Ask Steve

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: The Misplaced Washer Text and photos © 2020 Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting, Inc. It’s a truism, of which even the most technically challenged is...

Photo Essay: Closed Cooling System Hose Failure While both must be reliable and robust, hoses used for conveying coolant (often incorrectly referred to as anti-freeze)...

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,...

Hello Steve, Long-time fan, first time asking. I need to replace the clear fuel level indication hoses (sight gauges) on my 350 gallon diesel fuel...

Text and photos copyright © 2018 Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting, Inc. Photo Essay: Check Valves Check valves are ubiquitous; they are used in everything from fuel systems...

Text and photos by Steve D’Antonio Copyright © 2016 Photo Essay: Boiling Water with Batteries A few years ago the thought of boiling water using battery power would have...

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...

Photo Essay: Exhaust Injection Angle Water-cooled, often referred to as “wet” exhaust systems, enable otherwise extremely hot gasses to be safely conveyed through a vessel,...

Photo Essay: The Perils of Double Grounding It is ubiquitous, various disparate onboard equipment, to which green bonding wires are attached.  While not necessarily providing...