Boat fixes & maintenance guides
Plain-English guides for the things boat owners actually run into — what's likely wrong, how to fix it safely, what it costs, and when to call a marine tech.
Canvas & Upholstery
Drive & Propulsion
- How to Remove and Replace a Propeller on an Outboard
- Engine Revs but Boat Won't Move? How to Diagnose a Spun Prop Hub
- How to Remove Fishing Line Wrapped Around the Prop Shaft
- How to Replace Sterndrive Bellows (U-Joint, Exhaust, Shift)
- Milky Gear Lube in the Lower Unit — What It Means and How to Fix
- How to Pressure and Vacuum Test Lower Unit Seals
- How to Replace a Worn Gimbal Bearing on a Sterndrive
- Boat Vibrates at Cruising Speed — How to Track Down the Cause
- How to Replace a Worn Cutless Bearing on an Inboard
- How to Adjust a Sterndrive Shift Cable That Clunks or Won't Engage
Electrical & Batteries
- Boat Battery Keeps Dying Overnight — How to Find the Parasitic Drain
- How to Test a Marine Battery With a Multimeter
- How to Wire a 1-2-Both Dual Battery Switch on a Boat
- Battery Not Charging While the Engine Runs — Charging System Troubleshooting
- How to Fix Corroded Marine Wiring Connections the Right Way
- Boat Navigation Lights Not Working — Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
- Shore Power Keeps Tripping the Breaker — Causes and Fixes
- Reverse Polarity Light Is On — What It Means and How to Fix It
- How to Install a Bus Bar and Clean Up a Rat's Nest of Boat Wiring
- How to Add a USB Charging Port at the Helm
- How to Keep a Boat Battery Charged in the Off-Season
Electronics
- Fishfinder Loses the Bottom at Speed — Transducer Troubleshooting
- How to Mount a Transom Transducer at the Right Height and Angle
- VHF Radio Has Poor Range or Won't Transmit — How to Diagnose
- How to Eliminate Engine Noise and Interference on Boat Electronics
- How to Install a Marine Stereo and Speakers the Right Way
Engine
- Why Your Outboard Won't Start After Winter Storage (and How to Fix It)
- 2-Stroke Outboard Bogs Down at Full Throttle — Causes and Fixes
- 4-Stroke Outboard Rough Idle and Stalling — How to Diagnose
- Outboard Overheating Alarm and No Water From the Telltale — What to Do
- How to Clear a Blocked Outboard Telltale (Pee Hole)
- Inboard Engine Overheating — Top Causes and Step-by-Step Fixes
- Sterndrive Won't Trim Up or Down — Trim and Tilt Troubleshooting
- Marine Diesel Blowing White Smoke on Startup — Causes and Fixes
- Marine Diesel Black Smoke Under Load — Diagnosis and Fix
- How to Bleed Air From a Marine Diesel Fuel System
- Outboard Hard to Start When Hot — Why and How to Fix
Fuel System
- Outboard Running Rough From Water in the Fuel — How to Find and Fix It
- How to Change a Fuel/Water Separator Filter on a Boat
- Outboard Primer Bulb Won't Get Hard — Causes and Fixes
- Boat Fuel Gauge Stuck or Reading Wrong — How to Fix the Sender
- How to Clean a Varnished Carburetor on an Outboard
- Engine Starving for Fuel? How to Diagnose a Clogged Anti-Siphon Valve
- How to Replace a Cracked Marine Fuel Fill Hose
- How to Clean a Portable Boat Fuel Tank Full of Ethanol Gunk
- Gas Smell in the Bilge — How to Find the Leak and Fix It Safely
Hull & Gelcoat
- How to Repair Gelcoat Spider Cracks (Crazing) on a Boat
- How to Repair a Gelcoat Chip or Gouge and Color-Match It
- How to Fix Osmotic Blisters Below the Waterline
- How to Rebed a Leaking Thru-Hull Fitting
- How to Replace a Seized or Corroded Seacock
- How to Strip and Reapply Antifouling Bottom Paint
- How to Remove Waterline Stains and the Scum Line From a Hull
- How to Find and Repair a Soft Spot in a Fiberglass Deck
- How to Remove Heavy Oxidation and Restore Gelcoat Shine
- How to Repair Keel and Skeg Damage After a Grounding
Bilge & Plumbing
- Bilge Pump Runs Constantly — Causes and How to Stop It
- Bilge Pump Won't Turn On Automatically — Float Switch Troubleshooting
- How to Replace a Bilge Pump and Float Switch
- Livewell Won't Hold Water or Won't Fill — How to Fix It
- Marine Toilet Won't Flush or Pump — How to Fix It
- How to Get Rid of Marine Head (Holding Tank) Odor for Good
- How to Replace the Joker Valve in a Marine Toilet
- Low or No Water Pressure From the Freshwater System — How to Fix
- How to Winterize a Boat's Freshwater System With Antifreeze
- How to Clear a Clogged Pickup or Drain Thru-Hull
Safety
- How to Check and Replace Expired Boat Flares (and Dispose of Old Ones)
- How to Install and Test a Marine Carbon Monoxide Detector
- Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning on a Boat (Station Wagon Effect)
- How to Inspect and Service Marine Fire Extinguishers (New USCG Rules)
- How to Register, Test, and Maintain an EPIRB or PLB
- How to Inspect and Rearm an Inflatable Life Jacket (PFD)
- USCG Required Safety Gear Checklist by Boat Length
- How to Test Your VHF and Set Up DSC With an MMSI
Steering & Controls
Trailer
- How to Repack Boat Trailer Wheel Bearings Step by Step
- Trailer Bearing Failed on the Road — Signs and Roadside Fix
- How to Install or Replace Bearing Buddies on a Boat Trailer
- Boat Trailer Lights Not Working — How to Find the Fault
- How to Convert a Boat Trailer to Submersible LED Lights
- How to Bleed and Service Boat Trailer Surge Brakes
- Boat Trailer Tire Wearing Unevenly — Causes and Fixes
- How to Replace Worn Trailer Bunks or Rollers
- How to Replace a Frayed Trailer Winch Strap and Service the Ratchet
- How to Stop and Treat Rust on a Boat Trailer Frame