Cruising Sailors Bulletin Board

Messages In This Thread

Seasons almost over, what are your best boat improvements for 2011? -- Tom Young -- 11/4/2011, 7:04 am

Rewiring the 110V circuits. -- GeneC -- 11/4/2011, 7:22 am

New fuse panel, battery monitor and some rewiring. -- Paul D -- 11/4/2011, 7:48 am

I love the idea that you just built your own panel Paul. -- Tom Young -- 11/4/2011, 8:54 am

The state of charge feature is that bar indicator on the right side of the display -- Paul D -- 11/4/2011, 9:17 am

Nice Tom ! And what type / manufacturer of belt ... -- John -- 11/4/2011, 8:04 am

Hi John, I went to the same belt. -- Tom Young -- 11/4/2011, 8:29 am

Thanks Tom ... I think we've crossed the Stream now 15 or 20 times ... -- John -- 11/4/2011, 8:55 am

Tom love the clear engine panels -- Tom in Wa -- 11/4/2011, 8:33 am

No, but I always wanted one of those model engines you could see through. -- Tom Young -- 11/4/2011, 8:49 am

I'd be in line with the other little boys! -- Charlie Stillman -- 11/5/2011, 7:09 pm

I improved the skipper with ham radio and SCUBA certifications. -- Tom in Wa -- 11/4/2011, 8:35 am

Two of them, 1st one are four new Lifeline 150Ah batteries ... -- John -- 11/4/2011, 8:36 am

... and the 2nd one was the new Raritan Marine Elegance electric-flush Head ... -- John -- 11/4/2011, 8:48 am

Nice! What is the lifespan of Lifeline batteries John? -- Tom Young -- 11/4/2011, 8:58 am

Yes AGM, they tell me 10 years, we'll see about dat mon ! Cheers, John -- John -- 11/4/2011, 9:38 am

Probably more likely 3-7 years, depending on use/care and charging system -- Larry - DH -- 11/4/2011, 11:35 am

There's ten years on the Optima 31's in our old boat... -- Ron Chappell -- 11/4/2011, 6:13 pm

We had a Optima as an engine start battery -- SG -- 11/4/2011, 7:57 pm

To clarify: I replace the Optima with another brand new one. (And I added another one as a dedicated Gen start batt -- SG -- 11/4/2011, 8:06 pm

As it got older, could you see any difference in it's actual condition? -- Tom Young -- 11/5/2011, 4:40 am

WIth a conventional lead (wet cells) battery, you really should equalize them or they'll sulphate. -- SG -- 11/5/2011, 5:43 am

5 months(I'm sailing this weekend ) But the starting battery is different test. -- Tom Young -- 11/5/2011, 6:15 am

Using an electric windlass without the engine on is not good for the windlass (aside from the battery issues) -- SG -- 11/5/2011, 7:42 am

I never use the Windlass unless the engine is running ... -- John -- 11/5/2011, 8:54 pm

I only do it a little,.... -- Tom Young -- 11/6/2011, 3:05 am

My Optima lasted.... -- Dave Westsail 42 Elysium -- 11/5/2011, 5:13 am

It was my engine battery - and when I say flat I mean... -- Ron Chappell -- 11/5/2011, 8:40 am

Wow! Even Optima... -- Dave Westsail 42 Elysium -- 11/5/2011, 10:23 am

Just switched away from Lifelines -- Dave Westsail 42 Elysium -- 11/4/2011, 2:20 pm

Lifelines (and any AGMs) need to be fully charged periodically... -- DDW -- 11/4/2011, 10:06 pm

Lifelines are different.... -- Dave Westsail 42 Elysium -- 11/5/2011, 5:26 am

You should not be equalizing Lifelines batteries every month... -- DDW -- 11/5/2011, 10:24 am

Lifelines engineer disagrees... -- Dave Westsail 42 Elysium -- 11/5/2011, 11:40 am

The Lifeline - Manual makes it clear, it's dependant on a number of factors -- SG -- 11/5/2011, 2:29 pm

