable accessory no blue water passagemaking vessel should be without.  They are also nothing...

Ask Steve: Electric Tea Kettles, Fire, and AC Electricity By Steve D'Antonio Photos by Steve D'Antonio   On boats with both a powerful inverter and a generator on...

  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,...

Photo Essay: Fuel Filter "Seaweed" Primary fuel filters are the first line of defense against a range of contaminants including sediment, asphaltene, and water.  Most...

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...

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...

Text and photos © 2020 Steve D'Antonio Marine From the Masthead In what now no doubt feels like a lifetime to many, a couple of weeks...