What did you do to your boat today

TonyG13

Boat finally splashes today. Should be an interesting trip to the dock...

PickleRick

perfect weather here so far today. My gimball sounds like the rear end of an 80s model chevy truck.  Oem gimball and gimball removal tool is on order.

On the land cruiser site i was a memeber of we used to do mud share or mud ship.  We assisted with shipping of parts or sharing of tools. When someone was traveling from Jersey to Florida they advertised if they had space, transmissions, axles, hoods. In return the seller or buyer chipped in gas money.  

I have an alignment tool and will soon have a removal tool later this week. If any members need to borrow said tool i will charge shipping plus replacement value via paypal or venmo.  Return her to me and i refund replacement value in full minus paypal or venmo fees is applicable.  


If i don't need it yet you pass the buck to the next member in need if there is a line of members needing the tool(s).

The land cruiser guys did this with many specialty tools.  

The alpha 1 and bravo use the same gimball bearing and alignment tools.  

Fingers crossed i will only need the tools an hour or two

TonyG13

shawnmjr said:

TonyG13 said:

Boat finally splashes today. Should be an interesting trip to the dock...

Not a good first run, be careful out there. 

Everything went extremely well. Two hours start to finish. Half riverside, second half lakeside. Through the locks, differential between river and lake was about 7 feet. Lake level was about 1 foot from topping lock gate. Lake had 3-5 footers, but based on wind direction and course we cut through waves fairly easily. We even gave a tow to a 30' sailboat that got to the mouth of our harbor then couldn't start her engine to get the rest of the way to her dock. Never towed a boat before so just took it nice and slow and got her safely in. At this point I felt having an Axius joystick was well worth the extra price!

aero3113

That’s great @TonyG13 , you get the good boaters award also for helping the sailboat!

TonyG13

aero3113 said:

That’s great @TonyG13 , you get the good boaters award also for helping the sailboat!

Thanks @aero3113 - When we were approaching, another sailboat had just refused them help and motored away. Then one of the crew did the "help" wave and we came alongside and I said I had never done a tow, but they were so nice I couldn't refuse. One of their crew came aboard our boat and we let out a line. Everything went so smoothly and the Axius responded to my input exactly how I wanted. I can't believe how well I did. I did worse trying to get back into our own slip after we dropped them off. 

Spyderweb

Finally launched boat Monday, after a delay from Covid kept boaters from doing work on their boats.  Finished installing the new charger and isolator, and assembled and installed new Mantus anchor.  Found a great spot to install new mount for iPad to display VVM that I set up last year.  So good to be on the water again.

aero3113

Looking good @Spyderweb !!

aero3113

I put in new PCV valves, something that’s cheap and always overlooked. I think my starboard side was sticking.

mattie

Spyder - you are gonna love that Mantus anchor. 

I got one last year, it's incredible. Bites immediately.

(should put a swivel on it to keep your chain 
from kinking up)

Ian

What model/make is the iPad mount @Spyderweb, looking to do the same with mine.

Spyderweb

@icoultha Here's the mount.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00NIVGNE0/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all
I was a bit concerned if it would stick.  It's a sticky pad plus suction and seems pretty firm once mounted.  The sticky pad is also washable and will regain stickiness when it gets dirty.  I have it on a smooth surface.  I took the iPad off of it (very easy) during day at anchor just to take weight off of it.  Put it back on for trip home at night and continues to seem quite firm.

LaRea

@mattie what's the sea bottom where you are getting good performance with the Mantus?  I'm always interested to hear how anchors perform.  

mattie

LaRea said:

@mattie what's the sea bottom where you are getting good performance with the Mantus?  I'm always interested to hear how anchors perform.  

Lotsa hard & soft bottom. Sand, mud, clay....some weedy stuff, often in good current. (St. Clair River) Had good luck in past with Delta plow anchors.
Our 2014 came with a stainless Blue Star (Delta like) anchor - it looked spectacular but performed like crap. Dragging everywhere. Flopping on its side.

