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That was it! The Seabreezehad an icebox, not
a fridge. Water was supplied by hand pumps,
one at the galley sink and one in the head. A
shower was an optional extra, as was the
pressure-water system to go with it. There
were no fans, heaters, air-conditioners, or
generators. The single manual head pumped
right overboard. Simpler times.
Roughing it? Perhaps by today’s stan-
dards, but a lot of safe, pleasant ocean miles
have slipped under the keels of the few hun-
dred Seabreezes built and the many thou-
sands of equally simple craft of those days.
This is a book about the primary mechan-
ical systems on boats. Unless it’s a canoe, a
rowboat, or a sailing skiff, every boat will
have such systems; nevertheless, the fewer
the systems and the simpler they are, the
more cost-effective, reliable, and enjoyable
the vessel will be. Take this as the bottom
line. Whether you’re searching for your next
boat or upgrading your current one; whether
you’re managing a full-service yard, running a
large-production boatbuilding operation, or
designing custom boats, if you can keep the
mechanical systems down to the minimum
and as simple as possible, you—and every-
one connected with the vessel—will have a
better experience from day one.
Of course, some systems are indispensa-
ble (like the drivetrain and the fuel system).
Other systems are legally required (like hold-
ing tanks and related plumbing), and still
other systems some boaters simply won’t
want to do without—hot-and-cold pressure
water and a cabin heater being two examples.
In this book we’ll take a close look at the
primary systems necessary on boats, noting
what’s required to install the principal mechan-
ical systems so they are reliable and trouble-
free. We’ll also look at some less common
alternatives for some systems (e.g., unusual
rudders), and at some of the ways you can
identify and correct problems that may have
been designed or built into an existing boat.
Mechanical systems on boats cover
quite a range of possibilities, naturally. That
50-footer (15.2 m) John and I were discussing
did have a Jacuzzi whirlpool. It had to be cus-
tom engineered. There was no way to carry
enough fresh water (or make it) to fill the
300-gallon (1,100 L) Jacuzzi. Instead, it
required a 120-volt, high-volume, raw-waterpump to fill, along with intake seacock, sea
strainer, and auto-shutoff. Then we had to
heat the water: 12-volt circulation pump and
propane flash-type water heater (with special
arrangements made to deal with the salt water),
with associated plumbing, strainer/filter, on/off
controls, thermostat, and so on, and naturally,
drains and their associated plumbing and fit-
tings as well. All for a single tub! We won’t
cover installations like this here. What we will
do is review the standard mechanical systems
that form the backbone of operations and
safety aboard most normal boats.
Mechanical systems on boats, are—more
often than not—driven, controlled, or moni-
tored using electricity. Most commonly this is
12-volt or 24-volt DC. On larger boats and for
bigger, more powerful systems, it is 120- or
240-volt, 60-cycle AC (240-volt, 50-cycle in
Europe). Except for the inescapable way the
electric system may interface with the
mechanical system, however, we won’t be
covering electric systems. Why not? Well,
first, this is a book on mechanical systems,
not electric systems. Second, electric sys-
tems are such an immense and complex sub-
ject that they would require their own dedi-
cated book—a big one. If it’s guidance on
marine electric systems you’re looking for,
you’ll need to seek elsewhere.
Similarly, there isn’t any discussion of
rigs and sail-handling systems here. Again,
these aren’t the mechanical systems that
form the backbone of marine operations on
all boats. An auxiliary sailboat needs the
same general fuel, exhaust, and drivetrain
systems as a powerboat, but only the sailboat
would have things like hydraulic backstay
adjusters or roller furling gear. Mast and rig-
ging systems, too, are thus a subject for
another book.
Of course, boat structure isn’t in any
sense a mechanical system; however, where
appropriate, we will discuss whether a struc-
ture is strong enough to support a particular
system’s components.
What you will find here is sound guid-
ance on the fundamental mechanical systems
common to most boats. Follow these recom-
mendations and keep things as simple as
possible for the vessel you’re working on,
and you should have many years of trouble-
free operation.Introduction