Ok...I'm always offering opinions and giving advice on this thing; maybe time now to seek some. Wanting to install some dorade boxes on the ol' 78h30 and thinking about putting them on the coach house just abaft the mast. Looking for tips on how best to plan and place them since maybe next year will run all the halyards aft to the cockpit. I know how to install deck plates, keep the dorades from shipping water inside the boat and all the internal workings of the boxes. My question is, "who's got the best way for positioning them on the deck so that they are aligned abeam one another and for contouring them to best fit the slope of the coachhouse roof?" Using a contour gauge and making up dummies out of foam-cored board to get precise pattern comes to mind, but I'm all ears here.
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Day
Bob: In stead of Dorade Vents, consider the Nicro Day/nite solar vents. In your part of the world these are a great way to ventilate the boat. They are made with nicad batteries so they will run for a couple of days without much sunlite. Mount one in the forward hatch and another in the main cabin. You can set them up for one to intake and one to exhaust or both for exhaust. This will help keep the mold and mildew at a minimum too. You will only need ot cut a hole in each hatch.
Bob: In stead of Dorade Vents, consider the Nicro Day/nite solar vents. In your part of the world these are a great way to ventilate the boat. They are made with nicad batteries so they will run for a couple of days without much sunlite. Mount one in the forward hatch and another in the main cabin. You can set them up for one to intake and one to exhaust or both for exhaust. This will help keep the mold and mildew at a minimum too. You will only need ot cut a hole in each hatch.
Steve...About Nicro Vents
I already have a couple of those things and I have used them in the past. In this case, they came with the boat. Problem is, they don't seem to last more than a year or two down here and at about $100 a pop, that starts getting expensive. I've thought maybe about putting a good-sized blower in the mechanical spaces and rig it on a timer; just suck all the cabin air out on a periodic basis...the old 3 Stooges routine of "Out with the bad air, In with the good air." It may be that I don't want to use dorades; actually, I really don't know, so I thought I'd get more opinions. If the concensus is just to use what I have, i.e., those Nicro vents, then guess will replace them.
I already have a couple of those things and I have used them in the past. In this case, they came with the boat. Problem is, they don't seem to last more than a year or two down here and at about $100 a pop, that starts getting expensive. I've thought maybe about putting a good-sized blower in the mechanical spaces and rig it on a timer; just suck all the cabin air out on a periodic basis...the old 3 Stooges routine of "Out with the bad air, In with the good air." It may be that I don't want to use dorades; actually, I really don't know, so I thought I'd get more opinions. If the concensus is just to use what I have, i.e., those Nicro vents, then guess will replace them.
Do you have the new style?
Bob: The old style had hard wired batteries. The new ones have replacable batteries. Ours lasted for several years before the battery went south (to Tejas). I am in the process of installing a new one in the next couple of months. If you call them directly they will give you a better deal If the unit died. The problem with the dorades is that you do not get any air if the wind is not blowing. On the Hunter 31 we actually have two built into the sea hood. If you install them you then need to worry about a guard so lines do not rip them out.
Bob: The old style had hard wired batteries. The new ones have replacable batteries. Ours lasted for several years before the battery went south (to Tejas). I am in the process of installing a new one in the next couple of months. If you call them directly they will give you a better deal If the unit died. The problem with the dorades is that you do not get any air if the wind is not blowing. On the Hunter 31 we actually have two built into the sea hood. If you install them you then need to worry about a guard so lines do not rip them out.
Reply to Steve
Actually, I hadn't really looked at the new ones. Last ones I had had the removable batteries with a Radio Shack Part # on them. Thing is, the ones I have now don't run even in sunlight. Probably motors crapped out due to salt air environment.
Actually, I hadn't really looked at the new ones. Last ones I had had the removable batteries with a Radio Shack Part # on them. Thing is, the ones I have now don't run even in sunlight. Probably motors crapped out due to salt air environment.
