What are you up to today

deafwish · **Posted:** Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:33 pm

Jdpber wrote:

ric wrote:

Ah, I see you installed dash mounted GPS also

You mean the compas

^^^ This guy! :lol:

ric · **Posted:** Wed Nov 19, 2014 11:34 pm

As an Orlando resident... Yeah it doesn't suck.

john55c · **Posted:** Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:16 am

deafwish wrote:

Fitted my new Clarion M303 yesterday:

That compass might get some decent interference from the wires and other electronics it is mounted very close to. Have you tested it?

ric · **Posted:** Thu Nov 20, 2014 8:59 am

john55c wrote:

That compass might get some decent interference from the wires and other electronics it is mounted very close to. Have you tested it?

Electromagnetic interference? Whoa slow down with your fancy talk we're just boaters here

ric · **Posted:** Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:02 am

Today? Got bored at my desk so went on American Express.com and got a green charge card. Why? IDK. I might start using it instead of my debit card for better protection. That's my idea at least. The showoff in me wanted the gold, but there's no dam difference except it costs more and I'm cheap.

LVChris · **Posted:** Thu Nov 20, 2014 2:23 pm

I just spent a few hours seriously looking at how I could decorate my boat to enter the parade of lights on our lake. Not sure if I can make it this year since it's in about two weeks...anyone here ever done this? Got a cool idea about running a light-o-rama controller but they look to be a couple hundred bucks just for the controller no lights. I'd rather spend that on the boat itself....Plus I'd need some way to power that?

deafwish · **Posted:** Thu Nov 20, 2014 3:03 pm

john55c wrote:

deafwish wrote:

Fitted my new Clarion M303 yesterday:

That compass might get some decent interference from the wires and other electronics it is mounted very close to. Have you tested it?

I have a Lowrance GPS Combo which navigates me perfectly.
There are mounting screw holes under the compass, which is why I haven't removed it!
p.s. It works great when we're anchored, so I can decipher wind direction. :wink:

ric · **Posted:** Thu Nov 20, 2014 3:08 pm

LVChris wrote:

I just spent a few hours seriously looking at how I could decorate my boat to enter the parade of lights on our lake. Not sure if I can make it this year since it's in about two weeks...anyone here ever done this? Got a cool idea about running a light-o-rama controller but they look to be a couple hundred bucks just for the controller no lights. I'd rather spend that on the boat itself....Plus I'd need some way to power that?

I do it every year for the last 4 years, at least two different parades each. I used dumb but animated "lightshow" LED lights only and a basic inverter powers it no problem. This year I am going with a Light-O-Rama CMB24 controller that I'll pre-program with my laptop. 5 meters of RGB chinese LED is around $15 shipped, and that board can control 8 LED strips for $120. I'll have the boat looking like a UFO for around $250.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Thu Nov 20, 2014 10:06 pm

Been doing som physics this evening calculating the gas strut force needed for the ski locker hatch along with the new engine hatch. I think I have a set of 60# struts in the shop. And the ply is 75# I'm estimating 5# cut off, 20# resin and glass added. 5-10 of foam and vyinal. So around 100 so let's call it 130 to be realistic and safe margin. So I'm thinking dual 60-80s would do the job. But I will not know till built.

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Thu Nov 20, 2014 10:43 pm

Jdpber wrote:

Been doing som physics this evening calculating the gas strut force needed for the ski locker hatch along with the new engine hatch. I think I have a set of 60# struts in the shop. And the ply is 75# I'm estimating 5# cut off, 20# resin and glass added. 5-10 of foam and vyinal. So around 100 so let's call it 130 to be realistic and safe margin. So I'm thinking dual 60-80s would do the job. But I will not know till built.

You have to be really careful with the angles and stuff when calculating the forces required. When the lid is down you typically have a very short moment arm and a lot of force in the horizontal direction. In some cases the gas spring could actually go over center and try to hold the lid down. That is not a bad thing in some cases. But when you are trying to lift 100#, getting the springs to help all the way (especially when it is down) is a big help.

Also, most inexpensive gas springs have a very wide tolerance on their force. I'd plan on them being as much as 20% lower than the stated force. Also, there is a wide range of damping that will affect how quickly your can raise the lid or how quickly it falls.

When you are trying to hold something that is 100# open while you work on an engine and if that something should fall on you it can do some real damage. Stabilus, Suspa and other gas spring suppliers have springs with locking mechanisms that may be a good idea to consider.

