Recent content by paulplatts

I installed an aerial splitter to use the masthead VHF aerial - didn't seem much better than laying an car VHF aerial in a locker up against the bottom of the deck. Would using a chain plate & the rigging make the radio more susceptible to damage from lightening?

I have a Zodiac 280 fast roller which has an inflatable floor - keeps my feet dry and the bottom of the dinghy flat. This gives the dinghy the ability to plane well and with a 6HP engine that planes well.

My understanding is that if you are hand winding the cable then do it clockwise. This then goes with the way the cable was made and works better than trying it anticlockwise. Alternatively if you lay the cable out full length and then using both arms walk up the cable going arm over arm - it bit...

I fitted a 350W sine wave inverter on my boat. With no load the drain is about 0.2 Amps so not a lot. Using an inverter means you can use your existing chargers or power supplies for the laptop, TV, rechargeable drill, phone, iTouch and more. You don't have to buy 12 volt versions to run these...

I would also suggest that you try to use tinned copper wire rather than plain copper. Plain copper tends to go black after a while and the corrosion is not conductive so if you need to remake the connection you may have a problem.

It would be sensible to work on an invertor efficiency of between 90 to 95% but there will always be a minimum draw under no load conditions but this will be quite low.

It depends on the shape you want - if the coamings are curved then you will need custom made cushions. They are not difficult to make but make sure you use good quality foam and fireproof material.

I've just finished doing this. I went for an LED ultraslim TV - they are very slim - about 2 cms thick and also much lighter than the earlier LCD TV's which use florescents for illumination. I chose a Samsung 27 inch model and fixed it to a bulkhead with a solid mount. This only takes about 40...

I've had my boats - fin keelers - on swinging moorings for 20 odd years. It seems to me that the boat is mostly head to wind especially when the wind gets up and this means that the wind blows from bow to stern which seems to be the best way. In marinas I have had more damage than on my...

I take my prop off every year and have put it back with no problems. I just hold the prop and tighten the cone with a large screwdriver through the holes on the cone. The bolt in the end seems to jam the threads together which seems to inhibit the cone from moving - I tighten this up with an...

I have a 3 cylinder Volvo engine, now nealy 3 years old. From new there has been an oil pressure warning problem. This occurs shortly after the engine is first started & clears as soon as the engine is revved. I have spoken to Volvo agents, but of course they have never heard of this & can not...

Gosport Boat Yard may well be the best bet. They do a weekend lift out service. They may be rather busy at this time of year with lots of boats out for the winter. They can also do gelcoat repairs etc. I have used them for years & my new boat is a similar size to yours. <hr width=100% size=1>

Re: GPS Repeaters - alternaive You could consider an ICS Navtex 6+. Might seem a bit of an odd choice at first, bit I use this with my GPS Garmin 128. Works well as a GPS & instrument repeater as well as the obvious dual frequency Navtex. So you get all of this extra capability as well as a...

I also agree with the comments about the ICS Navtex 6+. It works well, receiving both frequencies all of the time. If interfaced with the GPS it only selects messages relevant to the present location. The display is clear & very easy to read. It also works as a GPS repeater & with the right...

I used Quay Sails in Poole for my sprayhood, cockpit tent & mainsail cover. The service was good - all correctly measued up on the boat & fitted well when it arrived. Their prices were also less than some, which was a bonus. They did give me a decent discount at the Southampton Boat Show, which...