Why won’t my holding tank pump out? Dear Boat Doctor, I am having trouble pumping out my holding tank. The dockside pumps just don’t seem to work very well. I eventually get it pumped, but it ta

Dear Boat Doctor, I am considering taking my boat from the Great Lakes to the East Coast next season. I can go out via the Erie Canal or the Saint Lawrence Seaway. What are the pros and cons? Joe Wa

Dear Boat Doctor, I just bought a used Beneteau First 456. The boat seems like it’s in great condition, and the survey went well. I need to make a 400-mile coastal delivery home and am trying to pr

Dear Boat Doctor,I bought an asymmetrical spinnaker this season. We are figuring out the sail but continue to struggle with one aspect. We fly the sail from a block mounted on the anchor roller. This

Dear Boat Doctor, I have been battling leaks in my deck hatches for years. First I thought there was a leak around the plastic lens, so I removed and resealed it. When it still leaked I replaced the

Dear Boat Doctor, My new-to-me boat has a keel-stepped mast. I’m happy to have it, but I cannot get the mast-to-deck joint to stop leaking. Even in a gentle rain, I find water dripping into my salo

How should I rig a preventer? Dear Boat Doctor, I experienced my first accidental jibe a few weeks back. I was flying downwind on a beautiful afternoon, and my autopilot lost control. The boat tur

Dear Boat Doctor, I have two issues on my boat that I hope you can help with.  I need to install lazy jacks by mounting eye straps on the boom and mast but I don’t know what the best way to a

Dear Boat Doctor, I just bought a 1984 Tayana 37 and am beginning a refit with a plan for long-distance cruising. The boat is set up as a cutter but doesn’t have running backstays. The guy I bought

Dear Boat Doctor, I keep my boat on a mooring, so it’s usually closed up, and it doesn’t really have any ventilation.  I notice a sour sort of smell whenever I get on board.  It’s not

Dear Boat Doctor, Every time I run my engine, I end up with a little water in the bilge under the engine. The longer it runs, the more water I get. I have looked for leaks and can’t find the proble

Dear Boat Doctor, My VHF radio is not working very well. I seem to receive OK, but my friends struggle to hear me when I transmit. I want to replace the radio, but I want to make sure the new one wor

How do I fix my hot water system? Dear Boat Doctor, I am having a problem with the hot water system on my boat. I can make hot water when the engine is running, but it doesn’t work at the dock. Ca

Dear Boat Doctor, I am having a problem with the hot water system on my boat. I can make hot water when the engine is running, but it doesn’t work at the dock. Can you give me some ideas on how to

What gear do we need for night passages? Dear Boat Doctor, My wife and I would like to do some longer distance passages, which will entail sailing overnight. We are a little nervous about it but e

Help! My AIS is stuck in the supply chain Dear Boat Doctor, I have a complete Raymarine system in my boat, and I want to add AIS. Unfortunately, the supply chain for Raymarine AIS units is blocked

Dear Boat Doctor, I just bought a Hylas 46, and I am assessing my ground tackle. The boat came with 120 feet of 3/8-inch chain and a 55-pound Mantus anchor. Both seem a little undersized for the boat

Dear Boat Doctor, We’re finally able to do some offshore passages on our Baba 40 and we’re looking to expand the sail inventory to get better downwind performance. We’re looking at an asymmetri