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I'm with Capt. Bill. Nordhavn uses the UltraSwitch Senior Float Sensors and they are pretty much idiot proof and are very easy to test/clean. I'm not a fan of the combined units.

The Big Salmon Fuel Dock is probably closed for the season. The commercial fuel dock is probably open, but you might have to find someone to turn on the pumps for you (check at the marina office or Big Salmon). An alternate place to fuel up would be Port Angeles if you don't hear back from the...

I'm with Scott on this one. I use the AutoPilot all the time, technically, even when docking the boat, since I'm using the Jog Lever, which tells the autopilot which angle to hold the rudder at. It's much easier than cranking that big wheel back and forth....

When running offshore, we follow pretty strict rules for watch-keeping, especially at night. These include engine room checks, coffee, etc., before starting your 3 hour shift in the Pilothouse. Radar(s), AIS and Autopilot running (in night mode at night). We cover the ceiling with black felt...

Hi Ted, The main difference between running my Autopilot on the Fluxgate (FG) versus the Satellite Compass (SC) is how much the boat wanders along the course I have set. It's a much straighter path running the SC (almost straight) and much more like a drunken sailor driving when running off...

I have the same controls as Oliver and you can adjust the speed. I use the speed adjustment like a "gain" control. If you reduce the speed (aka boat's speed), the controller makes the stabilizers work harder. Very useful when the waves get large enough to be uncomfortable (unless they are...

Warm white. The G4 bulbs have extra long pins and work very well in the Cantalupi Overheads. I use cool white in the engine room domes and warm white bayonet mounts in the reading lamps, etc.

Hi Oliver, That's interesting. I replaced all the internal lights in my boat with LED's from Marine Beam and haven't had a single failure yet. They have been in place for 18 months now. Maybe the 24 volt power allows them to run cooler (less current)?

The only negative I can think of for running off the main engine is that when you want to use the thrusters, you'll probably be at idle and may have not have enough pressure without bumping up the main a bit? Not sure.

Hi Bob, Not sure about Texas, but around here many marinas, boat yards and the local landfill all have hazmat tanks set up for free disposal of antifreeze. I changed mine out this winter, including the keel cooler (wet vac works extremely well). That's about 16 gallons. Good Luck with your...

It's a dead-giveaway when you see the whale watching boats turn their AIS off and then turn abruptly. The last couple of years, I've seen more Orcas Southeast of Lopez Island than I have off the West side of San Juan Island. We have also spotted porpoises almost every weekend in South Puget...

I change my transmission oil once a year, usually when I change the engine oil. Fortunately, it uses the same oil as the engine (Delo 15w-40) and is plumbed into the same oil change pump, so I don't even have to change buckets. :D

I have to agree with Marin, Sucia would be at the top of my list. Since you asked for photos and specifically wanted a beach for cooking, here's both: [Sucia, Echo Bay, Mt. Baker in the background] I also like Garrison Bay on San Juan Island or either of the harbors on Reid Island. Have...

I have my dehumidifier positioned so it blows dry air across the towel hooks, so they dry really fast! :thumb: The air intake for one of my heaters also picks up dehumidified air and blows it into the Master Head to dry it out. Keeps the mirrors from getting steamed up. :D

Hi Kevin, Have you ever tried running a dehumidifier inside the boat (when you have shore power)? I run a larger, low-temperature unit on a timer during our wet months (we have a LOT of wet months) and it keeps the humidity down to 50% on the boat. Most of the low temp versions will work down...

We usually use the stern anchor when rafting up several boats. It keeps the raft from swinging and twisting up the forward anchors. Attaching the aft line is done to one of three aft cleats (stbd, center, port) depending on which direction the anchor line is leading.

I use a pressure reducer and always try to turn off the dock water when leaving the boat. The few times I have forgotten to turn it off, I just call the Marina and ask them to do it for me. I just think its a good habit to have. On the subject of leaving the shore power connected: When I...

I'll second what Pete said. Matt Harris is one of the best surveyors on the West Coast (I flew him down to San Francisco to survey my boat during the purchase). Bellingham is also very close to Blaine.

I have a pair of them on my boat and they have operated nearly flawlessly, except for having to replace the duckbill valve every six years or so.

I should apologize for laughing so hard at your post, but I won't. We've all been there and feel your pain! Some days it just feels like the whole world is conspiring against you.... Reminds me of the 4 hours I spent on my (new to me then) boat trying to figure out where the damn switch was...

No tax due to NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), however I think you are required to take the boat out of Canada and back in every six months. From Sidney, it's a short trip to the US/Canada border and back. Walking the docks around the marina you will see a LOT of boats from all...

I'm curious about the expansion tank on the coolant loop. Don't most marine engines have a fairly large expansion tank built in? I know the Lugger 1066 in my boat has a big one that should always have an air gap in the top (your finger should just be able to touch the coolant). I recently had...

Mine has never had any issues, even going under bridges. In large following seas the boat will wallow quiet a bit (corkscrew), but that's the autopilot trying to keep up, the sat compass seems fine. Usually setting the autopilot to "Work" mode and backing off the stabilzers a bit calms down...

No "wandering" by the autopilot when on the Sat Compass (they are very, very accurate). When I switch to the backup autopilot (which is on the fluxgate), the boat wanders along like a drunken sailor.... :D

You might post a question about Gray Wolf on the Selene Owners forum. You do not have to own a Selene to sign up. The listing sounds like a new boat that sat unsold for a while.