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Spring Boat Preparation

Spring is upon us—is your boat ready for the water? When the thaw arrives and the waters run anew, boat owners turn to spring prep, wherein we sand, paint, varnish, plumb, rewire and otherwise prepare our boats for the season ahead. Hooray for the season—let the preparations begin!
130 Pins
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West Marine
Walking into the fastener section of a West Marine or your local hardware and home center can be daunting. An entire aisle dedicated to nuts and bolts and screws with hundreds of drawers with a dozen compartments—each with a different screw, bolt, or nut. Having a working knowledge of how fasteners are identified and what type of fasteners are best for certain applications can reduce your confusion and hopefully your time in the fastener aisle so that you can get back on the water sooner.
Rail fittings let you build rigid bow, stern and cabintop handrail and lifeline systems, dodgers, and other canvas/tubing assemblies, providing secure handholds and/or rigid barriers around your boat’s perimeter.
Marine cabinet hardware includes all of the little metal stuff that allows you to build boat cabinetry. Most of these items are smaller than household items, and made from corrosion-resistant materials like brass, chrome plated brass, or stainless steel.

Maintenance

67 Pins
Your outboard spring commissioning tasks will vary according to the maintenance you completed in the fall as part of winterization. Learn more and wake up your outboard motor now!
Any time you change your engine's oil, it is important to replace your oil filter so the new oil doesn't become contaminated.
Routine engine care requires regular oil changes, which are least expensive when completed by the boat owner.

Engine Care

20 Pins
Installing one or more photovoltaic solar panels on your boat is a great way to keep your batteries topped off and in larger installations replace the power consumed by house loads.
As boats get larger—say in the 50–60 foot range—and operate DC loads which require more power with wire runs getting longer, 12 volt systems start to become inadequate or at least challenged.
Many boaters are considering replacing lead acid batteries with Lithium Ion batteries. We'll help you decide by covering the safety, performance, charging requirements, cost, and common marine applications for Lithium Ion batteries.

Electrical

12 Pins
Ventilation is essential for the longevity of your boat's interior and the comfort of your crew. Stagnant, moist air can collect in your cabin and compartments, forming a breeding ground for mildew.
Maintaining your marine sanitation device can be an onerous task, but this need not be the case since problems that arise have more to do with owner neglect than anything else.
Consider what can happen when a hose bursts. If you are lucky, you will only have nuisance repairs to electronics, engine or interior.

