mhknott@home.com writes: >There is some question however, as to weather it sticks to running >gear >better in colder waters than in warm waters. It would seem logical >that it >would wash or "melt" off more quickly in warm waters. I'm thinking >of >giving it a try this season in the Chesapeake Bay. My guess is, >that it may >help for a while but would have to be reapplied. I've said this repeatedly, having tried both Desitin and Penaten Creme: Get Penaten Creme! Both products contain ZincOxide which critters and algae don't like - but -but: There is a huge difference in the stickiness. Desitin is soft (I believe Vaseline based) and will wash off fairly soon. Penaten is verrry sticky (I think it's Sheeps Wool Fat based) and will stay on your bottom parts much longer - just put some on your skin and try to get it off. It was designed to stay on squirmy hot little baby bottoms. Millions of European mothers will swear by Penaten Creme. Your props will love you for it... My 2 cents worth - George in Lake Ontario

zeekstah@ktc.com writes: >Now I'm really curious. I posted this question on 3/21 and there has >not >been a single response. Probably because no-one has even thought of it. I know people who spent hours polishing their props to a mirror finish. Why then worry about a little more or less slipperiness from Penaten (baby) creme? George of Scaramouche without barnacles

jh@sacbeemail.com writes: > I'm surprised there aren't more motorsailors There is a very simple reason: PRICE! A dock neighbour has a Fisher and he could have comfortably bought a sail boat and a motor boat for what he paid for the Fisher.... George of Scaramouche

Thataway@aol.com writes: >Yes we always had ice cubes! I always have ice cubes on my sailboat. That's how I keep my beer cold. Buy a bag of ice each day and stick in my old-fashioned ice box. Cost: about $ 2.-/day. Beats futzing with refrigeration units and is a lot cheaper... George of Scaramouche, mostly marina-hopping on inland lakes.

ague@iex.net writes: >Also never use grease, use soap to lubricate Beg to differ - my instructions say use white plumber's grease (Lubriplate) on the blades. This has the additional effect that until water gets into the pump, the impeller doesn't run dry and burn up. Have used white plumber's grease for decades on all kinds of impellers and pumps (not just boats) with excellent results - it's waterproof and doesn't deteriorate the rubber. ...and starry nights make me dream... George of Scaramouche

pjr@netsense.net writes: >I think it was Admiral Nelson that said-"the only cure for land >sickness is >to go to land!" I think he said: " the only cure for land-sickness is to go to sea!" ;-)

I think I've been reading a lot of "techno-babble" on this subject. I and most boaters are not interested in some esoteric formula to convert electric trolling motor performance to gasoline outboard performance. What we need is a reasonable approximation to a question like: " When I take my dinghy across the bay (ca 1 mile) with a 2 hp Yamaha and it does so in about 12 minutes (5 knots), then how many lbs thrust MinnKota (or the likes) do I need to get the same performance on the same dinghy on the same bay in the same weather?" Who can I ask that from? George of Scaramouche

rustynail@snet.net writes: >It seems to me that the Cruise and Carry is probably the most noisy >outboard >ever made! I beg to differ. According to my "friends" I hold that record with my 2 1/2 HP antique "British Seagull". (Perhaps they'll take up a collection to buy me a MinnKota?) Ciao - George of Scaramouche

capnrich31@home.com writes: >Will that be one pulse or two? >One pulse one is a two step charge? I suddenly remembered that in one of my earlier incarnations - before transistors replaced tubes - my college instructor said that it was better for a batterie charger to leave the raw D/C 'as-is' fresh out of the diode rather than smoothing the pulses with an R/C network. Supposedly this would "shake" up the plates and loosen deposits (sulphate?). Seems to me that these much talked about batterie pulsers are perhaps just that: unfiltered raw D/C fresh out of a half-wave rectifier? I don't have an oscilloscope anymore (my 453 retired along with it's owner some years ago), but perhaps someone on this list could hang a scope on the output of their rejuvenating pulser and tell me the frequency, waveshape and amplitude of these pulses. I'm almost willing to bet that a small ca 12 volt transformer with a 40H (or so) diode would do the trick. Obfuscatingly (just for Richard) - George of Scaramouche

blewis@oz.net writes: >As I indicated in a previous post, there is no cost benefit in >building >your own de-sulfator. Thanks for the info. Have no intention of building my own. Just old habit to always wanting to know how things work. Hmm resonant frequency of the lead-plates. Haven't heard that expression before but makes good sense. Now where is that variable tuning fork I once bought to do my daughter's piano.... :-) Actually I tried to buy a de-sulfator here in Toronto, but all I get is stares as in "which planet are you from?". I got a lead on a company in Winnipeg, Manitoba but they want $200 for one (that's the cost of two good deep-cycle batteries). No-one here has heard of either the tool or the chemical which was also discussed on this list. I will probably order a unit from the U.S. even though that irks me with our unfavourable exchange rate and high shipping cost and of course the hassle at Canada Customs. Thanks again for your advise - George of Scaramouche