Recent content by nealeb

I get this symptom very regularly. The battery monitor typically shows 12.whatever for one battery and anything between 1 and 12V for the other. I know that in my case it's a poor connection in the cheap car-type fuseholder I use in the monitoring cable so it's certainly worth checking...

I'm talking cockpit locker lids on a 28' gaffer - and even by my boat's scantling standards, 1 1/4" would be pretty heavy! But you're quite right - when I look at them what I have is pretty thin for the width. A 12-15" board only 5/8" or so thick is asking a lot from the wood stability point of...

Can we be quite clear if the problem is failing to start altogether, or kind-of starting but reluctance to rev above idle? From what I read, it doesn't seem to be the former, and the engine seems to have been running fine in the recent past. As it happens, I have just posted a reply in another...

...and the problem with a 1GM10 is that the alternator will be trying to produce that kind of output into the flattish battery that has just started it but while it is running at low revs; it takes so much power that the engine revs won't build up. That's why the saildrive version has a delay...

Would you like to come and tell the iroko locker lids on my boat that? They seem to have a mind of their own! Mine are 12-15" wide, made of edge-glued panels around 5/8" thick. There's a strip along the front to form a lip but it doesn't seem to provide much anti-warp stiffness. I am seriously...

Years back I did a Coastal Skipper course out of the Yealm. It was my turn to navigate, and I did the sums to get us into Looe. We arrived early and the instructor told us just to try going in anyway - no sense in stooging around if there was, in fact, enough water. We touched and stuck for a...

I find that my 3GM needs a bit more throttle than the book recommends although you have to be ready to knock it back quickly once it starts. The other thing I do if I am starting from cold, especially if it's the first time for a week or two, is flip open all three decompressor levers, spin it...

Yes - lack of ring pressure (generated by gas pressure in the combustion chamber) means that the rings tend to polish the bore which then leads to blow-by, combustion gases get into the oil and contaminate it with corrosive by-products, and lead to general degradation. A more loaded engine...

Another trick is to not quite turn the seacock right on. That means that you can try moving it both ways if it gets stuck. Not quite such a useful trick if it is stuck in the "off" position although it may be worth checking if it can be left just off the fully-shut position without leaking. I...

I have used both NASA and Raymarine transducers in in-hull mounts and have always antifouled the hull underneath them with no apparent ill-effect on sensitivity. I would not AF a transducer if it were fitted through-hull, though.

I was reading the article on impeller removal in YM this morning, and saw that oft-repeated piece of advice about making sure that all the vanes are pointing in the right direction before putting the new impeller back in. As a follow-up, you see all sorts of ideas about cable ties and so on to...

My heads have the pump integrated, so no chance of putting a vent between pump and bowl. Both inlet and outlet hoses (i.e. between each half of pump and respective sea cocks) have vents fitted and the inlet one seems to have no effect on pumping efficiency. At least, a lot less effect than the...

[ QUOTE ] On mine it sometimes helps to switch the battery from 1 (the one I just used for starting) via 1+2 to 2 when the revs wont pick up immediately after starting - selecting a better charged battery as a load for the alternator. [/ QUOTE ] Thanks for that comment! I have a 3GM in the...

It all depends on what you're buying and why. I bought a B&Q own-brand 9" angle grinder for about 40% of the cost of a Makita equivalent for chopping up paving slabs. Works fine, still going having worn out at least one diamond wheel. I bought it because the lad in B&Q admitted to not knowing...

I have been anti-fouling over the New Year break for the last 4-5 years or so - the marina lift-out deal means that the boat comes out in Dec and usually goes back in mid to end Jan. It's been a bit cold sometimes but always managed to find a dry enough day (main criterion) and the AF may be a...