Back to the main site

Handy hints, gadgets, products, gizmos & ideas...

prd2hnt

prd2hnt

Well-Known Member
Messages
288
Reaction score
206
Location
Kennard, NE
I did a quick search and didn't find anything like this so I thought I would give it a shot. On another forum I frequent, RV.net, there is a huge topic that folks post handy hints etc. (see title) related to camping, RVing etc.. It's a very popular topic with tons of great ideas.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/17436377.cfm

There are many great topics here specific to ideas/projects but no general "clearing house" kind of topic.

We are still just covering the basics on our new 21 SLX. Ordered Bennington style domed letters. Finishing up the dual battery setup.

We got one of these for Christmas from some friends.

http://www.amazon.com/Tailgaterz-Tailgating-Tavern-Table-Graphite/dp/B00KJNLYFI

We haven't had a chance to use it on the boat yet, 18* here today.

I took the netting thing (technical term) out of the trunk of a buddies GM car and put it inside the changing area to have a place to keep stuff up off the floor and out of the way.

Is it spring yet?
 
Great idea. I'm going to pin this so it doesn't get buried in the thread.
 
I'm honored. Pinned and at the top no less.

If anyone is into camping/Rving, follow the link to RV.net. Great stuff over there.
 
prd2hnt said:
I'm honored. Pinned and at the top no less.

If anyone is into camping/Rving, follow the link to RV.net. Great stuff over there.
Click to expand...

I've been on that site since 2005, I think. I can't remember that far back. Great forum, though.
 
Spoiledrotten said:
I've been on that site since 2005, I think. I can't remember that far back. Great forum, though.
Click to expand...
Until they start talking diesels.............lots of blow hard arm chair techs who don't have a clue.
 
Here's something that works good for hanging up towels, swimsuits, etc. from the bimini frame.  They Velcro around the square tube, and if they're in the right spot you can leave them on when you fold up the top.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004CFWSHW?ref_=pd_ybh_9

51GlGUypirL.jpg
 
Since I make my own wine, I just ordered something new for our boat. Since we aren't allowed to have glass on the boat, the wine bottles are a no no, so I'm going to start "bottling" my wine in "bag in a box" bags. They hold 5L of wine each. Then I ran across these on Amazon, which will make the bags perfect on the boat. The new bags are coming in tomorrow, so I'll start that process, but now, I'll have some containers to hold the bags.

I also ordered another in somewhat of an aqua color for the whites.

  • Chills up to 5 liter wine bladder
  • easy to carry strap and handle
  • Well insulated for hours of chilling
  • Front flap with velcro for tightly securing spigot
  • Side pockets for storing items ie: cell phone, keys, sunglasses


 
Last edited by a moderator:
tcpip95 said:
This inflatable ice chest is awesome.  We'll anchor the boat, inflate our loungers, inflate this - but our our regular ice chest INSIDE of this one.
Click to expand...

Do you think it would hold a yeti 65 filled with ice and beverages. I'd estimate 50 to 60 lbs.
 
Rockie69 said:
Do you think it would hold a yeti 65 filled with ice and beverages. I'd estimate 50 to 60 lbs.
Click to expand...

Yes, I think so.  It's pretty honkin' big.  There's a lot of inflatable space.
 
We do the exact same thing that TCPIP does.  Been doing it for three years now.  Started with a different brand, but now use that exact floating cooler holder.  We use a 24-can AO cooler , and throw it in there.  It's smaller than the hole in the float, so it leaves plenty of room for trash and such.  It even has a zipper side pocket for things like a cigar lighter, wireless stereo remote, etc.. We anchor it with a small mushroom PWC anchor on a bungee dock line.  


Works great for relaxin' in the water...
 
If you go out in any large, open bodies of water (i.e. Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, etc), please do yourselves - and especially your loved ones - a tremendous favor: prepare a small ditch bag.


Inside your ditch bag, have these two items:


1. Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)


2. A handheld VHF radio


We have two of these bags set up for us.  Blondie wears hers in a dry bag attached to her PFD whenever she's out riding her PWC, like a backpack.  If she goes in the water, it goes with her.


When we're on the boat we have both bags readily available. If conditions dictate thst we need to don life jackets, these get attached to us.  When we filled out our SAR cards with NOAA, we put in "survivor has VHF radio and will be monitoring Channel 16"  When I was in USAF Survival School we practiced vectoring in helicopters to pick us up.  Sure was easier talking to them than trying to use gestures to communicate.  "Come left to your 10 O'clock" got you picked up much faster.


Even when we scuba dive, I rigged a cannister of 3" PVC pipe that allow me to carry a PLB and VHF inside it.  I strap it to my BCD alongside my tank, using two black nylon dog collars.  I put a 2 lb bean bag weight inside to make it slightly positively buoyant so that if it somehow separates, it will float to the surface.  I keep a set of channel locks in my BCD pocket if I have to open the cannister.  I seal it with a threaded end cap with teflon tape, and have gone down as deep as 100' with no problems.


222048-albums8856-picture86258.jpg



Looks like we just lost a family of four down here.  If you go in the water, it's very difficult to get rescued.  The currents are much stronger than you think and you can easily get separated from your boat.  Having this in a quick-grab bag that can be tethered to you will most likely get you back home to your loved ones.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Great info. Very sad. Been following on the news. I'm actually surprised they found 2 bodies so far in such a large search area. 
 
USCG called off the search today


From the report (and I'm going to continue to harp and advocate for PLBs and VHF):


"The boat was outfitted with many of the tools necessary for the trip, but it lacked a VHF marine radio, which is more reliable than a cell phone, and an emergency position indicating radio beacon device, which allows rescue authorities to track the location of a vessel in distress, the Coast Guard said."


$500 could have saved this family.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
As a follow-up to my earlier posts about safety gear, here's a YouTube of some guys who got rescued by USCG because they had an EPIRB and activated it.  This is what it's like to get rescued.


NOTE: Language is NSFW


Boaters Rescued by USCG because of EPIRB
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Good video. Everything worked out perfectly for them. I missed what the cause of the sinking was. What did they hit to cause that hole?!?
 
BigKahuna said:
Good video. Everything worked out perfectly for them. I missed what the cause of the sinking was. What did they hit to cause that hole?!?
Click to expand...

I didn't see the hole.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Awesome video, thanks! Strange they were worried about taking a video, but I suppose it just shows they did the right thing and remained as calm as possible under the circumstances
 
Don't know, but it hit hard, and cracked the length of their hull.  We spent hours practicing vectoring in rescue helicopters in USAF Survival School.  Sure makes it a whole lot easier with an EPIRB/PLB.  As usual, Coasties did a great job.  I also found it interesting that the Good Sam fishing boat BACKED UP to them.  I would not have thought of doing that because of risk of props, but in reality it presents a much safer boarding profile. 
 
Here's more info on that rescue - directly from the boat captain:


This was on Charlestonfishing.com "I was the owner of the boat "Goin Deep" that capsized yesterday with the 4 man crew on board.There was nothing that was hit to cause the hull to crack. Just an unfortunate situation. We fished all day towards 226 hole sails were hot btw. Heading back in we pulled back to use the restroom went to get back on plane and knew there was a problem. Rushed everyone to the front of bow and got the boat on plane. Within seconds the boat started filling up from the back and within seconds it was rolled over. We had just enough time to grab life jackets and epirp we also threw the cooler out to incase boat sank right away but the current took it quickly. Thanks to a good crew and everybody on board knowing where everything was at because like I said it was all in seconds. Thanks for all help,prayers and concerns to all. God bless and be careful. Have your proper safety gear on board. You never know when things could go wrong!"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top