Our experience is pretty positive for Lifeline's -- SG -- 11/5/2011, 3:17 pm

I agree, six months maybe or... -- Ron Chappell -- 11/5/2011, 3:17 pm

Manuals are a function of... -- Dave Westsail 42 Elysium -- 11/5/2011, 5:08 pm

The Lifeline Manual was updated in July of this year. -- SG -- 11/5/2011, 6:31 pm

Equalizing doesn't take that many amps.... -- DDW -- 11/6/2011, 8:47 am

Actually, I went with Gels... -- Dave Westsail 42 Elysium -- 11/6/2011, 10:22 am

I replace a lot... -- Maine Sail -- 11/6/2011, 7:26 pm

Good advice ... I need to get solar this year to top off ... -- John -- 11/7/2011, 7:15 pm

Don't forget to add... -- Dave Westsail 42 Elysium -- 11/8/2011, 8:57 am

... got it, thanks Dave. cheers, john -- John -- 11/8/2011, 4:41 pm

Two big -- cchesley -- 11/4/2011, 9:14 am

Pretty big list this year -- Max Fletcher -- 11/4/2011, 10:08 am

The biggest ones were new holding tank and new broadband radar/c-p/fish-finder -- Larry - DH -- 11/4/2011, 10:39 am

You could eat off that engine - nice -- Max Fletcher -- 11/4/2011, 11:15 am

Hell! You could eat off those holding tanks, even the old one (Though eating off them is probably not recommended) -- Blye -- 11/4/2011, 11:23 am

The best part of that job was the tank had clearance past the engine -- Larry - DH -- 11/4/2011, 11:33 am

I took my CS holding tank out in 1997 and replaced it with a "bag" HT -- Blye -- 11/4/2011, 11:58 am

My summer was spent putting an addition on my house... but there is a serious boat component -- Blye -- 11/4/2011, 11:18 am

I cleaned and coated -- David P -- 11/4/2011, 11:39 am

out with the - in with the new -- Ron -- 11/4/2011, 11:47 am

WOW!!! Very nice! Can you eat off your holding tank too? -- Blye -- 11/4/2011, 11:59 am

holding tank -- Ron -- 11/4/2011, 12:24 pm

Nice looking engine room. -- GeneC -- 11/4/2011, 12:02 pm

Love those boats. I hope you post more about your upgrades Ron. -- Tom Young -- 11/4/2011, 12:22 pm

under glass -- Ron -- 11/4/2011, 12:53 pm

Wow, all you need are probe points... -- GeneC -- 11/4/2011, 1:03 pm

Great! Good use of the stuff. -- Tom Young -- 11/4/2011, 1:33 pm

very nice -- Larry - DH -- 11/4/2011, 1:44 pm

Very nice, Ron. The B-40 is high on my list of dream boats -- Paul D -- 11/4/2011, 12:58 pm

Peter M -- Ron -- 11/4/2011, 2:29 pm

Hi Ron.... -- Peter M -- 11/4/2011, 5:35 pm

Looks like you know him now, Ron. -- Paul D -- 11/5/2011, 3:19 am

Poor soul ! -- Peter M -- 11/4/2011, 1:26 pm

Very nice engine install Ron! -- Ron Chappell -- 11/4/2011, 6:17 pm

I dropped this new Volvo-Penta D2-40 in -- Todd D -- 11/4/2011, 1:09 pm

After realignment I did a speed versus engine rpms run... -- Todd D -- 11/4/2011, 1:15 pm

Here is a picture of the boat.. -- Todd D -- 11/4/2011, 1:21 pm

Nice work Todd, I bet you can't wait for spring. -- Tom Young -- 11/4/2011, 1:31 pm

Is that where the engine tops out, Todd, around 9 knots? -- Paul D -- 11/4/2011, 1:22 pm

Top speed was 9.1 knots at 3,150 rpms... -- Todd D -- 11/4/2011, 1:25 pm

How are you calculating burn rate? -- Larry - DH -- 11/4/2011, 1:38 pm

I have a plastic tank that I can see the side of... -- Todd D -- 11/4/2011, 1:44 pm

