Electric Toilets Experts Talk About How to Make Your Own Dinghy Wheels

Your Electric Toilets Professionals Discuss the Ease of Making Dinghy Wheels For Little Cost

Raritan Engineering yourelectric toiletsdistributors would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding how to make your own dinghy wheels.

As refit projects keep us busy in the boatyard, we find ourselves rifling through back issues looking for buried do-it-yourself gems. This week's blast from the past is a real back saver.

For the do-it-yourself dinghy wheels, here's what you'll need:

One pair of lawn mower wheels, 8-inch diameter with axle, washers, and wheel caps. ($10 or less)

One pair of metal brackets to fasten axle to bottom of wood panel. ($3)

24 inches of rope, roughly a half-inch diameter; most any kind will do. ($1)

Wood glue. ($2)

One-quarter sheet of -inch plywood. Marine grade is best but not a must. (lumber yard surplus, $5)

A dozen self-tapping stainless screws, 2-inch length. ($2)

1.Cut two panels of wood, one 14-by-11.5 inches, the other 14-by-9 inches. Also cut three spacers, 14-by-9 inches each.

See your choice of electric toilet shere at Raritan Engineering, where we always take care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

2.Glue and screw one of the spacers to the larger of the two wood panels, making an L-shape. The screws should be started into the wood panel and enter the spacer.

3.Glue and screw the second smaller wood panel, only this time, start the screws into the spacer, and then enter the wood panel.

4.Screw the two axle brackets into place on the bottom spacer and fit the axle and wheels. Take one of the two remaining spacers, and glue and screw it directly onto the spacer already in place.

5.Then slip the entire device onto the transom of your dinghy to take a quick measurement. The wheels must not rub against the gunwale on the transom.

6.Drill two holes into the larger (outside) wood panel for the rope. Tie knots in both ends of the rope. This will provide a carrying handle and an easy way to slip the device onto the transom, if the dinghy is stored in a rack or the back of your SUV.

The Amphicar 770 Car + Boat = Major Fun

Everybody's still waiting for a flying car, but floating cars have been around f or a long time. The Amphicar 770 was the first mass-produced amphibious vehicle available. Between 1961 and 1968, the Quandt Group built about 4,000 Amphicars.

You might recall that the Quandt family is one of the wealthiest in Germany. At one point, the family portfolio consisted of 200 companies, including a 10 percent stake in Daimler-Benz and a 30 percent chunk of BMW.

Despite its German heritage, the Amphicar 770 is powered by a Triumph engine, from the Triumph Herald 1200. The 43hp inline four-cylinder mates to a custom land and water gearbox which was produced by Hermes. The transmission allowed the wheels and the propeller to either operate together, or independently.

On land, an Amphicar was said to be able to travel at 70 miles per hour, using the four-speed manual transmission. With the prop eng aged, it was capable of seven knots on the water. It doesn't feature a rudder, instead using the steering wheels to change direction on the water, as well.

The key to a floating car is obviously its ability to keep water out. The only openings to the water are the two doors, which are double-sealed.

There's no sound in this video, but it provides an excellent view of the car's seals and some action footage in the water.

As with most European products from the 1950s and 1960s, exports to the United States were critical. Of the 3,878 vehicles built, 3,046 came to the United States. Several things kept the Amphicar from continuing after 1968.

The most notable Amphicar owner was President Lyndon B. Johnson, who had one on his ranch in Texas. His assis tant, Joseph A. Califano, Jr. describes his first experience with the President's Amphicar at the National Parks Service's website:

The President, with Vicky McCammon[President Johnson's secretary]in the seat alongside him and me in the back, was now driving around in a small blue car with the top down. We reached a steep incline at the edge of the lake and the car started rolling rapidly toward the water. The President shouted, 'The brakes don't work!

Today, Amphicar owners are rabidly enthusiastic, participating in the International Amphicar Owner's Club's Swim-Ins around the country.The Taunton Daily Gazetterecently reported onLori Esters and Gerry O'Bara, who put their Amphicar in Taunton's Lake Sabbatia, as part of a profile on the WCVB-TV showChroniclein the coming weeks.

Keep in mind these pointers when making your own dinghy wheels. 1) Buy all the parts you are going to need; 2) make sure you have all of your tools ready; and 3) enjoy saving money!

Order your marine toilet partshere at Raritan Engineering. We are your #1 expert in marine sanitation supplies.

viaMake Your Own Dinghy Wheels

viaThe Amphicar 770 Car + Boat = Major Fun

Marine Water Heaters Specialists Share Ideas on Protecting Your Nonskid Boat Deck

Your Marine Water Heaters Distributors Discuss Extending the Life of Your Nonskid Deck

Raritan Engineeringyour marine water heaters professionals would like to share with you this week some great information regarding how to protect your nonskid deck.

