Repair & maintenance guides
Plain-English, step by step, written for owners. Pick your engine to see the guides that apply to it.
26 of 509 guides · page 2 of 2
When Guests Chipping In Becomes an Illegal Charter: Passengers-for-Hire Rules for Boat Owners
Friends voluntarily sharing the gas money is fine, but if anyone must pay or bring something as a condition of the trip, your boat is carrying passengers for hire and needs a Coast Guard-credentialed captain, and more than six passengers needs an inspected boat. Learn the legal tests, the six-pack (OUPV) license, what a real bareboat charter looks like, the risks of renting through peer-to-peer apps, and the insurance questions to ask. Practical guidance, not legal advice.
Where to Clean Fish and Get Rid of the Waste: Marina Rules, State Laws and Fishing Line Recycling
Tossing fish guts over the side is legal in some places and a fine in others, and filleting at sea can break size-limit rules. Learn when to keep fish whole, how to use a cleaning station, what to do with carcasses, and how to recycle old monofilament line, with dated examples from state and federal rules.
Safety: BoatMend is for information only and does not replace a certified marine technician. You are responsible for your safety and your boat. Read the full disclaimer.