It isn’t often that a small town in Nebraska gets featured in Navagear. Still, this cautionary tale deserves some attention. Note how all the kids had PFDs and nobody died.

Luke Nichols has this story in the Beatrice Daily Sun:

A Wymore man was cited at Rockford Lake Monday evening after the boat he was driving capsized, sending all nine occupants into the lake.

Dan Zuehlke, conservation officer for Nebraska Game and Parks, said Kevin Marom was driving a 15-foot fiberglass speedboat during windy conditions Monday.

The boat’s maximum capacity was five, but Marom had eight other occupants with him including five children. Zuehlke said wind gusts Monday afternoon were near 50 mph causing two to three foot waves on Rockford Lake. The boat capsized after nose-diving into a swell.

A rescue effort was led by Mike Alm, another boater on the lake at the time, who transported the children into the shoreline.

“The conditions were pretty bad,” Zuehlke said. “It was nothing short of a miracle that we aren’t looking for bodies in the water today.”

All five children in the boat were wearing life jackets, there were no injuries.

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John Vigor has this item on his blog. For many Navagear readers, this will be review. But it’s still shocking that so many DSC VHF installations are incomplete or improper, I think it’s worthwhile to put out a reminder.

SOMETIMES, when I see a young family heading out for a day’s sailing with the dog barking excitedly and the kids running up and down the sidedecks, I wonder how many people on board would be capable of calling for help in an emergency.

By that, I mean specifically: if the skipper had a heart attack, who on board would be able to tell the Coast Guard where to find the boat? I presume, of course, that someone would be able to figure out how to work the VHF radio and find Channel 16. But what the Coasties want to know first and foremost is: Where are you, exactly?

That question very seldom occurs to us when we’re out sailing. We kind of know we’re out in the bay and it should be pretty easy to find us. But when the whitecaps are breaking all around, and your boat, like most, is white, it can take a long time to find you if you can’t give an exact position.

It’s the navigator’s job to keep tabs on where you are, but few family yachts have dedicated navigators, and not many of us can say with any veracity on the spur of the moment that we are 2.75 miles south-south-east of buoy E16. Mostly, the best we can do is: “Uh, I think we’re about three miles offshore and, um, I can see a horse running on the beach.”

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Lots of my fellow C-Dory owners have expressed dissatisfaction with the factory-installed hatches covering the cockpit lazarettes. The trouble is that the stock hatches are not designed for horizontal installation. They collect water in the gap between the hatch and its frame; when you open them, the water spills INTO the locker!

So the clever C-Brats have identified a replacement that fits into the existing hole and works much better. I got mine this week, and decided to tackle the replacement project now, while the boat is in my driveway.

Step 1: Remove screws.

Step 2: Gently separate hatch frame with plastic putty knife/scraper/spatula.

Step 3: Gently pry the entire hatch/frame assembly up off the deck.

Step 4: Assess the damage. Look at the screws you removed for signs of rust, and examine the (sealed) balsa-core for signs of rot.

Decide how you want to address any issues you uncover. In my case, a bit more exploration reveals that the balsa core behind the stained sealant in the image below is still intact, though moist. At this point, it should be easy to contain this problem by allowing it to dry out thoroughly, since I won’t be reusing this hole for the new hatch anyway.

Step 5: Remove as much of the old adhesive/sealant as you can using an appropriate tool. I found a metal paint scraper worked extremely well. The goal is to remove as much of it as you can without gouging the gelcoat.

Once you get the feel for it, you might be able to remove large sections and leave only a thin layer or caulking on the fiberglass.

Start working near the opening, where mistakes will be covered with new adhesive sealant. As you gain confidence, come back and work nearer the finish edge where mistakes might be visible later.

Step 6: Use solvent to remove the last traces of old caulking. I used DeBond’s Marine Formula, with a blue 3M Scotch-Brite non-scratch scour pad. Warning: DeBond will cause the blue dye in the Scotch-Brite pad to be released. No big deal, and it’s actually somewhat helpful because the blue dye sticks to the spots where caulking still remains, but wipes off clean gelcoat.

Step 7: Test-fit the new hatch, decide what sort of fasteners to use. I’m going to through-bolt mine; I dislike coarse-threaded screws driven into cored fiberglass. I want any water that gets in through the top to have a way out through the bottom.

Once you’ve decided on fasteners, go shopping.

Coming up in Part 2: Selecting an appropriate adhesive/sealant, using denatured alcohol to prep the surface, and bedding the new hatches properly.

[It’s another MadMariner feature from a few weeks back. —Tim]

Regular readers know that I like to fiddle with new technology on my boat, including the unique challenges that always seem to emerge when it comes time to mount something permanently.

The word "permanent" isn’t accurate, of course, especially in the realm of marine electronics. So my strong preference, whenever possible, is to avoid drilling holes I might not want later. This is especially true when it comes to holes drilled into surfaces exposed to the elements.

Another priority for me: I want to fit all my beloved electronics into the relatively small space available aboard my 22-foot boat. It can be difficult to find a spot for a new item. I want to be able to access the item easily, except in the case where the item is a behind-the-scenes "black box."

