Tagish Marine Consulting & Surveying

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Tagish Marine Consulting & Surveying

Southeast Alaska’s premiere full service marine survey and consultation company.

09/09/2026

The weather may not be hot, but the fishing still is—and deer season is open!
Southeast Alaska weather can change quickly, so preparation matters every time you leave the dock:
• Check the latest marine forecast
• File a float plan with someone you trust
• Monitor the weather throughout your trip
• Know where your safe harbors are before you need them.

Remember, not every harbor provides protection from every wind direction. Learn which locations offer the best shelter based on the forecast, and have more than one backup plan.
Enjoy the season, stay alert, and come home safely.

—Tagish Marine

09/01/2026

🌧️ The weather is finally breaking after all that heavy rain—now is a good time to head down and check on your boat.

Make sure the bilge pump is working, the battery still has power, the drain plug and scuppers are clear, and your lines and fenders are secure. While you’re there, look for accumulated water, fuel leaks, damaged covers, or anything that may have shifted during the weather.

A few minutes at the harbor today could prevent an at-the-dock sinking from ruining your week—and costing you a lot of money.
Even if everything was fine the last time you checked, Southeast Alaska weather can change things quickly.

Stay ahead of trouble and check your boat.

—Captain Don
Tagish Marine

08/21/2026

⚠️ Tagish Marine Safety Note: Your Batteries Shouldn’t Be Going for a Ride!!
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A boat battery is heavy, full of stored energy, and connected to cables capable of delivering a tremendous amount of current. It needs to be properly secured.

A battery should be installed so it cannot move more than 1 inch in any direction. That means it needs a proper battery box, tray, hold-down strap, or other secure mounting system — not just sitting loose in the bilge or tucked into a corner.

⛴️🚤Why does it matter❓❓

A loose battery can slide, tip, damage its cables, crack the case, or allow the terminals to contact something conductive.
And while you’re checking the hold-down, take a look at the positive terminal.

The positive terminal should be covered with a protective boot or insulating cover so a dropped tool, metal object, or other conductive material can’t accidentally bridge the positive terminal to ground.
A wrench across the wrong two pieces of metal can turn into an impressive welding demonstration very quickly — except you’re standing inside your boat when it happens.

✅ Battery securely mounted�✅ Less than 1" movement in any direction�✅ Positive terminal protected�✅ Cables tight and free from corrosion or damage.

It’s a simple inspection that only takes a minute, but it can prevent electrical shorts, fires, damaged equipment, and a very bad day on the water.

Take a look at your batteries before your next trip. Be safe & have fun 🎣

08/19/2026

⚠️ Captain Don’s Safety Note: Gasoline Vapors Don’t Care How Nice Your Boat Is
Over the last couple of months, we’ve seen a rash of boats that either aren’t compliant or aren’t meeting basic minimum safety standards.
Two problems keep showing up.
First — inadequate ventilation for fuel v***rs.
Gasoline v***rs are heavier than air. They don’t politely float away. They settle into the lowest parts of the boat — usually the bilge, cabin, or other enclosed spaces.
And wouldn’t you know it, those are often the same places where you’ll find wiring, switches, motors, heaters, or something else capable of making a spark.
Gasoline v***r + spark = a really bad day.
Second — petcocks on the bottom of fuel filters.
We’re seeing these more often than we’d like. They can get bumped, damaged, loosened, or start leaking. That little convenient drain can quickly become a convenient way to put fuel where fuel absolutely doesn’t belong.
If you smell gasoline on your boat, don’t shrug it off and say, “It always smells like that.”
It shouldn’t.
Fuel leaks and v***r accumulation can lead to fire or, in the worst case, a catastrophic explosion.
Boating already gives us plenty of ways to get ourselves into trouble. We don’t need to manufacture new ones.
Take a few minutes and make sure your fuel system and ventilation are up to standards. If you’re not sure what you’re looking at, give us a call.
We’d much rather help you fix it at the dock than discuss what happened afterward.
— Captain Don
Tagish Marine
📞 907-723-7086

08/10/2026

⚓ Don’t Forget Your Zincs

They’re small, inexpensive, and easy to overlook—but the zincs on the bottom of your boat are there to sacrifice themselves so your expensive underwater metal doesn’t.

