Little tip?????

[williamtl]

I haven't tried it yet, but I was thinking of putting a bicycle flag pole in the corner of the dock and hang a spring line on it so we could grab it while pulling into the slip. I was thinking it might also help me to know where the corner of the dock is.
Please let me know if you think this would work.
Ken

I use a bicycle flag pole on the back of a flat trailer when backing up (I can't see the trailer over the tailgate without it and have no idea where it's going ). The bike poles are fiberglass! After several years in the sun, if you pick one up and it slides any at all, you have fiberglass splinters all over your hand. You'll have to use gloves or maybe you can get some that are plastic or have a coating so that you don't end up spending a lot of time pulling splinters.

 

[rgranger]

...and it slides any at all, you have fiberglass splinters all over your hand. .

Spray the pole with black rustoleum and then tip it with orange.

 

[Kermit]

Spray the pole with black rustoleum and then tip it with orange.

The orange paint will help you find the splinters. Doh!

 

[rgranger]

The orange paint will help you find the splinters. Doh!

Haha

Yes it will....

But black paint also protects against UV damage.

 

[smokey73]

I used those metal "shepards pole" like things you hang flowers from in your garden stuck down into a small hole in the slip. I'd then loop a line near where my bow and stern would go. When we approached the slip my wife could hook the first one she approached and attach it as a spring line and then go forward and grab one for a bow line. Worked pretty well.

 

[woodster]

I used those metal "shepards pole" like you hand flowers from in your garden stuck down into a small hole in the slip. I'd then loop a line near where my bow and stern would go. When we approached the slip my wife could hook the first one she approached and attach it as a spring line and then go forward and grab one for a bow line. Worked pretty well.

the shepards hook was used to cut the sheep out of the herd back when things were somewhat simpler ...i used to use them to hang hummingbird feeders on ....and by the way that is a good idea smokey 73

 

[woodster]

The orange paint will help you find the splinters. Doh!

actually Kermit the orange paint is to keep the black from sliding off

 

[quadrille38]

I haven't tried it yet, but I was thinking of putting a bicycle flag pole in the corner of the dock and hang a spring line on it so we could grab it while pulling into the slip. I was thinking it might also help me to know where the corner of the dock is.
Please let me know if you think this would work.

Our current procedure is to get alongside the dock and step off onto a small 2 step then secure the boat. Prevailing wind is from the stern or quartering from the stern and toward the dock. It seems to work well, but on occasion I could see how someone could miss the step if they were trying to hurry.
Ken

Instead of a bicycle flag pole try a product called linecaddy, it's made for handling dock lines.
http://www.linecaddy.com

I've got one long one mounted on the dock right off the bow. It sticks up far enough that my wife can reach it to hang starboard bow and forward spring line on when departing and they hang in easy reach when coming in.

Have another one near the stern quarter mounted on the dock strake so it is right in easy reach for me as we come in.
Going to get another one for the port bow line this year.

Durable, great product, reasonable price, and they guy who runs the company is very customer service oriented.

 

[centerline]

Where the shore power cord plugs into your boat, use or add a small cleat or hook there so you can take a loop of line and make a prussic hitch around the power cord and loop it over the cleat as a strain relief so it lessens the wear and tear on the recepticals...

 

[IH82BL8]

Re: Strain relief on the shore power cord: I used a beefy cable-tie to attach a beefy brass clip to the cord and then clipped onto the toe rail near the cockpit.

 

[Sailm8]

Maybe a stupid idea but I painted the 2 metric sockets red that I used to change my impeller. I have poor eyesight in dark places and find it difficult to see the mm marks on the sockets. Several times I have had to change the impeller in less than ideal conditions e.g. at night, in a busy section of the ICW etc. This just gives me a little jump on the problem.

 

[Rick Webb]

Maybe a stupid idea but I painted the 2 metric sockets red that I used to change my impeller. I have poor eyesight in dark places and find it difficult to see the mm marks on the sockets. Several times I have had to change the impeller in less than ideal conditions e.g. at night, in a busy section of the ICW etc. This just gives me a little jump on the problem.

