Gear survey

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Sunbird

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My suggestion is that YM runs a survey on gear, where serious sailors are asked to comment on;

a] gear that was a disappointment within one year, stating why

b] still pleased after 5 years of use.
http://www.ybw.com/forums/images/icons/icon5.gif
new gear is expensive.
When one has bought a 'turkey' I inevitably meets lots of people who could have told me.
I want to know before I part with cash
 
Not too sure about your categories but here's a list of things that I've bought but never used:

Liferaft
Offshore Flares
EPIRB
SART
Danbuoy
Horseshoe buoys, lights and drogues
Lifejackets
Full set of bungs
Spare fan belts, injector
Pump Diaphragms
Orange survival suits
Fire extinguishers
Gas alarm
CO monitor (after I really needed one!)
Throwing line
Extra 30m of anchorplait
... and I'm sure there's more.
 
Sunbird said:
My suggestion is that YM runs a survey on gear, where serious sailors are asked to comment on;
Click to expand...

Serious sailors, "No" Any mag that seeks advice from serious sailors would be asking proffesional sailors whom I'm sure would be rating equipment supplied by sponsors etc, and this would not lead to the truth been told.
If anything the mag should be asking the opinion of, say, sailors from these forums. Maybe I am wrong.
C_W
 
Yacthing World does the ARC gear test every year. Not exactly along the lines you are looking at, but a pretty comprehensive survey nevertheless.
 
Following on from Twister Ken's lead:

I purchased a Peli 2400 Stealth Light (£40.00) however the second time I used it the bulb went. No-one seemed to stock the sealed unit bulb although to be fair Force 4 at Lymington very kindly rang Peli and organised a new bulb to be posted to me free of charge. The cost of a new bulb should have been around £14.00, something in hindsight I should have checked out before buying the torch.

It is a very good, powerful, pocket sized torch and I like it but the initial price of the torch combined with the high cost of the sealed unit bulbs makes it an very expensive option.

Moral of the story: always check the cost of the bulbs before buying a new torch.
 
Sunbird said:
to comment on;

a] gear that was a disappointment within one year, stating why

b] still pleased after 5 years of use.
Click to expand...

Well here are a few:

a) Poor:
Plastimo 2,4ish "lite" tender - Folded it twice before it started leaking.
Navico TP32 autohelm - let in water first time out, still works but prefers sunny, quiet days. To be fair I doubt the alternatives are much better.
Helly lightweight breathables - buy a boiler suit instead

b) Good:
Aerogen windgen. Silent, still going after 20 years.
Every Musto watch coat I have ever had - though I feel the new ones are less waterproof.
Raymarine ST40 wind, iffy display but reliable.
Standard Horizon H/H VHF - easy to use, robust.
Tohatsu 2.5/3.5 2st - superb reliable despite all abuse.
Avon
.
 
Sunbird said:
My suggestion is that YM runs a survey on gear, where serious sailors are asked to comment on;
Click to expand...

Your wish is our command, but we beat you to it :)

December issue 09, YM interviewed the 08/09 Blue water rally.

After 26,000 miles, the skippers and crews were interviewed to find out what worked and what didn't...In the magazine were their findings on Mainsail reefing systems, genoa furling systems, sails, snuffers, deck hardware, anchors, dinghies, winches, outboards, autopilots, windvane steering, props, wind generators, towing generators, generators, solar panels, chart and PC plotters, cartography, instruments, AIS, Navtex, Radar, Fixed VHFs and Handheld VHFs

Additional information on Antifouling, Main Engine, Steering, Fridges, Watermakers, Waterpumps, Bilge pumps, Battery chargers, GPS Aerials, handheld GPS, Long Range coms and Long Range Satcoms that didn't go into the magazine can be found on YM Plus
 
But if you want to know what I've found good and bad you can either read YM, where all the gear I either buy or get to test is written up - without favour or bias, or you can ask me or anyone else on the forum about a specific bit of kit.

One problem with a long term tests is that by the time the test is finished, what you've been testing has usually been superseded by another model with unknown reliability.

