Diesel Engine Fundamentals

Nigel Calder and Jan Athenstadt

FOUNDERS, BoatHowTo.com

NIGEL CALDER
Nigel Calder and his wife, Terrie, have built or owned a succession of boats on which they have cruised extensively in the Caribbean, the U.S. and Europe with Pippin (now aged 38) and Paul (37) augmenting the crew along the way. For decades Nigel has experimented with advanced electrical and propulsion systems, with funding from the European Union, the UK government, and a large U.S. corporation. Nigel has partnered with OceanPlanet Energy in Bath, Maine, to continue development of advanced solar panels, alternators and controllers. Nigel is a thirty-year veteran of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) which writes the standards for recreational boat electrical systems. He is best known for his Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual, now in its 4th edition, and his Marine Diesel Engines, in its 3rd edition. In addition to hundreds of magazine articles, he has also authored a Cruising Guide to the Northwest Caribbean, Cuba: A Cruising Guide, Nigel Calder’s Cruising Handbook, How to Read a Nautical Chart, and a memoir of his family’s first long cruise titled Shakedown Cruise. His most recent venture is a partnership to provide detailed and accurate online marine technical education at www.BoatHowTo.com. Currently available are courses in Basic Marine Electrics (BE 101) and Advanced Marine Electrics. Soon to be released is a course on Diesel Engine Maintenance.

JAN ATHENSTADT
Jan co-founded BoatHowTo.com with Nigel to share comprehensive knowledge about boat electrics and mechanics with a broader audience. Holding a PhD in computer science, Jan brings valuable expertise to this online class as a moderator. His experience as a full-time liveaboard and operator of an online boat supplies shop in Germany will add practical insights to the discussion.