Best idea under $20

A quick and cheap idea I have used on several boats over the years: make a very small compact tool kit to keep handy so you don't have to dig out the big tool box for simple jobs. I keep a 6 in 1 screwdriver, small pliers, and small cresent wrench in a small tool roll. All the other tools are in a larger box which is usually buried somewhere, but I keep the tool roll handy. I seldom boat all day without using it for something.

Another simple idea that has worked for me: The canvas snaps that are attached to the hull are usually pop-riveted to the fiberglass with aluminum rivets. Those is areas that get a lot of salt-water exposure tend to corrode and become loose after a couple of years. I have started filling the center of the snap with clear marine silicone. This will help seal the rivet and doesn't interfere with the operation of the snap.
 
Elcheapo Folding "Stadium Seats" from anywhere "Costco, Sams, Wallmart! Best thing for comfort; They let your butt breath on the hot-days and gives your hands/arms some support not found in the stock fold-down seats.
Just plop-em on your seat and go-like-hell ... (poof :bat :wink )
 
For about $5 plus tax you can get two male hose ends, 10' of clear tubing and a cheap nozzle. (page 3 in album) Not sure about other engines, probably all the same. On my yamaha hook this hose to the fresh water rinse and enjoy a warm shower. Want hotter water? Run the boat faster. :thup

There is one advantage of twins. Hook in a "Y" splitter to both engines and double the water pressure. :mrgreen: Not recommended for use with auto-pilot...
 
Chris-

Ingenious! Makes me wonder how many other "right under your nose" possibilities there are undiscovered in these boats!!! Joe.
 
Joe, I wanted to tap into that water source for a very long time. One day the :idea came on.

For a poor man's anti-theft for about $2 see the C-curity thread under documents...
 
Chris, your hot water shower tap verges on brilliance. However, we have twin Honda 40s and a quick check confirmed our washout connection is but a small (perhaps 3/8") threaded plug located down near the anti-cavitation plate. First off, it would be somewhat of a bugger to access and second, I wonder how big a stream I'd get out of such a small port. Anyone have any thoughts?
Al
 
Moose, sorry I can't help with the Hondas as I have never seen one up close. I do know that it can be done with some clear thinking. As BC noted check the water sensor fitting as a start. Or any water line under the cover. I mounted a water flow valve on the end of the hose just in case. I found one on the end of my wand/brush that I use to wash the boat and truck. Never have hooked the garden hose to that thing.

Naturally you don't want to bleed more water than needed to keep the engine cool. When I open my valve on full the pee stream just BARELY lightens up at idle. Not enough to matter. But be careful anyway. The water flow will never be all that impressive but unlike a bag shower the water source is basically unlimited and always ready to use. Day or night. Cloudy or clear sky's. While anchored or on the move....

I assumed all outboards used a similar setup for fresh water rinse but I guess not. Can't believe Red Fox hasn't pointed out the Yamaha fresh water rinse design. :mrgreen: :thup It is basically a female hose connection mounted to a fixed male solid plug just below the engine cover on the front of the engine by the fuel inlet. Kicker is the same. My fresh water rinse nozzle on the boat has threads on the nozzle end. I screw this into the female connection and can rinse the engine anywhere at any time. On the trailer or off. Even at sea. RF says the yammi is a real marine design. I guess this is one of the indicators.
 
Chris

Well at least we can now say that the new Yamaha motors come with a hot shower (attachment)!

I assume (???) this can be said of the other brands too??? Joe.
 
I think tapping in under the engine cover would be the cleanest way to go, if in fact it can be done on a Honda. I mentioned this idea to my mechanically-inclined neighbor this morning and when we get some time, he promised to help me look for an appropriate spot. I wouldn't think it would matter how much water one stole from the hot side of the loop since it's already done its job in cooling and is then just waste heat.
Again, this is brilliant!!!
Al
 
C-WEED":3ku0kvyp said:
Can't believe Red Fox hasn't pointed out the Yamaha fresh water rinse design. :mrgreen: :thup
Click to expand...

I like it :!: :!: :idea: :thup alright, but I ain't ever in fresh water, unless I go up one of the Sounds streams here that are large enough to do that... there ain't too-awful-many out there to do that in... I spoze brackish water is ok... :| And I gotta try this!! The ports are super-duper easy to access on both my Yami's (kicker and main) :thup

I'ma-bettin that water is not too-awfully-warm either :?: :? I'll let ya'll know next time I head out to the great big "cop shop" :lol: daoh... I mean the Prince William Sound ( :crook )
 
If you read the link B~C posted on pg 1 all the way (it goes 3 pages) they talk about Hondas being shipped with a very cool thermostate to prevent overheating in the hot regions. Since they don't know where an engine will end up. The colder climate folks drop in a hotter thermostate. Not only for hot water for hand washing while fishing but to prevent fuel blow-by past the piston rings. One pic on a Honda kicker shows 120*F. I don't know how hot the water will get as I have just played with it in the yard and not launched since making the hose. But the water temps here are very warm. Don't have a maintenance manual and can't say what temp thermostat the yamahas ship with. Anybody else know?
 
Don-

One could easily design and build a simple heat exchanger and transfer the heat from the salt water to fresh water drawn from the fresh water tank. All you'd have to do is place two copper tubes next to each other, embed them in lead (or some other suitable heat transfer material) inside of a larger pipe, then surround this with heat insulation material.

My older Cruiser ('(87) has an electric pump on the fresh water supply rather than the foot pump, which would power the fresh water side easily. This type of pump is about $25 and available at any chandlery.

The tube at the side of the motor where it leads to the flush fitting could be tapped into with a "T" and a valve to provide a permanent tap. Lead this to the heat exchanger and provide an exit tube for the waste water. The system could be designed with a couple of extra valves to allow showering with the engine water and rinsing with tank water.

Don't forget to turn on the bilge pump! Soap anyone? Joe.
 
could be handy on a boat??? got caught 50-60 miles in the bush used "liquid metal" out of a tube to repair gas tank .... as a rule things in small tubes glue, and the like, only work once than the lid never comes off or dosn't work to well at all .... this patch lasted for years ... let the patch cure for a few days before replaceing tank .... wc
 
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