Steve's Marine Service Blog

Shrink-wrapping? Take Care And let the pro's handle it

Shrink-wrapping is a great way to protect your boat over winter, It is, as long as its’ done the right way. Shrink-wrap can  ignite your boat while you're trying to wrap it. Every year there are fires caused by owners trying to shrink-wrap their boats, and almost all the fires were serious. In one claim in Michigan, the owner of a 34-foot Sea Ray used a roofing flame torch to tighten the wrap. After seeing smoke coming from inside the cockpit, he cut the wrap open and found flames, which quickly got out of control. Before the fire department could put out the fire, two boats were destroyed and three others were damaged. Fire and flammable shrink-wrap (and equally flammable fiberglass) don't mix. All it takes is a moment of inattention to ignite shrink-wrap, and sometimes the flames aren't visible right away. Shrink-wrap is one job best left to the pros.

Ask us about our shrink-wrap and winterization services.

Scientists discover a lake under the sea: Those who swim there may never come back alive

According  to an article in the journal of Oceanography, there is a new scary discovery.

 Scientists have discovered a "lake" in the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone, who enters this pool at the bottom of the sea will suffer horribly. Erik Cordes, associate professor of biology at Temple University, has researched the pool and described his findings in the journal Oceanography.

“It was one of the most amazing things in the deep sea. You go down into the bottom of the ocean and you are looking at a lake or a river flowing. It feels like you are not on this world", Cordes told Discovery News.

The water in the "lake within the sea" is about five times as salty as the water surrounding it. It also contains highly toxic concentrations of methane and hydrogen sulfide and can thus not mix with the surrounding sea.

Based on the findings, the lake discovered in the Mexican Gulf was like a jacuzzi, though it was not simply a warm bath. It was deadly to organisms that are not used to high temperatures.

The "lake" was measured to have a salinity level five times higher than its surrounding waters, making it denser and not easily mixed up with the normal seawater. It also had high concentrations of methane and hydrogen sulfide which are already toxic for humans and for animals. Though selected species of shrimps and tubeworms were found to adapt in this kind of ecosystem, majority of the living organisms that can thrive here are bacteria. These organisms have the capacity to convert methane and other present chemicals for their food and other needs.

For animals (and people) who swim into it, these toxic concentrations can be deadly. Only bacterial life, tube worms and shrimp can survive those circumstances.

For scientists, this lake is like a playground for their research. They can explore how certain organisms can survive in extreme habitats.

"There's a lot of people looking at these extreme habitats on Earth as models for what we might discover when we go to other planets," Cordes told Seeker.

What Systems Need To Be Addressed?

Generally, anything that uses water for cooling or carries water for use on board, needs to be winterized. Fall is also the perfect time to do your annual oil change and transmission fluid, or lower-unit gear-lube change on your engines. Make sure your to-do list includes: Oil change and cylinder fogging for engines and generators.

• Lower-unit gear-lube change for outboards or sterndrives.
• Topping off the fuel tank, adding stabilizer or biocides as needed.
• Draining or flushing/filling any raw-water cooling systems with nontoxic antifreeze. Don't forget the air-conditioning system.
• Water system winterization, which can be draining or flushing or filling, depending on your preference. This includes tanks, heads, pumps, shower sumps, sinks, and even seacocks, if the hose runs don't drain entirely.
• Inspection of anodes and running gear.
• Washing the exterior of the boat to remove salt and dirt, and getting the cockpit or other exterior drains cleared.
• Make sure batteries are fully charged, or better yet, remove them where they can be stored indoors and given a booster charge from time to time to keep them topped up.

Ask us about our service specials and storage options

If your boat stays inside during the winter or is subject to experience large swings in temperature and humidity, guard against an interior full of mildew by placing a product such as "DampRid" in containers throughout the boat. Be sure the interior is well-ventilated. Of course, don't store any damp gear (life jackets, anchor lines, etc.) inside, and remove all seat cushions and seats that cover storage compartments.