I've heard of guys using nail polish to mark the socket or wrench and the nut or bolt with the same corresponding color for just those kind of reasons. I've not gotten there yet but I have bought the appropriate wrench and tethered it to the offending part.

 

[Dan_Y]

Dryer sheets in the lockers helps keep clothes smelling fresh. We take a gallon jug of frozen water aboard for the weekend to help the front opening refrigerator. It really helped the top loading refrigerator. Started putting a hanging bag of damp rid in the engine compartment over the winter. Filled the bag in 3months and helped reduce engine sweating when we would have a warm humid days in winter.

Shore power cord is great idea (above). Ours broke the plastic retaining ring at the boat and fell into the ocean during a storm this winter. The pedestal was on to power a oil heater in the boat. Marina fished the cord out. I can imagine little bubbles of O2 and H2 bubbling up from the salt water, not to mention the danger to divers. I replaced the cord due to potential salt water corrosion in the socket and will secure it as mentioned above. I think Mainsail showed that a significant percentage of electrical fires start at the shore power entrance due to corrosion.

 

[Jacktar]

Stay in nice marina and eat out!

 

[kimelmore]

I put an old winch handle holder in the engine compartment to hold a replacement water pump/alternator belt and the wrenches needed for replacement after a close encounter with a container ship in the main shipping channel. The wind had died. We were using the iron genny to motor down the channel when the belt self destructed due to some misalignment due to the Previous owners neglect. I took care of the belt alignment the next day and installed the holder with the tools and belt. And yes I was scared. I hadn't had the boat very long and had some novice sailors with me. It wasn't enough of a close call for the Port Pilot to start blowing the ships horn but it was certainly too close for me. I don't know what we would have done had I not had insisted on buying a spare belt the first week I took possession of the boat.

 

[rgranger]

I took a swim noodle, slit it and then zip-tied it to my winch handle. Did the same thing to the boat hook.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Maybe a stupid idea but I painted the 2 metric sockets red that I used to change my impeller. I have poor eyesight in dark places and find it difficult to see the mm marks on the sockets. Several times I have had to change the impeller in less than ideal conditions e.g. at night, in a busy section of the ICW etc. This just gives me a little jump on the problem.

If you have to replace it that often, have you considered a Speed Seal? I can change my impeller without taking the pump off. Just a pair of 90 degree needle nose pliers to grab it.
http://speedseal.com/

 

[centerline]

I put an old winch handle holder in the engine compartment to hold a replacement water pump/alternator belt and the wrenches needed for replacement

speaking of winch handle holders... it is very easy to make nice winch handle holders using a piece of pvc pipe..
heat the pipe in the oven on 250degrees and then place it between two pieces of plywood to create an oval shape to the pipe.... and hold or brace it until it cools.... then cut it to length, drill holes for mounting, and sand the cuts smooth.. THEN, paint it white.. or the color of your choice, and it will look great for years.... attach it wherever you need a holder...

the paint seals the pvc so it doesnt stain and/or turn yellowish as it ages....

for a holder in the engine compartment, or anywhere it wont be seen, you can take a piece of pvc tube of the length and diameter you want, and put a cap on one end.... then drill holes to mount the "holder" wherever you need a holder.... you can fix it with either a cap or a thread in cap if you need to keep it from ever spilling its contents.

the larger pvc caps, sized accordingly, can be attached anywhere a catch tray or drink holder is wanted.... like this one I made to replace my failed binnacle compass.

 

[rgranger]

speaking of winch handle holders... it is very easy to make nice winch handle holders using a piece of pvc pipe..
heat the pipe in the oven on 250degrees ...

Nice! THNX.

I was just about to go shopping for a winch handle holder.... but I always like DIY options if they work and look nice.

 

[Mark Maulden]

Sure this has been done before in some form...I made a bottom scrubber out of 1.5" PVC. Handle is about 4' long and goes to a 45 bend and then another 2' to a Tee. The other Tee extensions are 1" and about 18" long and just fit inside swim noodles for flotation. Wrapped some synthetic indoor/outdoor carpet remnants around the noodle. Handle lengths vary per boat...