From Ocean Navigator #127 January/February 2003 |
Most electrical and maintenance guides available today cater to the sailboat owner, a person obsessed with minimizing the draw of various electrical and electronic gear. The owner of the powerboat, however, is less concerned with such things, being able to draw power more readily. John Payne’s latest book is written expressly for the owners of long-distance powerboats. One of the more valuable chapters is a look at managing diesel engines and their attendant electrical systems for long-distance powerboats. Where the sailboat owner is concerned with maintaining an auxiliary engine for power, the care of an inboard diesel that sees heavier use means certain maintenance differences. The book starts with the engine and works its way downstream, discussing everything from refrigeration and communications systems to heavy deck equipment and autopilots.
Sheridan House, Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.; 496 pages; $55.