Newboy

Shame both lovely batteries and both less than 1 years old (one in march and one in may) and sod's bloody law, I've only got receipt for one of the batteries....... Oh well, back to Towsure.

Isn't Wick's closed for repair?

I've checked the 2 85, and one is 12.3 and the other 12.8 after charging so I guess one of those is on the way out. , The mechanic did a check on the alternator and it's charging correctly. I usually leave them both on when I go out (mainly because I'd forgotten to switch it over to bat 2). Is it true we can't/shouldn't switch between batteries while the engine is running?

I think the Raider 16 starts at 5K bare for the open top one, but works out to be around 10k for the basic neccessities (s/s hand rails, rod holder, seat, bait well,....... the list goes on and on) without an engine.

What about mask? I'd read it somewhere some suit and lifejackets come with face mask. Apparently in a rough sea, you can drown by the spray. I have only ever had one floatation suit, it's a Fladen blue/yellow one. I find it very comfortable and certainly keeps me warm. Haven't dunk it in water yet, may give it a go next spring when the temp is a bit higher.

I think the rate of deteroition also differs from brand to brand. One cannot expect a battery costing

Who needs luck when you are the national boat champion...... Bring on Tara 2.

That's what the mechanic said. As 2 85 ia a little light on the power side especially they are both leisure batteries which dictate that they do not and cannot produce a 'lump' of power to turn the starter over, whereas an high cca battery can and will. Or do as you did, put a bigger bat in it, i.e, 110a then it will preform better unless that too is drawn below certain level.

I believe you can also use the insulating stuff from builder. I'd heard from a friend who claims he's seen someone filling their hull with stuff they put in cavity walls.

Have you looked at the Shetland's website for some (rather basic) info on their older boats? http://www.shetlandboats.co.uk/socparts.htm By comparing the size and weigh of the 500, Hobby, sheltie and the 535, I would guess the 500 is in fact has an unsinkable hull. Both the Sheltie and 535 is longer yet lighter by about 200-250lb, yet the Hobby is the same size but heavier by about 150lb, but with a larger cuddy and more furniture in the cabin. Also you should be able to tell if it has a sealed floor when you have a look at it. Give it a few tap from underneath and if it sounds solid, then it's foam filled.

Been looking up on batteries on YBW this afternoon. Very interesting facts. 1) You shaould never use a leisure battery as a starting battery (car). Varta and Exide say this will weaken the plate and shorten the battery life due to its high current. 2) You shouldn't use a starting battery for your onboard electronics, cos if you deplete the charge too much, it may not recover (hold another charge). 3) You should not 'fast-charge' a leisure battery as it too can weaken its plates. 4) In theory we shouldn't mix batteries of different sizes, ages or types. In practice we do and very often there is no problems. However, the stronger battery WILL take almost all the charge even tho it is full, leaving the weaker one weaker by the day.

Thanks Rich. However, I've also heard the rule of the sea, anything that isn't tie down it's considered 'lost' therefore finder's keeper.....

I'm a little confused. the wiring diagram you have is slightly different to mine. On mine, the +ve and -ve from o/b connect to battery 1 direct whereas on yours, the +ve is connected to the switch.

Is the 85 alone gonna be enough for fishfinder, gps, a plotter (getting one), that's before lights and bilgh pump (in emergency). The mechanic said the 100 draws x amount of ampage (forgotten what it was) and basicly 2 x 85a leisure batteries are not enough on a cold morning, as leisure battery ain't supposed to be use as a starting battery, unless you are using a row of the 110a. I might just bolt the new 700cca (commercial transit van battery, discounted price

Before anyone say tankers don't move very fast, they can and they do. Not to mention the wakes the produce ......

Would love to see what a 3 lb flounder looks like. There a 2 1/2 lb flounder in this month's BFM and that is big.

I need to add a dedicated cold start battery for the outboard as the 2*85a leisure batteries aren't producing the voltage needed for the CC (cold cranking ). What I really want is to connect the outboard direct to the new battery, then has a switchable connection, for charging the 2 leisure batteries in long journey, but switched to OFF most of the other time, to charge them at home. Anyone got a wiring diagram for this?

All comments are welcome, as it was said, only experience (specially the bad ones... ) helps to gain us knowledge. As the swell was gaining speed and sizes, my number one proirty was to get us back in the Solent for some shelter, a complete wrap is expensive(ish) but less than the excess than claim on the insurance on a lost boat!!!

The condition at first wasn't ever as bad as the Open a few weeks back. We just didn't expect it to turn to quickly. I used to have my rope tied to the anchor well. However, I've recently changed over to using the lazy line with the rope bouyed. Reason being I can dumped the whole lot in an emergency and I don't have to climb onto the bow to get to the anchor. I was letting out the rope today unfortunately the rope got tangled up and the whole lot got pulled over. The bouy was doing it's job, bopping on the top, but 10 seconds and 5 waves later I've lost sight of it. Tried to go back with the gps, but the swells had started and just couldn't locate it again. With hindsight should have make a waypoint when it went overboard so that I can either look for it there and then or come back for it, but in a blind panic, couldn't/didn't think straight. Also with hindsight, the decision to anchor was probably a bad one. There were only 2 other boats out there, and that ought to tell us something. But due to pig ignorant, we (I anyway) tend to assume better capability then we really possessed. I lost my first anchor when the bolt on the U shackle holding the chain worked itself loose. I now tie the bold thru the hole so that it won't work itself loose. Won't be going out in a hurry that's for sure. P.S The missus just told me, as she had her head resting on her arm which was on the gunnel, her face was about 6 inches from the water ..........

Oops, forgotten.... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...4511869690&rd=1

Just looking thru ebay for some ropes. Here's one, 12mm but 2000m nylon rope. Would the club consider buying it and selling it to members?

Thank you for the advice Charlie. As a newbie, I look at the forecast, wind direction and wave height to decide if it's safe to go out. Not sure if any of the weather sites predict swell sizes. It's so unpredictable how quickly the swells appear. We/I learnt that swell form when the water/tide hit a shallower object but just doesn't expect them in 90 foot of water. Have anyone got Plan B for the worst case scenario, i.e., going down in less than 30 seconds? There just wouldn't be any time for anyone to do anything. Maybe mobile phone wrapped in clingfilm/waterproof bag so at least that will work, or flares in a floatation bag, so to float on the surface and await retrival? Kam

Well, not having a brilliant day. Lost the anchor (again) in Freshwater bay (again). What p*ssed me off the most is that I did most thing right. The rope was bouyed, except it was white, not a chance in hell spotting it among all those white water today. So if anyone mad enough to go out in the next few days and see a white bouy with a complete anchor warp, I'd like it back please. Then we were hit by a monster swell, I guess we were about a foot of so from rolling over, scary isn't the word for it. On the way back in, couldn't go NWW, as the swell was coming in from due south, would have had more 'side-ons', so motored SSWbefore changing the heading to N to get pass the needles. Even when anchored in Alun Bay (?, the fairground bit). The boat wouldn't stop swinging from side to side, must had been 90 degree. Snag after snag, and resulted in one snapped rod.

These swells just appeared from nowhere. One second it was lumpy nad next it was horrendous. Never been so scared in my life (on a boat anyway). Don't think we would stand a very good chance. There would have been no time for radio, phone, nor flares. All we could have hoped for was for Becky M to spot us going down, don't even really want to imagine the senario. Next time Metcheck forecast 3-4 or Onlineweather forecast 2-3, count me out, I'm staying home, it'd be bloody safer.

And if by magic, one appeared today. http://www.boatsandoutboards.com/view/F52025/