Messages

When we purchased Wind Spirit the Adler-Barbour worked at 50% and never was cold enough to keep frozen foods. It died 3 years ago and we just replaced it with a Cold Machine CU-100 and it works great, too great.  The evaporator frosts up, which may indicate moist air entering or just normal. However, the food next to the evaporator also freezes and keeping food from the evaporator reduces the usable volume in the box.  Any tried and true suggestions as to what works.

On another note, after I installed the Cold Machine, it did not work.  A-B authorized a technician to look at the problem and he tech said he fixed it.  This was late Fall, this Spring the unit did not work.  After many emails to Defender and A-B another tech was sent to evaluate and found a Shrader valve that was causing the refrigerant to leak out.  Don't know what the first guy did, most likely just replaced the refrigerant and never looked for the cause,  as A-B does not pay a going rate for warranty work.  They did, however, pay the going rate for the second repair with urging from Defender.

I purchased the expensive filter from West Marine 2 years ago, only use fresh water in the head, pump lots of air into it and have had no odor in 2 years. 

Thanks to all who sent in a reply.  We looked at Avon, Apex, Achilles,Zodiac, Walker Bay and AB about all that Annapolis had to offer.  In the end, we purchased an Avon R260 Lite 8'6" RIB that weighs 83 lbs.  Because of our intended journey down the ICW we narrowed the choices to a RIB and Hypalon fabric.  We went with the 8'6" because of the weight difference and because we use a Dingytow  http://dinghytow.com/ to tow the dink and to store it against the back stay.  If necessary, it is light enough to raise to the deck using a halyard and move it around.  While I appreciate the 'bigger is better" comments and may well regret it, the smaller one seemed the logical choice to go with our existing 3.3hp motor. We used it this weekend and with 4 people and flat water the 3.3hp moved it nicely at 20% throttle.

The used 5' inflatable that I purchased used 7 years ago is leaking air in more places than I care to count.  I read the posts on dinks that were posted in 2006.  Before making another purchase, I am asking the group for any thoughts.   I think I want an 8' or 10' with large tubes but unsure of the floor type. Will consider a hard dink and looking for pros and cons.  A trip down the ICW and I hope to the Bahamas is in the future.  I have a MKI which came with a Dingy Tow from the PO and like the security of using that to tow the dink. I have a 3.3hp motor that is like new.   Did not know squat when I purchased the used one, hope to be better informed this time. Thanks for your comments.

A question while on the topic of rudders.  I mark my wheel with thread to know by feel when the helm is centered.  This year I noticed that the marked center point is 5 degrees or so off when the helm is centered and the boat is going straight.  The cables are tight and I did not notice any problem with the rudder when inspected while on the hard.  I have some rust stains and have drilled holes for drainage and filled them in before painting.  I did have the prop fulled this winter but that should not be a factor.  Any ideas on why the center point of the helm changed from last year to this?

There has been much written about head plumbing including these posts.  Several year ago I replaced all the hoses with top grade samitation hose including the vent line.  I also installed a filter on the vent line.  My problem is that there is a "holding tank" odor when you open the port compartments under the settee. It is not the odor of raw sewage nor is it the odor that comes out the vent and stinks up the raft.  It is most strong around the holding tank and  when you open the next forward port compartment and to a lesser extent in the hanging locker.  All hoses are clamped tight and I only use fresh water in the head.  The odor is not usually stronger when the head is pumped. It not readly noticed when the boards over the bilge are removed.  When you enter the boat after being closed up you notice the odor the most.  As it airs you only smell it when you are near the nav station or remove a bottom or back  cushion

As a last resort I am considering replaciing the 1987 vintage black plastic holding tank as perhaps the odor is coming from and thru the tank but before going to all that unpleasent work, has anyone else experienced this problem and if they replaced the tank, diid that resolve the problem.

As always, thanks for your thoughts.

I tried to pull up a past article from the Mainsheet.  I tried to enter from C34.0rg but when asked for a user name and password it would not accept it.  I used the user name and password that allows me to enter the Forum.  Is this feature up and running? I know, I could have used the incorrect entry but I tried various combinations.  Any suggestions from the web master.

I have had the same problem for the last several times I installed the jib.  It was very hard to raise the sail.  With a friend on the halyard winch and lots of silicone spray, I got it up this year.  It could be the sheaves, something in the connections of furling sections or something else.  We are in our 4th season with this jib and it  was easy to raise for the first 2 times. , don't know what changed.  It comes down easy.  Will think twice if there is a major hurricane coming as I don't want to take it off and then have a hard time raising it, also don't want to leave it on in a big blow.

How did you get the end caps off.  I removed the 4 screws from the forward end of the boom but the cap seemed frozen in place and I did not want to crack it (if possible).  Have not tried the aft end yet but need to replace or free up the outhaul as described in a mainsheet article.

I have had this problem.  Drain the water tanks, add a cup of bleach  and pump it through the system including the hot water tank.  When you smell chlorine in the water at the tap you know it is in the lines.  Let it sit for several hours or over night, drain and add an ounce or so of bleach every time you fill the tanks.  This should remove the smell and keep it away.

Ours were gone when we purchased the boat and some PO filled in the holes. If you are not looking for them, you don't  notice the repair.

I noticed some gel coat crazing on the outside face of the toe rail, long horizontal thin cracks. I had this problem with my old C-22 and never found a good repair technique.  Has anyone had success dealing with this problem?

When I purchased Wind Spirit is came with a Dinghy-Tow.  It is a great way to tow a dink but a bit of a pain to get the dink secured to the Dinghy-Tow.  It is secure, you can back with the dink on it, and  remove water from the dink by raising it vertical or against the back stay.   You can raise the stern to mount the engine while standing on the aft locker, I have a 3.4hp outboard..  I don't know how it would work with the newer boats with the sugar scoop stern.  

See  http://www.dinghy-tow.com/ or contact the mfg. for more information.

After a hard rain, we found water on the counter top.  The source was not apparent but a crack was finally discovered in the floor of the scupper opposite the head port.  I filled it in and have had no leaks since.

I sail on the Chesapeake Bay and remove the sails for winter storage.  Late in the season in 2000 we purchased a new jib from North Sail with  a UV cover.  On removing the sail the other week, I noticed that the stitching holding the UV cover to the sail cloth had deteriorated badly in the middle third of jib leach.  The UV cover did not show any UV problems nor did the sail. I thought that this should be covered under North's warranty.

I took the sail to their shop in Annapolis and the report was that UV degradation of the thread was normal ware and tare and quite common after 3 to4 years. they said that they would charge $205.00 for this repair as well as fixing a few other minor problems.  The representative kept saying that this was normal in Florida. and I kept saying that the boat was not in Florida.  I do not normally hear of this type of problem.

Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so, how old was the sail and where is the boat located.  Any other comments will be appreciated.