Marine product, do not get wet.

[Twister_Ken]

Re: NASA Navtex antennas (antennae?)

And the mounting bracket the aerial is on. 3mm of non-UV resistant brittle white plastic. I'm getting Stainless Steve to make me up a metal jobby this winter.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[Sybarite]

Raymarine ST 2000 (2 year old) pilot - warranty refused by the agents !!!!

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[Twister_Ken]

Once had a pair of Dubarry sailing shoes that must have had a metal arch support moulded into the sole. How did I know? Because one balmy day I put my feet up on the cockpit bench while steering, and the bulkhead compass swung about 20 degrees.

Talking of sailing shoes, why do they fit them with leather laces that come undone within 10 minutes of being tied?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[qsiv]

Ah! The leters pages have been full of this over the years. I like to soak laces and then pull them tight with two pairs of mole grips. Most then stay solid for ever, but some will never stay done up. A drop of glue in the knot sometimes helps.

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[Guest]

Moccasin / Deck shoe laces ..

MY son used to pass the laces around the back of the foot and forward again and then tuck into the shoe..... trapping the ends.
I was a dutiful father and advised tying properly. He did it and sure enough ----- a few minutes later undone. He smiled and tucked in back in in his way and they stayed 'secure' all day !!!!

Smart little sod !!!


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

 

[Twister_Ken]

Rowlocks

Plastic ones. Pull hard on the oars, the rowlocks bend, the oars pop out. Clever, huh?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[Guest]

Radios etc.

That insist on having speakers in the sides, top, bottom etc. that means you can't mount in a panel with the main bulk out of sight. Why can't ALL VHF's etc. have speaker in the front panel ? It's not size ....... the Japs proved years ago that a small speaker CAN deliver !!!!
Add-on sockets etc. should at the front AND back giving flexibility to the purcahser to how he wants it set-up.


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

 

[Mirelle]

Simrad echosounder

Cockpit repeater defective from new.

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[squidge]

Oh what fun we have keeping it all working against the continuous attacks of salt , moisture and movement. hindered by manufactures who forget quality for the sake of profit. Pah !

Tip for bedding , clothing storage.
Vacuum bags from Argos "argoose" £9.99 for 2
suck the air out (hover/inflator/deflator)
takes up a fraction of the space, water proof .(air quilt before packing)
/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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[Paulka]

Re: Tip of the Day

Drill a tiny hole (1 mm. dia) at the lowest point.

The condensation water will be expelled every time the temperature moves higher, thus at least once a day.

Mine are dry.

Paul

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[aod]

Top Dollar Crap.

Reading this thread I have to say that I agree with everything that has been said. It's mind blowing that manufacturers produce products for the marine environment that in a nutshell are crap. I remember a few years ago someone bringing out a radar reflector and when the outer plastic case was cut open it revealed screwed up tin foil! Not bad for forty quid!
Plastimo cookers..........................look lovely but the grill head rusts like buggery!
Ray Marine autopilots......................notoriously unreliable due to water ingress!
Ray Marine ST50s...........................enough said already!

Bought a Whichard spinnaker snap shackle cost £75 and rusted like buggery. Took it back and got another one which also rusted like buggery. Ditched the idea and bought Lewmar........fine.

But the biggest rip off of all has to be liferaft servicing and I am quite happy to say that the worst offender in my book has to be Viking at the Hamble!

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[kimhollamby]

The answer wasn\'t from YM

I think perhaps it might be better to respond to a YM view? The previous comment was not from YM and therefore is not fair as anything other than a subjective view, not an 'answer'. I also don't think it is fair and could in fact be construed as being slanderous ie the implication is that the magazine does not take an editorially independent stance.

Furthermore it is YM giving you the platform to discuss these matters in a reasonable well ordered place that is read and noticed by a lot of people.

I'm not saying don't criticise but please don't take forum users' responses as being official magazine policy either.

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[kimhollamby]

Flip side

The alternative? Fit good old fashioned barrel style bronze strainers below the waterline...and constantly get the damned things blocked with weed. Have had several overheats that way and two instances where crew has checked strainers and forgotten to turn sea cocks on again.

Having had the Vetus style on previous boats I have owned with a clear top I can see into and a decent bowl size (and no problems on air leakage, although I have fixed a similar problem on another boat and had to replace a plastic top after tickled by an engineer who thought it clever to release with monkey wrench) I know what I would personally prefer.