Got a Mantus last summer. Spectacular. It will literally set in its own length. Watch some Mantus vids. There are a few companies making these new generation anchors. I got a galvanized one cause I wanted to try it 1st without shelling out for stainless. Hindsight, I should’ve got the stainless off the hop. Very happy with it.

LaRea

The videos of the Mantus are impressive. 

I love the look of a stainless anchor, but with a price tag of 2-3 boat units, I'd hate to lose one.  

mattie

Here's a pic of the most beautiful but useless anchor on earth.

Aqua_Aura

I have not had an issue with my delta anchor dragging and when I pull it up it is definitely anchored. You can hear it in the windlass and it pulls my boat toward the anchor before it breaks loose and pulls up. 

LaRea

Ditto ... my Delta holds great in the mud/sand of the Potomac and Chesapeake.  Of course, I'm usually putting out 60 feet of chain in 5 feet of water, so that would make any anchor look good.  

You want to talk about a useless anchor ...

At a marina a couple years ago, I had a random encounter with a full-time cruising couple in a Fleming 58.  The bow had two truly beautiful 100-pound stainless steel anchors.  I'd guess $5k each.  The captain told me that anchoring was not his cup of tea, and neither anchor had ever been in the water!  

mattie

Aqua_Aura said:

I have not had an issue with my delta anchor dragging and when I pull it up it is definitely anchored. You can hear it in the windlass and it pulls my boat toward the anchor before it breaks loose and pulls up. 

Hey, I had zero issues with my past Lewmar Deltas. They were awesome.

Now the one in the pic above was total garbage. Looks like a Delta.......ain’t a Delta!
Made for a good depth sounder tho...
#chineseKnockoff

boatman37

Just bought a new 14lb (or 13lb) Delta plow anchor this spring to replace our fluke style anchor that didn't quite fit in our roller and was bent. The fluke held well. Have about 6' of heavier chain (maybe 1/2"). Typically anchor in about 20-25' of Ohio River water. No problems with the fluke. Anchored 3 times so far with the delta. Twice on the Ohio with no issues with about 60' of line out. Once on the Beaver River tributary and we drug that time. Moved about 50' in about an hour so no biggie. But I only had about 40' of line out since it is a narrower river.

boatman37

Replaced our horn that quit a couple weeks ago

MiamiAG

Had the AC descaled due to constant HPF errors. The charge was $589. It’s a loot more than I remember paying a few years ago.

I was desperate as I’m boating down to Key West next Friday and need the AC running but still feel like I got robbed... Oh well, the cold AC will make up for it.

Willhound

If you're going to Key West $589 will likely be cheap. Spent 4 days there two winters ago. Hit about every bar in town. Anybody asks me what it's like to go to Key West I just tell them to throw 2000 bucks out the window and bang your head against the wall until you have the biggest headache of your life.....I'd do it again in a heartbeat.🤣

MarkB

mattie said:

Here's a pic of the most beautiful but useless anchor on earth.

Kind of like our prime minister in Canada.

PickleRick

this tool makes pulling a gimball so easy any one could do it.  Will post pics of my alignment bar/install bar tomorrow evening.

New bearing is in the freezer. Rain halted any further progress tonight.

PickleRick

installing is a little harder.  Installing using an alignment tool helps make it go in straight.

PickleRick

have the leg remounted.  Was easy once i got the new gimball pointed in the right direction.  

I couldn't get the shift cables adjusted properly solo, had to get the kiddo to hold/spin the prop as i shifted/adjusted.

Spent an hour solo, once he came out it took 10 min.  He's the marine mechanic.

Also removed the pos computer monitor with no remote.  It quit working our first weekend out.  I now have a cheap china made 24 inch tv with remote.  

My oscillating fan had also quit, found blown fuse.  Easy fix.  

Now time to do some yard work. Im avoiding the lake this weekend.

reneechris14

EV foam decking feels nice and looks nice swimplatfrom in the morning.

YYZRC

It totally transforms the boat - looks great!

reneechris14

The dog thinks so too

PickleRick

brought her home.