What I did or planned for my Top Hat today!

[frank]

Haha, you could have put a lanyard in that hole to give it a bit of class.

[woodsy]

Twas made with feng shut in mind.
Taking the translation as "wind & water", I interpreted harmony with nature, as using what was at hand. The auspicious positioning of the handle is determined by reference to water, stars or compass.
Hopefully it all aligns on the base of the mast or I'll have to fudge the figures.
I am available for consoltation.

[Curryhouse]

Neil,

I also have installed an hour meter combined with an RPM meter. [brought on eBay from USA for about $100]

I used a direct link to my house battery with a fuse and an on/off switch.

Why? I wanted to avoid the voltage spike when I started my engine.

I have my GPS on the same system as the starting voltage spikes always turned it off
and that's not nice when you are approaching a bar etc and need the engine and then loose the chart plotter.

Thanks Phillip. I have a tacho in the control panel; a combined hour meter and tacho would be a neater package though. I'll keep in mind your good advice about the voltage spikes and how you've wired your GPS. I don't currently have one fitted but is on the wish list.

[woodsy]

Cushion covers on "BETTY-REX-IT", we're not removable. I ditched them , traced the foam shape onto some curtain material I'd scavenged & sewed up some loose fitting new ones. I left one side of each cover open for easy removal when washing. The results suit me, roughasguts but practical.

[woodsy]

Salvaged a 7.5 hp long shaft Evinrude motor from the local council cleanup.
2 days work had it running beautifully. Unsticking the throttle control was time consuming. Fiddly system.
Replaced my 5 h.p Mariner on "BETTY REXIT'', with it today. Started it up. Into forward to take the weight off the anchor. Ran forward, dragged in the chain and anchor. Motor cut out & I started drifting back onto some boats. !@#$%^&* motor would not start.
Dropped the anchor & attepted to start the motor again. NOPE.
More !@#$%^&*
Off with the motor cover to discover the throttle cable is broken. BUM.
Set the revs manually, started & away we went into a STRONG wind.
What a difference the extra 2.5 hp makes. Punched into wind & waves, no problem.
Cavitation occurs if I go forward though.
The Mariner was noisy. The Evinrude, though an old model, hums along.
SO GLAD I BEAT THE STORM BACK TO MY MOORING!
Replacing the cable system is too fiddly, so I will attach a handle directly to the throttle control & project it through a slit I'll cut in the side of the outboard cover.
Happy Larry.

[woodsy]

Posted photos of my Evinrude's bastardised throttle control on the Top hat Facebook page. Couldn't get them loaded here via my tablet.

[SeaLady]

Going through the excess "stuff" I moved to Lake Mac is an old jib sail.
Tried to sell / give it away a few times but it obviously is beyond use as intended.

So....

It will become a sun shade in my new back yard.

[dism]

Fretted about a 3.2m flood on the Clarence.

Learnt alot about the river rising and how I should plan for this is the future.

River now dropping. Water weed, getting a extention strop and getting sorted early for next time

Any tips appreciated.

[Shaun]

G'day Dean,
I think you have copped most of the rain in the Northern Rivers area with this recent rain system, we have had constant rain/showers/drizzle for a couple of weeks, with only a couple of heavy downpours.
We are quite lucky where the moorings are on the Camden Haven River, as they are tucked on the inside of a corner & behind a large sand bank, so we don't suffer the worst of the debris as it sweeps around the bend.
I think Phillip might have made an extension strop for his mooring line??, I haven't but should be ok unless the chain gets wrapped around the mooring block.
I think if you made an extension strop from 20-25mm with an eye splice in each would do the job.

I am hoping to be sailing to the Clarence during the school holidays next month, I will have the kids onboard (they are getting there by road), is there anywhere that hires Kayaks on the river, or any of the riverside caravan parks have waterslides, or any good playgrounds along the river that you know of?
We have a local cruising yacht group, last April we went South to Port Stephans, this year hoping to go Nth, but all weather dependant.
cheers

[Troppo]

Going through the excess "stuff" I moved to Lake Mac is an old jib sail.
Tried to sell / give it away a few times but it obviously is beyond use as intended.

So....

It will become a sun shade in my new back yard.

Sounds a good idea, Diane. Bit of a nautical theme to remind you of sailing when you are resting at home

troppo