The Yellow boats' back...

[seabob4]

...for a little more work, and to fix something that is becoming more common-place amongst today's electronics...the "DOB" phenomnena, or "Dead out of the box".  The first Standard-Horizon CP390 I was going to install, the screen was improperly installed at the factory, the top line of data was cut off, unviewable without getting down on one's knees and looking up.  Luckily I bench tested it before install, so that went back, new one sent.  Now, the new one is VERY slow to re-draw, and the screen has gotten permanant spots that NOTHING seems to touch.  So that's coming out to be replaced with a Garmin 740.  Little re-wiring there, luckily the Garmin is a bit bigger than the S-H, so the cut-out will work (can make things bigger, not smaller).

The Sitex SVS-650 mated to an Airmar B60 tiltable element ducer, the first one wouldn't pick up bottom, readings all over the place.  Yanked that one out, new one sent.  That one worked a little better, would pick up bottom to about 10 knts, then...gone.  So it must be the ducer.  New one on the way.  All covered under warranty, but what a PITA!!!  And all new, VERY PRICEY stuff!

These companies these days seem to not really give a rat's ass if their brand new chit doesn't work.  They seem to forget that it costs the owner money to have this stuff installed, and it costs them MORE money to have it replaced.  Not to mention a $1000 piece of equipment that is pretty much useless.  It's about time they started factoring in (and reimbursing) labor costs to replace all this chit.  But they do look nice...



At least the Fusion is working well.  He get's a new Guest charger (yeah, I'm kinda leaning towards Guests after the ProMariner caught fire!) and charger inlet, under-gunnel lighting, and a few other odds and ends...

[seabob4]

Brad's battery access was pretty bad, although I've seen worse...



In the console, on your knees, trying to get the cables undone and the batts out...and Brad's a pretty big guy.  We were thinking of a slide-out battery tray, but between stainless drawer slides, starboard base with stiffeners, etc., it was going to be quite a chore...

So I got to looking at things, and said, "Hey, how about a hatch under the cooler?"  And here's how it has come out...







I'm happy as a pig in poop, think he will be also!  All just temporary right know, going to seal the divinylcell coring with Marine-Tex, then seriously bed the hatch frame with GE silicone.  IPS hatch with completely removable lid, SUPPOSEDLY watertight (we'll see), a new Deka group 24 starting and group 27 deep cycle (house) are going in there with new trays and all that chit cleaned up...

You guys knew I couldn't take a day off...

[wingtime]

That's a great idea Bob!  Looks good!

[T Race]

I think Master Rigger sums things up nicely !!

Great work...I just hope your still working your magic when I roll into town !

[seabob4]

I think Master Rigger sums things up nicely !!

Great work...I just hope your still working your magic when I roll into town !

You better!  Yeah, I'll be doing this for a while!  Brad even told me yesterday I need to take today off.  But when that hatch arrived, I was chompin' at the bit...and yes, I'm weird!  

[seabob4]

Now is that battery access, or what?

[Blue Agave]

When I read the title of the thread my first thought was the Mercury test facility reopened.

That is some excellent battery access.

[wingtime]

Now is that battery access, or what?

WOW!  Great job as usual Bob!  That is the chit right there!

[seabob4]

Brad was beetchen about his fuse holder access for the bilge floats before...well. now that they are staring him in the face, I don't think he'll have a complaint...

Trying to do my best, and between the toothache and the sciatica, ain't been fun lately.  But basically think I'm good to go for now...

Battery charger came out nice, was able to use a grommet to feed the output leads down into the battery compartment almost unseen...



AC cord run aft...



To the charger inlet...



And, of course, the brand new Standard Horizon CP390i got removed (redraws too slow) for a new touch screen Garmin 740...



Ahh, fun with boats...

Fletch, see what I mean about the definition of BOAT?  

[Capt. Bob]

When I first glanced at this pic I thought WTF????
It's some sort of "Pimp my Ride" with all the speakers :o
Second take I realized they were pie plates with the speaker on the bottom so....

Speaking of access Bob, tell me about the battery hatch cover.
It looks somewhat similar to my Bomar, which after lo these many years needs replacing.
Can you give me rough cut out dimensions?

[seabob4]

Bob,
That's an IPS hatch made by my friends over in Kissimmee, completely removable lid (instead of falling on your head when you're down in the hole), I tested these several years ago at PL, they didn't leak.  The overall w/frame is 13 X 24, so the cut-out is around 10 1/2 X 22 1/2.  Structurally engineered (I know the guys who started the company), so they are made to stand on, sit on, walk on, whatever.  Here's the outfit...http://www.gotohmg.com/, Great Lakes Skipper is the best place to buy from...http://greatlakesskipper.com/category-1 ... tches.html

The one I installed actually came straight from the factory as GLS didn't have the off-white that matched the McKee's deck color.  And no, those aren't speakers (except for the ones at the bottom), those are fresh water and raw water washdown tubes...

[gran398]

I think Master Rigger sums things up nicely !!

Great work...I just hope your still working your magic when I roll into town !

You better!  Yeah, I'll be doing this for a while!  Brad even told me yesterday I need to take today off.  But when that hatch arrived, I was chompin' at the bit...and yes, I'm weird!  

Compare this man who loves his work to folks we see working everyday with a scowl on their face...BIG, refreshing difference.

Nice work Bob. Always the same... NICE work.