Consider A Solar Solution

When your boat is closed, warming daytime air sucks moisture into the interior from outside, which condenses out when the cabin cools at night. A few days of this and the interior of your closed boat is as wet as a rain forest. The result is damage to fabrics, woods, and probably even the fiberglass. Passive ventilation beats nothing, but a solar ventilator does a much better job of keeping the interior of a closed boat fresh and dry. Set to exhaust, a solar ventilator will exchange all the air in the closed cabin of a 25-foot boat every 30 minutes. Select a day/night ventilator and this circulation continues around the clock. The effect on the freshness of the cabin will astonish you.

As we head into the fall boating season, closer attention to cold weather boating safety guidelines is a must. With the cooler weather comes colder waters!

Here’s some tips from our friends at the US Coast Guard.

When the weather changes so should the type of lifejackets boaters use such as a flotation coat or deck suit-style designed to keep the boater afloat and insulated without using energy.  If a person were to fall overboard in cold water, hypothermia sets in and their chances of survival decrease drastically…and quickly! Bringing extra layers of clothing and weather appropriate outerwear is crucial. Depending where you live temperatures can average in the 50’s throughout October and November. Make sure when you head out on your Fall boating adventure you are prepared for sudden drops in temperature or approaching storms.

A safety check of your vessel ensures that it is outfitted with the proper safety gear and is in good operating condition before getting underway.

The following is a list of safety tips all boaters should adhere to before leaving the dock:

• Carry a VHF-FM marine radio. Cell phones often lose signal and run out of batteries after a day on the water. They are helpful, but not reliable for emergencies.
• Register your EPIRB. Response time is the key to survival. The sooner help arrives, the better the chances for survival. Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBS) provide the fastest and most accurate way the Coast Guard has of locating and rescuing persons in distress.
• Have a Vessel Safety Check. It’s a great way of learning about problems that might put boaters in violation of state or federal laws, or create danger for boaters and passengers on the water. Best of all, it’s free!  Both the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the United States Power Squadrons have certified vessel examiners who will perform a free Vessel Safety Check (“VSC”) at your boat, at a time of mutual convenience. There is no charge, and no consequences if you don’t pass. Our goal is simply to help make boating as safe as possible for you, your family and your friends, through education.

Before getting underway let friends and family know where and their expected return time.  These planned actions ahead of starting the motor, hoisting the sail, or paddling the vessel are critical to ensuring a safe boating excursion or rescue if the need arises

With the boating season winding down, now is a good time to schedule maintenance for your boat! Steve’s’ Marine specializes in offering full service for all boats…not just “big boats”. As a Volvo Penta Authorized Service & Sales Center we’ve got all of your service and parts needs covered.

Call us for special Fall Service and winter storage deals.

Reach us at (631) 264-1600 to make a parts inquiry, schedule a service appointment or request a quote for service.

Mention this blog post and we’ll discount your service for being a loyal Steve’s Marine Customer.

Not just a warehouse, Steve’s Marine technicians have the ability to install any part that the you need and is available for sale. Steve’s Marine’s complete service center specializes in routine maintenance, outdrive repair and engine service, custom rigging and installations, and engine rebuilds. Over 40 years of experience in the high performance marine industry affords Steve’s Marine a wealth of product and technical knowledge to benefit our customers. Steve’s Marine also has the ability to innovate new products due to a need arising in the marketplace or for a unique solution for almost any application.

Take a trip to the Statue of Liberty this autumn.  

First off, the world we live in is different today. While you can get close, if you want to visit the island, you are better off taking a ferry.

Getting to and from Ellis Island is extremely different than what our ancestor’s experienced when they came from faraway lands. Even though the island is no longer used as an entry port for new immigrants, there are now two ferries which make it easy for anyone to see both Liberty Island and Ellis Island; one from Battery Park in New York City and the other from Liberty State Park in New Jersey.

Statue Cruises is the company that operates the ferries to and from the islands. They have Statue Cruises painted on the side of their boats in large print, but it is also helpful to know that there are signs that will lead you to their docks located to the right of the building where the Staten Island ferry leaves from Battery Park.

