Simple, good ideas that work..

[Larry DeMers]

Hi all!

I love little ideas that make jobs easier for us CD owners. I stumbled on this one last weekend, while changing the engine oil. I use a vacuum pump to suck out the oil from the engine via the dipsick tube. This is a fairly standard practice. Replacement of the oil seems to be the most irritating of the jobs involved in getting the job done. Up til now, I have been placing a hose in the oil filler hole, and pouring oil into a funnel, attached to the hose. Trouble is that the flow is slow, the funnel wanders, and oil is spilled almost everytime.

This time however, I placed the funnel close to the sliding doors under the companionway, and rotated the funnel until the little tab with the hole in it protrudes through the sliding door, and put a screw through the hole in the tab...on the back side of the sliding door.

This effectively holds the funnel tight against the sliding door, allowing you to use your free hand for wiping up the darn oil!

As I said..small stuff, but try it next time you change the oil, and see if it doesn't make the job a tad less of a task.

Now it's your turn to throw out a simple practice that makes working on our CD's less difficult.

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~'On the hard' on Lake Superior~~~;^(



demers@sgi.com

[Michael Greenberg]

Now it's your turn to throw out a simple practice that makes working on our CD's less difficult.

Great thread, Larry. Here's what I do to make my life easier. At the end of the season I draw up a list that shows all the things that I want to have done to my boat, Victory. I then give that list to the boatyard. Months later, at the start of the sailing season, I return to the boatyard and, voila, everything is finished!



mikegre@idt.net

[John M]

Put a piece of VELCRO pile next to cabin light SWITCH on the DC panel. If it is dark, it makes finding and turning on the interior lights easier.



johnmartin55@hotmail.com

[Ryan Turner]

to try to think of something simple on my boat but can't find one. It seems that nothing is simple when it comes to boating. Fun maybe, but not simple. This is such a good thread though that I just had to contribute somehow. And this is it: I made a really cool bucket out of some old sunbrella the other day. It's great because I can use it for all bucket-related chores and then store it in a rumpled clump in any available nook or cranny. It works good for cleaning off the foredeck, anchor, chain, etc. after hoisting anchor. The plans came from Lynn and Larry Pardey and are found in their book "The Cost Conscious Cruiser". It was fun to make and is an asset to the boat.

Ryan



rdtsails@email.msn.com

[Bill Goldsmith]

Winterizing the engine is no fun with the boat up on jackstands, providing buckets of water for the engine to drink, etc. However, it's even worse when the stern of the boat is adjacent to a busy walkway where people go back and forth to their cars.

The last thing I wanted was an angry, wet passer-by who got spit on by my Yanmar during layup. So I took a 6ft piece of 2 in PVC and an elbow and attached it to the exhaust flange with a rubber collar and pointed the pipe toward the ground. Now all I have to deal with is the big puddle!

Now Hi all!

I love little ideas that make jobs easier for us CD owners. I stumbled on this one last weekend, while changing the engine oil. I use a vacuum pump to suck out the oil from the engine via the dipsick tube. This is a fairly standard practice. Replacement of the oil seems to be the most irritating of the jobs involved in getting the job done. Up til now, I have been placing a hose in the oil filler hole, and pouring oil into a funnel, attached to the hose. Trouble is that the flow is slow, the funnel wanders, and oil is spilled almost everytime.

This time however, I placed the funnel close to the sliding doors under the companionway, and rotated the funnel until the little tab with the hole in it protrudes through the sliding door, and put a screw through the hole in the tab...on the back side of the sliding door.

This effectively holds the funnel tight against the sliding door, allowing you to use your free hand for wiping up the darn oil!

As I said..small stuff, but try it next time you change the oil, and see if it doesn't make the job a tad less of a task.

Now it's your turn to throw out a simple practice that makes working on our CD's less difficult.

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~'On the hard' on Lake Superior~~~;^(

goldy@bestweb.net

[Duane]

Although most of us will never need it (hopefully), after the 79 Fastnet disaster, the ORC required that there be a method for securing the hatch boards so that they would not float away if the boat is knocked down or rolled. Many of the boats that were overcome during the Fastnet did so because their hatch boards had floated away exposing the interior to the sea.

A simple solution is to put a small pad eye on the inside of each hatch board. Then put a small cam cleet at the base of the companionway. When it starts to get rough, take a line with a stopper knot in the top and run it down to the cam cleet.

Duane Y.
CD330
Mystic
Sausalito, CA



yoslovd@aol.com

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Larry,

When I just winterized Hanaleis' fresh water system, I disconnnected the fresh water supply and discharge from the water heater and connected them together with a small piece of 1/2 inch brass pipe. The water heater then drains to the bilge, and flushing antifreeze through the hot and cold lines takes a lot less antifreeze. It makes the job a lot quicker!

