Recent content by Dougie_the_Mate

Earlier in the year we had everything below the waterline cleaned . It was professionally done and 2 coats of primer were applied to her hull and the keels with 2 coats of Anti fouling added. We were very pleased with how she looked after the job - which wasn't cheap. W Yesterday we were...

Thanks for the advice chaps - I will assess the current state of the panel before taking action. ;)

Our solar panel is beginning to show signs of wear and tear (old age really). Is it possible to simply fit a new panel to the hatch cover while still using the existing wiring?

I appear to have lost the charger for our Silva Star M298 hand held radio. I have tried to source a replacement - so far unsuccessfully. There was one appeared on E-Bay from a company but although the pictures of the charger unit were very clear for some reason the actual connection point was...

Does anyone have experience of this tender. Since we are now in a marina and are getting 'advanced' in years, we now longer require the big tender for loading and unloading as was the case on a swinging mooring. We would still want to have a 2 person tender for going on and off the boat on...

Can you use ordinary road fuel in a marine diesel engine which has always used red diesel?

Graham Thank you for that advice. The inflatable one would fit our dinghy. My only concern about the patches is how secure they would be. i will contact Polymarine and ask for their thoughts. Dougie.

The seat strap on our dinghy has torn and I can't really see a way to fix it. A previous dinghy had an inflatable seat. Is it possible to buy such an item without having to replace the whole boat.

Thanks to all who offered advice. Laysula, was there a particular reason why you wish you had chosen the 2.7? We are no longer on a swinging mooring so the task of taking large quantities of stuff to the boat no longer applies. We just need something light to manage in case we choose to go...

A couple of years back I met a nice wee lady at Inverkip who was extolling the virtues of a small, very light tender which she said was a godsend as she and her husband advanced in years. She said she got it at Duncans in Glasgow. Having looked at their website there is one called an Aquafax XL...

I was really asking what strength is desirable in terms of PSI. I am aware that the pressure hose which they used at Port Bannatyne on a friends boat had him worrying about the hull it was so strong (according to him).

Our electric power washer is coming to the end of its useful life. What spec should I get to replace it given that it will be used to clean the boat as well as the car. Are there any advantages other than mobility in a petrol driven washer - Aldi appear to have a decent one at a reasonable...

No - there is no leak - when the weather permits we leave the hatch, companionway open while on board and she is dry. The condensation is worse in the morning unless we leave the portlights/hatch open while we sleep which is clearly more difficult when the weather turns colder. We have had the...

This back end we have had more condensation on the boat than I can ever recall. Normally over winter I use a pipe heater to keep her dryish while she is on the hard. Would a de-humidifier present a better option - if so what type would folk suggest? Dougie

Thanks folks for the input. I would not have thought that blowing on it would have registered, but I will try that next time we are up. I suppose the really stupid question is the one you don't ask!