Search found 10 matches

by swithen
Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:40 am
Forum: PDQ Capella (PDQ 36) Forum
Topic: Cistern off of hardtop
Replies: 3
Views: 8095

Re: Cistern off of hardtop

We have collected rainwater from the gutters during many trips on Cadenza (Hull #51). You need to ensure that the gutters are clean, and we usually let some water run before we start collecting. We have hose fitted from both gutter holes and arranged so that it drains directly into the water tank op...
by swithen
Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:45 pm
Forum: Outboard Engines
Topic: Cable lengths for new 9.9s
Replies: 3
Views: 6627

Re: Cable lengths for new 9.9s

HI! I just installed the new smaller (212 cc) engines (without power tilt) and replaced the old 10’ and 14’ cables with new. The new (vastly improved) bracket fastening the cables to the engines required drilling new holes further back in the “hatches” behind the engines and cutting slots in the FG ...
by swithen
Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:28 pm
Forum: Outboard Engines
Topic: Yamaha T9.9 Cooling System
Replies: 14
Views: 36790

Re: Yamaha T9.9 Cooling System

Hi Chet I have looked into this issue in some detail. An old article suggested that the white solid is aluminum/magnesium oxide from corrosion of the engine but I have found this is incorrect. The solid is actually calcium carbonate. Sea water is saturated with calcium carbonate and it turns out to ...
by swithen
Wed Jan 20, 2010 3:50 pm
Forum: PDQ Capella (PDQ 36) Forum
Topic: Wall oven in life jacket locker
Replies: 9
Views: 13391

Re: Wall oven in life jacket locker

Oven looks great! But our locker gets too wet to store anything in, life jackets, cat litter, weasels or anything else. The only thing it's good for is plastic containers.

Colin & Ruth on Cadenza 36051
by swithen
Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:23 pm
Forum: Outboard Engines
Topic: water circulation 9.9 block
Replies: 15
Views: 22514

Re: water circulation 9.9 block

Chet, Chris: I agree with Terry on the muriatic acid issue and do not recommend it for cleaning cooling passages on outboards. It may work if very dilute, but why risk it when vinegar works. There may be other acids out there which have advantages over vinegar (oxalic, sulphamic acid) but I don't wa...
by swithen
Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:44 am
Forum: Outboard Engines
Topic: water circulation 9.9 block
Replies: 15
Views: 22514

Re: water circulation 9.9 block

Chris In response to your questions (probably more than you wanted to know!): 1. We used the vinegar directly out of the bottles from Costco without dilution. I did some preliminary experiments with calcium carbonate sand (oolitic limestone/Aragonite) I brought back from the beach on South Warderick...
by swithen
Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:45 am
Forum: Outboard Engines
Topic: water circulation 9.9 block
Replies: 15
Views: 22514

Re: water circulation 9.9 block

With Cadenza out of the water, I cleaned the calcium carbonate from ALL the water passages by immersing the lower unit (prop. removed) in a 40 gal plastic (trash) container filled with vinegar, then running the engine for 15- 20 mins. until the vinegar became warm. This was followed by thorough flus...
by swithen
Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:09 am
Forum: PDQ General Forum
Topic: leaving the bahamas
Replies: 11
Views: 13671

Re: leaving the bahamas

We have sailed to the Virgin Islands from Norfolk via Bermuda with Kia Orana (9 1/2 days), then back alone via Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (meeting other PDQ36's en route), then Mexico/Belize/Rio Dulce (where we met Ed on Tranquility) and back . We really don't have much to add to Ed's ex...
by swithen
Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:30 am
Forum: PDQ General Forum
Topic: DUX Catamaran Inflatable Dinghies
Replies: 4
Views: 7178

Re: DUX Catamaran Inflatable Dinghies

We bought a DUXBOAT, "Ducky", last October and used it in the Bahamas last winter. It is 9'6" long and fits nicely between the hulls on a PDQ36. Its outstanding feature is its stability which is great for carrying out kedge anchors (yes, we go aground) or just boarding. It tracks well...
by swithen
Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:55 am
Forum: POA Membership
Topic: New email address for Swithenbanks
Replies: 0
Views: 10029

New email address for Swithenbanks

To all our PDQ friends - we now have a new e-mail address, having finally switched to broadband. It is swithen@baybroadband.net. I have e-mailed personally as many of our cruising buddies as I could, but there are some I was unable to reach or whose e-mail addresses have changed. We had a wonderful ...