September 2017 Newsletter
Text and photos by Steve D'Antonio
Photo Essay: (Not) Painting Aluminum
It’s a phenomenon I encounter on a near-weekly basis; virtually every vessel I’m aboard suffers,...
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...
October 2019 Newsletter
Photo Essay: Emergency Tiller Use
During a recent vessel inspection, I asked the owner of the vessel if he’d ever tested the emergency manual tiller,...
Ask Steve – February 2015
Hey Steve I hope all is well and you had a great Christmas and new year. I just had a quick question. What is your...
June 2023 Newsletter: Fuel Tank (no) Support
Photo Essay: Fuel Tank (no) Support
Structural failures of fuel tanks are nearly always traceable to either installation or construction flaws, with the former being...
June 2017 Newsletter
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...
February 2026 Newsletter – Shore Power Over-Current Protection
Photo Essay: Shore Power Over-Current Protection
Over-current protection, or OCP, a subject I write about all too often (most recently here), only because it is...
Fire Extinguisher Query
Dear Steve: I recently looked at a new boat at a boat show. I noticed something that caught my attention and I wondered if you...
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,...
April 2023 Newsletter: Fuel Filter “Seaweed”
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...









