Stainless Steel maintenance
Stainless steel has long embellished the boat environment with bright chromed accents 1 • Why is cleaning crucial? Contrary to common understanding, stainless steel is neither a stainless material nor impervious to corrosion. For this reason there are over 200 stainless steel grades featuring…
On board resource management
The issue of the safeguard of our resources is more and more topical and, on a boat, its impact is even greater. A sustainable and respectful approach to the environment affects also the sound management of on board resources (like at home) i.e. power and…
Anchoring manoeuvres
Any boat, of all kinds and dimensions, is provided with a range of anchoring, mooring and capstan equipment. Quantity and complexity of the equipment depend on the boat length and the effort to resist. The external environment i.e. waves, currents and winds affects the anchored…
Cleaning of water and fuel tanks
When the pleasure boating season is almost over and you’re going to winter store your boat, no matter whether wet or dry storage, one of the most common and needed procedures is cleaning the water and fuel tanks. Let’s analyse the crucial steps of accurate…
Safety on board: briefing is important
No matter you take a sailboat or a motorboat, with friends or for business, safety on board is always crucial and everyone agrees on a good briefing before leaving the port: just like when you step on an airplane, same stuff. Be it a watercraft…
Rigging and mast cleaning and lubrication
Shrouds and mast are considered among the most reliable components of a sailboat. Not many other items convey the same feeling of being reliable. And maybe this is why their maintenance is often overlooked. However, service them regularly is essential to be sure that their…
Engine maintenance: cleaning and servicing
To keep your boat engine in good working order, it is good practice to perform all servicing activities. Regular engine servicing prevents unforeseen events and failures, also serious, that could put the season at risk or compromise safety during navigation. Engine servicing consists of two…
Review: underwater LED light
Osculati code: 13.640.01 The item comes in a nicely made box including instructions and screws for installation, like any other product by Osculati. I tried item number 13.640.01, a light designed for hull mounting: drill a bore large enough to let the power cord through…
Life aboard: rules and roles.
Like in any family, company or group of people that join to manage their daily life, also life on board needs rules and roles. So parents become the partners of a company and a company’s CEO becomes the master of a ship. But, to make…
Review: Kit to cover steering wheels with leather
Osculati item code: 65.527.01 I have had the pleasure to test this kit supplied by Osculati in a convenient display packaging containing all what is necessary to cover a steering wheel: N. 2 strips of pre-punched leather, needles and sewing thread and a punch. I…
The boat launch after winterization
After winter storage it is now time to let our cuddle-eager “baby” have a bath. Let’s see how to prepare it for the launch. As described in the article about winter storage, some steps are similar and have to be repeated before boat launching, while…
Improve safety on board
Many people ask me how to improve their safety and their boat safety equipment. Given that we all have our own navigation style, most of the boats I visit aren’t compliant with their national marine standards for what concerns safety equipment: the liferaft is stuck…
