Recent content by Portage_Bay

Not sure what you're trying to accomplish, why you would want to skimp on starting bank. Loosing your house bank is annoying. Loosing ability to start the engines is another thing entirely. Here's a link to a reliable source on starting battery size for the Cummins 6BT...

As Hippo notes We had an incinolet at a family beach lot, no water, sewage or septic impossible. All fine and dandy with one or two people. With more the cycle time was a big issue. And, despite their claims, they are not maintenance free. Then there is the instruction in use required for...

Look at boats with the master cabin in the "back end". Or full displacement round bilge boats. I've had Tollycraft, Californian and West Bay all with chine slap. I've had an old wood full displacement and cruised a KK 42. No chine slap.

I don't have any experience with Furuno or Garmin VHF. Have you?

Been on the water since I was a tyke. Turned professional in 1970. First autopilot 1983. A Wood Freeman, all it did was hold a heading. Now with AP tied to plotter I set a waypoint and it will maintain course over ground. Wouldn't be without one. I feel it adds to safety. Set the course...

Thanks all for your input. Seems Icom is still top of the game in quality of equipment. However they have slipped in customer support. A VHF is important gear. Icom it will be.

As you said Use the fuse that will protect the smallest wires in the circuit. You can put whatever fuse you need in the holder. If the fuse is rated less than the wire can handle but more than the heater requires you're good.

In the for what it's worth column I don't think coolant vs raw water cooled has anything to do with light duty vs heavy duty. My previous boat was 502s driven by CAT 3208s coolant cooled. My current boat is 502s driven by Cummins 6BT raw water cooled. Both about the same HP on similar...

My lesson learned. On a delivery I turned on the engine room blowers on a hot day. The Cummins electronically controlled engines died a short time later. The blowers were powered from the start bank. Clearly there were other things wrong as well. Still it points to the risks of running any...

A fuse doesn't have a gauge. It has a rating at which it blows, time to blow etc. The fuse is there to protect the wire. And you. It needs to be sized such that it blows before the wire ampacity rating is exceeded. Please spend some time on Blue Sea Systems web site studying fuses and wire...

Thank you for the confirmation. My experience as well has been ICOM is head and shoulders above others in reception quality and clarity. And that this isn't the old ICOM when they truly provided outstanding customer support.

Time for a new VHF. The old one is very old and dead, just dosen't make sense to have it fixed. Long ago I favored Icom. But things have changed with that company. What's your preference?

Thank you. I was thinking they are much more heat sensitive than that.

This renewed thread Eco-worthy batteries has me considering lithium when the big old golf car batteries wear out. Because they are in the engine room that would be the easiest place to install the lithium bank. The other place is the lazarett. I'd have to move some components from the laz to...

As you gain experience maintaining the system it will become easier. Lots of good advice above on what to look for. Eventually you may run up against a vacuum loss you can't easily track down. Then you'll want a vacuum tester. The official Dometic tester or a roll your own.