September 2023 Newsletter: Start Battery Installation
Photo Essay: Battery Installation It’s an all-too-common occurrence; while conducting an inspection I reach the area where batteries (often for starting but occasionally house as...
August 2023 Newsletter: Livewell Pump Installation
Photo Essay: Livewell Pump Installation
Raw water plumbing fittings, particularly those below the waterline, must be rugged and reliable. ABYC Standards dictate that, “A seacock...
July 2023 Newsletter: Steering Gear Wear
Photo Essay: Steering Gear Wear
Steering gear falls into the category of a ‘key system’. Without it you are not only dead in the water,...
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...
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...
January 2023 Newsletter “Motor Mount Installation”
Photo Essay: Motor Mount Installation
Motor mounts play a vital role in the propulsion system scheme; they represent the only link between the thrust created...
November 2022 Newsletter “Wiring Lithium-Ion Battery Systems”
Photo Essay: Wiring Lithium-Ion Battery Systems
Fires aboard vessels equipped with lithium-ion batteries quickly capture the attention of the boat building and cruising communities, and...
September 2022 Newsletter “Generator AC Wiring”
Photo Essay: Generator AC Wiring
Of all the defects I encounter on generator installations, poor wire routing and support are among the most common. Generators...
August 2022 Newsletter “Seacock Appendages”
Photo Essay: Seacock Appendages
It’s a scenario I encounter all too often, a “Christmas tree” of hard plumbing, T’s, nipples and other fittings, connected directly...
July 2022 Newsletter “Closed Cooling System Hose Failure”
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)...