Repair & maintenance guides

Internet Near Shore: Cellular Routers, Signal Boosters and Marina Wi-Fi Extenders

For boats that stay within sight of land, a cellular router, a legal signal booster or a marina Wi-Fi extender can be a cheaper alternative to satellite. Learn which one fits how you boat, why antenna placement and cable length matter, the FCC rules for boosters, how much power they use and how to test that it actually works.

Is My Engine Charging the Battery? Test the Charging System With a Multimeter

A step-by-step way to find out whether your outboard's stator and rectifier/regulator or your inboard's alternator is really charging the battery, what the voltage readings usually mean, and when the problem is just a dirty connection. Exact test specs come from your engine's service manual.

Is My Vehicle Rated to Tow This Boat? Towing Capacity, GCWR and Tongue Weight Explained

The towing number in the ad is only one of several limits. Learn which ratings matter (towing capacity, GCWR, GVWR, axle and tongue limits, hitch class and ball rating), how to weigh your real rig at a truck scale, and when you need trailer brakes and towing mirrors.

Isolation Transformer vs. Galvanic Isolator: Which Does Your Boat Need?

Understand how a galvanic isolator and an isolation transformer each protect a boat on shore power, when the heavier, pricier transformer is worth it (stray-current marinas, aluminum boats, liveaboards), and what to ask the ABYC-certified electrician who installs it.

Jet Outboard Care: Grease, Intake Grate, Impeller Clearance and Shallow-River Habits

A jet outboard trades the propeller and gearcase for a pump, so it needs different care. Learn how mounting height works, why the pump bearing needs frequent grease, how gravel and a worn impeller steal thrust, how to clear the intake safely, and when an adjustment is a shop job.

Keeping Chartplotter Charts and Software Current (Garmin, Raymarine, Simrad, Lowrance, Navionics, NOAA)

Old charts can show buoys that moved and shoals that grew. Learn how chart subscriptions and updates work across the big brands, where NOAA's free charts fit in, how to handle SD cards safely, how to back up your waypoints and routes before anything goes wrong, and a simple yearly routine.

Lake Engine Restrictions: Two-Stroke Bans, Horsepower Limits, Electric-Only and No-Wake Lakes

Some lakes ban older two-stroke outboards, cap horsepower, allow only electric motors, or make the whole lake no-wake. Learn the common types of rules (with dated real examples like Lake Tahoe and Ohio's lake list), how to tell what kind of engine you have, and how to check before you tow the boat three hours to a ramp you can't use.

Launch Day and Haul-Out Checklist for Trailer Boats

A step-by-step checklist for getting your boat off the trailer and back on again safely and quickly, from the drain plug and tie-downs to the blower and ramp etiquette. Following it in order prevents the classic mistakes that sink boats and back up the ramp.

Life Raft Care: Service Intervals, Hydrostatic Releases, Mounting and the Grab Bag

A life raft you can't launch or that won't inflate is worse than none, because it gives false confidence. Learn how often rafts need professional service, how to pick a service station, when to replace the hydrostatic release, where to mount a canister or stow a valise, the checks you can do yourself, and what belongs in the grab bag instead of the raft.

Lightning and Your Boat: Protection, Storm Safety and After-Strike Inspection

How lightning damages boats, what a professionally installed protection system (ABYC and NFPA 780 guidance) can and cannot do, what to do when a storm catches you on the water, and a step-by-step inspection checklist after a strike, including the haul-out, compass, electronics, through-hulls and the insurance claim.

Losing Coolant With No Visible Leak? How to Pressure Test a Closed Cooling System and Its Cap

When the coolant level keeps dropping and you can't find a drip, a simple hand-pump pressure tester can show where it's going. Learn how to test the system and the pressure cap safely on a cold engine, isolate the heat exchanger and coolant-heated appliances, and recognize the signs of a head gasket or internal leak that need a mechanic.

Loss of Power, Hesitation or Misfire - Troubleshooting Guide

Figure out why your engine bogs down, stumbles, will not reach full rpm or runs rough. Work from simple checks like trim, prop and fuel filter to ignition and engine protection modes before paying for diagnostics.