Cutting the wholes
I tto am going to install the Nicor vents in the next few months-Maybe sooner if Santa is nice! Any ideas on how to cut the wholes without a whole saw?
I tto am going to install the Nicor vents in the next few months-Maybe sooner if Santa is nice! Any ideas on how to cut the wholes without a whole saw?
Bob
Bob: I would contact them about these units failing. I do not know how long your units lasted but we had the old style with the built in batteries and they lasted for quite a few years. Herman: The hole saw is really the best way to do this. I cut mine with a saber saw but it is a real pain-in-the-ass. The problem is the fact that the saber saw will cut the plexiglass but it melts behind the saw blade. I cut the hole about 3-4 times and finally knocked it out with a hammer (not very elegant). The hole was makes a perfect hole too.
Bob: I would contact them about these units failing. I do not know how long your units lasted but we had the old style with the built in batteries and they lasted for quite a few years. Herman: The hole saw is really the best way to do this. I cut mine with a saber saw but it is a real pain-in-the-ass. The problem is the fact that the saber saw will cut the plexiglass but it melts behind the saw blade. I cut the hole about 3-4 times and finally knocked it out with a hammer (not very elegant). The hole was makes a perfect hole too.
Cutting holes
Over all the years I've been doing this, I have accumulated quited a few tools...some specialty tools...that I absolutely depend upon. I have an entire assortment of DeWalt hole saws with assorted mandrels and I wouldn't think of cutting holes for deck fittings any other way. For those thinking about applying saw/drill to deck, be sure to measure twice and have to cut only once because when you hit the deck with whirling-toothed devil, it's forever! Or, expensive to fix! On cored decks, always be sure you dig out some of the balsa and re-seal the decks with expoxy. Don't, and it'll be a very expensive repair later.
Over all the years I've been doing this, I have accumulated quited a few tools...some specialty tools...that I absolutely depend upon. I have an entire assortment of DeWalt hole saws with assorted mandrels and I wouldn't think of cutting holes for deck fittings any other way. For those thinking about applying saw/drill to deck, be sure to measure twice and have to cut only once because when you hit the deck with whirling-toothed devil, it's forever! Or, expensive to fix! On cored decks, always be sure you dig out some of the balsa and re-seal the decks with expoxy. Don't, and it'll be a very expensive repair later.
Hole Cutting Recomendations
For installation of Nicro vents in hatches, and really for cutting any round holes, I'd ditto Bob Howie's recommendation of using a hole saw. One of those round saws that fit in an electric drill. Secondly, the hole diameter should be slightly larger than a tight fit as the Nicro vent has a taper in the area where it is adjacent to the plexiglass. It's very easy to overstress the plexiglass when tightening the screws while installing the vent. What happens then is the plexiglass starts cracking. Next step: replace the hatch! In this case more (bigger diameter hole) is better.
For installation of Nicro vents in hatches, and really for cutting any round holes, I'd ditto Bob Howie's recommendation of using a hole saw. One of those round saws that fit in an electric drill. Secondly, the hole diameter should be slightly larger than a tight fit as the Nicro vent has a taper in the area where it is adjacent to the plexiglass. It's very easy to overstress the plexiglass when tightening the screws while installing the vent. What happens then is the plexiglass starts cracking. Next step: replace the hatch! In this case more (bigger diameter hole) is better.
Vents
Bob, Back to your original question. One simple way of positioning vents or anything else on the deck would be to establish a centerline. A string from the mast slot back to the rudder stock or wheel post would give you something to measure from. Put down a piece of tape in the area you want your boxes, mark a line on the tape based on the string and measure port
Bob, Back to your original question. One simple way of positioning vents or anything else on the deck would be to establish a centerline. A string from the mast slot back to the rudder stock or wheel post would give you something to measure from. Put down a piece of tape in the area you want your boxes, mark a line on the tape based on the string and measure port
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