December 5, 2023
Ask Andrew: Customers and Boat Yards – Finding the Right Match
Dec 7, 2023 I hear stories about boaters’ experiences w…
November 21, 2023
Know-how: A Guide to Boating Etiquette
Nov 23, 2023 Everyday good manners are only common cour…
November 21, 2023
Ask Andrew: Winter battery storage
Nov 23, 2023 a great time to clean up wiring and termin…
November 6, 2023
Ask Andrew: VC17 – Some Facts and Suggestions
Nov 9, 2023 The News: Boaters were met with signs like…
October 24, 2023
Ask Andrew: Post haul-out checklists
Oct 26, 2023 The end of the boating season is not on th…
October 10, 2023
Five Common Questions About Proportional Speed Control Bow & Stern Thrusters
Sponsored Content: Oct 12, 2023 Most electric motors we…
October 10, 2023
When is the Best Time to Buy | Fall?
Oct 12, 2023 By Sean Horsfall It seems natural to ask w…
October 10, 2023
Ask Andrew: Pre- haulout checklists
Oct 12, 2023 review of the engine systems Boat yards, m…
September 26, 2023
Safety: What’s Different About Fall Boating? 3 Tips
Fall is the time to increase your boating safety preca…
September 26, 2023
Ask Andrew: Electrical Testing Onboard
two examples of common digital multimetersSept 26, 2023…
September 12, 2023
Ask Andrew: Diagnostics explained
Occam’s razor is a problem-solving principle that I often use in my work as a marine technician. It’s simple but is also often overlooked; and it’s easy to when we’re confused or scared of the outcome and its effect on our investment.
September 12, 2023
Sponsored – Be safe on the water this season
Sept 12, 2023 According to the Drowning Prevention Rese…
August 22, 2023
Outboard or Sterndrive – which is better for you?
Not sure if outboard or inboard/outboard (sterndrive) p…
June 6, 2023
The Importance of Practicing Boater Etiquette
Heading out on the water should be an enjoyable experie…
April 24, 2023
TEST
Whether you’re a new boater or an old salt, you have much to gain by trusting your boat search to a knowledgeable professional. I’m a bit of an evangelist when it comes to boats – I believe that if you’re lucky enough to live near water, salt or fresh, owning a boat is the true meaning of life. I’ve never given up the faith, but after owning the same 35’ sloop for 30 years, things had changed. With two teenage boys who had somehow grown big, the space aboard Sway had grown small.
April 11, 2023
Ask Andrew: Maintaining your anchor and anchor rode
‘A chain is only as strong as its weakest link’ is a cliche that is quite applicable in boat maintenance. In a literal sense, a weakest link can apply to an anchor rode, and a weak link in this chain can spell disaster.
March 21, 2023
Ask Andrew – Andrew’s Almost Ultimate Spring Commissioning Checklist
It’s that time of year again. The groundhog has been consulted, and we all anxiously wait for the boating season to begin. Here’s a brief outline of maintenance items that you can check off your list when getting ready for launch:
March 7, 2023
Ask Andrew: Lifting, launching and trailering
Launch-day is filled with boat owners who aren’t sure where best to place the slings, and are left to rely on the best experience of the crane directors and travel-lift operators.
February 22, 2023
Boat Ownership: Some Insights to Consider
Particularly with the increased costs of ownership, Fractional Ownership may be a better investment option for people considering buying a boat. Especially if they lead a busy lifestyle.
February 22, 2023
Boat Buying: What Your Yacht Broker Knows – But You Might Not
As spring approaches, the market starts to heat up, and as you are starting to search for that perfect boat, you might want to be aware of what a Yacht Broker can bring to the table.
February 21, 2023
Ask Andrew: Off-season maintenance tasks – Part 2
Despite sub-zero temperatures and snow on the ground across the country, we still believe that warm winds and sunny days are coming. In only a few short months, boat prep will be upon us. Boat shows are in full swing from East to West coast which gets the ideas flowing and forces us to think about upkeep and upgrades.
