Remind me again, will ya…

The USCG “open mic” and “pointless” posts reminded me that we all need reminders about something, sometime and it is usually the obvious.

Just this weekend I was reminded that more and more people are born with the wire to the logic terminal just hanging there.

Buddy told me Sunday morning he had the first boat of the season cross between his tug and tow.

So remind us of stuff...

Check the steering before leaving your berth.

Backed out a couple days ago, and it felt "squidgy". Wandered down the fairway, drifting a tad from side to side. As soon as I got outside the marina I checked out, then topped up, the hydraulic fluid at the helm. Got my butt back in right away.

Now looking for a replacement for a Wagner series 700 1.5" bore, 7" stroke actuator (Wagner part # 700-0028)...any tips?

I did check that the fluid was topped up a week ago, and it was fine. Again, check before you go 'cause stuff happens!

The struggle for dealing with and assessing those with diminishing mental skills might be our salvation? Alzheimer's and road safety to the rescue?

Behaviour, getting lost, leaving the stove on, forgetting what you were doing, boating between tow and towed, triggers a trip to the assessor, regardless of age, and once found "unable"... you get the ban from complicated tasks until proven capable on re-test after the prescribed remedial work?

In the not so old days, the high functioning, logic impaired were dead scared of being locked in the psychiatric hospital, or the social stigmas and discrimination that resulted. Those related to the knut also took an interest for similar reasons. Fear is a great motivator to pay attention with whatever you got.

However, in our modern world, with those fears carefully packaged up and removed, what is the motivator to keep ones' limited faculties attuned to tasks at hand?

No fun as an employer, no fun as a boater?

sign me:
half joking
RB

I read something the other day that I really liked.

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits."

MurrayM said:

Check the steering before leaving your berth.

Backed out a couple days ago, and it felt "squidgy". Wandered down the fairway, drifting a tad from side to side. As soon as I got outside the marina I checked out, then topped up, the hydraulic fluid at the helm. Got my butt back in right away.

Now looking for a replacement for a Wagner series 700 1.5" bore, 7" stroke actuator (Wagner part # 700-0028)...any tips?

I did check that the fluid was topped up a week ago, and it was fine. Again, check before you go 'cause stuff happens!

Click to expand...

I have the same wagner as you and it is right now in an hydraulic shop to be repaired (hopefully repairable). In case you find it useful I already did some check and one almost perfect replacement would be a teleflex HC5314 (seastar BA150-7ATM). Only difference is the mounting base that is a bit larger.

L.

MurrayM said:

Check the steering before leaving your berth.

Backed out a couple days ago, and it felt "squidgy". Wandered down the fairway, drifting a tad from side to side. As soon as I got outside the marina I checked out, then topped up, the hydraulic fluid at the helm. Got my butt back in right away.

Now looking for a replacement for a Wagner series 700 1.5" bore, 7" stroke actuator (Wagner part # 700-0028)...any tips?

I did check that the fluid was topped up a week ago, and it was fine. Again, check before you go 'cause stuff happens!

Click to expand...

Hi Murray- small world!! I too had a streeing issue last fall. Took 15 turns side to side to reach stops. Added oil and worked it back and fourth till the normal 3 1/2 turns. Lower station steering unit lost a valve requiring rebuild. The fellow who does this and an acquaintance of mine, suggested looking for a new unit on ebay as often one comes along that is below market price. He found one $100.00 under his purchase price and extended that price to me.
It was less expensive to purchase a new unit over the labor,parts, and the unknown of additional flaws of a older unit.
Included current posting of units on eBay:


wanger marine hydraulic steering units | eBay

Best to your solutions- Al

Hawgwash said:

The USCG “open mic” and “pointless” posts reminded me that we all need reminders about something, sometime and it is usually the obvious.

Just this weekend I was reminded that more and more people are born with the wire to the logic terminal just hanging there.

Buddy told me Sunday morning he had the first boat of the season cross between his tug and tow.

So remind us of stuff...

Click to expand...

If you need constant reminders about things, make yourself a list. Or get a wife.

And if you didn't understand the point of the open mic post, understand that the person with the open mic is the only person who did not hear the message. An "open mic" is when someone is transmitting without knowing it. The microphone switch is broken or more commonly, the microphone has fallen from its mount and is wedged somewhere with the switch pressed in.

Reminding people that channel 16 is for hailing and emergencies when people are chattering on 16 is one thing but trying to talk to someone with an open mic is stupid.

MurrayM said:

Check the steering before leaving your berth.

Backed out a couple days ago, and it felt "squidgy". Wandered down the fairway, drifting a tad from side to side. As soon as I got outside the marina I checked out, then topped up, the hydraulic fluid at the helm. Got my butt back in right away.

Now looking for a replacement for a Wagner series 700 1.5" bore, 7" stroke actuator (Wagner part # 700-0028)...any tips?

I did check that the fluid was topped up a week ago, and it was fine. Again, check before you go 'cause stuff happens!

Click to expand...

You should not need a replacement cylinder. Your P.N is somewhat different from mine but my cylinder at 1.5" x 7" stroke is the same so it's likely the mounting is different. The guts will be mostly the same.

I found mine to be sealed, the piston and the rod ends, with simple O rings.
Take it apart , clean it up, reassemble with new O rings and it should be good for another 15-20 yrs. THe rings harden and wear over the years.
Hydraulic shop, good auto or truck parts store.
If no dice then folks like Production Supply, Wraison Seals who are seal specialty shops in the Vancouver area should be able to help.
You likely have a ggod shop in Rupert or Terrace if none can help in Kitimat.

