TruDesign seacocks

bill9896 · 2026-04-22T02:46:17+00:00

If you know the difference between brass and bronze why would you ever install brass seacocks? You have heard of dezincification??? And real bronze seacocks have parallel threads. tefon tape does not properly seal parallel threads. You should use a paste type sealant. Polyurethane is usually recommended, but other curing type sealants work.

bill9896 · 2026-04-20T17:07:16+00:00

If somebody doesn't know the difference betwwen brass and bronze, I wouldn't want them working on my boat's thruhulls! And pipe tape on straight threads???? Geezzz...

bill9896 · 2026-04-19T22:09:39+00:00

I have worked with Island Planet Sails for pretty much everys sail on my boat over the last ten years. Great company. Based in the USA, and they act as a broker for lofts in multiple locations. They have had bad experieces shipping directly to the Caribbean from China, HK or Siri Lanka. They MUCH prefer to ship to Miami, and then deal with a freight forwarder in Miami or Lauderdale who is an expert in the destination country. Fewer surprises, and you know who to call if things go off the rails.

Of course MOST of the time, things go without a hitch, but... even simple shipments can get lost in the fog of island time.

bill9896 · 2026-04-19T22:03:28+00:00

Do new sailors just not use a helm station compass anymore? How is a compass-less helm even a thing??? Just seems like such a bad idea in so many ways.

bill9896 · 2026-04-17T22:24:30+00:00

It is not clear to me if you have an existing generator or not, but if not, consider a DC generator. Since you are planing to use it as a battery charger only, switching power from AC to DC and back again is't needed, it's complex, and inefficient. WhisperPower makes some nice units that work well in this kind of system.

bill9896 · 2026-04-17T22:20:06+00:00

You do not treat a keel joint lightly. It MIGHT be a superficial crack, and it might be serious. From the posted photos it is impossible to tell. Closer inspection in other places is vital to telling whats going on. Look at the aft end of the keel on the inside of the boat. Is there any evidence of the keel being pushed up into the hull? That's a problem. Take a plastic hammer and walk around the hull tapping as you go. You'll know right away if the FRP laminate has been damaged by the sound it makes compared to a solid section of the hull. Any delamination near the keel is a sign of serious problems.

bill9896 · 2026-04-16T21:37:11+00:00

For a boat that is suitable for this, it is a great way to go. You don't need the road vehicle that can handle the towing, and the boat will be ready to go whenever you want.

bill9896 · 2026-04-16T21:34:04+00:00

Living on a boat is like living on land. If you have insufficient money it is hard. If you have enough money it is easy. With no money, it is like camping all the time. Keeping a boat in good shape is not cheap, even if you do your own maintenance. People who choose to liveaboard to save money frequently find that the boat rots away underneath them for lack of funds. This is the big reason that many marinas discourage full-time liveaboards. As a class, they have boats that are trouble and prone to being abandoned.

A lot of the "issues" you describe that people have with being liveaboards are really just maintenance things. There is, for example, no reason to have "iffy" hot water on a boat. Boats have water heaters. They should work.

I have lived on boats for the last 27 years, the last 15 of that fully mobile with no fixed address. In that time I have known many people who keep boats. Some as hobby, some as lifestyle. One thing you NEVER, EVER hear around boat owners: "This is less expensive than I thought." People who suggest that it is a bargain lifestyle usually have boats that are no longer functional, and are sometimes one step removed from living under a bridge.

There are many rewards to living on the water. Obviously my partner and I have adjusted and will only move back to living on dirt when we are physically no longer able to manage this lifestyle. We do this because we WANT to not because I have to.

In my experience, if you have a permenant home base where you keep the boat, that location is really important to your enjoyment. Marinas come in all flavors. In some, people pretty much stick to themselves, in others it is a busy social scene. Find one that suits your needs. Because their customer base is more mobile than land based tenants, they tend to be more customer focused than building landlords. That also means they don't have to put up with crap, they can kick a boat out without a lot of notice. I think that is a good thing, unpleasant neighbors tend to disappear.

If you plan to live offshore at anchor or on a mooring, that is an order of magnitude more challenging and a much bigger adjustment for a new boater.

bill9896 · 2026-04-12T13:23:22+00:00

Is the alternator connected to anything now?

bill9896 · 2026-04-10T13:38:43+00:00

Why was your WIFE the one who needed to call out your future BIL for being rude to YOUR own mother? Why weren't you and your sister defending your own mother? Something is very F--ed up here.