Note: Once you have your ticket, you must go through airport style security checkpoints to board, but security is good about moving everyone through the line quickly.

When the boat departs Manhattan, Liberty Island will be the first stop. When the boat docks, everyone is told what time to be back at the boat to sail to Ellis Island. In the meantime, enjoy taking group shots and selfies with Lady Liberty and enjoying the nature and views. There is also (an extra charge), a Statue of Liberty museum so you can learn about her history.

On Ellis Island, there are two main attractions; the Ellis Island Museum and the large wall that has been built with everyone's name that has been processed throughout the duration of the island's use. The wall is a special place for many who happen to find an ancestors’ name. The museum has breathtaking views of Manhattan as you walk through the building learning about the different stages of immigration throughout American history and the harsh climate that the new immigrants faced when they thought they had left all the hard times of war, famine, and persecution behind.

Once you enter the waiting room, the nostalgic thought of "The Statue of Liberty is what they saw" is replaced with the reality of the last trial before being let into the country. Like the scene depicted in the movie, Brooklyn, the museum tells a story about how death and disease were so rampant on the overcrowded boats that many people ended up so sick by the time they got to this equally overcrowded room that immigration officials denied them entry, and they were forced back on the next boat home.

The line back to the Manhattan or New Jersey bound ferry is almost always long, but the view is good. On sunny days , if you are lucky, you may get to see a whirlpool with a rainbow in it as the ferry docks back home

As everyone knows, Columbus had three ships on his first voyage, the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. The flagship Santa Maria had the nickname La Gallega. It was a nao, which simply means "ship" in old Spanish; today, we might call such a ship a carrack. She was fat and slow, designed for hauling cargo, not for exploration. Some sources say that the Santa Maria was about 100 tons, meaning that it could carry 100 toneladas, which were large casks of wine. There has been much speculation about just how large such a ship would be; the best current thinking, by Carla Rahn Philips, puts the length of Santa Maria at 18 meters, keel length at 12 meters, beam 6 meters, and a depth of 3 meters from keel to deck.

The Santa Maria had three masts (fore, main, and mizzen), each of which carried one large sail. The foresail and mainsail were square; the sail on the mizzen, or rear, mast was a triangular sail known as a lateen. In addition, the ship carried a small square sail on the bowsprit, and small topsail on the mainmast above the mainsail.

The Pinta was captained by Martín Alonso Pinzón, a leading mariner from the town of Moguer in Andalucia. Pinta was a caravel, a smaller, lighter, and faster ship than the tubby Santa Maria. We don't know much about Pinta, but it probably was about 70 tons. Philips puts the length of Pinta at 17 meters, keel length 13 meters, beam 5 meters, and depth 2 meters. She probably had three masts, and most likely carried sails like those of Santa Maria, except for the topsail, and perhaps the spritsail.

Smallest of the fleet was the Niña, also called Santa Clara, captained by Vicente Añes Pinzón, brother of Martín. The Niña was another caravel of probably 50 or 60 tons, and started from Spain with lateen sails on all masts; but she was refitted in the Canary Islands with square sails on the fore and main masts. Unlike most ships of the period, Niña may have carried four masts, including a small counter-mizzen at the stern with another lateen sail. This would have made Niña the best of the three ships at sailing upwind. Philips puts her length at 15 meters, keel length 12 meters, beam 5 meters, and depth 2 meters.

How fast did they go?

As you can guess, speed of sailing vessels varies considerably with the speed of the wind. Over several days, ships of Columbus's day would average a little less than 4 knots. Top speed for the vessels was about 8 knots, and minimum speed was zero. These speeds were quite typical for vessels of the period -- and indeed, typical for the entire Age of Sail up until the time of steamships and clipper ships. So overall, 90 or 100 miles in a day would be typical, and 200 phenomenal.

Of the three ships on the first voyage, the Santa Maria was the slowest, and the Pinta was the fastest. The differences were small, however, perhaps about 0.1 knot between them.