Marine product, do not get wet.

[snowleopard]

We all moan about products being sold at twice the price because they are 'marine' but don't you get mad when you shell out all that money and the product gives up because it sees a bit of salt water?

It's time we shamed a few of the companies who palm us off with 'marine' products that aren't fit for a marine environment. Here are a few examples :

Douglas Gill sailing bag (cost over £40). kept on board for a few months and all the metal zip sliders sieze up.

Houdini doors, assembled with non-stainless steel screws

Plastimo padlocks with non-stainless springs which fail in the locked position after a few weeks.

and generally:

Outboard manufacturers who make clamp screws from non-stainless steel

Mast manufacturers who put stainless screws into aluminium castings so they sieze up.

what are your favourites?

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[qsiv]

With all due respect - I too swear and cuss at the O/B clamp screws - but I'm not sure stainless is the answer, as you're likely to wind up with crevice corrosion in the covered thread area. For a long time I have thought that an 'over centre' clamp (rather like thos on office files) would be much more appropriate.

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[claymore]

I just love my faded orange lights that are hung upside down in the clips within the horseshoe bouys - steadily filling up with water.

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[Aja]

Tip of the Day

Rub a little Vaseline or grease round the lip of the seal before screwing home. No more water.

Donald

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[burgundyben]

think the real answer here is wire thread inserts, ie helicoils, if stainless and stainless screws then problem solved. Of course would add cost to unit.

But what would you buy, 300 quid outboard made cheaply or 600 outboard made to last forever? availability on the market tells you people go for cheaper short term option.

<hr width=100% size=1>Sod the Healey - I think I'll buy an E-Type.

 

[robp]

I wound up putting the tiniest amount of valve grinding paste on the threads on mine, together with a dollop of grease. They've been well behaved this season!

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[graham]

I dont like using grease on the outboard clamps as it usually gets on hands shirt sails etc. When I think about it I give the threads a squirt of WD40 ,seems to do the trick.

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[pugwash]

Swedish heaters

After the fracas over leaky Ray Marine stuff in posts a week or two ago I was planning to ask this same question. At my boatyard I heard (secondhand) of an owner who fitted an expensive Swedish heater chosen because it was the only one "built for marine use" rather than trucks. It gave up quickly and was returned under guarantee but the manufacturer refused on the grounds that it had got wet. Not from a wave dumped in the cockpit, it must be said, but a small leak in the deck. The thing's mother board was completely unprotected from moisture and had to be replaced for £170.

You have made a good point here. My little Olympus camera is more weatherproof than my autopilot. YM and others should be investigating this sort of problem and carrying the torch on our behalf. Why don't they?

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[Paul_H]

Re: Swedish heaters

YM and others should be investigating .....Why don't they?

Cos its a fine line between honest critical review of products for the benefit of the paying public and p***ing off major sponsors and advertisers of the mag.

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[pugwash]

Re: Swedish heaters

That's the answer I anticipated but why don't the YM and PBO bunch realise that advertisers like to be associated with courageous, independent journalism? Honest and fair investigative campaigning on behalf of readers always pay off in the long run, though there might be fireworks in the marketing department in the short term. Craven editorialising wins no friends you'd want to keep.

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[claymore]

Re: Tip of the Day

Don't be so bloody filthy Donald - I'm surprised at you!

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[Mirelle]

Garmin GPS 12; battery contacts suit no battery that I've ever known.

Vetus engine inlet water strainer; instructions say mount above w/l, if you do so it is highly likely to draw in air and pop goes your impeller, exhaust waterlock, etc....oh, I forgot, Vetus make exhaust waterlocks...out of polypropylene.....what a good idea....

Stainless steel ball valves with icky stamped mild steel handles.....ball fitted on nylon seals....nylon swells with prolonged exposure to sea water....



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[vyv_cox]

NASA Navtex antennas (antennae?)

The old type used with the Pro and Pro Plus, with the wire sticking out of the casing, were leaky but at least they could be resealed with silicone RTV without too much trouble.

The new dual frequency ones with the Clipper are like sieves and because of the construction method, something like Blue Peter with plastic tubing instead of toilet rolls, it is difficult to reseal them. After 4 months of use mine had about 10 ml of water inside, whether leaking rain or condensate I don't know. NASA repaired it and have glued the top on firmly such that it is now impossible to check inside.

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[david42]

Just read this thread having recently spent over 40 quid on a Douglas Gill bag, oh b****cks, any tips for keeping the zips moving? My Dad used to free up zips by rubbing graphite (ie: pencil lead) along the teeth, the zips not his. Not sure if this'll work in salty environment.


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[Rabbie]

Buy a Douglas Gill bag like mine with plastic zips.

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[Rabbie]

Buy a Douglas Gill bag like mine with plastic zips.

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[tome]

Use beeswax on them (this works well on dry-suits)

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[Guest]

Grease / Oil etc.

At sea on ships of the 'past' ...... it used to be koked .... if it moves grease it, if it doesn't move - paint it !!

BUT .... in fact oil was only used for items that moved infrequently ..... grease was used for items that moved frequently ..... white lead and tallow was for items that rarely moved. WHY > ....... an item that moves frequently - the grease lubricates without adding salt etc. Item that moves infrequently - oil does not attract the salt and debris that sticks to grease ...... for the items that rarely move, they become decorative - white lead and tallow !!!!

Now try that one !!


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !

 

[Guest]

When you replace your watch battery ...

Don't tell anyone ...... but often the 'waterproofing' that you pay for is a smear of vaseline around the lip when they put the back on !!


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !

 

[snowleopard]

douglas gill bags...

keep it at home. use a bin liner, it's more reliable!

incidentally i wrote to douglas gill about the zips. guess what their reply was...



a deafening silence.

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