Skip to navigation menu Sign In Stores Help Order Lookup Cart 0 FREE Shipping on $99+ Orders* , opens dialog West Marine Search When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Search WestMarine SHOP BY CATEGORY NEW PRODUCTS ADVICE & HOW-TO SALE OUTLET COMMUNITY , opens new window , opens dialog Join The Forum Learn More West Advisor Articles The West Advisor® has been a trusted source for technical boating information since we published our first Master Catalog in 1987. Based on experience gained from thousands of miles of boating on a wide variety of craft, building and maintaining power and sail vessels and fixing stuff on our own boats, you'll find the West Advisor to be helpful, frequently opinionated and always entertaining. = Do-it-Yourself Project, = Video Included, = .pdf File. New to Boating Advice on Boating with Kids Boater Trailering Basics Boating Related Abbreviations and Acronyms Bring Your Dog Aboard Clean Boating Practices Docking Essentials for New Boaters Electronics Overview for New Boaters Entertaining Aboard New Boatowners Resources for Winterization Preventative Maintenance for New Boaters Questions to Consider when Shopping for a Boat Space Utilization on Small Boats Spring Prep: Waking Up an Inboard/Outboard Engine Spring Prep: Guide to Waking Up an Outboard Motor Spring Prep: Trailers Ten Safety Tips for New Boaters Anchors, Docks & Moorings Anchor Rollers Anchor Testing Anchoring for the Racing Sailor Boarding Ladders Constructing a Permanent Mooring Docking Essentials for New Boaters Dock Lines How To Anchor Securely Installing an Anchor Windlass Selecting an Anchor Rode Selecting an Anchor Windlass Selecting Fenders Selecting the Right Anchor Upgrading Your Anchor Rode Upgrading Your Dock Lines Boat Covers & Seating Boat Seat Options Selecting the Right Boat Cover Selecting your Bimini BoaTop® Wintertime Boat Storage Boats & Outboards Buyers' Guide to Inflatable Boats Electric And Hybrid Propulsion Systems How do the Valves Work on West Marine’s Boats? Outboard Motor Care Selecting The Right Size Oars Cabin & Galley Brass Clocks & Barometers Buyer’s Guide to Coolers Buyer’s Guide to Multi-Tools Entertaining Aboard How to Christen a Boat Safe Propane Installations Selecting Boating Flags Selecting a Marine Grill Selecting Refrigeration for Your Boat Selecting a Rigging Knife Ship’s Bell Time Space Utilization on Small Boats Stove Selection Advice Clothing & Accessories Caring for Your Foul Weather Gear Layering for Comfort & Safety Personal Gear Checklist Selecting Foul Weather Gear Selecting Sunglasses For Boating Sperry Glossary Understanding Sun Protection Deck Hardware & Fasteners Installing Hatches and Vents Selecting Marine Cabinet Hardware Selecting Rail Fittings The Nuts and Bolts of Marine Fasteners Electrical 24 Volt Electrical Systems Charging with Solar Panels Circuit Protection and Power Distribution ELCI / GFCI Electrical Shock Protection Electrical Budget Worksheet Installing a Battery Charger Installing a Second Battery LED Lighting Technology Marine Wire Size and Ampacity Marine DC Wiring Basics Navigation Light Rules Selecting an Alternator Selecting a Battery Charger Selecting an Inverter or Inverter/Charger Selecting a Marine Storage Battery Selecting Underwater Lights Shore Power Sizing Your House Battery Bank Ten Deadly Conditions Electronics A New Wave of Marine Radar The Basics of Onboard Satellite TV Be Safe and Be Seen with AIS The BoatConnect Hub Choosing a GPS Receiver Choosing Marine Speakers Coaxial Cable CrewWatcher MOB App Fell Marine Virtual Kill Switch Garmin ActiveCaptain Marine Traffic AIS App Mazu Communication and Tracking System Connected Boat: Siren Marine MTC Doppler Radar Helps Boaters Avoid Collisions Electronics Glossary Electronics Overview for New Boaters Enabling Your VHF Radio’s Safety Features Fishfinder Technology Explained Installing a Fishfinder on a West Marine Kayak Installing a Simrad GO9 on an Arima Boat Installing a Thru-Hull Transducer IPS Displays for Marine Electronics Long Distance Communication Make Your Own Sonar Maps Selecting an Autopilot Selecting Electronic Cartography Selecting Marine Radar Selecting a Marine Stereo Selecting Navigational Instruments Selecting Networked Marine Electronics Selecting a Sonar Transducer Selecting a VHF Antenna Selecting a VHF Fixed-Mount Radio Selecting a VHF Handheld Radio Understanding IP (Ingress