February 7, 2023
Ask Andrew: Spring – Under the Hood Pt 1
This is part 1 of a 2-part series on off-season maintenance and upgrades that are ideal to get a jump on now, and aren’t dependent on warmer temperatures (unlike fiberglass, painting and caulking).
January 10, 2023
Marine Industry Career Path: “Ask” Andrew McDonald
The next graduate in our Marine Industry Career Path series is one of Canadian Yachting Media’s very own, Andrew McDonald! Andrew most recently graduated from Georgian College in Ontario and has years of great experience in all aspects of the marine industry.
January 10, 2023
Ask Andrew – January 6, 2023
With boat show season upon us some will walk the show looking to be inspired, others will be looking for a great deal. Either way, I’m sure you’ll find it. One the great niche markets is the creative ways that the marine industry is supporting getting new boaters on the water.
December 20, 2022
Ask Andrew: Suck Squeeze Bang Blow Pt 2 – Compression in a diesel engine
This is Part 2 of a two-part series on compression testing. Last edition explored how an engine works, why compression is important in engine operations, and what a compression test can reveal about the state of the engine.
December 6, 2022
Ask Andrew: Suck Squeeze Bang Blow – The case for compression
Pt 1: Compression in a gas engine. The massive block of iron sitting in your boat (or mounted atop your outboard) takes a lot of pressure (and not just metaphorically). Inside the engine block is where the magic happens: A crankshaft turns to perform work: turning a prop shaft and propeller to make the boat go.
November 22, 2022
Ask Andrew: NMEA 2000 Set-up – Part 2
Last issue we explored NMEA 2000 networking, including the advantages of creating an on-board network, and what that network is capable of.
November 8, 2022
Ask Andrew: Onboard networking – NMEA 2000 explained
Imagine a world where multiple touch-screens conveniently located will display information from everywhere on the vessel. Information is gathered from the engine, pumps, tanks, cameras, motors, hydraulics, winches, lights and climate control.
October 25, 2022
Ask Andrew: Fall means haul-out and boat storage; I get a lot of questions about best-practices.
Boaters tend to be hands-on and active. Many (most?) like to launch and trailer our boats on our own. We are hands on during launch and haul-out… But boat yards and launch ramps also tend to contain a collection of ‘this is what I do’, and not always ‘this is ideal, and I do it for this reason’.
October 17, 2022
Cruising with a Captain – It’s easier than you think
Never chartered? No problem. Here’s how to plan, execute and enjoy a vacation on a charter yacht where life is easy and the sunsets can’t be beat.
October 12, 2022
Ask Andrew: End of Season boating
Most boaters are thinking about the end of the season at this time of year: prepping for haul-out, arranging for winterization and shrink-wrapping, prepping tarps and removing supplies.
September 20, 2022
Ask Andrew: The Last Hurrah
As Thanksgiving heads our way, it tends to be the ‘last hurrah’ on many fronts: the last long weekend before snowflakes, and (for many of us) the last time to enjoy the family boat for the season before other work/school/tasks/life take precedence.
September 6, 2022
Ask Andrew: Gelcoat cleaning
As the busy season starts to wind down, many boaters turn to the maintenance that has been neglected or pushed aside for trips and activities aboard. Why now?
August 23, 2022
Ask Andrew: Trimming – it’s just plane sense. Part 2: Trim Tabs
Last time, we looked at outboard and stern drive tweaking to get the boat planing. Further to that we look at trim tabs as an additional means. The larger the boat, the more difficult this becomes through raising/lowering the outboard or sterndrive on its own.
August 10, 2022
Ask Andrew: Trimming – it’s just plane sense. Part 1
Unlike a car that moves (and requires control) left and right (and perhaps, if you’re an adventurous type, up and down steep grades), and boat has significantly more range of motion.