technical

BoatUS has surveyed its BoatUS Dispute Resolution files to identify eight trouble spots that boaters needing work done should know.

An Inexpensive Piece of Gear Can Diagnose an Engine’s Illness; Both cheap and easy to use, a handheld pyrometer could be one of the most useful tools in your collection.

In my many decades of working on boats, it is quite possible that the most reliable tool i have ever carried is not actually a tool at all; its my little black book.

Featured in the May/June 2016 Issue, Splinters is a classic Grand Banks aged past her years. With a heavy restoration project underway, take a look at some of the thinking behind restoring wooden boats.

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.

Like the proverbial tail wagging the dog, a $50 solenoid can stop a $3,000 windlass from raising the anchor or prevent the engine from starting. Knowing how these simple devices work may save your cruise.

When you think of it, it makes perfect sense. An owner may become acclimated to a substandard cruising speed or an above-average fuel bill, but a boat that’s loud will drive everyone crazy.

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.

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.

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

Do you use a fuel additive? If so, why, and how did you choose it? Are you sure you need it? If you haven’t considered these questions you could be damaging your fuel system or wasting your money. Or both.

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.