Winter projects?

[Kamper]

Anyone have any upgrades they are working on that they would like to share?

I have a list of things I want to get done. Upgrade the wiring. Reconfigure the bow slightly and maybe get a DSC VHF with my tax return. All I've actually accomplished is to replace a broken seat bottom and add more bolts to it so I can change the seat position slightly.

I'm hoping slightly warmer weather will inspire me to spend some time in the shed taking care of business. What about you?

[Aquadeziac]

Since our boat is shrink wrapped, all we can do is collect our new stuff and formulate plans so as soon as the shrink wrap comes off we can get right to work. Our plans include complete new camper canvass, air conditioning for the cabin, new tv/dvd for the bedroom and new flat screen/dvd for the main cabin. And if theres a little money left, maybe a new cover for my PWC.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by Kamper

Anyone have any upgrades they are working on that they would like to share?

I have a list of things I want to get done. {snip } What about you?

I have a list as well ... won't get done this winter but perhaps in the spring. Along the idea of wiring I want to add proper boarding lights to illuminate the swim platform and also for the gunwale steps. Run some wiring to add 12V DC outlets in a couple of places below decks in the cabin (and add 1 to helm). Also I'm going to put a white "all around" light attached to/above the rear bimini top. I don't like the really long pole light we presently have. I'd like to add proper 'squito netting to the cabin doorway, they make some nice roll-up "shades" that I think would fit the bill. Ditto for the main hatch. What I should (can) do this winter is build the express up/down control for the trim tabs. I keep holding back, trying to find a way to add position indicators to my standard non-indicator tabs. I don't care for the solution Bennett presently offers but can't quite come up with a better one myself.

[Dave R]

I'm upgrading the firmware on my chartplotter so that it'll take the Megawide Max C-map cartridge I got for Christmas. I plan to install some 6 gauge wiring for my windlass, as the PO installed it with inadequate 12 gauge wire. Going to put a fuse on each of the two new 12V outlets I put in the cabin last year. I have them attached to single a breaker now, but I want fuses located right next to each outlet as well so that one won't kill the other. I may install midship cleats as my boat for whatever reason does not have them.

I was also thinking about upgrading the four 6" cleats it is equipped with, to larger 8" units if I can do so without having to perform fiberglass and gelcoat repair. May have to use pop-up cleats to do accomplish this. 8" pop ups are available, but at a very steep price. Anyone have these Accon units?

[jrc]

Cheap pop up cleats will leak rain water into your cabin. Some have to have drainage.

See http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...001/612/611/24

I know they're the wrong size.

[jrc]

Originally Posted by Kamper

Anyone have any upgrades they are working on that they would like to share?...

I'll be picking up a new boat this spring but I've already got some plans. First add a chartplotter or combo plotter fishfinder.

[jrc]

Originally Posted by Mee-n-Mac

...What I should (can) do this winter is build the express up/down control for the trim tabs. I keep holding back, trying to find a way to add position indicators to my standard non-indicator tabs. I don't care for the solution Bennett presently offers but can't quite come up with a better one myself.

I have Bennett's on the old boat and the new boat. Neither has indicators. The express up/down is a pretty straight-forward electronics project, but determining the position is messy. Their solution is internal to the ram. Any external solution would be sitting in the water all the time. You could measure the duration of the button pushes, that might get you close enough. You would have to emperically determine the time from full down to full up and hope it's consistent.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by jrc

I have Bennett's on the old boat and the new boat. Neither has indicators. The express up/down is a pretty straight-forward electronics project, but determining the position is messy. Their solution is internal to the ram. Any external solution would be sitting in the water all the time. You could measure the duration of the button pushes, that might get you close enough. You would have to emperically determine the time from full down to full up and hope it's consistent.

Aside from the arm + leg Bennett asks for their indicators, I don't like having to drill more holes through the transom and when all is said and done their solution still integrates pulses from the sensor to estimate a delta position from full up or down. I'm of the same mind as you above, I could do the same by measuring the hydraulic pump's run time, accounting for motor stall when full up / down is reached and also accounting for 1 or 2 tabs in motion. Betcha that solution is no less accurate than Bennett's. And just like the OEM, every so often you have to recalibrate the unit with a full up to down (and reverse) run. I'd rather measure actual fluid flow to/from each piston but that's not cheap either. I keep wondering if there isn't some way to exploit the fluid lines going to each piston ? Or some wireless method .. aarrgh Still given my usage the express function does 95% of what I'd like and probably all I really need.

[BroadHopper]

Lessee, I could forgo working on the boat and by a new Baja in Mass where I can legally buy a be loud boat and spend the summer circling Bear Island.

But, I love my Formula F-3, so I'm looking for a Scorpion or 350 Magnum EFI take out motor to replace the old tired carbuerated motor. That will be enough money spent. Anyone has a take out available????