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Hi 40 I use a Garmin 52 this is a stand alone the airial is a little dome not much bigger than a shoe polish tin this is was the cheapest way i could find it has a man overboard button plus other features the unit on the dash is about 6 inches square.John

If only people took the trouble to grease the treads and bolts before assembly, AND this includes the manufactures, bolts, nuts would not corroid then snap of when someone unscrews them. I have always insisted my people always did this, it only takes minutes BUT i think it comes to be that it will be someone else's problem.John

I have always taken it that there is no access ie (private land) on left hand side but you can walk to Somerleyton along river bank on the right hand side, this is looking from river.John

I f people that have indulged in the Three Man Lift are sacked we would lose 50% of the armed services,it's a harmless prank practiced by groups of men when beer is involved. John

They look good but it looks like a 100 amp is £300 plus adapter plus vat against lead acid at £ 57=00 your choice John

Hi Wyndham i would suggest you replace your split pin it is incorrectly fitted the ends should be bent around the nut left for one tail and right hand for other your pin is sticking out in the oncoming flow and could pick up weed and bend it straight or break it of. easy to do while its out. John

You could try one of these they work very well in reverse but still kick the stern with a quick burst on throttle

Hi For those that might be interested on the correct way to join batteries in the MOST balanced way. John

As in most cases the system you have be fitted by yourself or inherited is cost.There is not a perfect system for every body.In my case i have shore power that goes to a panel that tells me if polarity is correct it then goes to a r c d then to three m c b one for immersion heater one for Sterling Combo the other one to circuits in kitchen for toaster, kettle,,plus spare sockets. The inverta/combo then then goes to 12v mcbs for cooker, hob ,tv, dvd,pumps, lights, central heating ect. My fridge runs on ac shore power it then switches automatically to 12v when shore power disconnects.I have two alternators 180 and 65 connected to a Sterling alternator/charger that looks after both banks with max charging accomplished as i sail along. I have a 12v dc generator of 140 amps to charge batteries if moored for any length of time, i chose dc as it more efficient than a ac generator of 6 kwh then use a 12v charger of perhaps only 60 amps. I have a 120 w solar panel to maintain batteries when moored permanently so i don't have to rely on shore power and its free. I find this works for me without much input from me and is to all intention does it all automatically accomplished. Not everybody would go to these lengths or cost but big boys have big toys and i enjoyed building it.John

Hi Philosophical I just bet you wish you had, you would end up better of than midas a boat for every day of the week and world fame. John

Hi Philosophical I think you meant to say that when the shore power dropped out the inverta automatically switches on to provide ac as a combo doe's, for say the tv, hence my suggesting that not all power points should be on the same circuit.a bit difficult to power a battery charger from the same battery power that it is running it.it wouldn't be a good idea to run a immersion heater from the inverter without running the engine which would heat the water anyway. but you would use it on shore power with perhaps a electric blankets, fan heater ect. John

It is good practice to have the shore power ac sockets on a seperate circuit to the inverter circuit then if the shore power drops out,card runs out, you then wont run the battery's flat by the inverta wich will switch over automatically without you being aware of shore power dropping out, sod's law will make this happen at night. and of cause then the two can't interact and implode accidently . John

Thank you Vanessan, yes. John

Hi Robin All battery banks should only be wired as your option two, if you wire as in option one you only use the first battery which will have a shorter life. if four or more batteries are used as one bank there is another way of connecting them it is as option two but doubled, i have a diagram filled some where, by having the pos and neg leads on different batteries make them work as one there for more capacity and longer life your inverta should have a seperate on/off switch otherwise it will use a small amount of current to power it self,don't use any electrical equipment that has diode lights on it they will burnout you can only use analog on quasi inverters you need a pure sine wave inverter for diode equipmentor or any equipment that has a thyristor control ie more up market microwaves and dvd players. Oh and a microwave uses twice the power that its rated for .John

There are two ways to alter charging rate of a alternator one you solder a wire to brush box before regulator this would invalidate your warranty if any. cant be done on some later alternators or 2nd way is to run + cable to a box that fools regulator into charging its maximum,Sterling do one that you can connect two alternators together for even more power,this does not invalidate any warranty as it doesn't interfere with unit,it's also very easy to connect no soldering or removable of unit Bth units check temp of battery bank and adjust charging accordingly to not overheat batteries they also adjust charging rate for different types of battery, you can reduce topping up of cells by using the next lower charing rate. The rule of thumb is one v belt will run max 43 amps one serrated belt will run 65 amps twin belts which have to be matched pair 75 amps single flat ribbed starts with five groves 120 amps 7 or more groves 200 amps, to much tension on belt will wear front crank pulley. John

Goodchilds is F A M E free ie no bio less chance of diesel bug John

CrisB I would like to purchase the 10kg mud weight please John