June 22, 2021
Top 10 Tips for Responsible Boating in BC
British Columbia’s four-phase restart plan has entered Phase Two and residents of British Columbia are now invited to #exploreBC this summer. All going well, BC will encourage the rest of the country on July 1st and perhaps even see a border re-open in the coming months.
June 8, 2021
Ask Andrew: Engine/gasoline fires and other scares
Boats aren’t inherently combustible. They aren’t firetraps, and they aren’t any more or less dangerous with respect to fire breaking out than an RV, trailer, car or airplane.
May 25, 2021
Safety: Make yourself easier to rescue
“Do I know how to be found in an emergency?” That’s a question every boater should ask at the beginning of the boating season. The answer, however, is likely to go far beyond simply having a cellphone aboard. The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers five tips that can potentially speed a rescuer’s response to a boater in need of emergency help.
May 11, 2021
Ask Andrew: Replacing and Installing Transducers
A Transducer is a device that is installed below the waterline that provides underwater data to a display at the helm. This data is usually in the form of depth and speed – but in more advanced systems can also provide sonar, fish-finding and side or forward views.
April 29, 2021
Add A Shade – Cool comfort with convenience
For most of us, the thrill of being aboard is associated with the motion of the water, wind in our hair, the laughter of friends, the speed and fresh air.
April 21, 2021
The Importance of a Sea Trial
I am frequently asked if I think it’s important that a marine surveyor attend a Sea Trial when one of our clients is buying a used boat. In very simple terms, not including your marine surveyor on a Sea Trial is a failure to complete the full marine survey.
April 21, 2021
Ask Andrew: Steering system maintenance
An important, but often overlooked maintenance item on any type of boat is it’s steering system. Most are relatively safe and secure, and are generally bulletproof – requiring very little maintenance to operate well. That said, it’s important to perform at minimum an annual inspection before launch to avoid looming failures and potentially costly repairs.
April 6, 2021
Guest column: Insurance Spring Checklist
Insurance may not be exciting but it is important. Check at launch. We all know we need to spend some time working on getting the boat ready for launch. But What about your Marine Insurance Policy?
March 24, 2021
Ask Andrew: Spring 2021 Checklist
Before you launch: Inspect all around the hose clamps for rust and replace as necessary. Double clamp fuel lines and exhaust hoses with marine-rated stainless steel hose clamps. While not technically required, it’s wise to double clamp whenever possible on all hoses − especially those below the waterline.
March 9, 2021
What You Need to Know Before Buying an Electric Sailboat
Slovenian manufacturer, Elan, has introduced the concept of regenerative electrical auxiliary power to its boat and has partnered with engine builder Oceanvolt to develop a step-by-step introduction to the concept.
March 9, 2021
Ask Andrew – Off-Season checks for Bilge pump system
One of the items that gets taken for granted during the spring prep work is the bilge pumping system; it’s one of those on-board features that many of us assume is in working order….until something goes wrong.
February 23, 2021
Ask Andrew: Below-the-water inspections in the off season for power and sail
When the boat is in the water, It’s easy to take for granted the parts of the boat that are under the water. It’s also simple to think ‘everything worked well last year, so I won’t worry about it this year.’
February 22, 2021
So you want to be a better boater? Boating skills for novice to advanced boaters
The COVID-19 pandemic has created unexpected changes in our lives, impacting everything from boating to vacations and these trends look to continue into the future.
February 9, 2021
Ask Andrew: ELCI’s – protecting the boat’s Shore-power grounding connection
Two weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised by the reaction from the article published on the importance of GFCI outlets. I received many more emails than usual in response to this topic, most of them echoing the importance of this type of protection aboard.
January 27, 2021
Ask Andrew: GFCI protection
I’m often asked to take a look at a survey to complete repairs at the request on a boat owner’s insurance company. Over the years, I’ve noticed that there are some items that are considered much less ‘risk’, than others when identified on a survey.
January 13, 2021
Cars on board: Hooking up – Trailering Basic Knowledge
The other day I started thinking about all the trailer towing I have done over the years and what I have learned. If it has happened, it has happened to me including my trailer going in its own direction. So, I thought I would pass on some of my knowledge and experiences.
January 13, 2021
Ask Andrew: Propeller selection
Styles, shapes, pitch and diameter of props are widely discussed on online boating forums, YouTube videos and in boatyard scrimmages. The pros and cons aren’t always debated well – so lets take a look at some of the terms, options and choices to allow you to make some educated decisions.
December 15, 2020
Ask Andrew – December 17, 2020
‘‘Twas the night before Christmas and all ‘cross the land, boats were left to slumber, exactly as planned. Engines were winterized and tarps were tied tight, but batteries – and what to do – give many a fright.
December 2, 2020
Safety: Marine Surveys
Recently, with all the new enthusiasm for boating, I was approached by a person who was thinking about buying their first boat. They wanted to know if they needed to get a marine survey.My answer was yes.
November 17, 2020
Ask Andrew: Boat ventilation
I passed by a person doing some shrink-wrap work recently, and as he installed a vent in the shrink-wrap he was completing, he muttered satisfactorily to himself ‘Air flow isn’t just for sail boats.