Protection) Ratings What’s CHIRP Sonar? What’s Scanning Sonar? Engine Systems ABYC Requirements for Diesel Fuel Filters Adding a Second Fuel Filter Busting Ethanol Fuel Myths Changing Engine Oil Changing Lower Unit Oil Engine Cutoff Switches EPA Requirements for Portable Fuel Components Exhaust System Basics Fuel System Installation Checklist Getting the Right Engine Parts Hydraulic Steering Impeller Replacement 101 Lowering Your Fuel Cost Maintaining Your Diesel Engine Mechanical Steering Selecting and Installing Trim Tabs Selecting Mechanical Controls Stuffing Boxes, Shaft Seals, Shaft Bearings and Flexible Couplings Selecting a Propeller Servicing Your Engine’s Raw Water Pump Spring Prep: Waking Up an Inboard/Outboard Engine Stretch Your Fuel Dollars Winterizing your Gas Inboard or Sterndrive Winterizing your Marine Diesel or Genset Winterizing your Outboard Motor Fishing Beginner’s Guide to Crabbing Big Game Fishing for Fitness Get The Right Size Trolling Motor How to Select Rod Holders Into the Blue: Interview with Scott Walker and Steve Rodger Kite Fishing Off-Season Tackle Maintenance Organize Your Tackle Regional Angling Advice: California Lingcod Regional Angling Advice: Chasing Surfperch Regional Angling Advice: Eastern Florida Redfish Regional Angling Advice: Fishing Off the Coast of San Diego Regional Angling Advice: Fishing for Rockfish on Upper Chesapeake Bay Regional Angling Advice: Making my Passion for Fishing Contagious Regional Angling Advice: Offshore Trolling Florida's East Coast Regional Angling Advice: Florida Spiny Lobster Regional Angling Advice: Southwest Florida Snook Selecting a Bait Tank Selecting a Baitcasting Reel Selecting a Conventional Reel Selecting Downriggers Selecting a Fishing Reel Selecting a Fishing Rod Selecting Fishing Line Selecting Outriggers Selecting a Rod and Reel Combo Selecting a Spinning Reel Maintenance Applying Hydrocoat ECO Antifouling Paint BoatU.S. Magazine's Spring Fitting-Out Checklist Bottom Painting Building with Marine Lumber Choosing Sandpaper and Abrasives Epoxy Barrier Coats Gelcoat Care and Restoration Gelcoat Repairs Get the Right Amount of Paint How to Select Sealants and Caulk Keep Your Non-Skid Decks Clean Locating and Fixing Deck Leaks New Boatowners Resources for Winterization Preventative Maintenance for New Boaters Preventing Galvanic Corrosion Safety Gear for Boat Maintenance Selecting Antifreeze Spring Prep Headquarters Spring Prep: Waking Up an Inboard/Outboard Engine Spring Prep: Guide to Waking Up an Outboard Motor Topside Painting Top Ten Antifouling Paint Buying Questions Top Tips on Varnishing Using Epoxy Systems Winterizing Headquarters Winterizing your Freshwater System Winterizing your Gas Inboard or Sterndrive Winterizing Marine Air Conditioners Winterizing your Marine Diesel or Genset Winterizing Marine Sanitation Systems Winterizing your Outboard Motor Wintertime Boat Storage Wood Finishes Navigation Basic Navigation Tools Buyer’s Guide to Marine Binoculars Hand Bearing Compasses How to Buy a Thermal Imaging Camera Image Stabilizing (IS) Binoculars Navigation Light Rules Selecting a Steering Compass Selecting Paper Charts Paddling & Diving Beginner’s Guide to Stand-Up Paddleboarding Beginner’s Guide to Stand-Up Paddleboard Yoga Beginner's Guide to Kayaking Convert Your Kayak into a Fishing Machine Determine Your Best Paddle Length for SUP How to Properly Size a Fixed SUP Paddle How to Select a Regulator Octopus How to Select a Standup Paddleboard Fin Kayaking for Fitness Off-Season Paddling Fitness Selecting a Buoyancy Compensating Device (BCD) Selecting a Kayak Selecting a Kayak Paddle Selecting a Stand-Up Paddleboard Selecting a SUP Paddle Select the Right SUP Paddle for You SUP Your Way to Fitness Scuba Diving for Fitness Plumbing Brass, Bronze and Plastic Fittings Choosing a Pump Choosing and Installing a Washdown System Head & Holding Tank Treatments Pressurized Freshwater Systems Tailpiece & Hose Sizes Seacocks Selecting a Bilge Pump Selecting Marine Hoses Selecting a Sanitation System Winterizing your Freshwater System Winterizing Marine Sanitation Systems Safety Carbon Monoxide Safety Check Your Inflatable Life Vest Choosing a SEND Device Engine Cutoff Switches Hurricane Preparation Inflatable Life Jacket Rearming Kits Making a Mayday Call on Your VHF Radio Preparing a Ditch Bag Preparing for an Offshore Race Rescue at Sea Safe Boating Checklist Safety Equipment