Maintenance

What an amazing cruise: with my 85 year old mom aboard we set out for Roche Harbor, arguably the Disneyland of all resorts in the San Juan Islands. All systems go. Sandavore has a sizeable Lewmar bowthuster installed, and I’m not ashamed to say that it quickly became my Go To for close quarters maneuvering. […]

Years ago I learned from an insurance broker a disturbing fact:in his experience, something greater than 50% of recreational power boat fires originate at the onboard auxiliary generator. “In the course of ownership they are often just forgotten. The main engines are maintained because the trip won’t go without it. But the genset? Hit the […]

As a young pilot in the Navy I flew a couple different aircraft that had extremely complex electrical systems. Understanding them was daunting: silicon control relays, transformer rectifiers, this bus, that bus….I truly hated studying it, and felt like I never mastered them. At one point I was selected to be a Fleet Replacement Squadron […]

Near the end of the 2021 cruising season my wife reported that the fish hold (aft stateroom) was smelling bilgey. Our only head is located there, but so is the lowest point inside the hull (prop shaft support, gland, shower sump box, etc). There’s always some standing water in the aft bilge and packing glands […]

As any vintage Ferraristi knows, the Italian aesthetic sometimes places form over function. Pinninfarina is perhaps the most lovely coachworks still in existence. However the Prancing Stallions tended to be quite high strung and requiring significant maintenance to keep them gorgeous and running well. On the other hand, if one prefers function over form, Porsche […]

Like varnish, other types of deck finishes have a lifespan. Sandavore arrived in our hands having been finished with Sikkens Cetol Marine Satin, an old stalwart of the working boat industry. The 2007 applied finish (!) had succeeded in changing from “Satin” to “Quite Dull” by the time Spring 2021 came around, so I knew […]