Once the right spot is identified, of course, the real challenge presents itself: how to physically mount the component there? Which brings us to my other big priority: saving money. I appreciate quality, and I value ergonomics slightly higher than aesthetics, but they’re all important to me. While there are plenty of custom fabricators and off-the-shelf mounting solutions enabling us to mount virtually any electronics component in virtually any position, I almost always avoid them.

Because I’m cheap, yes, but also because I enjoy the challenge of coming up with a solution on my own. In today’s article, I’m going to discuss two recent mounting projects that required a bit of creative thinking and resourcefulness. One item will be in daily use while underway, while the other will hardly ever receive any attention at all. In both cases, though, the components need to be visible and accessible to the helmsman.

RECHARGER BASE FOR HANDELD VHF

In daily use will be my secondary VHF radio, a portable Cobra MR HH475 FLT BT, which I intend to use at the helm, in its charging mount, as well as when I leave the pilot house. Positioning the mount is tricky: it needs power, it needs to be positioned so I can read the handheld’s small display and reach all the controls while it’s seated in the mount, and it needs to allow me to remove the radio when it’s time to take it outside.

In the end, there was only one spot that made any sense.

It looks pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? Good! The goal is to design and fabricate a mounting scheme that "disappears", rather than drawing attention to itself. If the end result is something that feels obvious and natural, I’ve succeeded.

I toyed with several other, easier mounting locations before deciding that this was the right one. The problem with this location is that the outer edge of the dashboard surface here slopes downward toward the bow at about 15 degrees, and if I mounted the charging base directly to it, the radio would make contact with the mounting knob on the side of the chart plotter.

I needed a wedge. And being impatient as well as cheap, I wanted it RIGHT NOW. That’s probably a character flaw, but once I’ve identified the solution, I want to FINISH the project, not dink around for a few more days shopping for just the right material. I tend to use what I have on hand, whenever possible. The only material I had that was large enough for the wedge—but in a form appropriate for the tools available—was a chunk of leftover two-by-four.

It doesn’t get much more basic than that, my friends. Since I would be installing the mount at an angle of about 10 degrees, the bolt would pass through the fiberglass dash at about 10 degrees, and I wanted to make sure that the washer and nut would bear against a flat surface on the other side. So I created two wedges; one between the charging base and the fiberglass, and another beneath the fiberglass.

I cut these little wedges on my Hitachi 10-inch compound miter saw, a tool I purchased just a couple years ago, and would never be without at this point. It’s absolutely tremendous for household projects, and once in a while it comes in handy for boat-related projects, too. You’ll notice that the two-by-four isn’t nearly large enough for the handheld mount. In the end, this shortcoming actually produced a benefit: I used the mount’s own feet at the front, and the wedge only picks up the back two-thirds of the mount. From the front, you can’t even see the wedge.

MAN-OVERBOARD KILL SWITCH

It’s been about a year since I installed my Maritech Virtual Lifeline. This unit is an MOB alarm and engine kill switch. The idea is that if I fall off the boat while singlehanding or running with small kids, the boat won’t keep going without me. The thing I love about Maritech’s product is that once it’s installed, it requires no action on my part. I don’t need to turn it on, I don’t need to turn it off, and as long as I check the batteries periodically on the sensor attached to my PFD, I’m protected.

It’s embarrassing to admit that for the past year, the Virtual Lifeline control unit has been mounted with duct tape. Initially, I was testing the unit, and still figuring out where it ought to live permanently. Remember, this unit requires no user interaction 99.99 percent of the time, until somebody falls in the water. Then, if somebody remains aboard, they’ll need to find the beeping unit with the flashing light and press the "Rescue Mode On" button so the engine can be started. So I needed to mount it where it wasn’t in the way, but where it could be found and utilized in an emergency.

I found the right spot, mounted to the side of the cabin just below the window and to the right of the helm instruments. But this is an external wall, and I didn’t want to drill any holes in it, if possible. Also, I hate trying to screw into fiberglass; in my experience, the material cracks and flakes break off. My strong preference would be to "glue" the unit to the cabin, but I want to be able to remove it if needed.

Enter Weld Mount; I’ve used their products before, notably their "adhesively bonded wire tie mount" product. I used polysulfide to secure these to the ceiling of my boat to secure antenna cable for my AIS installation. The polysulfide has held up fine in that role, where the mounts are subject to very light forces.

For this project, though, I would need to use a pair of "stainless panel studs," which are essentially threaded #8 bolts with a wide, flat base plate designed to be adhesively bonded to the surface beneath. Because of the forces involved, polysulfide is simply the wrong adhesive to use. Weld Mount sells a line of high strength/high viscosity two-part acrylic adhesives, but remember: I’m cheap. I had some epoxy handy, so I used that.