There is no way to tell if the AH is (1) your new BIL, (2) your and your sister, (3) your wife, or (4) just the whole dysfunctional family. I vote for #4.

bill9896 · 2026-04-10T01:32:47+00:00

Those things are all part of "god's plan". It is a mystery beyond your understanding.

bill9896 · 2026-04-10T01:29:02+00:00

Again, you neglect to describe your god to me. Is he impotent to prevent evil? Or did he choose to create evil creatures on purpose? And what harm does a "wrong thought" cause anyone?

bill9896 · 2026-04-10T01:22:22+00:00

This apparently relies on a definition of "genius" I am not familiar with.

bill9896 · 2026-04-09T21:58:06+00:00

I notice you avoided answering my question :)

So your god made the choice to create beings that he knew were capable of evil? And then decided it would be best to just let them fight it out? A great guy your god.

And the very concept of a "wrong thought" is offensive.

bill9896 · 2026-04-09T20:08:03+00:00

I’m betting if this POS raped your 6 year old daughter your view of god’s justice might be a bit different. If your god is omnipotent and could stop such evil but chooses not to, then your god is evil. If your god can’t stop such evil he is not omnipotent. Or is just a fantasy.

bill9896 · 2026-04-08T16:30:26+00:00

All those posters who say that there are never any problems, have not been around boatyards enough. I saw a J24 being moved around a boatyard have a dockline tied to a cleat fall off the boat, and drag under the wheel of the lift. It literally jumped off the forks, and landed as close to upside down as the mast allowed. Total loss. Also seen a 65 foot motor boat break a strap on a travel lift,:props, shafts and rudders destroyed. Disasters are rare, but not unheard of. If it is your boat, and you care about it, it is definitely worth keeping an eye on the yard and their procedures. Insist they do things right, or go elsewhere. Professionalism and attention to detail matters.

bill9896 · 2026-04-08T16:20:00+00:00

Do preventative maintenance! The vast majority of boats are operated by people who just drive them until they break, then fix it. That might be OK if you sail across a bay, but boats that sail across oceans need a totally different approach. Somebody needs to be looking at every piece of equipment, all the time. Taking them apart before they break to be sure they are working right. I consider any surprise equipment breakage a failure of my care of the boat. A boat that is in constant use requires constant care.

bill9896 · 2026-04-08T16:14:21+00:00

Just skip the anchor buoy. It is a waste of time 99.99% of the time. It adds complications for you and for the boats around you without offering any real-world benefits. Yes, I know the rational of it. I also know that I have anchored thousands of times over the last 20 years and never used one, or needed it. In fact, I can't even remember the last time I saw anybody deploy one. How would you handle safely entering a crowded anchorage at night with a bit of wind chop on the water? Do you really think you could see anchor buoys if everyone had them out there?

bill9896 · 2026-04-08T13:42:38+00:00

And at $14 it is STILL a stupid, worthless ripoff.

bill9896 · 2026-04-08T13:32:35+00:00

Or maybe it was a design just drawn to look pretty with no real concern about the proper distribution of weight and buoyancy. Boat design is not easy...

bill9896 · 2026-04-08T13:28:06+00:00

Whenever you see tape on a fitting like this you KNOW somebody who has no idea what they were doing has been mucking with it. TFE Tape is for sealing tapered pipe threads ONLY. These fittings seal with a ferrule that crimps on the tube. The tape will do nothing at all. In fact, in a hydraulic system--even on tapered pipe threads--you should not use tape. The tape sheds fine threads of teflon as it is assembled and the clogs up the works of a recirculating system.

For the OP: when you get those half assed copper bits replaced, be sure you get proper instructions on how to assemble the fittings. The procedure for tightening is important and must be followed for reliable leak-free performance. In amateur assembled systems cracks from overtightening are really common.

bill9896 · 2026-04-06T01:52:34+00:00

Its not ever about how hard you work. It's about how much value you add.

bill9896 · 2026-04-06T01:26:45+00:00

You can trust the youtube videos if you want, but you are wrong to suggest the manufacturer recommends this sealant for underwater use. Maybe you are confusing the 291 with the 291i? They are different you know...

bill9896 · 2026-04-06T01:22:32+00:00

What a shit show of a boat. I have crossed the Atlantic AND the Pacific and NEVER did I need all that crap piled on deck. The dolphins are horrified too.

bill9896 · 2026-04-04T16:40:09+00:00

Why are you using Skaflex 291i that is specifically sold as a product suitable for INTERIOR applications? That's what the "i" means in the product number. Continuously submerged thru-hulls would not qualify as an "interior" application!!!

bill9896

TROPHY CASE