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei

[Neil Gordon]

Learn to tie all the basic knots and learn how to splice and whip both laid and braided line. Then think. You'll find all sorts of free ways to solve problems that West Marine charges $8.99 (and more!)each to fix.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



neil@nrgordon.com

[Patrick Turner]

I have not tried this, but did see it on another boat and thought it was such a good idea I would eventually try and find a way of incorporating it into my boat. The boat came equipped with a slot built into one of the cockpit lockers that was similar to the slot in the companionway that the drop boards fit into. So rather then dumping the boards into the locker, he just slipped them into this slot and there they stayed, neat, secure and out of the way untill needed.

Pat



patrick.t@home.com

[Larry Demers]

Wellll, that is not quite the idea I had in mind for this thread, but if it works with your checkbook, then carry on! What do you do when something breaks away from the marina? You miss the huge bank of knowledge that you gain doing your own work.

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

Now it's your turn to throw out a simple practice that makes working on our CD's less difficult.

Great thread, Larry. Here's what I do to make my life easier. At the end of the season I draw up a list that shows all the things that I want to have done to my boat, Victory. I then give that list to the boatyard. Months later, at the start of the sailing season, I return to the boatyard and, voila, everything is finished!

demers@sgi.com

[Mario]

Now it's your turn to throw out a simple practice that makes working on our CD's less difficult.

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~'On the hard' on Lake Superior~~~;^(

I know there's a ton of ingenuity and experience with Cape Dory's out there, and as a new CD owner I enjoy picking up bits and pieces from this board. It would be wonderful if these nifty ideas could be organized by some enterprising soul. It would definitely be a book I'd buy, like "Sailor's Secrets," but aimed for CD owners.

Mario



forenzic@aol.com

[M. R. Bober]

The fair and lovely first mate does the same thing. Except the list's recipient isn't the yard....
Mitchell Bober
RESPITE
CD330



thebobers@erols.com

[M. R. Bober]

I stumbled over this a few years ago. First set your anchor securely. Then take a tumbler (or a paper cup) put a bit of ice in it, pour in a healthy jigger of good gin, top off with tonic, garnish with a slice (or wedge) of lime. Use any kitchen implement to stir, just a bit.
It's simple. It's good. It works for me.
Mitchell Bober
RESPITE
CD330



thebobers@erols.com

[Dennis Truett]

Hi all!

I love little ideas that make jobs easier for us CD owners. I stumbled on this one last weekend, while changing the engine oil. I use a vacuum pump to suck out the oil from the engine via the dipsick tube. This is a fairly standard practice. Replacement of the oil seems to be the most irritating of the jobs involved in getting the job done. Up til now, I have been placing a hose in the oil filler hole, and pouring oil into a funnel, attached to the hose. Trouble is that the flow is slow, the funnel wanders, and oil is spilled almost everytime.

This time however, I placed the funnel close to the sliding doors under the companionway, and rotated the funnel until the little tab with the hole in it protrudes through the sliding door, and put a screw through the hole in the tab...on the back side of the sliding door.

This effectively holds the funnel tight against the sliding door, allowing you to use your free hand for wiping up the darn oil!

As I said..small stuff, but try it next time you change the oil, and see if it doesn't make the job a tad less of a task.

Now it's your turn to throw out a simple practice that makes working on our CD's less difficult.

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~'On the hard' on Lake Superior~~~;^(

The CD26 comes with 3 companion way boards. From the inside I ran VELCRO down both outside edges of the boards. Inside the cabin, on the vertical wood pannels under each bunk, I put the three sets of matching velcro. I store them right there! It works great!

Dennis Truett
CD26d
Summer wind

[Dennis Truett]

Hi all!

I love little ideas that make jobs easier for us CD owners. I stumbled on this one last weekend, while changing the engine oil. I use a vacuum pump to suck out the oil from the engine via the dipsick tube. This is a fairly standard practice. Replacement of the oil seems to be the most irritating of the jobs involved in getting the job done. Up til now, I have been placing a hose in the oil filler hole, and pouring oil into a funnel, attached to the hose. Trouble is that the flow is slow, the funnel wanders, and oil is spilled almost everytime.

This time however, I placed the funnel close to the sliding doors under the companionway, and rotated the funnel until the little tab with the hole in it protrudes through the sliding door, and put a screw through the hole in the tab...on the back side of the sliding door.

This effectively holds the funnel tight against the sliding door, allowing you to use your free hand for wiping up the darn oil!

As I said..small stuff, but try it next time you change the oil, and see if it doesn't make the job a tad less of a task.

Now it's your turn to throw out a simple practice that makes working on our CD's less difficult.

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~'On the hard' on Lake Superior~~~;^(

I like simple Ideas that save $$$$$. I use "WINTERIZED" windshield washer fluid to winterize everything in my boat, and my home swimming pool.. 99 cents a gallon, and its good down to 25 below. Just make sure it says "Winterized". One year I didn't pay attention to that and learned that there is such a thing as SUMMER windshield washer fluid!

Dennis Truett
CD26D
SummerWind