Rich Merhige
Author Archives
Balance Below: Surveys, alignments keep machinery in top shape
Balance Below: Rich Merhige Keeping vessel machinery aligned cannot be underestimated. Alignment on yachts typically refers to shaft alignment – the positioning of two machines so the shaft centerlines of…
Balance Below: Online condition-monitoring technologies transport data, not people
Balance Below: by Rich Merhige Has equipment failure cost you a charter or owner’s trip? When it comes to yacht maintenance, failure to plan results in, well, failures. The yachting…
Tips to optimize a yard period
By Rich Merhige When it comes to yacht maintenance, one recurring pattern that results in lost time and money is the lack of pre-planning. All yachting professionals are looking out…
Engineer’s Angle: Corrosive forces unavoidable, but manageable
Engineer’s Angle: by Rich Merhige Corrosion happens. On yachts, there’s a perfect storm of different metals, forces and particles that water contains, depending on the environment. If you’re dealing with…
Engineer’s Angle: Maintenance prevents O-ring, gasket failures
Engineer’s Angle: by Rich Merhige When maintaining running gear and propulsion systems, O-rings and gaskets aren’t always considered a priority. In reality, O-rings and gaskets are found in many of…
Engineer’s Angle: New maintenance systems easy, economical
Engineer’s Angle: by Rich Merhige Reliability of marine diesel propulsion and generator engines is critical, yet regular maintenance of engines and machinery is met with a great deal of resistance.…
Engineer’s Angle: Choose correct coupling for the job
Engineer’s Angle: by Rich Merhige Couplings are used to connect two rotating pieces of equipment together at their ends for transmitting power. There are two types of couplings: rigid or…
Hydraulic systems offer benefits, as long as maintenance followed
The mechanical systems of vessels are designed so that many of their processes necessitate the movement of something from one location to another, or a force be applied in some…
Adding jet propulsion to yacht requires weighing pros and cons
Water-jet propulsion can best be described as the propulsive force provided by the jet-reactive thrust of high velocity water ejected through a nozzle. This is similar to the propulsive drive…
To get the most out of valves, know their type and check them often
When it comes to vessel maintenance, valves aren’t always appreciated for the vital role they play in a vessel’s functioning. In reality, it’s vital that they are properly maintained and…
