STEVE D'ANTONIO

Newfoundland and North

Thanks to more sophisticated software and lower costs, gyroscopic stabilizers are to be found on more and more boats with each passing year, and Seakeeper can take much of the credit.

Former Technical Editor Steve D'Antonio profiles one of the great marine industry hubs, and better kept secrets, in North America: Seattle's Ballard Neighborhood.

Far too many professionals in the marine industry are guilty of failing to provide to customers intelligible, plainspoken language that supports their observations, analyses and reports.

Former Technical Editor Steve D'Antonio, a self-proclaimed 'Diesel-ista,' possesses a life-long love off all things diesel. But when it comes to tenders, why are we forced towards non-diesel options?

Take a moment to think about what connects the thrust created by your vessel’s propeller to the vessel itself. Its very driving force. These small, simple components bear a heavy burden, so treat them right.

Sometimes gas inboards make sense; here's how to keep yours running, and running safely as well as a few cautions to be aware of.

Alexei Mikhailov, is a former Soviet-era academic and engineer who specialized in hydrogeology in Magadan, a Siberian city located on the Sea of Okhotsk, and the current mastermind behind Bering Yachts.

After all, who doesn’t understand how an inverter works and how it interfaces with shorepower, right? If the manner in which this gear works and interfaces is unclear to you, rest easy, you aren’t alone.

While it may seem that a particular mechanical failure happened “suddenly,” the truth is that it had probably been sneaking up for a while. Here is what to look for.

Hoses are the unsung heroes of the cruising vessel, conveying everything from seawater and fuel to effluent and exhaust gasses, they serve stolidly for years and sometimes decades, providing the vessel and its crew with the necessities of life while maintaining seaworthiness.

My first encounter with fluid analysis was as a young sea cadet. One summer I was fortunate enough to spend a few weeks aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer.

Every cruiser, at one time or another, faces a damage control scenario, wherein a piece gear fails, sometimes benignly, sometimes catastrophically. The “gear” could be anything from a failed raw water hose to a breached hull. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, you’ve been fortunate, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't prepare.

Joystick controls have had a large impact on the decision making of many would-be boat owners. To them the fact that the vessel was ill suited for their needs in a multitude of ways was secondary to the value of the ease of maneuverability.

After being dormant for the winter, spring commissioning affords boat owners an opportunity to reacquaint themselves with various systems, and carry out routine maintenance. While it’s desirable to inspect all of a vessel’s systems before she is taken out for her first spring cruise, key systems warrant the greatest attention.

Readers frequently ask, “What do I need to know about making good crimp connections?” Fortunately, not very much.

If you own a boat you’ve no doubt dealt with the nemesis of rusty, frozen or stuck hardware. It’s inevitable, anything made of ordinary carbon steel or iron aboard a vessel will, if not adequately protected, rust or seize. In some cases, even if it is protected. Here is how to win the battle...

It’s a concept that’s commonly misunderstood, and one that seems counterintuitive; the lighter the load on your engine the greater the likelihood of developing problems.

“Negative, we don’t run vessels at full throttle around here,” declared the dealership’s captain and lead mechanic, shortly...