Out of interest what is wrong with polyprop exhaust fittings? Have done many hundreds of engine hours with rotomoulded exhaust silencers and no problems personally but interested to know what went wrong in your case.

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[andyball]

Re: Radios etc.

"waterproof" simrad handheld vhf with distress button that sends gps position, but holder/charger which is needed for gps input isn't waterproof.....you need the almost identical "outdoor" one as an extra for £50+

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[aod]

Re: The answer wasn\'t from YM

that the magazine does not take an editorially independent stance.

Well.................................does it Kim?

Furthermore it is YM giving you the platform to discuss these matters in a reasonable well ordered place that is read and noticed by a lot of people.

Yes and it does that because it attracts a lot of people to the site. You have a difficult job Kim balancing a healthy, open and interesting forum whilst representing IPC, it's advertisers (who do have commercial clout) and putting the brakes on when things sometimes get out of hand.

I don't envy you in that but I think it's fair to say that there is a very real belief that IPC have a some what generous view when conducting tests. Is it possible that the litigation following what I thought to be a very fair analysis of the Walker Wingsail had a lasting impact on responsibility to the readership V's commercial considerations?

I can't think when it was that Mathew Sheehan sailed a bad boat.............or maybe that was the Walker Wingsail.



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[Sergeant_Pepper]

Re: Flip side

On Sergenat Pepper the engine seacock was once turned off accidentally - engine started to overheat etc. No damage done, as the engnine alarm went on (smelled a bit too).

Anyhow, the heat og the exhaust gasses melted a huge hole in the Vetus exhaust manifold/muffller. For seven hours I had to pump by hand for 30 minutes of every hour. It wasn't fun.

The warning is, therefore, that the Vetus kit works very well but is is smart from an exhaust manifold to be able to melt?

Love the gear when nothing's been done wrong, though.

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[pugwash]

Re: The answer wasn\'t from YM

I didn't think for one moment it was an official comment from YM, for heaven's sake. Perhaps I should have written a little less sloppily that it was the answer I "would" expect, or that it would be the predictable response. Sorry for that. Comment or opinion is not slanderous as long as it is presented as such. I am sure most of us are grateful to IPC for making this wonderful forum available, as I am. I enjoy it hugely. I have worked in magazines all my life and editorial independence has always been a controversial and ever on-going issue, as it has been in the BBC. It is surely a legitimate subject for discussion in any forum, be it Newsnight or Scuttlebutt. I think you're being a bit touchy, Kim.

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[sailorman]

try silicone spray

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[Mirelle]

Re: Flip side

The intake can still block with weed! It happened to a friend this afternoon.

Briefly, Kim, if the strainer lid allows air in your impeller runs dry and melts and lo and behold you melt your waterlock and you are in the position described by Sergeant Pepper!

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[kimhollamby]

Litigation

There is certainly a case to be made for acknowledging that the law and its execution currently favours parties other than media. And yes all specialist media has to be careful in that regard. National press have the kind of budgets required to make conscious decisions about taking higher risk (even when knowingly not telling the truth in exchange for copy sales) but in the real world there has to be a healthy dollop of due care and consideration. Litigation carries a doubly whammy...the cost and, of far more threat to most journals with a realistic number of staff, the time impact.

Ironically I cannot comment on the Wingsail issue but it is probably okay for me to say that it has provided a test case for magazines well outsid of our boating magazines and, indeed, well outside of IPC itself.

Legal considerations do not however mean telling lies in favour of anyone with commercial interest, nor culling criticism where criticism is due. The original premise of this thread...that some items sold for marine use are not adequate for purpose...is extremely valid. I am especially animated by some of the safety items that, frankly, are not up to the mark and agree more can be done.

What do we mean by editorially independent? Policies and writing that are not influenced in any way by outside forces. I genuinely believe that to be the case for all of our titles and furthermore believe that all editorial staff fully understand that any deviation from that has only one final outcome.

In terms of YM's specific policies it's not for me to comment on that but I do get a little bit fed up with some of the statements on here that come close to suggesting journalists are in the pockets of advertisers. It's accepted IPC is fair game if it dares to run forums and I have never ever stamped on criticism; indeed wherever possible we try to deal with any issue in open forum. But please understand it's a little bit difficult not to get a bit tetchy sometimes; what are probably fairly light-hearted comments can act as a hell of a prod in the tender regions, especially when working on a Sunday!

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