What is it with the towels?

[SVB]

As a relative newbie I could not help but notice most of the mobos in the marina have a towel slung over the dash.

What is this all about? Has everyone got a leak and are trying to protect the instruments (although a wet towel is probably worse than none at all). It can't be to 'cover up' those expensive nav toys as one glance at the radar arch will tell you all you need to know and it is definately not to protech the 'timber' dash from the sun this year!

So - help me out, why the towel? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Ballistix]

Sun, has to be...maybe german owners? He who throws the towel first drives?
T

 

[peterandjeanette]

Why the towel?

Well, a friend of ours had his windscreen shatter a couple of years ago for no apparent reason, and he was not the only one.

Investigation came up with one possible answer. The sun was streaming through the window, hit the compass glass and was magnified back upwards and broke the windscreen. Not likely to happen this year, I know, but I'm forever optimistic about next year. (I've got to be -otherwise suicide is the only option.)

In this modern world ANYTHING can happen - especially to boats.

 

[nonitoo]

Yep,

I cover my instruments when they are in direct sunlight and not in use. My reason is that the temperature under the 'glass' covers must be high and covering them when not in use seems sensible protection and hopefully extends their useful life.

Tom

 

[Wiggo]

Best place to dry a towel after a shower?

 

[LittleShip]

Protects the wood................ yes mine is wood not plastic! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Tom

 

[SolentPhill]

also security, I have a lot of toys, raymarine C 120, auto pilot & remote etc etc and anyone walking past cant see any of these. and it stops dust.

 

[Anthony]

Also to protect the screens if no clip on cover, UV kills screens (esp colour ones), so if you dont have a clip on cover for them, then cover with somthing else to keep those nasty rays away (but dont put suncream on them ;-) ).

Ants

 

[mainshiptom]

I will be buying a towel today !

 

[Hurricane]

[ QUOTE ]
Protects the wood................ yes mine is wood not plastic!

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too
On our last boat the wood was clearly begining to fade - in fact I made some external screen covers to keep the sun off.
The new boat has those net style screen covers which I think dont do the job properly - so out come the towels again.

 

[Kipper]

I put one on to keepthe dust off the dash, you seem to get a lot blowing in throgh the canvas. Although a sealine 34 near me has had a dash cover made to match his canvas covers

 

[STEVEDUNSTABLE]

in my case, i cover all the dash area because thats where all the creepycrawlies, (moths flies spiders)etc go to die. also when towing at 50mph on the m3, the wind forces more bugs under the cover. one shake and instant fishfood......so now you know.

 

[SVB]

Many thanks - a slightly tounge in cheek question but I did not know about UV effects on LCDs so thanks!

 

[sailorman]

Use Micro fibre towels /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
they are more absorbent /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[Renegade_Master]

SVB all this talk about protecting the dash from Sun light dont believe it, theres not enough in UK to worry about :~) .