As we found in our do-it-yourself nonskid testrevamping a nonskid deck is a time consuming project, one that you'd rather not have to repeat every few years.

Proper Application

Surface prep:We all know proper surface prep can make or break coatings applications, but it also directly affects the coating's service life. Always follow maker's recommendations.

Application: The surface must be clean and totally dry. After sanding, wipe it down with xylene, dewaxer, or acetone. Some paint makers warn against using solvents, so be sure whatever you wipe down with is compatible with the paint.

When it comes to using a paint and a nonskid additive, we recommend combining the mix-in and broadcast methods to get the most uniform grit pattern. Mix the nonskid additive with the paint, roll it on with a high-nap roller, and sift more aggregate on the paint while it's tacky; once the paint dries, you can brush off the excess and apply a second coat in the same manner.

Your Marine Water Heaters Experts Share Your Love Of Properly Maintaining a Nonskid Deck

Curing:Yourmarine water heatersspecialists talk about how to follow the maker's recommendation for dry time, and be sure to allow the paint to fully cure before subjecting it to foot traffic. This allows the paint to achieve maximum hardness, making it more abrasion resistant and longer lasting.

Mat Installation:I f you're installing a self-adhesive mat, application is a no-brainer. Just be sure it's where you want it before you stick it to the deck; contact adhesives don't allow the small wiggle adjustments that epoxies do in application.

Testers also learned a few application lessons the hard way when installing nonskid mats with two-part epoxy. The epoxy usually has about an hour of pot life before it becomes permanently stuck to whatever it's touching, so clean up any errant epoxy with a solvent as soon as possible.

Regular Maintenance

Boat bath:Nonskid paints and mats should be cleaned regularly to remove abrasive salt spray and dirt. Wash with standard, mild boat soapsor household cleaners and a soft- to medium-bristled brush.

Mold and Mildew:To prevent mold and mildew, you can lightly scrub the surface with an ammonia/detergent solution. To spot clean areas that are heavily soiled or show mildew, you'll likely need to step up to more aggressive cleaner.

Wax Not:While waxing can breathe new life into topside paint, the paint makers we talked to do not recommend waxing painted nonskid. Most nonskid paints and bead/powder additives have UV protection built in, and the paint formulas include UV absorbents, making waxing unnecessary.

Longevi ty expectations

Nonskid's life expectancy can vary based on type (paint vs. mats, and paint type), boat location (UV-saturated South Florida vs. overcast Seattle), and how it is cared for. The soft-foam mats we tested did not weather as well as more rugged mats like Treadmaster-nor did some one-part paints, but they can be freshened up with a little sanding and a recoat.

On Ocearch shark tagging boat, deck hand from Franklin is getting a taste for the shark world | Wildlife & Nature

In the midst of doldrums, D.J. Lettieri was a blur.

Thankless hours mashing dead fish into chum were broken up by runni ng errands filling the water coolers, dishing out snacks to crew and guests, tidying up lines and basic cleaning.

Lettieri is living the dream.

A 24-year-old Longwood University grad with a degree in environmental science the Southampton County native has his foot in the door of a research organization that's working to spread the word on the importance of sharks to the health of the ocean.

While he mostly does grunt work, he said he'sbenefiting greatly from rubbing shoulders with some of the top marine wildlife scientists in the country.

He doesn't mind being the crew's main deck hand as he learns.

I take care of the boat, he said. When we're not on expedition, I'll be painting, scrapin g, cleaning you know, boat stuff.

He never went saltwater fishing, but said he was fascinated by sharks from an early age.

Don't know what it was, he said.

After graduating from Longwood, he wasn't sure how he'd apply his degree to work until he saw that the Ocearch team was looking for people to work on the boat.

We're gypsies, he said. We were down off South Carolina the last expedition and now we're here in the mid-Atlantic. We'll be up in New York in a few weeks. It's great. What's not to like?

The anglers on this expedition were having significant trouble finding any cooperative sharks willing to take the big pieces of bonita, a member of the tuna family, being offered on large hook s.

Within minutes he was wrestling a 3-foot-long sharp-nosed shark, bringing it up to the stern before it bit through the line.

His catch broke the monotony of what had been an extremely quiet day on the boat.

This is what I want to do, he said, running back to the bow for another hook.

So don't forget these important tips for protecting your nonskid deck. 1) Always take time to prepare the surface; 2)After sanding, wipe it down with xylene, dewaxer, or acetone; and 3)While waxing can breathe new life into topside paint, the paint makers we talked to do not recommend waxing painted nonskid.

Click herefor more information regarding marine water heaters and see how Raritan Enginering always takes care of your marine sanitation supply needs.

viaPreserving Your Nonskid Deck

viaOn Ocearch shark tagging boat, deck hand from Franklin is getting a taste for the shark world