Low Oil Pressure Warning: What to Do on a Sterndrive, Inboard or Diesel

A low oil pressure alarm or a gauge that drops toward zero means the engine may be running without proper lubrication. Learn what to do in the first minute, the simple checks you can make yourself, how to tell a bad sender from a real pressure problem, and why you should never keep running on the alarm.

Low-Voltage Disconnects: Keep the Stereo and Fridge from Killing Your Battery

A low-voltage disconnect (LVD) automatically cuts non-essential loads like the stereo, fridge and cabin lights before they drain the battery you need to start the engine. Learn how these devices work, which loads belong behind one and which never do, how to pick the cut-off point for lead-acid or lithium, and how to install one safely.

Make a Fire Escape Plan for Your Boat: Exits, Extinguishers, Roles and Shutoffs

Map two ways out of every cabin, put extinguishers where you can actually reach them, assign who does what, and practice shutting off fuel and power and getting everyone off upwind. A boat fire leaves only a few minutes, so the plan has to be made and walked through before you need it.

Make Your Own Boat Wiring Diagram

Trace your boat's 12-volt circuits one wire at a time, label them so the labels last, and draw a simple diagram you keep aboard. It takes a few weekends, but it turns every future electrical problem or upgrade into a faster, cheaper job.

Man-Overboard Recovery Gear: Throwables, Lifesling, Ladders and MOB Alarms

Set up and check the gear that gets a person in the water back aboard - a throwable within reach, a floating rescue line or Lifesling-style sling, a boarding ladder someone in the water can pull down, and MOB alarms or AIS beacons - and practice the drill so it works when it counts.

Marina and Storage Liens: How Lien Sales Work, Buying a Lien-Sale Boat, and Not Losing Yours

How unpaid slip, storage or repair bills turn into a lien and then a sale, using Florida and California as examples; what an owner can do to stop it; and how a buyer checks that a lien-sale or abandoned boat comes with paperwork the state will actually title. Every state has its own process and deadlines, so confirm with your state agency.

Marina Slip and Storage Contracts: What to Read Before You Sign

Walk through a slip, mooring or winter storage contract clause by clause: insurance and additional-insured requirements, hold-harmless and waiver-of-subrogation language, liveaboard and work rules, DIY and outside-contractor limits, storms, termination, refunds and lien rights, plus the questions to ask the marina and your insurer. Practical guidance, not legal advice.

Marine Battery Care: Test, Charge and Store for Winter

Check your boat battery's health, charge it the right way for its type (flooded, AGM or lithium), and store it so it is ready in spring. Most "boat won't start" calls start with a neglected battery.

Marine Diesel Service: Oil Change, Fuel Filters and Bleeding Air

Change the oil and oil filter, replace the primary and secondary fuel filters, and bleed air from the fuel system on a Yanmar, Volvo Penta, Beta, Cummins or similar marine diesel. These three skills cover most routine diesel care and can get you out of trouble when the engine dies on a passage.

Marine Diesel Turbocharger Care: Warm-Up, Cool-Down and Simple Checks

A turbocharger needs little attention, but the attention it needs matters. Learn how to warm up and cool down a turbo diesel, keep its oil and air clean, track boost, spot leaks and salt corrosion early, and know when a turbo needs a professional.

Marine Diesel Won't Start: Troubleshooting From Battery to Fuel

Work through the usual reasons a Yanmar, Volvo Penta, Westerbeke, Beta or similar marine diesel won't crank, or cranks but won't fire, starting with the free and simple checks. Most no-starts come down to the battery, preheat, air in the fuel or a fuel shutoff solenoid.

Marine Generator Routine Maintenance and CO Safety

Keep an Onan, Kohler/Rehlko, Northern Lights, Westerbeke or similar marine generator reliable with regular checks of oil, raw-water cooling, fuel, exhaust and the start battery, plus a monthly run under load. Generator exhaust is a leading source of carbon monoxide on boats, so safety checks come first.