PDQ OWNERS FORUM

Nick & Barb, This can be a very involved question/answer! Your Nova Kool freezer/fridge is not the “ideal” unit, with it’s single compressor attempting to keep both compartments at proper temps, with minimal insulation thrown in. I’ve outlined some things I’ve done here: https://esc-pod.com/pdq-34-u...

Mac, I used a common 4”? pancake/computer fan from Amazon. In addition to 12 volts, I looked for one with ball bearings & the best rated/most expensive (they are so cheap, the cost difference is tiny). I hooked mine up to a terminal strip mounted below the fridge which powers my new digital thermost...

Mac - We store all of our lines in that locker.

John - Not sure what you mean. Are you asking why I drilled the hole at that location or why I mounted the fan from that side of the partition? If the latter, it just seemed easier.

A previous posting discussed this - due to the engine angle & ??, others (& now myself) have found that if you only fill to the mid-full mark on the dipstick, you may only rarely need to add oil. If I fill to the max, they seem to fairly quickly “burn” down to mid-full, then only a pint or so every ...

My fan is mounted 12” back. Of course, look carefully from behind & drill a tiny hole first to check for anything in the way. Mine is powered 24/7 as the power usage is tiny. I left off the inspection port cover between the port locker & the anchor chain locker. The hot, dry air travels thru the por...

Mac, I’ve done this upgrade. It’s a 25’ run from the breaker to below the fridge (it’s not practical to terminate 10 gauge wire at the fridge controller - terminate the 10 gauge wire at a new terminal strip below the fridge, then re-use the 14 gauge for the last few feet - leave extra so you can pul...

Don’t underestimate the voltage loss. Figuring 6 amps & 25’ (which it is - I replaced my wiring): Factory 14 AWG: 6.5% loss = 11.2 volts Replacement 10 AWG: 3.1% loss = 11.7 volts Granted, your battery will normally be well over 12 volts, but on the other hand, anchored out, our battery is usually o...

An alternative to Dry-Dek tiles is Hypervent Condensation Preventer. It’s normally used under bed mattresses to allow airflow. The cost is only $10/yd. for 39” wide & is 3/4” thick. I had some leftover from our mattresses. It has a fabric coating on one side which easily peels off, leaving only plas...

I finally got around to making a page on our blog with enhancements we've made to our PDQ 34: https://esc-pod.com/pdq-34-upgrades-modifications/ Some of these may give new PDQ owners ideas & some might have been "borrowed" from you! There is also a sub-page with improvements we've made to our Nova K...

Mac’s instructions were great, but (at least with my windows) you don’t have to remove the entire surround of window track - mine had a separate 3’ top piece which is all you need to remove to be able to lift the window panels out. Also, my new handles didn’t have the holes for the roll pins drilled...

Jim, Congrats on your PDQ purchase! We have done the same trip north to CT several times. I would agree to skip the Dismal Swamp if you just want to get north. The Dismal Swamp takes an extra day, between the locks & traveling in-line with sailboats at 6 knots. Depending on weather & your schedule y...

I replaced mine with a SeaSense Rubber Toggle Boot $3.00 from Amazon - it fit perfectly.

The old one just unscrews & the new one screws on, however if the entire switch starts to turn, you’ll have to hold it from behind, which you access by removing the toilet paper assembly & reaching up to hold.

Most likely ... it is the Ray Marine "rotary rudder reference" thingy, AKA rudder follower. It is located on the starboard side rudder & ours went bad on our 2006 PDQ last year with exactly the same symptoms. When it fails, the autopilot has no idea the position of the rudders, so it flips out. You ...

I now have a broken window latch as well. Did any of you order some from Pompanette & end up with an extra one (due to the minimum order amount)?

If so, I'd like to buy one from you.

Thanks.

As my previous post mentioned - I tried this, but mine started rusting again in a few months, so I ended up replacing them with Dyneema. But ... the big caution I didn't mention is to watch out for broken strands of SS after you strip off the vinyl! I had broken strands sticking out which will draw ...