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If you need a 9.9 "kicker" to fish on certain lakes I would go that route (1 large and one small outboard). If the issue is redundancy and safety, the small kicker will get you home as a well but at a lower speed. You can expect about 5mph out of 9hp which is a reasonable speed (faster than...

I know your problem exactly. I have had the same problem in my new 22' cruiser (I am 76). There are a number of cockpit step ladders available but I found that the width of the steps is too small when going in face forward. I have tried a number of different folding step stools and trying...

Yes, there is a lot of hype out there and some of these boats actually do make it to the market. All those fancy pictures of boats travelling at high speed under electric power don't show the downside. High speed requires a lot of power and this means very short travel distances. If you want...

I agree with Bob. It looks like the bracket is a folding one, so just keep it folded up until you need it. That way it will be out of the way. If you want to go electric you have basically two options. The largest electric trolling motor is the MinnKota 112 that will require a 36V battery...

Good question. I did a little research on line and found that freeze dried foods maintain most of their nutritional value. There are websites that sell a large variety of freeze dried meats, veggies and fruits. They are a bit pricey but will keep for 25 years. For myself and my wife, we...

P.S. Pretty much many of the parts for the treadle machines are still available; like the leather belts, hand cranks, bobbins, and the rubber wheel for the bobbin winder.

35 years ago I bought a 1929 Singer treadle sewing machine in an antique store and you might still find some working ones around. These are great for heavy duty sewing, and I have use it to sew sails for three sailboats and canopies for four boats. These machines have a mechanical drive rather...

The Kalakala was dismantled and bits and pieces sold off and some put in a museum. Here is her final story https://www.southsoundtalk.com/2017/03/ ... s-to-tell/

If you want to stick with Excel, one can still purchase Microsoft Office for a single computer for the life of the computer. You don't have to pay an annual fee as for 365. https://pcsalesonline.com/en/office-acc ... udent-2021.

In the early days of these batteries one could only buy the individual cells and I had to build a battery bank from scratch. My truck was running at 120 volts and my boats at 36. Between the two I had 44 kWh of storage.

I have been using LiFePO4 batteries as a primary source of power for 12 years and have not had any problems with them. I bought 40 180AH CALB cells in 2012 to power a small pick-up truck conversion I built, and used them for 8 years until the truck body gave out. I then transferred them into a...

I found an interesting you-tube video that might help you. In addition to what the video suggests, I recommend you also soak the shaft with WD-40, or preheat the wheel around the shaft with a hot gun (hair dryer). That will cause the metal to expand and help loosen the joint. Don't heat the...

If you are a heavy power user (say hot pot and electric cook stove, hot water heater) I would not plan on using solar power to provide your only source of power. A solar panel laying on a relatively flat surface (not oriented to the sun) will produce about 10 watts/ square foot. Thus, over a...

OK Don, Let's get into the weeds. Battery technology and chemistry is constantly changing so one needs to do a lot of research before using Lithium batteries for starting. If you are not willing to specifically match a certain battery with the outboard motor and its charging circuit, I would...

I agree that Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are the way to go for house power, and I have been using them as my main power source, and house power, for 12 years now. However there is one major issue with them: NEVER HOOK ONE UP DIRECTLY TO YOUR ALTERNATOR. Always use a separate DC - DC...

Yes the inflatable PFD's (personal floatation device) are more comfortable and most people use them (I do). However there is one aspect of their use that is different from the foam PFD's, and often forgotten. The "activation bobbin" has to be replaced every three years, or the PFD does not...

If you have the choice I would recommend having a separate lead acid deep cycle battery for the house loads and a starting battery for the motor. Charging can be from the alternator with a switch from one to the other. The other option is to charge the house battery from shore power and the...

When I first looked at the 22 ft cruiser I had the same concerns about the V-berth. I am 6'1" and have a bad back. Getting in and out of the berth was an issue for me, so when I ordered my cruiser from NMI, I had them modify the main cabin so I could put two berths in it. The port side berth...

Yes the data I report are based on using the two motor simultaneously. When I run at 5 mph I am putting 1 kW into each motor. Since each motor is rated at a maximum of 3kW I could potentially cruise at 5 mph by putting 2 kW into only one motor. I have not tried it but I expect that it would...

The summer is pretty much over for us and I have put WATT NOW "to bed" for the winter on its trailer. We spent a total 19 days on the water this summer of which 11 days were overnight. This has given me a good idea on how much electricity I use under a variety of conditions. With just my wife...