how to post photos?

[Shaun]

Hi Philip,
You have been busy!, i really like the cover you have made over the companion way , with the side wings to cover your compass & instruments, a very good idea to keep the weather off them for prolonged lifespan.
Did you make them yourself? & have you had any prior upholstery experience? or is it a fairly straight-forward task for a person who knows not much about fabrics(like me) to be able to do some projects like that?
I also like that small cabinet you have just inside the companion way entrance on the port side, very handy to keep the items you need within easy reach, are these available anywhere?, maybe from that place in Brookvale, cant remember the name that specialises in marine timberwork etc. Anyone been there?
By the way it was good to meet you at the Regatta, hopefully you'll be able to take Sylph to the next one!

cheers
Shaun

[8philip8]

hi Shaun
there was a companion cover came with the boat, but it got uv damaged, so I'd copy it with canvas I've brought from whitworths & added the press studded wings on both sides ,as I've lost the compass cover.I'd sew it up at my work & the press studs. it's not hard, just time.
Can you sew? I can forward the drawings & whatever it needs. or find a curtain maker up your way to sew it up for you . I'd it on my leather sewing machine

I didn't touch any woodwork, they came with the boat.

my 2 starting batteries went flat on the weekend,
need to buy a DEEP CYCLE battery to run (total 7 capbin lights mast lights & electric head,radio,+ other outside lights, but not all at once ) ,will add solar panal. any advices on what am/h battery? what watage sola panal? we mainly only use the boat on weekends.

hope to catch up with you one day

cheers
8philip8
Sylph

[8philip8]

the best sit in the boat (princess sit)

[auriga]

Phillip

I have a very good book that covers all these areas which you're welcome to borrow.

Afloat did a series of articles on these issues, check the links below for a starting point

http://www.afloat.com.au/Default.aspx?P ... jectType=1

http://www.afloat.com.au/Default.aspx?P ... jectType=1

http://www.afloat.com.au/Default.aspx?P ... jectType=1

[8philip8]

Dan
thanks for the helpful informations
I've learn so much about electricty & boat in the last 2 days
I've recharged the start battery at home, it went back to the boat this afternoon, tested & it is working.
the next job is to buy a AGM 100 amp hours deep cycle house battery.
then a 40 watts bp solar panel with a regulator.
what do you think of this combination?
I've to work out a way to install it
cheers
8philip8

[Miker]

Philip, I have a pair of solar panels on the pushpit rail, on a one metre post. It's in the way a bit when you need to pee, but that's about all. I don't recall their wattage rating, but they charge the single (at the moment too small) house battery, via a regulator, so well that it runs dry if I don't keep an eye on it. So make sure you get a glass mat battery, from somewhere like Absorbed Power. They're very, very good.

I run a pressure pump for running water, cabin and nav lights, as well as the Raymarine ST800. Seems like it keeps charge well enough for our needs. I've only ever run out of electricity once, and that was because I'd not checked the water in the battery for too long. Once I filled it, next day it was back to full charge.



This is probably the best photo I have without actually taking a photo. I've tidied up the loose wiring you might be able to see too.

Michael

[storm petrel]

Hi Philip,

It surprises me that you ran your batteries down over a weekend. I thought your boat had an inboard engine? My Yanmar has a 35 amp hour charger on it, so when I run the donk to get out from my mooring at Pretty Beach the 40minutes or so tops up the battery fully. I have never had to take the battery off the boat to charge it. When I come in from a sail/cruise the 40 minutes motoring back in ensures the battery is fully charged again when I get back to the mooring.

I only have one battery (100Amp hour) and it has never run it flat. I just keep an eye on how much power I am using (I use LEDs for nav and cabin lights) and run the engine for a bit of motor sailing if the battery gets below about 70%. A solar panel will help if you don't use your boat (or your motor) much, as over a week or so the panel will keep your batteries topped up. But remeber that solar panels are slow charging devices(the 80W they quote is under ideal conditions!) and they take a long time to charge a low battery.

If you are using so much power that you flatten your two batteries over a weekend then a wind generator or a bit of motor sailing might be a better way to go. Unless you fit a monster, a solar panel may not be able to keep up with your power usage.

Cheers,
Mark

[8philip8]

I think the electric head did draw a lots of power from the batteries,
the inboard might have a sick alternator too, as we've been motoring at lease 2 hrs each day.
Charlie from BOAT WORKS will have a look next week.
8philip8

[Dolphin]

G'Day Phillip and all,
I have an 18watt solar panel on Felicite. It is mounted to the pushpit only by 2 1 inch gal saddles available from any electrical wholesaler. It is a bit in the road when sitting in the aft of the cockpit but it has rubber packing under it and I can tilt it up to vertical so that it is out of the road when using the marline board. The plus side is it can be used as a coffee table. When installing a panel don;t lay it flat it needs to have some run off so the dirt and water can wash off.
I have been quoted figures that the panel only works at maximum for 6 hours per day. Especially on a moored boat as the panel can't be angled at the sun. Over a week the batteries used to recharge and were ready for the next weekend.
Felicite has two car batteries, (I can hear the purists tut tutting now) and they were kept charged for 3 years enough to start a diesel when I had the old engine with no alternator. The biggest problem with two batteries is that if one battery is weak it pulls the other one down by taking all the charge and it has to have 2 isolating diodes so that batteries don't discharge one another. This puts another loss in the system. I don;t use a regulator and I need to keep an eye on the electrolyte level, which you have to do anyway.
The panels are great and increase the life of the batteries by keeping them toppped up. Dr Karl had a solar panel on his Datsun 120Y and the battery lasted 5 or 10 years instead of the usual 3. It also gives you another option if the alternator fails.
Hope it helps for what its worth.
Greg.

[8philip8]

hi Greg
we've kept one of the start battery,& installed a bp 40w solar panel ,with a regulater + a new 85amh deep cycle battery on the ANZAC day long weekend,it took all day.
spend Sat. night on board & tested the new system, the battery reading was 13.46v when the sun finally got up after 9am this morning
SYLPH