Safety Harnesses, Tethers & Jacklines Selecting a Boating Medical Kit Selecting Crew Overboard Equipment Selecting an Emergency Beacon Selecting Fire Extinguishers Selecting a Life Raft Selecting a Life Vest Selecting a Radar Reflector Selecting Vapor Detectors Selecting Visual Distress Signals Ten Safety Tips for New Boaters The Elide Fireball—a New Type of Fire Extinguisher Throw Rope Bags Sailboat Hardware Climbing Your Sailboat’s Mast with a Bosun’s Chair Climbing Your Sailboat’s Rig with the ATN Mastclimber Flying Sail Furlers Get Fit for Sailing in the Winter Season Headsail Controls How to Correctly Coil Rope Installing a Roller Furling Unit Laser Sailing with Hanne Weaver Maximum Working Load Removing a Halyard From Your Mast Selecting Line for Running Rigging Selecting Sailing Winches Selecting a Whisker Pole Servicing Your Winches Snatch Blocks Spinnaker Controls Stainless Steel Rigging Suggested Cruising Gear Summer Sailing Camp Checklist The Vang Upgrade To Roller Furling When and How to Replace your Lifelines Winch Handles Selection Trailering Choosing a Trailer Jack Safe and Trouble-Free Trailering Selecting Trailer Brakes Selecting a Trailer Winch Sizing Up Trailer Hitches and Couplers Boater Trailering Basics Stop the Spread of Invasive Species Trailering Checklist Trailer Tire Basics Upgrading Your Boat's Trailer Your Trailer's Light System Ventilation Combating Mold and Mildew Extending The Boating Season Installing a DC Cabin Fan Selecting Air Conditioning for Your Boat Water Sports Selecting a Kneeboard Selecting Towable Tubes Selecting a Wakeboard, Wakeskate or Wakesurf Selecting a Wakeboard Tower or Extended Pylon Selecting a Waterski Slalom Ski Size Chart Wakeboard Size Chart Brian Gordon—West Marine Content Editor A sailor, scuba diver and veteran liveaboard, Brian got into boating with the purchase of a 13’ Zodiac inflatable boat, which he used as a sport diver and also in the operation of a commercial diving business in Santa Cruz Harbor, California. Two other boats were to follow: first a Cal 2-29 and later a Catalina 30. During nearly 20 years of living aboard, Brian garnered a wealth of practical knowledge and experience. He’s a “hands on” kind of guy with extensive experience in the “nitty-gritty” world of vessel maintenance. From rigging replacements, traveler installations, head installations, varnishing, bottom painting, wiring projects, engine rebuilds and more, there are few projects that he has not tackled. Here at West Marine, Brian applies his knowledge as a West Advisor in the “Core Categories” of boat maintenance. Danielle Buenrostro—Former West Marine Manager of Product Content and Data Integrity Danielle Buenrostro has been an accomplished editor and writer for multiple publications for more than 15 years. Her life on the water began at an early age snorkeling, waterskiing and swimming various lakes, the Outer Banks and sunny shores of the Carolinas. As an adult, life’s journey took her to the pristine emerald waters of the Florida Gulf Coast, where in addition to exploring shipwrecks as a PADI-certified diver, she has enjoyed many expeditions on her center-console powerboat fishing for cobia, grouper, amberjack and tuna. She is now a “three-coast veteran” who lived in the Monterey Bay area as well, where she continued to enjoy SCUBA diving, kayaking, spearfishing, crabbing, offshore fishing and stand-up paddleboarding. Danielle shares her aquatic expertise as a West Advisor with a focus on watersports, dive, paddle sports and fishing. Tom Burden—Former West Marine Content Editor Tom Burden is a lifelong boater, boatbuilder, sailing instructor and champion racing sailor. Tom was a West Marine associate from 1995 until 2018. When he began his West Marine career he was one of our Product Advisors, providing technical help and answers for boaters in our call center. Tom has written about and photographed boats, and his articles appear in our catalogs and website, as well as in many boating magazines. Tom competed in the 2016 Singlehanded Transpac sailing race from San Francisco to Kauai onboard his Cal 40 sailboat, Shaman, finishing seventh out of 23 competitors. He also sails and races Lasers and El Toros, drives a 1986 Invader 17.5 OMC bowrider runabout on a local lake, and messes around on kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. 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