November 4, 2020
Boating Safety: The Canadian Safe Boating Council
It looks like Covid 19 has not stopped many people from boating. In fact, 2020 seems to have been a banner year and it looks like 2021 will be the same if not better. So, let me start by looking ahead and wishing everyone a safe and happy boating season for 2021.
November 4, 2020
Ask Andrew: Will we make it? Fuel gauge troubleshooting
There’s nothing worse than wondering how much fuel you have on board. You’re left wondering how long you can motor for. As well, you have no idea how much more fuel you can take on at the marina pump. You’re forced to resort to using a combination of dipsticks and jerry cans to compensate for not knowing the tank level.
October 21, 2020
Ask Andrew: Protecting your boat for the winter
As the cold approaches, shrink-wrapping is a hot topic, and I’ve heard more than a few debates at marinas and yacht clubs about the merits and disadvantages of winter covers, tarps and wraps.
October 13, 2020
Winterization Isn’t Like Your Dad Did It: Modern Methods For Modern Boats
“They don’t make ‘em like they used to”, is a phrase that many of us are familiar with. Most of the time it is in reference to a bygone era of better, and it’s used to lament the sorry state of what we have today. It is a phrase that can be applied to many areas of our lives: architecture, art, furniture, tools.
October 7, 2020
Ask Andrew: Boat electricity – a look inside
I’m on many different types of boats, with many configurations. Some have a single ‘automotive-type’ battery on board. Others have shore power, coupled with multiple battery banks, generators and inverters. Often the complexity of the systems, dictates the type of power needed to support them.
September 22, 2020
Ask Andrew – Yikes! Autumn means haulout
Labour Day weekend tends to be the ‘last hurrah’ on many fronts: the last long weekend of the summer, 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 9, 2020
What to do with an Old Boat in BC?
For decades, abandoned boats have littered our coastal shorelines and waterways, posing an environmental and safety risk and negatively impacting local economies.
September 9, 2020
TS Playfair Coming to Hamilton Harbour
One of the Great Lakes’ best known tall ships, sail training vessel TS Playfair, will soon be making her home berth at the Hamilton harbour thanks to the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA Ports) and a hard working group of volunteers.
September 9, 2020
Ask Andrew: Blowing Smoke
My Dad is not a mechanical guy. He is educated and well-read, and handy around the house – but not mechanical. When I was 12, I joined a trip to the local mechanic to get our family car fixed.
August 25, 2020
Ask Andrew – The Bucket
I was cleaning up my workbench the other day. My eyes then scanned across my workbench and fell on ‘the bucket’. Everyone has a one. On a boat, it’s usually in a cockpit lazarette. It’s full of old paint cans and half-used tubes of caulking. There might be some white grease, painters tape or epoxy in there, too.
August 11, 2020
Sailing Plan app for power or sail
The Sailing Plan is a Canadian small vessel safety app that is a fast and easy-to-use tool for creating, filing and sharing sailing plans before heading out on the water.
August 10, 2020
Ask Andrew: High temperatures – and not just because it’s August
July and August in Canada are the months of boating. People are on the water – exploring, cruising, fishing, voyaging and racing. Maintenance and repairs aren’t the priority – the fun is.
August 10, 2020
Children and Boating
Boating together with the kids as a family can be a most enjoyable activity. Because people, especially kids, have unique personalities it is important to take the suggestions that I am going to make…
July 21, 2020
Safety on the Water: Marine Rules of the Road
The marine rules of the road are set out in Canada’s Collision Regulations, Schedule 1, Section I – Conduct of vessels in any condition of visibility and Section II – Conduct of vessels in sight of one another.
July 21, 2020
Ask Andrew: Making proper connections
I get a lot of calls for electrical repairs. Not upgrades or installations – the requests are to repair what’s already there. Sometimes its because something has stopped working, and the mess of wiring, repairs and additions over time; the mysterious nature of electrical problems prevent the boat owner from tackling this on their own.
July 7, 2020
Ask Andrew: Tune-ups
Many boats are now on the water after a COVID-imposed hiatus – and with a shortened ‘prep’ period, usually filled with antifouling, polishing, cleaning, engine check-overs and the installation of a new Christmas/boat-show electronic doo-dad.
June 30, 2020
Canadian Yachting – Modern Teak Decks
Wooden boat production in the 1940’s and 50’s was epitomized by expert craftsmanship, beautifully faired curves, bright varnish, and high-grade materials. Teak in particular is highly rot resistant, prized for its ability to produce its own oil, and recognized by its tight, straight grain.
June 10, 2020
Ask Andrew – Pump it up
Boats contain several pumps, each serving a unique purpose and positioned in a way that allows it to do its job effectively. Understanding the why and the how can be important in troubleshooting when an issue crops up.
June 10, 2020
The Rules Guy: An overview of the right-of-way rules III
In the past two issues we have been doing an overview of the right-of-way rules. In the first, we did a review of Section A of Part 2, in the second we did a review of the definitions. This issue, we will look at Section B of Part 2, General Limitations, which is essentially limitations applying to boats that have right of way according to Section A.