Field notes from the build desk
Machinery & Systems
Watermaker Membrane Problems in the Tropics: A Field Guide
Most watermaker trouble in the tropics is not the membrane’s fault: low product flow, creeping salinity and pressure problems usually trace back to fouled prefilters, a tired feed pump, or biological growth from bad…
Machinery & Systems
Shaft Vibration Diagnosis on Liveaboards: From Symptom to Fix
Shaft vibration on a liveaboard has five usual suspects — a fouled or damaged propeller, a bent shaft, worn cutless bearings, misalignment between engine and shaft, and failing engine mounts — and the pattern…
Docking & Haul-Out
Pre-Docking Checklist: What to Prepare Before a Sorong Haul-Out
A Sorong haul-out runs to plan when four things are ready before the vessel moves: the paperwork the facility will ask for, the work list agreed in writing, the parts and paint already in…
Docking & Haul-Out
Slipway, Travel Lift or Beach Grid: Haul-Out Methods Explained
Three methods take a hull out of the water in eastern Indonesia — the marine railway (slipway), the travel lift, and the tidal grid — and which one your vessel can use is decided…
Docking & Haul-Out
Choosing Antifouling for High-Fouling Eastern Indonesian Waters
In the warm, nutrient-rich waters of eastern Indonesia, the right antifouling choice comes down to matching paint chemistry to how the boat is actually used: self-polishing copolymers for vessels that move most weeks, harder…
Hull & Structure
Osmosis Blisters on GRP Hulls: Spotting Them Before Haul-Out
Osmosis blisters show themselves before haul-out if you know where to look: a faint mustiness in the bilge, small domed bumps under the waterline paint felt by a diver’s palm, and a vinegary smell…
Emergency & Field Repair
Tow or Repair in Place? Deciding After a Breakdown in Raja Ampat
After a breakdown in Raja Ampat, the tow-or-repair decision comes down to four questions: is the vessel safe where she lies, can the fault actually be fixed afloat, what does each path cost in…
Emergency & Field Repair
Field Welding on Boats: What Mobile Engineers Can Really Do
A mobile engineer with a portable welding set can genuinely repair cracked brackets, split tanks above the waterline, broken davits, exhaust hangers and deck fittings at anchor — but hull plating below the waterline,…
Emergency & Field Repair
Losing Steering at Sea: Emergency Rudder & Hydraulic Fixes
When a boat loses steering at sea, the cause is almost always one of four things: hydraulic fluid loss, a failed steering pump or ram, a mechanical disconnection between helm and rudder, or damage…
Emergency & Field Repair
Grounding in Raja Ampat: A Skipper’s First-Hour Checklist
If your vessel has just touched a reef or bank in Raja Ampat, the first hour decides most of what follows: check for water, protect the crew, record the state of the tide, and…
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