Recent content by pmagowan

This is my solution which is with BEP but can be done with any DVSR, allows for isolation of each battery for engine start or house loads. Prevents issue with over discharged battery leading to non-functioning system. Is wired different to the BEP standard wiring. The shunt is there for...

Strangford next?

Generally if you are going North from Crinan at optimum time then the tide will be fine near the Vrekan. It is not that big a deal unless you get stupidly close as the tide is running out it. I went through and anchored in the Bay of pigs on the other side. Nice spot. The Dorris Mhor tends...

If I saw a strobe light I would be worried about a lost diver or someone in distress and may explore to find out.

I kept a boat on pontoon over winter for many years and the wear and tear was enormous compared to the summer months. That said it was a wooden boat with varnish here and there and everywhere. The fenders rubbed, the varnish peeled and during storms the pontoon could try and ride up. The warps...

The Belafonte

I would take the boat out. Insurance normally requires it and a yard is cheaper than a marina. I would only think about keeping a boat in the water if I was quite close and could pop down and check often.

Yes, my point is that it will not cause a battery to self destruct in short order but not going to be good for any prolonged time. The OP wanted to know if the 30 mins would have wrecked a battery. I agree that there is something duff about the alternator/regulator, there is not much else in...

IIRC some battery chargers go to as much as 18v for desulphation of the battery but I am not sure of the profile but I would assume you won't 'wreck another battery' instantly. You might make it bubble a bit. Defo need to get things sorted so that a more regular voltage is applied. Get your...

I once had the main cable from the battery to the engine break and come very close to shorting against the engine casing. Vibration over years had obviously caused it. I now have fuses at the battery terminal positive. They are sized to protect the wire. Other stuff has its own fuse if it...

Stop drinking water! Nasty stuff. That's what rum was invented for.

There is more than one way to skin a cat. i like to see how others skin theirs. I think the magazines can get repetitive but then lots of things are quite seasonal and worth repeating. PBO is good because you can see atypical ways others have confronted a common problem. We probably all have...

As others have suggested, n matter what fittings you choose, be cautious of dissimilar metals coming in contact with the aluminium boom.

If just the tools you have in a standard home toolkit then I would just use a hand saw to remove the damage and keep to as simple a shape as possible (1 straight line is easiest but more complex cuts are doable). Get any scrap bit of wood but avoid oak or knotty wood. Softwood will be a...

Just cut it down one of the lines visible where two bits of wood are already glued together. That should be a good bit back from the trailing edge so you will have more thickness to work with. Get a plank large enough to replace the broken bit and a bit more. Use biscuits, dowels, or tongue...