The secret to having a successful sailing cruising lifestyle is maintaining a routine of checks. Things break on a boat all the time when you first start out. Over time, however, you start to discover ways and means to prevent a majority of breakages – even checks concerning marine and boat refrigeration temperature come into[Read More]
Maintenance
Installing A New Marine Diesel Engine
What’s it like installing a new marine Diesel engine? Is it a small job or a big one? Well…any job on a boat seems to take far longer than intended. But what’s involved in an engine swap out? When my husband Simon said he wanted to replace our Westerbeke 7.5 kW with a Northern Lights[Read More]
How To Replace A Boat Hatch Seal – It’s Not As Easy As You Think!
If you think the job to replace a boat hatch seal is easy, think again. What looks like a one to two-hour job turned into a six-hour frustrating drama with multiple trips to a workshop and boat store. But we made mistakes. Watch this ten-minute video to avoid the stumbling blocks we ran into so[Read More]
Thru-Hull Fittings Seacock Replacement
In this sailing how-to video, Simon covers a thru-hull fittings seacock replacement. Simon also explains what they are, how they work, how they break and provides a demonstration on how to replace one. Carry on reading below the video to find the products we used during our thru-hull fitting replacement, a checklist that covers the steps[Read More]
Lewmar Winch Service Checklist
It wasn’t until we used our winch one day, and it made a horrible sound, that we discovered that it needed to be serviced. No – we didn’t have a Lewmar winch service checklist to remind us of this job. I suppose we’re not unlike most bluewater cruisers in that we’re always learning as we[Read More]
Teak Deck Repair – An Easy-To-Follow 10 Step Process
In this post, I’ll show you what needs to be repaired on a teak deck, the tools and supplies necessary to repair it, the step-by-step teak deck repair process, and I’ll also offer some tips and tell you about what does and doesn’t work. Read the steps and then watch the video at the end[Read More]
7 Steps To Servicing A Feathering Propeller
A feathering propeller needs to be serviced at least once a year. To do a full service the boat needs to be out of the water. Watch the video and then check out the 7 steps to servicing a feathering propeller (checklist) below.
How To Service A Diesel Generator On A Sailboat
In this video, Simon will show you how to do a yearly diesel generator service. This service includes changing the air filter, oil filter, oil, belts, coolant, changing any bad hoses, impeller, cleaning the heat exchanger and putting on a new anode. When we first got a boat, we let others service our engines for us. Time after time we were disappointed to find that things were done wrong or not done at all. Discover how you can service your generator yourself!
Preventing Boat Engine Failure
What’s the number one thing a boater should do in the hopes of preventing boat engine failure? To ensure routine engine checks are completed. On Britican, we do a series of routine engine checks before EVERY voyage. On the video below, Simon will show you how he completes each check.
Sailboat Maintenance Checklist – 10 Critical Daily/Weekly Checks
When your boat is stationary for any length of time – either at a marina or at anchor, if you’re going to be living on the boat and using the various systems there are several key things to keep an eye on. Below you’ll find a 10-step Sailboat Maintenance Checklist for routine mission-critical daily and/or[Read More]