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Fri Nov 21, 2014 2:07 am

Been looking at the foot and a half of snow on my boat and regretting not taking her out one last time on Veterans Day, when it was 72 degrees. Now my thoughts turn towards next Thursday and the huge 24 pounder the fam will destroy. I love turkey.

fi.na.tine · **Posted:** Fri Nov 21, 2014 4:25 am

I hear you. My buddy's boat had a mechanical issue that caused him to lose the last month of the season, and I could not put together enough time to go out during that time either. Regretting it now.

But no snow here now. Heck - it even warmed up to a balmy 46 degrees today. I might have also seen the sun a time or two.

joet · **Posted:** Fri Nov 21, 2014 6:49 am

ric wrote:

Today? Got bored at my desk so went on American Express.com and got a green charge card. Why? IDK. I might start using it instead of my debit card for better protection. That's my idea at least. The showoff in me wanted the gold, but there's no dam difference except it costs more and I'm cheap.

Why get a card that gives you 1% back but charges $95/year to use? Your first $9500/year in charges goes right back to them. I like that it has to be paid off every month, but with some self discipline you have that with any card.

There are plenty of other regular cards that offer some kind of reward that have no annual fee that to me would be better options.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:11 am

RotaryRacer wrote:

Jdpber wrote:

Been doing som physics this evening calculating the gas strut force needed for the ski locker hatch along with the new engine hatch. I think I have a set of 60# struts in the shop. And the ply is 75# I'm estimating 5# cut off, 20# resin and glass added. 5-10 of foam and vyinal. So around 100 so let's call it 130 to be realistic and safe margin. So I'm thinking dual 60-80s would do the job. But I will not know till built.

You have to be really careful with the angles and stuff when calculating the forces required. When the lid is down you typically have a very short moment arm and a lot of force in the horizontal direction. In some cases the gas spring could actually go over center and try to hold the lid down. That is not a bad thing in some cases. But when you are trying to lift 100#, getting the springs to help all the way (especially when it is down) is a big help.

Also, most inexpensive gas springs have a very wide tolerance on their force. I'd plan on them being as much as 20% lower than the stated force. Also, there is a wide range of damping that will affect how quickly your can raise the lid or how quickly it falls.

When you are trying to hold something that is 100# open while you work on an engine and if that something should fall on you it can do some real damage. Stabilus, Suspa and other gas spring suppliers have springs with locking mechanisms that may be a good idea to consider.

yea physics was on of my fav subjects in college. IF it was not for girls and fun i would be a mechanical engineer now. Laitly i have been thinking of going back to school for ME degree.

i have a source in state that i have used many times and he has some very dependable struts. We have been very pleased with the 50 or more that dad and i have purchased over the past 10 years.

AS FOR holding the weight up. YES the stability and strength of the strut to hold the weight is key.. And i will not know for sure until i put an actual scale under the hatch in place finished and find the true center mass force that it is producing. But i can ball park it fairly well and go over 15-20% as i have done. I will test with a set of struts that i have that were too strong for the last hatch and go from their. Those struts will most likely be my "Set Up" struts.

TODAY i am looking at strut mounts and choosing what i want for the ski locker. Clean and simple is the plan. I already have mounts for the rear hatch.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Nov 21, 2014 10:43 am

joet wrote:

ric wrote:

Today? Got bored at my desk so went on American Express.com and got a green charge card. Why? IDK. I might start using it instead of my debit card for better protection. That's my idea at least. The showoff in me wanted the gold, but there's no dam difference except it costs more and I'm cheap.

Why get a card that gives you 1% back but charges $95/year to use? Your first $9500/year in charges goes right back to them. I like that it has to be paid off every month, but with some self discipline you have that with any card.

There are plenty of other regular cards that offer some kind of reward that have no annual fee that to me would be better options.

Yeah, I have a Capital One Quicksilver is currently the best cash back card on the market, but it doesn't have the travel protection and stuff that Amex has. Amex also has some stellar offers if you pay attention to their website. Right now if you spend $15 at walmart.com you get $5 back. Spend $50 at Seasons 52, you get $10 back. $10 at Fedex, $5 back. Pretty sick deals actually, you just have to click on them in your account page. Also free Shoprunner subscription which gets free shipping from almost all online retailers now a day (including Domino's pizza lol). $95 a year? I'll save $95 in a month.

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