Zinc anodes help protect your propellers, shafts, trim tabs, thru-hulls, and other submerged metal from galvanic corrosion. Once the zinc is used up, that corrosion starts looking for the next piece of metal to eat.

As a general rule, inspect your zincs every time the boat is hauled and at least once during the boating season if the boat stays in the water. Many boats need new zincs about once a year, but boats in marinas with stray electrical current or certain electrical issues can go through them much faster.

A good rule of thumb: replace a zinc when roughly half of it is gone. Don’t wait until there’s almost nothing left.

Things to watch for:
• Zincs that are heavily pitted or more than 50% consumed
• Loose or missing anodes
• Corrosion or unusual discoloration on props, shafts, trim tabs, or thru-hulls
• Zincs disappearing much faster than they normally do — which can indicate an electrical or bonding problem
Ignoring worn-out zincs can turn a relatively cheap maintenance item into damaged props, shafts, thru-hulls, running gear, and some very expensive repairs.

A few dollars worth of zinc is a whole lot cheaper than replacing what it was supposed to protect.
Not sure what condition yours are in? Give Captain Don a call at Tagish Marine.

📞 907-723-7086
Safe boating!

08/08/2026

🎣 Golden North Salmon Derby Update! 🎣

Congratulations to the anglers who have already put fish on the board! There are a lot of familiar names showing up — apparently some of you have been paying attention all these years. 😄

The forecast is calling for light showers, mostly cloudy skies, and winds around 5 mph. In Southeast Alaska, that’s about as close as we get to somebody ordering perfect fishing weather.

If you want to keep an eye on the leaderboard, here’s the live, real-time list of fish being turned in:

https://live.goldennorthsalmonderby.com/80th-annual-golden-north-salmon-derby/live-results/
There’s still plenty of fishing left, so keep your lines wet, watch the weather, look out for each other, and hopefully the next big one has your name on it.

Good luck and safe boating!
— Captain Don
Tagish Marine ⚓🎣

08/07/2026

🎣 Good Luck to Everyone Fishing the Golden North Salmon Derby!

Captain Don and Tagish Marine want to wish all the anglers heading out for the Golden North Salmon Derby the best of luck.

I’ve spent a lot of years on Southeast Alaska waters, and I know there’s nothing quite like a good day of fishing. I hope the salmon are biting, the weather treats you well, and somebody in your boat brings home a winner.
Most importantly, keep an eye on the weather, watch out for each other, and make sure everyone gets back to the dock safely.
Tight lines, good luck, and safe travels home!

— Captain Don
Tagish Marine ⚓️

07/30/2026

🛥️ A Clean Bottom Is More Than Just Good Looks
Marine growth, barnacles, mussels, and kelp can build up quickly on the bottom of your boat. That buildup creates drag, slows the boat down, reduces fuel efficiency, and forces your engine to work harder.
Regular bottom cleaning and inspection can help:
⚓ Improve speed and handling
⛽ Reduce fuel consumption
🔧 Reduce strain on engines and running gear
🛡️ Protect bottom paint and hull materials
🔍 Identify corrosion, damaged coatings, worn zincs, or other problems early
💰 Prevent small maintenance issues from becoming expensive repairs
Keeping the bottom clean also gives you a chance to inspect through-hulls, propellers, shafts, rudders, and other important equipment below the waterline.
Don’t wait until your boat feels sluggish—or until the waterline starts getting higher than the boat.
Contact Captain Don at Tagish Marine to schedule your inspection or survey.
📞 907-723-7086

07/29/2026

Commercial Fishing Experience Matters:

When your livelihood depends on your vessel, you need a marine surveyor who understands commercial fishing operations, equipment, and the challenges of keeping a working boat on the water.
Captain Don owned his first boat in the mid 1960s and spent years gillnetting, longlining, trolling, and seining throughout Southeast Alaska. That hands-on experience gives him a practical understanding of fishing vessels that goes far beyond a checklist.
Whether you are:
• Filing an insurance claim
• Having vessel damage evaluated
• Financing a boat
• Preparing to sell
• Purchasing another vessel
Captain Don can provide a knowledgeable, professional evaluation based on decades of real-world marine experience.
Schedule your survey with Captain Don today.
907-723-7086

Address

8459 Kimberly Street
Juneau, AK
99801

Telephone

+19077237086

Website

http://tagishmarinesurveying.com/

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