Ask Steve

Text and photos by Steve D’Antonio © 2019 Photo Essay: Shore Power, are Fuses OK? Over-current protection is among the most important features of any vessel’s electrical...

Photo Essay: Through Deck Fittings Properly securing deck hardware can present a variety of challenges.  Cored composite decks represent perhaps the greatest challenge; the core...

  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,...

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...

Text and photos by Steve D'Antonio Copyright © 2017 Photo Essay: Direct-Bearing Terminals Shipboard electrical connections face a host of challenges, vibration, stress, extremes of temperature, and humidity or...

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...

Text and photos copyright © SDMC, Inc. 2016 Ask Steve: June 2016 Steve, Thanks for the fire extinguisher comments.  Safety is a passion of mine and 18 months...

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,...

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...

Photo Essay: Chafe It’s the bane of every seagoing vessel, taking its toll on everything from dock lines and wiring to sails and hoses.  Every...