Your Best Addition/Modification

[JLR]

Although it is only the beginning of August, my summer cruising season is mostly over so I am getting a bit nervous about lining up winter projects. Heck, if I have nothing left to do or add to my boat(s), it is time to start looking for new ones which I do not want to do. So, I thought I might start a thread asking our members to list their three best additions/or modifications so that we can all share ideas of projects worth considering. They need not be big or expensive, but rather of value to you as the boat owner/captain. Starting first, and in no particular order, my three best additions or modifications are as follows:

1. on the 56 - adding a valve in the engine room so I can fill my water tank from dockside water with just the throw of a valve handle.

2. on the 56 and 43 - full time, internet viewable, motion sensitive, closed circuit cameras to monitor the boat when I am at my desk or when on the road as well as in the engine rooms to monitor my mechanical gauges from all stations.

3. on the 43 - defying tradition, and adding two pedestal mounted fighting chairs for seating (used 90 of time for recreational seating and 10% of time for fishing).

I hope we can share some ideas, beyond just tips and tricks, and improve our enjoyment of our boats. All ideas are welcomed. Thanks

 

[MikeP]

So much of this is based on personal opinion/how you use the boat. If I had to pick one item that made the biggest "improvement" for the way we use the boat it would probably be the Outback 3232 inverter/charger.

As an example of "good for you, no use to me" would be the shore water/tank connection to allow filling the tank. We never connect directly to shore water, only use tank water. So there's an item that is excellent for one operator but not to another.

Another item - more of an epiphany than anything else - Ipad for marine nav. IMO works better/faster/easier than our Garmin units and automatically downloads current charts. Dedicated marine nav units are (again, IMO) obsolete. I now use the Garmins just to display radar data and the Ipad to do all the nav stuff.

 

[eze2bme]

The best thing I ever added was replacing the aft deck Isenglas with a hard enclosure. Second was the Marquipt type Tide Rider boarding steps. And third was the Boji water softener between dock water hose bib and boat connection.

 

[GJH]

Agree with Mike a lot of it is personal style and use of the boat. Given that we cruise and anchor out a lot, mine are:

• fresh and salt water wash down outlets at the bow, and a fresh water on the aft deck
• a Water Counter to monitor exact usage from the tank
• Magnum inverter system with dedicated bank, Battery Monitor and Automatic Generator Start
• added a RAM mike from the lower VHF to the flying bridge helm, giving two radio functionality up there
• installed a Furuno RD30 at bedside
• Dive 'N Dog Swim Stairs

Not cruising related, but some of those "glad I did it"s:

• 32volt oil change pump
• spin on secondary fuel filters
• got rid of carpet on stairs and refinished w/afromosia
• second 32-12 volt converter, on flying bridge
• switching to Ultra Pumpswitches for the bilge pumps

Other than the inverter system, all of the above were less than half a Boat Unit including professional labor where occasionally used.

I also consistently thank the PO for putting EZ2CY panels across the rear aft deck, great stuff and a canvas guy in FTL recommending a system by which we can pin the center panel to the ceiling. Also same PO for putting the little bullet ceiling fan back there, and adding a shallow well fresh water pump,and the block heaters especially, all very nice enhancements.

Ditto, a prior PO for replacing the OEM ladder with a very nice wooden staircase to the flying bridge; fantastic lifestyle enhancing modification. Also, whoever installed the mechanical gauges and start/stop buttons in the ERs along with the fluorescent lighting there and the generator room.

 

[MarioG]

This years improvments (in my oppinion) to our boat were:
1. installed a modified domestic air conditioning unit to the salon. (works and looks great)
2. installed a water maker.
3. installed a custom made, permanet bimini top to the aft deck overhang/ boat deck.
4. installed new enclosures on the bridge as well as the aft deck.
5. replaced hoist lift cable to stainless steel

Last years improvements were:
1. re did master room from two double berths to a centerline queen and new cabenetry.
2. installed a new washer/dryer combo

On my to do list are:
1. cockpit door
2. fuel polishing system
3. convert interior lights to LED lighting
4. major full body wax job. (the boat, not me)

 

[jim rosenthal]

A very good idea for a thread, kudos to the originator on this one.

Things I've done that have made Blue Note much more user-friendly:

-conversion of V-berth to offset double, with cabinets where other side used to be.
-digital AC controls retrofit to old CruiseAires- can't say enough good about these.
-turbo boost and pyrometer gauges.
-fuel filtration systems from Tony Athens (used Fleetguard filters)
-Tony's crankcase breather systems instead of CCVs.
-modify DC system to one house bank and one starting bank, and put the house bank out under the deck.


Some other products I've been very happy with:

-Groco fresh water system pump- I have what I think is called the SPO-80 system, which is completely rebuildable and has been very reliable. More than enough flow and pressure.
-Groco ARG strainers.
-Xantrex battery charge monitoring system- actually Xantrex as a company kind of sucks, but the idea of a battery monitoring system was a good one.

And finally... Fortress anchors, which saved the life of my previous boat, and maybe mine, too, since I was on it at the time, and which I continue to swear by.

 

[sgharford]

Adding St Croix dinghy davits to swim platform, along with 10' inflatable dinghy and 15 HP to hang from it. I've done full Garmin electronics install, 4 zone stereo system, 2000W inverter, windlass, battery chargers, rebuilt most of main's and generator, 160 amp alternators, smart voltage regulators, gauges, cables, soft goods, etc; but the dink tagging along is by far most enjoyed. Fun to be able to anchor freely and get to the local town dock or beach with minimum effort. It's only a 3' drop straight down to launch or retrieve, about 2 minutes total.

