Recent content by Rough Magic

Another vote for LiTime. I've two 200 Amp 12v. Steady output, good charge. Recommend to me NY another old friend with a lot of boating experience.

+1 on Barkeeper's Friend. Cheap, available everywhere, doesn't ruin your gelcoat.

Gas all the way. No falling embers melting the gel coat. No "wet" charcoal that won't light. No charcoal lighter to store safely. No waiting for 20-30 minutes. Propane available everywhere.

You are both very fortunate.

Your significant other should do nothing in the "work" mode for or aboard the boat. You clean, provision, cook, cleanup, and make sure there is plenty of hot water. She must feel the boat is a vacation, a time away, and adventure. All will be well.

"Here there be dragons" was what the pre new world maps said about the ends of the ocean/earth. I would suppose it means the boat will go to the ends of the earth. Safety. ?

+1 on the Practical Sailor formula. Works very well. Wash off visible mold, letting it soak if necessary, then spray on light coat and let it dry. Best stuff I've used.

Many years ago, around 45 or so, I was on a flight to San Francisco. About twenty minutes into the flight, the captain welcomed the passengers to the flight to Cincinnati. About a hundred arms shot up to push the call button. The flight crew had boarded the wrong plane. We returned to the...

Seems it could be a good choice for a semi displacement pocket trawler. I remember reading it weighs 398 or 400 lbs.

Yanmar will be bringing a 50 hp to the US market sometime next year. https://www.yanmarmarine.com/News-detail/YANMAR-LAUNCHES-THE-DTORQUE-111-TURBO-DIESEL-OUTBOARD/ Heave to wait and see if this is a good thing. Not having two fuels on baord for large boats a plus.

On the bottom of the cylinders of the powder type there is a date stamped. The extinguisher expires 10 years after that date, even if the pressure reads in the green. I had no idea this rule existed until boarded by USCG, who very politely failed the boat for safety. Big box store to the rescue.

Wow. Never heard of anything like it. Glad all concerned came away unharmed.

108 year old house, built 5 small wooden boats, fix everything I can for the satisfaction, job quality, and $ saved. I come by this naturally. When cleaning out my Mom's house, I found three cigar boxes in the kitchen. One labeled 'long string', one 'short string', one 'string too short to use'...

One other note on 12 gauge house wire, it is solid, whereas boat wire is not. The copper area of 10 gauge stranded wire is closer to 12 gauge solid. Solid wire not recommended as it won't stand up to the shaking and moving in a boat. Sounds like a well designed repair.

Here in Southern California, Santa Catalina Isle, etc, the dingy docks have bull rails, and glad of it. When busy, each dink has its own tie, not laid over a cleat with 6 or 8 other lines that then must be taken off, and put back after removing your painter. Lots better system.