That would be really nice info to have -- Larry - DH -- 11/4/2011, 1:53 pm

It is remarkedly simple to calculate fuel burn versus speed if... -- Todd D -- 11/4/2011, 2:01 pm

How would you do that? What info is needed? -- Larry - DH -- 11/4/2011, 8:28 pm

For a first approximation, waterline length and displacement -- Todd D -- 11/5/2011, 5:42 am

The calculations are a bit too involved to write up here... -- Todd D -- 11/5/2011, 8:11 am

I can give you everything now, but BWL -- Larry - DH -- 11/5/2011, 9:48 am

corrected LWL to 36.75 feet in post above -- Larry - DH -- 11/5/2011, 9:59 am

Larry - here is a crude estimate... -- Todd D -- 11/5/2011, 12:31 pm

By the way... -- Todd D -- 11/5/2011, 12:33 pm

When you have strong winds and seas against you, can you be overpowered on a boat? -- Tom Young -- 11/5/2011, 4:20 pm

There is only so much power you can use... -- Todd D -- 11/5/2011, 4:46 pm

Then why do many sailboat designers spec larger auxilary engines,... -- Tom Young -- 11/5/2011, 5:00 pm

Larger engines are put in to make ignorant buyers happy... -- Todd D -- 11/5/2011, 5:12 pm

I think you can get Larrys boat with 150 hp Todd. It'll plane I imagine. -- Tom Young -- 11/5/2011, 5:18 pm

A planing hull is a very different beast than a displacement hull -- Todd D -- 11/5/2011, 5:38 pm

Thanks Todd. It doesn't match the real world though -- Larry - DH -- 11/5/2011, 8:20 pm

Also, we average about 1.25 GPH at 7.5-8 knots cruising speed -- Larry - DH -- 11/5/2011, 8:24 pm

It is clear that your hull is semi-planing or planing in design... -- Todd D -- 11/5/2011, 9:07 pm

Thanks Todd -- Larry - DH -- 11/5/2011, 9:38 pm

I have a friend with a 40' tri, he once couldn't turn it into the wind under power. -- Tom Young -- 11/6/2011, 2:56 am

My boat turns on a dime, but only with the centerboard down. -- Larry - DH -- 11/6/2011, 7:48 am

What auxiliary do you have? 4,000 RPM? -- SG -- 11/6/2011, 6:30 am

Volvo Penta MD22P engine, Volvo Penta 3-blade folding prop -- Larry - DH -- 11/6/2011, 7:34 am

Flat belt kit for high output alternator -- John P -- 11/4/2011, 4:33 pm

Hey there John ... what's the name of the upstate NY outfit ... -- John -- 11/4/2011, 6:39 pm

... is it ElecrtoMaxx in Niagara Falls ? -- John -- 11/4/2011, 7:51 pm

Yes, Electromax, excellent -- John P -- 11/6/2011, 2:57 pm

thanks ... cheers, John -- John -- 11/6/2011, 9:59 pm

It had something to do with -- Rick Sylvester -- 11/4/2011, 7:07 pm

very nice ... -- John -- 11/4/2011, 7:53 pm

Thanks John. -- Rick Sylvester -- 11/4/2011, 10:28 pm

Hello there Rick ... I do really like the Marine Elegance Head ... -- John -- 11/5/2011, 11:50 am

Yeah, I like flushing with fresh -- Rick Sylvester -- 11/5/2011, 12:58 pm

There's an easier way, Rick -- Peggie Hall -- 11/7/2011, 10:02 am

Nice job. It is often connected on a boat. -- Tom Young -- 11/5/2011, 4:30 am

Sheesh, Rick. Delete that post before my wife sees it! -- Hagar -- 11/5/2011, 4:38 pm

Fantastic projects everyone! . . . -- Jeremy McGeary -- 11/4/2011, 7:55 pm