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Just a shoutout for the nice folks at Teakdecking Systems. They’ve officially “closed” their factory retail store in Sarasota, but Eric is still there, and happy to sell to local folks walking in. Random lengths of teak, silane caulk, their invaluable reefing hook (best 20 bucks I ever spent)...

Leaving for a short cruise last Friday, I fired the engines up about 1/2 hr before planned departure. After 5-10 minutes, I walked to the stern to check water flow. Both sides OK, but as I was looking at the port tube, the engine coughed, then quit. Cranked engine, no start. Pulled top off...

Need to replace shaft seal in leaking helm pump (H21S), and stalled almost immediately trying to remove the wheel to drop the pump. The key moved freely, and the wheel moved about 3/16” on the shaft, but now won’t budge. Thought I would check here that I haven’t missed some secret pin or set...

Wanted to take the Admiral out for an instructional cruise with the new AIS. Got 100 yds from the dock when we heard a loud squawking noise for a few seconds from the back of the boat. I first thought it was somebody putting down a lift - it sounded just like it. We went another 50 yds and heard...

A shout out to Vesper Marine and Morad Antenna. I installed a Vesper AIS transponder on the boat with a Morad 162 MHz antenna, and replaced my VHF antenna and coax at the same time. I needed some help with the AIS, and Vesper’s response was immediate and exactly what I needed - they emailed me a...

Installing my new Vesper AIS and Morad antenna turned into also replacing my vhf antenna turned into replacing all coax and connectors at the helm turned into refreshing both antenna masts, which were showing a little fuzz. Two coats of West Systems epoxy, an hour of sanding, two coats of Axalta...

Pulled out my Uline to replace with a fridge-only Summit (never used the icemaker, power hog for the limited capacity). Found this connection in the back. Standard issue Hatteras house wiring co-crimped to the Uline (OK), in an automotive crimp sleeve (not OK) and ordinary solid conductor house...

I’ve tracked down a slow leak in my hynautic system to the quick disconnect in the line between the reservoir and the autopilot servovalve. There’s a few drops of oil in the bilge under the fitting, and the slightest lateral pressure on that collection of fittings produces a drop of fluid, so I...

Bought a Whale Gulper IC about 6 months ago to resolve the unsatisfactory “bilge as a shower sump” situation. Finally got around to installing before company arrived last week. Four of them stayed on the boat at the dock, so it got a workout, and worked perfectly. The picture is rotated 90 deg...

While cruising yesterday with genny on for air, I went downstairs and found the air off with the generator running. A little fooling around shows the genny motor running fine, seawater running fine, but no power to the panel. Is there a breaker somewhere that I can’t see that might have tripped?

Has anybody installed a Whale Gulper IC or Grey IC shower waste system, and if so, are you happy with it? I only have 2 gray water inputs in each of the 2 shower bilges, so the Whale manifold system (2 inputs) looks like maybe a better choice than a shower sump box, which is much less flexible...

Drove over to Okeechobee to pick up my new 5/16 HT wildcat. As most of you know, Galley Maid is a shadow of its former self, but getting along very nicely. The business is now roughly 5% heritage Galley Maid parts and repairs, and 95% contract sheet metal fab and machining. The business is run...

Started the engines the other day, and immediately noted the port engine hunting from 400 to 600 rpm’s with throttle at low idle. Advancing throttle reduced the hunting; it disappeared at about 900, but the engine was noisy. Reducing throttle brought it back. Checked boatdiesel.com, found...

The floors are all epoxied (per recommendation here), and ready for new carpet. So far, the “only” installer in Punta Gorda who does boats is a no-call/no-show (business as usual - don’t get me started). We’re leaving in a few weeks for Baltimore, and could get the boat done there instead...

Looking to upgrade my anchor chain. Anybody have a Galleymaid gypsy for 5/16 Grade 40 (HT) chain that they’d like to part with? I assume they might be kind of rare, but that would be my preferred chain.

20yr old GE fridge finally gave up the ghost. Searching old threads here and on the interweb yields 3 candidates that will fit down the companionway without taking the doorframe apart ( why is everything else on the boat assembled with screws, but not that doorframe??): Avanti, Igloo and maybe...

If I had asked this before now, I wouldn't have a problem to fix, but... I found the carpet on starboard master floor wet, and found the air handler condensate pan full and running over. The ell/drain line joint under the pan appears covered with caulk (maybe just gunk?), and since the pan...

Some of you will recall my posts during our delivery trip last Nov. One of the topics was overfilling the water tank and filling the port engine bilge with water. No resolution at that point, and none until today. I've been chlorinating and flushing the water system the past few days, and...

My boat came with very light-duty dinghy tip-up brackets on the swim platform. Using them is a pita for a variety of reasons. After a bunch of online research, the Nautley DinghyRamp XL system seems like the best solution for my needs. Does anybody here have experience with this type of system...

I've been puttering in the engine room, replacing belts, hoses, etc. Every time I go down there, I look at my house battery bank, 6 Everready 6V in series/parallel, 3000W Magnum inverter). I love the functionality and ease of use in switching power sources. However, eventhough I don't know a...