Recent content by Second Star

I replaced the drain hose etc in my 28+ after the presentation by the owner of the Port Angeles boat that sank at our PNW Rendezvous. His issue was my issue too upon inspection! I would tend to replace the whole assembly except the thru hull valve. Replacing just the washer would work but the...

This looks the same as my 28+ M18 arrangement. There is a very tiny space between the nut and the tube but by improvising various wire tools I managed to get the old out. The new 1/8 in flax for the 3/4 in shaft has to be inserted and set, by running the nut all the way on, for each piece of...

You might be able to get them re-plated at a chrome plating facility. A local auto customizing shop could give you a lead on a plating shop. Or a collector car or hot rod club.

The top of your pole looks about 10 feet off the water so that will give your radar about 4 miles "visibility". That is to the water level at the horizon. Another vessel would increase this by how high they are above the water, so in practical terms that would give you 6 miles for a boat like...

It is very situation dependent isn't it? I have used a double box head wrench over the piece that needs to be held and run a small line from the end of the wrench to somewhere convenient (or not so convenient) to stop rotation. Same would work with a Vice Grip. I've put a VG vertically onto a...

An added bonus for US sailors is that Poets Cove is a Customs check-in point; just there in the picture where the motor yacht is tied up. There is no grocery but a longish dingy run into Port Browning via the small canal to the north of PC will get you to a short walk to shopping.

An out of the box thought: if the shaft key was too small for the slot machined into the shaft (which is kinda crescent moon shaped and not even depth over its length) then at odd times it would "disappear" into the slot and the impellor wouldn't turn. Next time, or many times after it would...

We have two deep cycle that are charged by the alternator, a solar panel or shore battery charger. When sailing or visiting frequently we switch from one battery to the other each day or two to keep both cycling through charge/discharge. At anchor we monitor the "in service" battery voltage to...

A pressure washer would be ideal but few have 120V AC at anchor. A full cleaning may have to wait until you get alongside to range the cable out on the dock. A terry cloth rag (old towel) with mild detergent to scrub it in sections as it comes aboard would go a long way to help as it comes...

We spend our time in the Gulf Islands with access to boatyards etc but still want to be able to get on with things if possible. We carry a spare impeller and gasket, lengths of hose of each dia for the engine and head (not the 1-1/2" size though); a partial rebuild kit for the head; spare fuses...

Second Star much regrets she is unable to attend due a medical issue Enjoy the RV all!

Second Star out of Victoria is booked for the R/V David and Launi with Sam the cat looking forward to seeing everyone.

I am intrigued by a couple of things from your pictures. In the pic of the old belt, there is visible "wear" on the alt bracket that would indicate the alt has been moved further and further outward over time to account for the belt stretching. Does your new belt place the alt in about the...

I kinda cheat with my lines. My "home port" lines are strong but unsightly due to dirt, slime etc and I wash them yearly so they don't get my hands messy. When we voyage, I switch to "foreign port" lines, color matched to the boat that don't get the wear, sunlight and dirt of the other lines!

In the practical sense, with the jacks retracted, the stack pack more or less retains shape and doesn't fall over until the sail is hoisted. The attachment of the bag to the mast for about 2 ft does this. When you lower the sail of course the jacks are tightened up and the bag resumes it's shape.