Gadgets and bits you bought but never fitted

[Poecheng]

I think I have acquired three Balmar alternators (two of them I saw in the garage the other day and they are simply massive and jointly mounted on a metal frame to run on a single belt, I think).

I currently have a 20hp Beta and haven't even altered the field wire on its alternator to work with the Advercs that I also have.

 

[Quandary]

Complete new state of the art Raymarine Autopilot, magical, still in the boxes but the old ST4000 has behaved immaculately ever since. Bit worried that when I do get the new one sold the 4000 will have its revenge.

 

[rotrax]

Hand on heart, apart from the radio/CD player and speakers waiting to be installed so First Mate and I can get our music fix the only thing I have purched specificaly for our boat is a gas bottle level device. I bought it in a NZ camping shop.

On reading the small print, NBG with the bottle secured in a confined space as with our boat.

Good thing it was cheap - about 7 quid!

 

[jbweston]

Complete new state of the art Raymarine Autopilot, magical, still in the boxes but the old ST4000 has behaved immaculately ever since. Bit worried that when I do get the new one sold the 4000 will have its revenge.

It's an established technique with faulty computers to threaten them with replacement. This works but only if you make the threat credible by actually buying the replacement and showing it in its box to the old one. Usually the old one gets back into line and works faultlessly after that.

I guess the same thing works for autopilots because they are evolved from the same electronic ancestors as computers.

 

[mjcoon]

It's an established technique with faulty computers to threaten them with replacement. This works but only if you make the threat credible by actually buying the replacement and showing it in its box to the old one. Usually the old one gets back into line and works faultlessly after that.

I guess the same thing works for autopilots because they are evolved from the same electronic ancestors as computers.

There should be a Sod's law corollary that covers that, but I don't know its name...

 

[Blue Sunray]

There should be a Sod's law corollary that covers that, but I don't know its name...

It is related to the CND (Critical Need Detector) that is built into such kit. The detects when the device is absolutely essential to the current operation and ensures that it is the point at which it fails.

 

[RAI]

It is related to the CND (Critical Need Detector) that is built into such kit. The detects when the device is absolutely essential to the current operation and ensures that it is the point at which it fails.

Also known as an anxiety detector.
There is corollary to Murphy's law that states equipment never fails in the presence of an engineer capable of repairing it.

 

[Sandy]

And that’s the other side of the coin. I have multiple backups for one use. For example I wanted a boat with two heads in case one broke, I have three ways of keeping food cold (engine belt driven fridge plate, 12v plate and an ice maker through inverter, three ways of heating water (mains, engine and solar), two linear autohelm rams, 3 fluxgate compasses, and 7 spatulas.

I know the boat would be a lot bigger and a lot faster if I didn’t.

Billy Connolly famously said 'Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn't try it on.' I just us my hat as a tea cozy.

 

[dom]

View attachment 98059

Billy Connolly famously said 'Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn't try it on.' I just us my hat as a tea cozy.

That’s not your tea cozy, that’s Bojo on holidays! ?

Boris Johnson cuts short holiday 'amid concerns over safety'

 

[fredrussell]

I have an auto bilge pump still in its box. I moved it over from previous boat where it also sat in its box. The best time to fit these is after they have re-floated and pumped out your boat.

 

[Tomaret]

It’s been less of a problem since they cancelled Beaulieu Boat Jumble

 

[JRCO26]

Judging by some marinas with yachts that never seem to leave the dock, then some people have never used their biggest boat gadget of all....the yacht itself....

 

[Carib]

I recently sold an alternator regulator I bought secondhand on here about 8 years ago. Far too complicated (for me) to install. The chap I bought it from had also bought it and never fitted it..!

 

[AndyL]

still waiting to fit the automatic bilge pump I bought three years ago but one day....

+1

 

[Poecheng]

I recently sold an alternator regulator I bought secondhand on here about 8 years ago. Far too complicated (for me) to install. The chap I bought it from had also bought it and never fitted it..!

Oh, I could have added that to my collection of Balmar alternators if it was a Balmar

 

[Yngmar]

Got a box with a deck washdown pump sitting around and most of the bits that go with it. Just haven't quite figured out a good place for installing it all yet (it's a bit tricky to say the least). It's only been there 2-3 years. I'm sure one day I'll have an epiphany and figure out a really clever way!

 

[Blueboatman]

You can never have enough mismatched oars
And ‘ used’ rope.
Wonder treatments in a bottle
Super polishes
Splicing fids(!)