Avoiding engine failures in rough seas Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 IT USUALLY TAKES A COMBINATION OF failures, poor decisions, and bad luck to narrow down your options. We had been learning that our new cr...
The basics on auxiliary propulsion systems Issue 51 : Nov/Dec 2006 Unless you are exceptional sailors and purists, like Lin and Larry Pardey, you probably have a mechanical propulsion system on board ...
Custom waterlift muffler calls for creative approach Issue 54 : May/Jun 2007 My friend, Ken Simmons, and I ran into a common problem when we replaced the aging Atomic 4 in his 1968 Pearson Vanguard wi...
What you need to know about oil Issue 55 : Jul/Aug 2007 The motor oil in any sailboat’s auxiliary engine is second in importance only to the supply of fuel and air. If neglected, certain — and o...
An often-neglected, but vital, part of auxiliary care Issue 56 : Sept/Oct 2007 If your auxiliary engine is to age gracefully while performing well, two things must be constantly controlled: friction a...
Being kind to your outboard engine Issue 57 : Nov/Dec 2007 Low-powered yacht tender outboards are often overworked and under-serviced. They rarely, if ever, enjoy a thorough freshwater flush. This can...
Follow this comprehensive checklist Issue 59 : Mar/Apr 2008 Do you find yourself adding coolant to your engine more often than the engine manufacturer suggests? Are you having difficulty figuring out ...
To avoid engine troubles, fit the right propeller Issue 65 : Mar/Apr 2009 The shark meandered toward my right foot. It was so close I could see brown spots on its nose. Loaded with tools and dive gear...
Eliminate overheating in 12 easy steps Issue 68 : Sept/Oct 2009 Ask any owner of an auxiliary diesel sailboat what his or her most common engine-related problem is and chances are the answer will be, ...
Electric power for the independent sailor Issue 69 : Nov/Dec 2009 Wind power is a form of solar energy — winds result from the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun. To generate electricity, a w...
A special pulley silences a protesting engine belt Issue 70 : Jan/Feb 2010 My wife clapped her hands over her ears. “What is that awful noise?” she exclaimed. I knew what it was. I had just flipped th...
Get more years from an aging backing plate Issue 70 : Jan/Feb 2010 Most outboard motor-mount backing plates these days are made of plastic. For decades, however, those on most boats were a thick hunk ...
Biodiesel fuel is the chief suspect Issue 71 : Mar/Apr 2010 After a six-year trial, discussed at some length in the July 2005 issue of Good Old Boat, I have decided to suspend using biodiesel blends i...
An easier way to ward off Jack Frost’s fingers Issue 74 : Sept/Oct 2010 Northern sailors have two seasons: sailing season and maintenance season. One of the primary goals when preparing a boat for the...
A half-hour job gets stuck in time Issue 75 : Nov/Dec 2010 Easing into the fuel dock with a light wind aft, the skipper shifted into reverse and applied a little engine power for a perfect landing. Th...
A hands-on rebuild saved both beast and budget Issue 76 : Jan/Feb 2011 Our 41-year-old C&C Corvette, Trillium, has the distinction of being built originally as a gift to retiring Ontario Premier J...
Maintenance seems less onerous in the right surroundings Issue 76 : Jan/Feb 2011 If the definition of cruising is performing boat maintenance in exotic locations, does that mean the more maintenance, ...
A couple of add-ons eliminate the mess Issue 78 : May/Jun 2011 When I first changed the oil and filter on my Yanmar 3YM20, I made a mess. The oil filter was completely hidden on one side of the engine...
Replacing a reclusive transmission component Issue 78 : May/Jun 2011 I am meticulous about maintaining my sailboat. I perform routine maintenance on a schedule and I address little problems that arise...
New wires bring a Yanmar diesel back to life Issue 84 : May/Jun 2012 For the last few years of its 14-year life, our normally faithful Yanmar diesel engine occasionally refused to obey the turn of the...
A nifty way to persuade hose onto a barb Issue 88 : Jan/Feb 2013 After I replaced my boat engine’s water-pump impeller, the supply hose refused to slip back onto the fitting. Even though I had lubrica...
No coupling, no shaft, no strut, less DIY angst Issue 91 : Jul/Aug 2013 There may come a time in a sailor’s life when the cherished family member needs to be repowered. I suspected that not all 13 hor...
Care in the fall ensures a carefree spring Issue 92 : Sept/Oct 2013 Outboard motors on small sailboats should last a long time because they’re lightly used. Most are run only to get the boat into and ...
Vent dryers bar moisture from fuel tanks Issue 93 : Nov/Dec 2013 Our marina has a regulation that prohibits us from refueling our boats from jerrycans while tied up in our slips. The trouble is, I lik...
Electric substitute for a mechanical pump Issue 93 : Nov/Dec 2013 Our 46-year-old Allied Seabreeze, Secret Water, is a wonderful sailing boat. Nonetheless, reliable auxiliary power is a high priority....
Extracting an engine with grace and ease Issue 98: Sept/Oct 2014 Under normal circumstances, I would not even think about removing the engine from Hornblower, my 1976 Pearson 35. However, during a sum...
A new panel and gauges to keep tabs on the motor Issue 94 : Jan/Feb 2014 My good old boat, Nurdle, is a 1979 Bristol 35.5 centerboard model, a Ted Hood design with fairly heavy displacement but a mode...
A mobile stand takes the weight Issue 97 : Jul/Aug 2014 I live just a couple of houses from the beach where I keep my dinghy, but now that I have a heavier 4-stroke outboard it’s a chore lugging it do...
Make the engine suck its own antifreeze Issue 99 : Nov/Dec 2014 Up north, after pulling the boat out in the late fall, winterizing an engine is a mandatory and often unpleasant chore. Draining a raw-w...
A raw-water seacock that screams to be opened Issue 102 : May/Jun 2015 We all know the importance of opening the engine’s raw-water seacock before starting the engine and that forgetting to open it ca...