The toughest challenge here was getting it all lined up right. These bolts have to end up exactly where you want them, or you’ll be unhappy. That’s all a bit tricky, but by test-fitting the unit while seating the adhesive-coated panel studs into place, I was able to get it all lined up. If I had to do it again, I would carefully cut holes into a piece of masking or duct tape, place the duct tape onto the surface and verify its position carefully. Then I would bond the panel studs to the surface, placing them according to the holes in the masking material. Test-fit the component, and then clean up the excess adhesive and peel away the masking tape carefully.

One other tricky bit here: the panel studs won’t quite allow a close-fitting component to lie flush against the stud. I used a larger drill bit to remove a tiny bit of material from the inside edges of the mounting hole. Don’t use the drill. Just turn the bit by hand with gentle pressure. The material is medium-density plastic, so it doesn’t take much effort to shave away a bit of the material and allow the unit to fit against the panel.

Now that it’s installed, I can stop answering pesky questions about the duct tape holding my MOB alarm in place, and for that I am grateful.

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:

When a grommet isn’t handy, of course, you can just use the jaws to grab the reinforced edge of the blue tarp. This photo shows both ways:

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.

MAKE IT YOURSELF

For instance, when I installed my new Rocna anchor aboard Two Lucky Fish, the bail on the anchor roller was too small to accommodate the shank of the anchor. I looked and looked, but I just could not find a replacement bail that met my needs, and I didn’t want to buy a whole new anchor roller. If only I could find a piece of stainless steel bar stock like my old bail, but longer. Eventually, I found a stainless ring buoy bracket for $5. It already had one of the holes I needed.

I worked it, bending it into the shape I wanted, and drilled a new hole into it. It was a little tricky, I probably ruined a drill bit in the process, and the finished product isn’t perfect by any means. Click here for more pictures of this project.

But it’s been in service for a year, and even I don’t notice the tool marks, slight imperfections, or the extra hole. I’ve had people stop me and ask where I got the long bail. “I made it myself,” I like to crow. Those moments are worth all the time and effort, not to mention the $50 that I saved without having a bail custom fabricated by a local metal shop.

GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP

Sometimes, do-it-yourself fabrication means asking for help from your friends or family with specialized skills and tools. Here’s a good example of a project I could not have completed on my own: The V-berth in Two Lucky Fish has an unfortunate gap right in the middle, aft of the porta-potty.

The designers envisioned two adults sleeping here, and apparently they didn’t envision one adult sleeping with a kid on either side (because both kids want to be next to mommy, naturally). The gap makes it impossible to sleep in the middle, because nothing supports your pillow. The solution involved two projects:

First, I cut a piece of plywood to size and attached some rectangles of thick stainless steel sheet with nuts and bolts. That was pretty straightforward, but owning a small table saw and a rotary tool (mine’s a Dremel) helps a lot.

Second, I enlisted my mom to make a cushion. She’s got a sewing machine, and she knows how to use it. I purchased a piece of foam cut to size (plus an inch all around), and two yards of the Sunbrella fabric that matches the rest of the cushions on the boat. Although I watched her do it, I’m not sure I could replicate the process. But it’s done now, it cost a fraction of the commercial alternative, and it gave my mom and me an excuse to spend an afternoon working on a project together.

TRYING IT OUT

Sometimes you’ve got a piece of gear, and you know where it goes, but there’s no way to mount it. Or you’re not certain where it goes and you want to try it out in a given location without making permanent modifications to the boat or the gear. That’s the case with the Lifesling in the cockpit of Two Lucky Fish. I think I know where it should be, but I don’t want it to collect water, I don’t want to drill any holes, and I want to be able to remove it if it’s in the way.

In this case, I had to design a cheap, secure mount that I could make on my own. This is one of those oddball little projects where it’s virtually impossible even to describe the situation to anybody who isn’t standing right there looking at it with you. The picture clarifies the problem, hopefully, and the solution.

Components include some 1/4-inch scrap Delrin-type polymer, some 1/2-inch strips of 1/16th-inch stainless steel sheet, some tiny blocks of leftover PVC trim board, screws, and zip-ties. Obviously, it’s helpful to have access to a plastic store and a metal store, both of which I highly recommend for do-it-yourself projects at all levels.

This project was simple to execute, but it took a long time to figure out a design that I could accomplish easily. Drilling into stainless steel ruins drill bits fast, so I wasn’t happy with any design that required six or more holes. In the end, I only had to drill two holes in the metal. I minimized the amount of metal drilling by cutting slots into the edges of the stainless strapping with a grinder on the Dremel tool. The zip-ties seat into these slots, so the plastic and the metal are fixed firmly together. Firmly enough, anyway, and sometimes that’s the trick: How sloppy can it be and still work?

Even if all you own is a drill, a hacksaw, pliers, and screwdrivers, you can often come up with perfectly serviceable mounts and brackets for gear you want to install on your boat. And have I mentioned stainless steel bailing wire yet?

In the interest of full disclosure, of course, I should mention that fabrication projects can involve a lot of shopping, and a lot of frustration, and sometimes the end result is still unsatisfactory. But I find even the so-called failures to be rewarding. If nothing else, I learn a lot along the way.

Good luck, and remember to take pictures so you can share your successes (and, if you dare, your failures) with your fellow boaters!

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!