The Ship's Carpenter New Jersey

Why shouldn't I bring banana's aboard?

Because the Captain said so is the best answer.  This old salty superstition is thought to be a result of the way banana's cause other fruits to spoil quickly in close quarters.  When transporting fruits in the old days banana's were known to ruin the cargo.  Rest assured, if you bring a banana aboard a boat something will break.  In fairness it was going to break anyway, that's just what happens on boats.

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My air conditioner is not working as well as I think it should, what should I do?

Your air system works by taking or borrowing energy from sea water.  Your  AC unit needs an uninterrupted flow of sea water to work well.  First, close the strainer sea-cock(valve) and remove both wingnuts from the lid.  Remove the lid and pull out the wire basket inside.  Clean the basket so that no growths, grasses, or sludge impedes the flow of water. Turn the sea-cock to open and check to see how much water flows in.  The flow should be enough to alarm you but it won't be as much as you think it will be.  The water will not shoot up, it will gently spill over the strainer.  If flow is acceptable, replace the lid (make sure the gasket is still there).  Start the unit and then check the water flow (the water outlet is somewhere outside).  If the water flow is not a strong stream then  clean the intake strainer on the bottom of the boat.  This can be done at haul out or you can get a diver to do it in the water.  Note: Clamshell strainers are susceptible to buildup of bottom paint which must be removed with a scraper or grinder while on the hard.  Seems far fetched, but if you have a boat that's 25 years old, it likely has 25 coats of bottom paint.  Think 25 sheets of paper thick!  If after all of this you still have a weak stream you should check for mussels in the strainer and intake hoses.  If you don't see any obvious growths the last step is to circulate a de-mineralizer such as Barnacle Buster.  Follow instructions exactly as written! Back To Top

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My radio seems to broadcast but occasionally  the receiving station can't understand me OR the radio cuts out.  What is wrong?

Could be 3 possible problems:  1) The radio is internally compromised.  The constant jarring while underway and corrosion take their toll on radios.  Replacement is best.

2)  The  antenna is old, and/or the cable, cable connections, or both are corroded.  Antenna's don't last forever so replace it if in doubt and don't make unnecessary connections.  One long run is the only way to go.  3)  The electrical system has a bad ground.  Age causes oxidation of connections which impedes the flow of juice. People  tend to overtighten spade connections and either fracture screw heads or connectors.  A break in the wire, connector, screw or oxidation reduces available power. Limited power means reduced output or no output.  Note:  Don't confuse voltage with power, even with a bad connection the line will likely show 12V when no load is applied, but when under load (such as while transmitting) the voltage will drop in accordance with OHMs law and the appliance won't function.  Back To Top

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My Boat smells bad when it has been closed.  What could it be?

Keep in mind that your boat is made entirely from impervious materials which by design do not breath well.  When your boat is closed up, the air that is trapped inside is stale, and picks up odors from the bilge, dirty clothing and footwear, and the sanitary system.

The Most Likely Culprits:

Does your boat have a Head (toilet)?  If so there are 3 fixes. 

1)  If the hose connecting the black water tank and head is original then it may be permeated.  That means it cannot contain the bad smells.  Replacement is the only option.  There are many great articles available online on how to diagnose sanitary hoses in need of replacement. It is worth mentioning that saltwater toilets can also cause odor problems so consider switching to a freshwater head.

2)  Does your tank have good ventilation?  Ideally  a vent should be routed to each side of the hull so that a natural draft will deliver a steady supply of fresh air.  The waste inside the tank is constantly decomposing.  Without good ventilation the process becomes ANAEROBIC and methane gas is produced.  It would be as if you were living on (or in) a landfill.  While you are in the bilge working you should check the condition of the tank interior.  Paper and solid waste clumps together and cannot fit through the pumpout fittings and therefore does not get removed. The easiest and best solution is to purchase an inexpensive RV tank cleaner.  Simply connect to a garden hose which spins a small head with 2 jets on it.  This rotating jet breaks up the big stuff and dissolves paper clumps.  You must immediately pump out to get a benefit.  Wear gloves and a full face shield!  If you can get the interior of the tank to smell better then the outside of the tank (including the vent exhaust) will smell better.

3)  Look for places where leaks (air or water) are likely.  Check to see that hose clamps are  tight, but not so tight that they crushed the splicing fittings.  Threaded connections are often over or under-tightened.  Make sure to use a good quality Pipe Dope and avoid PTFE tape as  most DIY'ers will overtighten fittings with PTFE tape on threads.  Over-tightening causes fittings to split which can't be fixed.  Make sure that the vents on the exterior of the boat are not packed with wax, compound, or insect nests, all of which are common.  There should be a fine screen that often becomes caked with salt or oxidation.  Replacement of the vent fitting is usually easier than removing, cleaning, and re-installing the screen.  Note:  when a toilet is flushed, a volume of air equivalent to the liquids and solids  must be allowed to leave the tank.  If the vent is blocked then the tank experiences a pressure increase.  The air from inside the tank then leaks out of fittings, barbed connections, or loose inspection plates into the hull  which you will smell immediately.  Back To Top

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I have 2 spots on my boat to drive from.  My gauges are not working properly, what is the problem?

If your gauges are not working at all 1) check the wiring for breaks 2) Check the sender. If the sender is bad be sure to replace with sender compatible with the gauge(s), not necessarily the OEM sender. 3) Check the gauge to gauge wiring. 

When replacing gauges or senders:  The sender and the gauge must be compatible.  If 2 gauges are  used they must be compatible.  Use the same brand and model if possible.  Senders are either single station or dual station senders.  A single station sender cannot be used when there are 2 gauges and vice versa.  The OEM sender may not work with replacement gauges.  Back To Top

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My Hot water is not hot, what could be wrong?

If the water flows the same amount on the hot and cold side of the sink or shower: First, check the breaker to make sure that it is supplying power to the heater.   Next try running the engine until it reaches running temperature. If the water at the faucet is hot then the heating element is likely bad.

If the water is not hot then there is likely a valve or splice used to bypass the heater for winterizing.  Locate it and correct the normal flow into the water heater.

If the hot side of the faucet flow is low or non-existent, then check the 2 water connections on the water heater.  If they were reversed when the boat was winterized then remove and reverse the connections. 

If the water heater is connected properly and the flow is low at the faucet then your water heater likely has sediment buildup or is internally compromised.   Replacement is recommended.  Back To Top

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My Boat started and ran great.  I turned the engine off and tried to re-start it but it would not start. Why won't my engine start?

Assuming the starter engages, the battery is providing the proper amount of power, and no changes have occurred to the engine since it last ran:

If the engine is still warm then you likely experiencing VAPOR LOCK which is caused by old fuel heating up in the fuel lines, fuel filter, or fuel cooler.  This happens when engine heat soaks into the fuel and causes changes in the fuel's vapor pressure.  The most practical fix is to open the engine compartment and allow the fuel to cool down.  The long term fix is to avoid the issue by keeping fuel fresh.  This can be done by: 

1) Removing old fuel from the tank and fuel system.  This is not easy as the tank must be pumped out and the fuel must be disposed of properly.  Keep in mind that you may wind up with 20 gallons of un-useable fuel that may have phase separation or a high water content.

2) Adding high octane fuel to a small amount of older fuel that was stabilized when it was initially purchased.  This can only be done if the fuel is not phase separated and does not have a high water content.

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If you have a question please email me at TheShipsCarpenerNJ@gmail.com and I will do my best to answer it. 

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