Some Coastie dispatcher was sitting at a terminal listening to the drivel....he reminded everyone in the area that it was a no-no....maybe it will prevent future occurences....maybe it won't.....there's certainly no harm in the reminder. We're lucky in that we can just turn off our radio when it gets annoying.....that guy had to listen and was probably pretty frustrated by it. His job is to be ready to send help to people in need and his only link to the people he was trying to protect was blocked. Cut him some slack.

WesK; said:

If you need constant reminders about things, make yourself a list. Or get a wife.

And if you didn't understand the point of the open mic post, understand that the person with the open mic is the only person who did not hear the message. An "open mic" is when someone is transmitting without knowing it. The microphone switch is broken or more commonly, the microphone has fallen from its mount and is wedged somewhere with the switch pressed in.

Reminding people that channel 16 is for hailing and emergencies when people are chattering on 16 is one thing but trying to talk to someone with an open mic is stupid.

Click to expand...

Good grief.
Stupid?

Help me out here.
If I'm calling you, you have an open mic, I'm stupid for not knowing it's you with the open mic?

Here's another reminder; people have tenders and portable VHF radios where the "offender" might just hear the broadcast and be reminded to check when he gets back to the mother ship.

My thread was about all of us needing reminders of the little obvious crap we forget or take for granted. Or, the more critical stuff like not crossing between tugs and tows.

It was not about you.

Hawgwash said:

Good grief.
Stupid?

Help me out here.
If I'm calling you, you have an open mic, I'm stupid for not knowing it's you with the open mic?.

Click to expand...

No, but I won't hear your call.

I thought everyone knew that if your radio was in the transmitting mode you would not hear other transmissions. Apparently I was wrong.

As for the bored coast guard guy, same thing, the guy with the open mic is not going to hear his message.

WesK said:

No, but I won't hear your call.

I thought everyone knew that if your radio was in the transmitting mode you would not hear other transmissions. Apparently I was wrong.

As for the bored coast guard guy, same thing, the guy with the open mic is not going to hear his message.

Click to expand...

Thank you!!:lol: I was beginning to wonder and just could not bring meself to point out the obvious

Al-Ketchikan

Al said:

Thank you!!:lol: I was beginning to wonder and just could not bring meself to point out the obvious

Al-Ketchikan

Click to expand...

You guys are masters of the obvious. Yes, if you have one radio and are trying to hatch it you won't hear the broadcast.

But again, the broadcast is a good reminder to all, "keep an eye on your mic."

If the logic wire is connected you will do that.

Back to one.

MurrayM said:

Check the steering before leaving your berth.

Backed out a couple days ago, and it felt "squidgy". Wandered down the fairway, drifting a tad from side to side. As soon as I got outside the marina I checked out, then topped up, the hydraulic fluid at the helm. Got my butt back in right away.

Now looking for a replacement for a Wagner series 700 1.5" bore, 7" stroke actuator (Wagner part # 700-0028)...any tips?

I did check that the fluid was topped up a week ago, and it was fine. Again, check before you go 'cause stuff happens!

Click to expand...

You should be able to find the seal kit fr this cylinder. I just talked with the guy at the hydraulic shop and he received the seal kit.
Side note: there is a thread from last week with the complete process for changing the seals. If I knew it would have been so easy I would never have take it to the shop and would have done it myself.
Here is the post with picture just in the previous post: POST

L.

Hawgwash said:

...................................................

Click to expand...

Thank you to remind me again

Hawgwash said:

You guys are masters of the obvious. Yes, if you have one radio and are trying to hatch it you won't hear the broadcast.

But again, the broadcast is a good reminder to all, "keep an eye on your mic."

If the logic wire is connected you will do that.

Back to one.

Click to expand...

How does one "hatch" a microphone?

Your radio came with a clip to hold the microphone. Use it. If it's installed in a bad place, move it. There are a thousand things that you might need to be reminded of. Stay between the buoys, slow down for no wake ones, turn on your navigation lights at night or in reduced visibility, etc.

Like I posted, make a list if you need to. It doesn't need to be broadcast on the radio.

WesK said:

No, but I won't hear your call.

I thought everyone knew that if your radio was in the transmitting mode you would not hear other transmissions. Apparently I was wrong.

As for the bored coast guard guy, same thing, the guy with the open mic is not going to hear his message.

Click to expand...

I understand your point. We do all know that in a VHF radio, if your PPT button on the mic is depressed, you won't here any incoming transmission. That doesn't mean that a general reminder to the community by the USCG is a waste. There is always the off chance that another radio may pick up the USCG reminder and know where the open mic is.

dhays said:

I understand your point. We do all know that in a VHF radio, if your PPT button on the mic is depressed, you won't here any incoming transmission. That doesn't mean that a general reminder to the community by the USCG is a waste. There is always the off chance that another radio may pick up the USCG reminder and know where the open mic is.

Click to expand...

It wasn't the broadcast that I objected to, it was his attitude or radio demeanor that sucked!

We would regularly get open mikes in our patrol cars for one reason or another.
Some of the things you heard were downright hilarious!
The dispatcher would calmly come up on the channel and say "all units check your mikes." Of course the person with the open mike would not hear it, but maybe the person setting across from them in another vehicle might. Of course, later it was just a message across the computer...everyone received that one unless it was a portable radio.

Regardless of the Coasties reason, there is no reason to be snippy or snotty about it. Stuff happens.

Thanks for the "side track" tips about our leaky Wagner cylinder.

Brother in Law (mechanic) tried new seals with the kit that was aboard Badger, but it still leaks. Found Wagner still has a website, contacted someone in Richmond BC (Olympic Drives and Equipment) and they have a drop in replacement for 1/2 the price quoted to me by a marine supply store here in town. You can all stand down now

Easily fixed. Connect the hydraulic cylinder to the VHF TX button. Job done.

brucek said:

easily fixed. Connect the hydraulic cylinder to the vhf tx button. Job done.

Click to expand...

lol!