Plumbing & Ventilation

24 Pins
the cover of a book with an image of a boat in the ocean and text charging with solar panels
Boat Diy
Boating
Solar Panels
Price Match
Airplane View
Plumbing
Batteries
Boats
Rv
Charging With Solar Panels On Your Boat DIY
Installing one or more photovoltaic solar panels on your boat is a great way to keep your batteries topped off and in larger installations replace the power consumed by house loads.
the large boat is being worked on by workers
Water Systems
Fresh Water
Sydney Opera House
Sailing
Fishing
Understanding 24 Volt Electrical Systems
As boats get larger—say in the 50–60 foot range—and operate DC loads which require more power with wire runs getting longer, 12 volt systems start to become inadequate or at least challenged.
a man standing in front of a counter with an electronic device on it and the words are lithium batteries a good choice?
Battery Bank
Trolling Motor
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
Cooking Gadgets
Lithium Ion Batteries
Lead Acid Battery
Lithium Battery
Battery Charger
Are Lithium Batteries a Good Choice for You?
Many boaters are considering replacing lead acid batteries with Lithium Ion batteries. We'll help you decide by covering the safety, performance, charging requirements, cost, and common marine applications for Lithium Ion batteries.
the nuts and bolts of marine fasteners by west marine image is in blue with white text
Carriage Bolt
Screws And Bolts
Home Center
Nuts And Bolts
Wood Screws
What Type
Get Back
The Nuts and Bolts of Marine Fasteners
Walking into the fastener section of a West Marine or your local hardware and home center can be daunting. An entire aisle dedicated to nuts and bolts and screws with hundreds of drawers with a dozen compartments—each with a different screw, bolt, or nut. Having a working knowledge of how fasteners are identified and what type of fasteners are best for certain applications can reduce your confusion and hopefully your time in the fastener aisle so that you can get back on the water sooner.
a boat in the water with text overlaying how to select rail fittings
The Selection
With Confidence
Paint
Canvas
How to Select Rail Fittings
Rail fittings let you build rigid bow, stern and cabintop handrail and lifeline systems, dodgers, and other canvas/tubing assemblies, providing secure handholds and/or rigid barriers around your boat’s perimeter.
two chrome steel cabinet door hinges with the words selecting marine cabinet hardware west marine
Cabinet Hardware
Chrome Plating
Household Items
How to Select Marine Cabinet Hardware
Marine cabinet hardware includes all of the little metal stuff that allows you to build boat cabinetry. Most of these items are smaller than household items, and made from corrosion-resistant materials like brass, chrome plated brass, or stainless steel.
installing hatchches and vents on boats with west marine's logo in the background
Boat Interior
Hatches
Cabin
Installing Hatches and Vents on Boats DIY
Ventilation is essential for the longevity of your boat's interior and the comfort of your crew. Stagnant, moist air can collect in your cabin and compartments, forming a breeding ground for mildew.
the diagram shows how to select a sanitition system for water heater installation
Step By Step Instructions
Step By Step
Water
How to Select a Sanitation System
Maintaining your marine sanitation device can be an onerous task, but this need not be the case since problems that arise have more to do with owner neglect than anything else.
how to select marine hoses for your home or business? - west marine, inc
Vacuum Cleaner
Fuel
To Learn
Repair
How to Select Marine Hoses
Consider what can happen when a hose bursts. If you are lucky, you will only have nuisance repairs to electronics, engine or interior.
two men working on an engine in the back of a truck with text overlaying how to select a bigge pump west marine
Wood Boats
A Wood
Pumps
Wood
How to Select a Bilge Pump
Virtually all boats end up with unwanted water in the bilge, which must be removed. Water gets in from a propeller shaft packing gland, a leaky portlight, leaky seams in a wood boat, melting ice from the icebox and a multitude of other sources.
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an image of a water pump with the words, understanding seacocks
Gate Valve
Ball Valve
Gate
Understanding Seacocks
A proper seacock is more than just a mounting flange with holes for bolting it down. It contains specially arranged internal threads, top and bottom which is why an ordinary ball valve or gate valve should not be used in a hole in the bottom of your boat.
the cover for tall piece and hose sizes, with an arrow pointing up to it
Hose Clamps
Ibm Logo
Communication
Tailpiece and Hose Sizes For Boat Plumbing
Hose sizes, with few exceptions, are designated by the inside diameter (ID), which is the size of a round rod that the hose can be slipped onto. The outside diameter (OD) of the hose is only important when selecting hose clamps.
an image of a water system with the words,'understanding presumized freshwater systems '
Pressure Pump
Faucet
You Choose
Tap
Floor Plans
Understanding Pressurized Freshwater Systems on Boats
Freshwater pumps deliver water to fixtures onboard a boat. Pressurized water systems make life aboard more comfortable by providing water "on tap" for dishwashing, showers and other applications. The complexity of installing and maintaining one depends on the number of outlets and accessories you choose.
a bottle of water with the words, underhanding head & holding tank treatments
Mask
Understanding Head & Holding Tank Treatments
Holding tank treatments use a variety of methods to mask or eliminate offensive odors created as waste is broken down. They come in four basic formulations.
a man in headphones is working on a boat pumping system with text overlay that reads how to cto boat pumps
Strengths And Weaknesses
Designer Pumps
The Boat
Stationary Bike
How to Choose Boat Pumps
Pumps are used to move liquids from one point to another, including in and out of the boat. Each pump design has specific characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. Which one is right for you, depends on your application.