Technology: Glitches and Fixes

Technology. For the boating crowd it can make a day on the water easier. Some may even say safer, impressively efficient and even more fun. But it doesn’t come without glitches – at least not yet. Many find it more challenging to fix a new age hiccup than those old-fashioned breakdowns that could often be repaired with little more than a screwdriver, wrench, wire cutters and, perhaps, a few wraps of duct tape.

The sophisticated helms, hulls and powerhouses of today have undoubtedly benefited from advances in technology. But truth be told, those updates have left some of us in their wake. Much of the basic logic and progression of figuring out what’s gone wrong with your new-fangled techno thingamajig still applies. You just have to take the time to slow down and think it through. In some cases, you may come up with a suitable repair right on the spot. In others, you’ll at least have an idea of what’s wrong to offer technicians a starting point.

Following is a sampling of five common technology glitches and fixes, along with some steps to hopefully identify and solve each problem. Keep ‘em in mind for the next time your glitch needs a fix.

Main Engine Fails To Start:

1. Make sure the battery master switches are on, the boat is powered up, and the controls and breakers for the electronics are functioning. Check to see if any dashboard switches have been left on that may have drained the battery. Restart the engine to reset the internal computer. Placing your electronics systems on standby while powering up may help if your engine shares data with these units.
2. Break out a multimeter to check the voltage of your batteries. The battery banks should register a minimum of 12 volts. Charge the batteries if they register lower.
3. Inspect your power connections, working from the batteries forward. Make certain the terminal connections are intact, clean and show little or no signs of corrosion.
4. Ensure the insulation on your wires is not nicked or burned. Check that no wires have pulled loose or have been severed from their connections.

Electronics Not Working:

1. Fish-finders and electronic packages are like mini-computers that draw a lot of juice. If one or more of your systems fails to boot up, start by inspecting the fuses. Ensure they are clean, functional, tightly secured and show no signs of condensation. Replace them if anything doesn’t look right and then try to reboot the system again. Note, a blown fuse will still require you to figure out why that happened. You’ll need to do a little more research after you’ve replaced it.
2. If fuses aren’t the issue, check the amperage. If you aren’t getting enough, one or more of your electronic systems might refuse to boot. Amperage should read over 12 volts with 12.6 being a reasonable level on most recreational vessels.
3. Check all wires that feed a recalcitrant electronic system to ensure they are securely attached and in sufficiently good shape to complete a circuit.

Battery Drains:

1. If your battery consistently drains it’s likely you have a short somewhere in the line, which once again requires checking your wiring and fuses. It’s also possible that you’ve got a switch in the on position somewhere that has escaped notice. This happens more than you might think, and often involves leaving a three-way in an on position that matches the off position of a switch next to it on the dashboard. Double-checking this technology can save you a lot of time and effort.
2. Another surprisingly common occurrence is an automatic float switch stuck in the up position. Have a look and, if necessary, clean and lubricate the float mechanism.

Steering Issues:

1. Steering in most newer vessels these days is controlled by a simple wire that routes digital input from the helm to the lower unit, this as opposed to the traditional steering cable manually responding to the turning of the steering wheel which can be adjusted right on the spot if necessary. That means the DIY crowd needs to be really careful when running new wires for a transducer or other electronic package through the hull.
2. In short, all it takes to disrupt your data flow is a small nick in that steering wire and you’ll be left with no way to adjust your course. So, take your time and proceed with caution if passing anything through the hull – and be sure to check the steering before trying to launch or pull out of your slip after completing any through-hull procedures.

Fuel Gages:

Sea Tow Huntington Captain, Gaige Simon, notes faulty fuel gauges as one technology improvement that is prone to frequent failures. “It’s amazing how many fuel gauges simply don’t work,” he says, noting that roughly one out of three calls he responds to is for fuel delivery.

1. If your fuel gauge has stopped working, open up your fuel center (usually right above the fuel tank) and have a look. The problem could be from corrosion, or you might need a new fuel filter. If not, then it’s probably the sender, which will likely require service from a technician.
2. If your fuel gauge goes down while you are on the water, you can get a reliable reading of how much fuel you’ve used by checking the TTL (Total Trip Log) on your speed/fuel gauge. This shows the gallons burned since last use. So, if you put in 50 gallons immediately before heading out and TTL now shows 20, you’ve got 30 gallons left, theoretically speaking.