 

[34Hatt]

1) Repowering with 330b Cummings

2)Repowering with 330b Cummings

3)Repowering with 330b Cummings

 

[yachtsmanbill]

1) Repowering with 330b Cummings

2)Repowering with 330b Cummings

3)Repowering with 330b Cummings

Robert CUMMINGS buys engine company, then mysteriously dies. Corporate execs decide to rename the company CUMMINS ENGINE COMPANY to eschew obfuscation. ;-))

http://movieactors.com/actors/robertcummings.htm

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Mine are:

1) Inverter hooked to run off of either or both batt banks.
2) Digital A/C controls
3) New Garmin displays
4) Hart tank tender to know precise tank levels in all 5 tanks.

 

[Paul45c]

3 best mods:

1. engine room cameras. Especially handy on crossings to the Bahamas or any longer runs where you really, really want to make sure everything's purring right along

2. TV monitor on the flybridge (space permitting). My 55c has a really big overhead electronics box, and we had plenty of room for a 19" tv monitor. For #1 above, I was going to use my Garmin chartplotter as the display, but having the tv is very convenient...plus i can put over-the-air HD broadcast tv signals through it, the most useful of which are the digital new stations that display radar data fulltime.

3. little 12v Walbro fuel priming pump. Handiest gadget in the ER.

 

[bobk]

Chain gypsy/ 3/8" 4G chain with 75pound Supermax anchor & washdown all with bridge controls

Hard top over bridge... no leaks (PO)

Inverter/combiner and separate battery bank

EZ2CY on bridge and sundeck (PO)

All custom interior seating

Cabinet for TV on a Lift-It system (Walt P's idea)

NIAD's (PO)

BobK
Chateau de Mer
1981 48MY

 

[Pascal]

on my boat , it's either adding an inverter and inverter bank (paid for itself in about a year) or adding a 5th Air Con for the galley.

the galley air con not only helps cooling the galley, but cold air spilling in the fwd SR and aft into the companion way helps cooling the lower level. I dont' have to keep the master door closed to keep it nice and cold.

third: digital controls for the ACs... a lot better than the ole 3 nobbers.

and tied for 3rd: moving the electrical panel out of the ER and above the steps down the companionway. Even though i'm not finished with that project, it's a very convenient upgrade from having the panel in the ER. by 1972 Hatteras realized that this was very inconvenient and relocated the panel up by the helm.

 

[Vincentc]

1. Replaced the too small, 2' wide fg swim platform with a 4' wide hinged wood platform. It has worked out great and located as close to the water as it is, the hinges have proven necessary to prevent the 4' platform from dragging in the wake.

2. 6' ft long, fwd deck box just in front of the cabin. Holds 2 big stereo speakers, an ice chest, dock lines, shore power cables and 4 large fenders. It also serves as a coffee/coctail/dining table and wind/spray shield for the forward seating bench. It has worked well enough and looks good enough with the varnished mahogany top that the wife and daughters no longer refer to it as a coffin.

3. PVC/Wood frame with white vinyl covers attached with twist snaps. Provides a sun pad lounging area and storage for 4 foam pool floats. There were complaints that this would intrude on the "dance floor" but the top of the forward deck box has sufficiently compensated for that loss.

4. Removed the off white carpeting on the Saloon floor and put teak tongue and groove flooring inside the cabin except for the carpeted aft cabin. No more black oil stains on the carpet from excursions into the engine room. Cut the centerline hatch in half and only have to lift a half size hatch to check the oil and batteries. Also cut the hatches over the engines in half to avoid man handling 4' long hatch sections when I need to get to the areas outside of the engines. The wood floor set in picture frame molding simplified the use of smaller hatches.

5. Replaced the 30a twist lock shore power recepticles with "Smart Plugs". No more searching in the dark to match up the three prongs. The built in thermal protection provides peace of mind after the old twist lock plug welded itself to the outlet.

6. Replaced Galley Maid drum windlass with Maxwell rope and chain gypsy with drum

 

[TopHattandTails]

1) raising radar arch 8 inches and adding a bimini. The head banger is out if the way and it's not to hot to sit on the bridge.
2) adding the Garmin suite and NMEA2K backbone.
3) upgrading to digital a/c pads (in process)

 

[eze2bme]

How could I forget?? Adding AC/Heat unit to the aft deck!

 

[Nonchalant1]

Adding Naiad stabilizers to our 53MY. OMG what a huge difference! Simply unbelievable.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

OK, I took the basic route.... A big screen TV with a surround system and 12v stereo system in the cockpit....... Hey, we're liveaboards, need the important stuff

 

[rsmith]

Even tho it was done by the FO when the boat was new it would be the second generator. It has been a life and trip saver over the years. After the 04 hurricanes we were out of power for 2 weeks and I was able to backfeed the house with one gen and power the boat with the other.

 

[garyd]

1. Electric movie screen hidden in headliner area with projector hidden on the other side of the salon. No more TV's and it is a lot of fun to drop it down and watch a movie with surround sound.

2. High quality trash masher it will bust bottles this one works great

3. Headhunter water pump gives you pressure just like home.