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If you're talking about hose fittings into aluminum tank fittings, I used some experimental-built aircraft site to order anodized aluminum hose fittings for my pickups. Think it was aircraftspruce.com or something like that. Don't know if it's NMEA correct or not but figured there would be no dissim...

John, I use the "TR" which is the 92 size thread is the smaller thread, a monfiliment and it works fine for me, have a large Searay camper package on a lift at the mouth of a river that funnels the wind and it's been thru a nor'easter, hurricane/tropical storm and tornado-ish storm with 70+ gusts wi...

John, for $37 you're probably looking at .30 non-coated, my cost from distributors lands about $160 for the .60 coated - about the same as strata, if it turns out to be .60 coated, please forward contact info, that's a real deal. Be aware that polarized glasses can cause some "flaring" at certain an...

Capt. Frank, yes I do although fortunately (?) I've hooked up with an outfit that re-does RHIB and small patrol boats for gov't agencies so have been seeing gray and black for the last 8 months - that takes 90% of my time. Been working some private work in but mostly existing customers who are kind ...

Been working with Makrolon for a few years now and this is what I know - It is available in .30 and .60 - the .60 is coated with scratch/UV resistant, the .30 is not (the peel off is red on .30 and green on the coated FWIW). There are other brands of polycarbonate available thru distributors that co...

Since they can't be seen, I used PVC square fence posts with a chunk cut out of one side to fit the intakes and glued/screwed some 1/2" PVC board to it for a flange and ends, finally screwed the vent hose adapters from cheapo vents into the bottom side and added a drain. The intakes are screwed thru...

There's several different products - Phifertex (Texilene) is a vinyl coated polyester screen - it's about the cheapest, it's what you see on cruiser type boats. Ferrari (Stamoid) makes a product that differs in light transmission depending on the color - it's a vinyl coated polyester but is more ran...

Thanks guys, the frp tube would be nice but I'm time short this year. The orginals are a pretty blue, corrosion-wise and are probably OK - I'm figuring if I replace them now, maybe these'll last another 35 years and I'll long gone by then or at last be past worrying about them. I need to replace the...

Hi all, am replacing the stuffing boxes with PSS gear and will replace the shaft logs while I have the shafts out. What would be the best procedure? I'm thinking 5200 fast on the outside flange, tighten down "pretty hard" the first day and crank down the following day? Should thread lock be applied?...

Going on 5 yrs, ~500 hours in my 35 - no major issues, lost a couple of weeks troubleshooting what turned out to be crappy AC spark plugs that cost like $10 a piece, will be replacing them with NGK this fall. A MAP sensor needed to be replaced, Rinda software ID'd the actual sensor, the Livorsi gaug...

Used it for decking on my 35, made a web from 2x2 FRP square tube epoxied together with 1/4" SS all thread and fender washers to tension the web. Raybo is correct, think ahead, I cut cookies from the top of the panel and filled it with thickened epoxy where I wanted to thru bolt to the lip. The figh...

FWIW, I cut several different size wedges out of 2x6, 2x4 and 2x8 and drove them under the tank after cutting the tabbing and it popped up eventually, don't know if you have room to swing a maul, I have a 35 w/out the generator so that wasn't issue. br, Alan.

Scott, I bought it 4 years ago when I put the Merc 496s in. That version needed a serial port/Win 95 on the laptop. I haven't tried the USB/Serial cable on the my new Vista laptop. It is pretty good I would assume (no other diagnostic experiance). I diagnosed two failed sensors and replaced them, fo...

bob, take a look at the bottom of this page, let me know if this what you're talking about as I'm doing the v-berth on my 35. Br, Alan.

http://www.barbourcorp.com/marine-awningtrack.htm

Sim, you can do a search on 'reversion' - been beat to death over the years on thehulltruth.com. Popular conception is that crusaders have closed cooling on the risers and hence aren't as prone aas merc/volvo. It seems(ed) to affected express models that put the engines way low so didn't have enough...

I used 3/4" nidacore panels that were laminated with glass on both sides, expoxied them to a 2x2 FRP square tube webbing and covered with Nautolex on the 35. Think the panels were under 250 ea or so, used 3 - FRP tube was around 300 total. So far I'm happy with everything but the Nautolex, I didn't ...

John, can you use the fiberglass diverters (assuming they're there), I know they fit over 5" bronze flange. They do a good job pushing the exhaust into the slipstream. If they're gone, I think the outfit in Australia that makes Caribbeans still produces them. Alan.

I replaced the 454s with merc 496 in a 35 and found the engines set further back by about 6" (messed with COB some, have got about right now) - required a bit of mods to the beds, engines were a bit thinner but height was the real concern - had to remove the insulation from the hatches and leave off...

As to the older boats, my 1973 vintage tank had "Not For Methyl Fuels" typed on the label which I assume (not a chemist) was a reference to the previous addition of alcohols in Gas Crisis I. Alan.

FWIW, I just had an aluminum tank built and had them put a stripper pick up at the rear of tank (USN has them installed on thiers on the small boats) as close to zero clearance on the bottom as feasable w/o contact. Will fill the fish box with H2O and move coolers full of water to the stern and run ...

Hi John, about all the additional work I'm going to do is scab in on the front bulkhead where the AC units have been dripping fresh water and it runs onto to the cleats, other than that, pressure wash and epoxy some glass on the plywood the tank sits on and go. I removed the generator years ago, it ...

Al, lifted it out w/the yard's forklift & docklines so we really didn't try, I could lift one side fairly easily but we couldn't figure where stand to lift it by hand and pressing it up to the gunnels and getting down the dock was going to an iffy proposition. i'd say no more than 125lbs. When I pul...

Well so far, I've cut the deck out, it had rot in a couple of places anyway, damn cheap bertams, only lasted 33 years! Will replace with nidacore FRP panels over 2" square FRP tube webbing. Cut the tabbing from the front and rear bulkhead and corners or the tank (it's athwartships) and removed the r...

I'm running the old gold out first - have been on empty for 2 days, will switch to the poly tank to get home once they sputter and proceed to cut the plywood deck out (it's got a little rot) replace the tank w/AL, the deck w/NidaCore panels and the web w/1.5" FRP sq. tube. Kiss off August and be rea...