Here a few of my thoughts on the kit I've been using:

Garmin kit, the 5008 chartplotter is a fantastic bit of kit, the touchscreen is easy to use and clear to see, as is all the garmin kit I have on board (GMR 18, 2 GMI 10 displays, the wind instrument/barometer)....Downside is the wiring, Garmin have addressed a problem I found with having to run a power and a data cable to each GMI10 display so this won't be a problem soon, and is only a problem with N2K. N2k is a good idea, but it's not the be all and end all, for example most of the N2k leads have a 18mm od plug moulded on the end, so you have to pull and push this plug through the inner working of your boat....or you can chop it off and pay for N2k field connectors. For MARPA to work well the units really needs a good heading sensor. The kit isn't cheap, but I've never had any reliability problems with it. Fitting the chartplotter is coming out in YM Feb issue, upgrading to N2K will be written up for YM shortly....oh the fun and games I had

Scanstrut radar pole, easy to fit if you don't drop part of the bracket over the side :o I had problems with the nyloc nuts jamming, and so did a friend, I bought some new ones and it went on well. Clear instructing and its possible to put the pole up and install it almost single handed in a few hours.

Self levelling radar mount I'd love to tell you all about it, but it's going to be in the magazine soon, so I can't really :( sorry

Ezidri magic pink rag thing, soaks up water, and every last drop of it, invaluable on a boat, more uses than I can list here...leaving washed up plates on, rolled up around the galley when I'm washing up, drying the cockpit, drying the dinghy, stuck inside leaky windows, keeping the bilges dry, leaving around the log when changing it etc etc!...The only problem is that it needs washing regularly to stop is smelling if you use it in places where you find bacteria (around the galley etc)

HH oilskin trousers, tough an durable until the small plastic zip broke, sent them back to helly hansen who replaced it with a metal zip. Padded knees on the trousers are so good, I have no idea why more companies don't do it...read the review of the jacket and smock soon in YM.

Yamaha 2.5 4 stroke outboard, purs like a cat, very reliable, although it is the heaviest in its class it's built to last, no shear pins to worry about and even a gentle pull will start the engine, no dental work for the passengers in our rubber dub

Bombard AX2, not very big, but big enough for the two of us, and it fits into a locker with ease. It's light weight and easy to carry (even up a ladder) and the bag is more a sheet which wraps easily around the folded dinghy. My dad had an AX3 on one of his charter boats for many years and it was charterer proof. HOWEVER the new AX2 and AX3 are different to the 2009 models so beware, the new ones don't look as tough (see my note at the top about new models)

KIM lifesling, never had to use it in anger, but the straps to attach it on the pushpit aren't that secure, so you have to be quick to attach then and put the velcro flap over the top. Hasn't fallen off yet, and I suspect it's meant to come off the rail when tension is on the line to the strong point on the boat.

Musto Windstopper fleece, expensive, but probably the best fleece I own, after 5 years the zip toggle has fallen off and the lining of the pockets has worn through, but it's still warm and comfortable and I'm wearing it now

DD122FW-MK2 dessicant dehumidifier, the best £150 I've spent for winter sailing and drying out the boat this year, a magic bit of kit that transforms life onboard when it's cold outside or you've left the boat for some time, all cushions are dry and the boat has a dry feel all the time.

Baltic 150N lifejackets (Winner 150N model I think), I bought them after seeing them at the YM test, the fleece collar and the fit makes them comfortable to wear, I bought 4 and never had any complains from my crew, they adjust in size from Tom Cunliffe down to my girlfriend. Needed to buy hoods as extras for them though, but the hood is the best design and permanently in position, unlike my work 275N crewsaver where the hood is on the belt.

Well that will do for the moment ;)
 
good:

Sterling battery charger 30 amp
Mikuni heater
Lofrand windlass
Autohelm electronic compass
admiralty charts
Plymouth Navy strength gin!
garmin 76 handheld
Aldi USB tv tuner thingy for the lappy
Grotomar diesel bug treatment
Blakes cruiser antifouling - before I went coppercoat
XM foulies
Lewmar light touch winch handle

poor and/or silly expensive
Kemp sails - poor cut
Raymarine C80 plotter - user unfriendly
Wire halyards - mess up the mast
Baltic horse shoe life ring - silly expensive
Volvo spares - silly expensive
most small chandley items - silly expensive
 
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