Casting Off:
Looking for Sludge in All the Wrong Places
Disassembling and cleaning the carburetor. Whenever the small engine on my Uncle Jess’ Chris-Craft stalled, he’d remove the cowling and work some mechanical magic with a screwdriver to get it started again. Not one…
Diesel Deep Dive: Electrical Gremlins in Your Engine Compartment?
From the June 2022 issue of 48° North. Working as a marine engineer and mechanic, I have seen and continue to see some of the worst DIY electrical jobs on boats, both recreational and commercial. Unlike residential…
Fiberglass in the Forest:Lesson in Backyard Lamination
From the June 2022 issue of 48° North. For the past 10 years, I have been a shipwright. My boat repair and building career began with bottom painting at CSR, a boatyard on the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Seattle.…
How-To: Stripping Your Boat’s Bottom
This article was originally published in the April 2022 issue of 48° North. It’s April and in the boatyard, the tide is beginning to shift. Just weeks ago, a whole day may have gone by before we spotted anyone else laboring…
The Springtime Shift: Making the Most of the Pre-Season
This article was originally published in the March 2022 issue of 48° North. Every year, somewhere between a strong southerly wind blowing a hoolie through Puget Sound and daffodils pushing up through the ground outside the…
Recommissioning: From the Blues to Blue Skies
This article was originally published in the March 2022 issue of 48° North Ah, spring at the marina. Full of promise. Renewal. Great times lay ahead. Blah, blah, blah. I trudge down to the boat in early March, dock cart…
Tech Talk with SeaBits: Spring Tech Checkup
This article was originally published in the March 2022 issue of 48° North A great thing to do at least once a year, and especially prior to the start of a more active boating season, is to give your boat a tech checkup.…
Diesel Deep Dive: Functional Oil Filtration
(Caption) Engine room of the Maritime Instructor (Seattle Maritime Academy training ship). All engines are equipped with spin-on or cartridge style filters. This article was originally published in the February 2022 issue of…
Diesel Deep Dive: The Effect of Time on an Engine
This article was originally published in the November 2021 issue of 48° North. Marine diesels endure a tough life during their time on board a vessel. Often I hear, “A diesel will last forever,” or, “That engine will get a…
Diesel Deep Dive: Quirks of the Engine Cooling System
Exploring the quirks of the marine diesel engine cooling system. This article was originally published in the October 2021 issue of 48° North. It’s a beautiful sunny day, and the water is calling. Once the diesel is started…