I’m planning to get a new padded leather wheel cover. The two venders that I’ve narrowed it down to are Edson Marine, and Boatleather.com. They are both in the same price range. Does anyone have any comparative info about the products of these two companies?
Tom Soko
Juniper C400 #307
Noank, CT
I had my wheel covered four years ago by Color Wheelz WWW.COLORWHEELZ.COM . It is an excellent product and reasonable.
Chris Vasilas
KATERINA C380 #291
Greenport, NY
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I made the wheel cover out of 1/8” low stretch braided line. The first wheel cover I did this way is still in service on my previous boat after 25 years and this one is in excellent shape after 5 years. How it is done is to tie continuous clove hitches and pull the knots very tight. The results is a spiral ridge around the wheel.
To mark when the wheel is mid ship I also wrapped the top spoke and put a Turks head on the top of the wheel. Those two marks also serve as tactile feedback so you can feel how far the wheel is turned.
Similar to a leather wheel the line covered wheel is much warmer and more comfortable on the hand. We rarely need gloves when on the helm.
I don’t remember the length of material needed, but think it was about 300’. I
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Thought I’d share a scary experience. I was jarred awake just prior to 5 AM by our aft carbon monoxide detector alarming. There was an odd pungent smell, and even odder sound. The sound was kind of like a cross between crackling and chattering high pitch. I quickly vented the boat, and started looking for the source of the smell and sound. I eliminated an oil filled electric heater, and eventually isolated the sound to my battery compartment. I found the starboard MK Deka 8A4D AGM battery quite hot, gassing, with visible rapid bubbling in the caps. I immediately shut off the charger, vacated the boat and gave the batteries a couple hours to cool down before removing any cables fearing a spark.
It was very fortunate that I was on the boat, and able to interrupt a thermal run-away of the AGM battery. While AGM battery manufacturers
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I found the whole mixing body for $54 at Heater Craft http://www.heatercraft.com/ . They also have replacement hoses and heads for $41. Look in Marine, Parts. My borther-in-law prefers a standard sink sprayer for his camper shower. It is drip-free when not in use, but I don’t like the in-ability to have it running hands-free for hair rinsing. It depends on your preference.
I replaced my shower hose last year with a standard one from HD. I they also have shower heads with shut-offs.
Dan Ross
Zephyr #303
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Ever had to reach a wire, or a dropped piece of hardware that was impossible to grab even with mechanical fingers, here’s an easy and very cheap tool you can make that will allow you to complete what you thought would be an impossible job.
History
While flying along some stormy night in your small four cylinder airplane, nothing will get your heart rate to speed up more than a sticking valve that will cause you to lose 25% of your power. (Been there, done that!!)
Short of pulling the faulty cylinder off the engine once you’re back safe and sound on the ground, the usual and least expensive way to fix the valve, (usually the exhaust from lead deposits on the stem and guide) is to drop the valve into the cylinder.
Then you will hone out the valve guide, and polish the valve stem with very fine emery
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After the cleaning+ suggestions, here’s another technique you might try.
First, get a good reading on just what part of gasket/seal is leaking. I did this by looking at/thru closed hatch seal, using a mirror and good light conditions….I found light outside/dark inside [while looking from inside] best. In this way, I could see small gaps, maybe 4 -6″ long, where seal wasn’t sealing.
Fixed this by inserting a few short sections of once-folded aluminum foil under inner edge of gasket. Has been fine in the ensuing 5+ years.
About a year after purchasing our 380, we had “dribbles” from the V-berth hatch, when raining. I fooled around with this for multiple times, silicon greased the seal, no fix, etc. It ended up that the problem was at one of the two hinge mounts. There is one or two screws there that hold the top and bottom together, pinching the lens in between. I put some silicone sealant on the top side, and ran sealant into the screw holes. Problem fixed and has stayed fixed for the past 18 months. You might try to isolate your leak, if possible. Since ours was dripping at the hinge, that sort of got me pointed in the right direction.
Dr. Sam Balsley
Barca a Vela, C380, #322
Sausalito, CA
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I have a Campbell Sailor 3 blade prop on our C380, and love it. The boat backs up straight, very controllable. While the previous owner installed the prop on the C380, I did install one on our prior boat, a C30. The prop seems to counteract prop walk much more on the C380. On the C30 I could really rely on the paddle wheel effect to turn the boat, but not so much on the C380. I like the simplicity of the Campbell Sailor, with no maintenance, or history of failures. As reported in independent tests by “Practical Sailor Magazine”, it achieves top results and is their Editor’s pick for fixed blade propellers.
I replaced my overhead halogen lights on my 387 with Superbrightleds.com – G4-WHP10-D White LED-Warm White G4-WWHP10-D $14.95
I have been very happy with them.
Tom Brantigan
C387 #96 Toccata in Sea
I replaced my interior saloo, galley, and v-berth lights with led’s M#
MR16-WW48SMD form a company called _www.superbtightleds.com_
(http://www.superbrightleds.com) .
The price per bulb was much cheaper than most @ 14.95 each. I did not like the harsh lighting of the existing bulb and went with a
“warm white” which is less hard on the eyes.
Don
JollyMon C#157
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