It's "Maintenance Monday" and today we're talking about your boat's VHF radio. The time to find out if your VHF radio is working is before you leave the dock. But sometimes you get out on the water, and for one reason or another, you find that you can't transmit or hear other boaters' transmissions. Here are some band-aid temporary cures in the event that this happens to you while away from the dock: 1. Bad-Mike Fix: If the radio doesn’t transmit or you get reports from nea

It's "Maintenance Monday", and today we're discussing your boat's isinglass. Isinglass is a generic name for the clear vinyl windows on your boat, but there are a few types. One is roll vinyl, which is soft, flexible and comparatively inexpensive. It has some inherent distortion, although the newer varieties are much more clear. It rolls up for convenient stowage. The second type is sheet vinyl,which offers more clarity than roll vinyl, is stiffer, and better suited for large

It's "Maintenance Monday", and today we're talking about your boat's battery cables. Most of our boats in Southwest Florida are 100% saltwater use, which makes them highly susceptible to corrosion. Salt-laden moisture and even battery-acid vapor can penetrate the cable insulation — either at the lug connection or through a pinhole. Bad cables can lead to other problems, including fire. As the alternator tries to move juice through a deteriorating wire, heat can climb to the p