Time for another Navagear feature at MadMariner. This time, I talk about how I tackled a couple of electronics mounting challenges.

Take a look at the Rhino Grip. I received a set of these today from Harry Patz of the TarpClipStore.com, which is distributing them.

Very handy, and they appear to be quite robust. I especially like the fact that they have both an eye and a simple hook. Sometimes you want an eye, for security. Sometimes you want a hook, for convenience.

They’re made of fiberglass-filled nylon, and you can do a lot BESIDES securing those ubiquitous blue tarps we seem to love so much.

But let’s talk about using them specifically with blue tarps for a moment. I took a series of photographs this evening, after I got home from today’s “live blogging” session at the Seattle Boat Show.

See what’s so clever? The bolt is removable, and sized just perfectly to fit into the grommets on our precious blue tarps. But as anyone knows, those grommets sometimes fail. The Rhino Grip clip allows you to distribute the load to both the grommet and the fabric itself:

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I love Cap’t Pauley’s sketchbook. This time, he’s tackling the intricate mysteries surrounding cleat installation. It’s all about keeping water OUT, you know…

And notice how there is no sealant on the inside. I don’t know how many installations I’ve encountered with sealant on the inside! If the water gets past the first line of defense, you WANT to SEE it. You want it to pass through the deck unobstructed. Otherwise, you’re just trapping water inside the deck.

[It's another MadMariner feature from a few weeks back.

I don’t claim to be any sort of workshop prodigy, but I love being able to work up solutions on my own, and each project gives me a little more confidence for the next one. Well, each successful project, anyway! —Tim]

When it Comes to Custom Fabrication, the Best Person for the Job May Be You

In the old days, sailing ships carried carpenters, sailmakers, metalsmiths and riggers. If something broke, they repaired it or made a new piece from raw materials.

Times have changed. Modern recreational boaters don’t need to know how to make everything, of course. Frankly, it would be impossible, given the broad range of technologies and specialized tools involved. Even propeller-headed uber geeks (guys like Ben Ellison and Steve Roberts) can’t make everything they carry.

Nevertheless, and no matter what your level of do-it-yourself expertise, I think it’s always worthwhile to ask yourself, “Could I make that?” Often times, the answer is an unequivocal “No!” But once in a while you encounter an opportunity to transform a frustrating “shopping” project into a fulfilling “fabrication” project.

Sometimes, custom fabrication is the only choice.

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Time for another Navagear feature at MadMariner! It discusses a few of the small custom fabrication projects I’ve recently dared to DIY, or should that be “DIM” (”do it myself”)?

I don’t claim to be any sort of workshop prodigy, but I love being able to work up solutions on my own, and each project gives me a little more confidence for the next one. Well, each successful project, anyway!

Remember Accon Marine flush-mount tie-downs? Come on, folks, it was just last week! This thing:

Anyway, I heard from Erica Ring at Accon, and here’s what she had to say:

To answer your questions:

Yes, it is more like one big hole and four smaller screw holes.  The easiest way to install would be to use a hole saw for the big hole and drop the tie down in to mark the other 4 holes.

The sealing cup is to prevent water from getting behind the tie down.  It just drops into the hole and is secured along with the tie down by the four screws.

I hope this clears things up.  If not, please let me know and I will try to clarify

Got it. Thanks, Erica!

[I get press releases for all kinds of doodads and fittings. Here's one that could be just the thing when you need a low-profile hardpoint installed flush with the surface of a bulkhead or deck. But I'm just a little bit confused about how it's installed. Read on... —Tim]

When riding the waves, it’s important to keep everyone aboard safe and all equipment in the boat. With Accon Marine’s 195 Large and 196 Small Tie Downs, all loose gear can be secured to the deck.

Great for poling platforms, scuba gear and fenders, these Tie Downs can be used anywhere equipment needs to stay in place. The Large version measures 3.5″ L x 3.5″ W x 1.25″ D and is also ideal for docks. Suited for use on personal watercraft, the Small model is 2″ L x 2″ W x 1″ D.

Constructed from stainless steel, the Tie Down’s assembly consists of the main body and sealing cup. Installation is simple and only requires owners to drill a single hole and fasten the Tie Down with four screws. The 195 model needs a 2-1/2″ hole, while the small 196 model requires a 1-1/2″ hole.

[Hold on a minute: A single hole? Don't they mean one big whole and four small ones? And I want to know more about the "sealing cup"; I'm going to bed this with my beloved polysulfide anyway, right? I better check with the manufacturer. —Tim]

Accon Marine’s 195 Large Tie Down has a retail price of $40.71, while the 196 Small Tie Down is priced at $17.92.

Inventor of the original Pop-Up cleat, Accon Marine specializes in flush mounted, stainless steel hardware, enhancing a boater’s experience. With fresh ideas and innovation as its industry trademarks, Accon Marine strives for high-quality in its products.

At the Seattle Boat Show, I met Gregg Casagrande of SeaSucker. He was demonstrating various boating accessories that mounted temporarily with a sort of fancy-looking suction cup; everything from cup holders to fishing rod holders to electronics mounts. I mentioned these products in my “final days” reminder. Today I’ll explain what impressed me.

We’ve all seen various suction-cup goodies over the years. If you’re like me, you regard suction cups as occasionally and temporarily useful, but not to be relied upon. Certainly not for anything fragile—wine glasses and electronics, for instance.

The SeaSucker products belong in a different category, though. Clear your mind, take a deep breath, and let the SeaSucker website explain why:

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I’m in the process of installing and testing the Maritech Virtual Lifeline, a man-overboard alarm and engine shut-off device. Except for one element, installation has been incredibly easy. I’ll discuss the entire procedure in more detail later.

Today want to demonstrate how I solved the difficult problem: mounting the supplied antenna. Let’s cut right to the chase, shall we? Here’s the solution:

The clever part is that angled piece of white plastic, which became necessary because of the available mounting surfaces on Two Lucky Fish, my C-Dory 22.

I want to mount this little antenna where it will have a clear line-of-sight aft (since that’s where most overboard victims are expected to end up), and I would rather drill tiny holes in vertical, uncored fiberglass than one large hole in a horizontal, balsa-cored surface.

I’ve selected the spot, right aft on the motor-well side of one of the lazarettes.

As I will describe later, the Virtual Lifeline came with almost everything I needed to install it. If only I had a piece of plastic, aluminum, or stainless steel bent into a simple angle, with some holes drilled in it…

Obviously, this isn’t rocket science here. But I couldn’t find an off-the-shelf mount to do what I wanted. Not for less than about $30, anyway. Overkill! So I says to myself “Self, you can prob’ly just make the dang thing.”

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