Air Conditioning and Heat Pump for your boat

Even though the season is cooling off, it is a great time to install a built in, ‘central air’ style Pompanette Air System for your boat. These systems will help cool your boat in the summer AND heat your boat in the winter in water temperatures of 45 F or better. Go2marine is proud to offer these custom air systems that are specifically designed and fitted to each boat.

Because each system needs some custom installation, the winter season is the right time to have the work done. Go2marine is here to make chosing the correct system easy for you with our enquiry form.

Pompanette Air Conditioners feature:

• Vibration absorbing chassis design, using state of the art composites
• Energy absorbing insulators, to reduce the “White Noise” of Air Conditioning
• Quiet Rotary compressors
• Ultra-High Efficiency enhanced surface air coils
• Exclusive and patent pending condensate management system
• Cupro-Nickel sea water Condensing Coil / Heat Exchanger
• Pre-Wired meeting or exceeding the latest industry criteria

Before they leave the factory, each unit is individually tested to exacting standards.

Keeping your boat dry for winter & off season storage

For most people, there comes a time when the boat must be put away for the season, the cabin locked up and all is left to fend for itself through the slumber of the winter. In most locations, you will cover or store a small boat in open or unheated storage. Larger boats will be secured to the dock or hauled out and winterized. The number one thing that people complain about is the smell when you get back to the boat in the spring. Go2marine is here to offer you some understanding about what happens during the winter with moisture and what can be done to protect your boat.

If your boat is small, you should first get a boat cover to protect the topsides and interior from weather and reduce moisture coming in from the environment. If your boat is large, you will need to seal it up well; yet still supply some form of ventilation. The number one enemy of the interior of boats in the off season is moisture.

The Problem(s)

Fungus (Fungi) consist of molds, mildews, yeasts and more, in this unique Kingdom that is neither animal nor plant. Fungi are part of the natural environment and operate primarily by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees. Indoors, fungus growth tries to break down dead matter (wood, cotton, rayon and other organic materials) as well as pseudo-organic materials (like foam, polyester). Fungi reproduce by many means, including tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. The more commonly recognizable mold and mildew may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and few of them will grow without water or moisture. This Kingdom makes up the most diverse life on the planet with worldwide distribution and some 1.5 million species. Fungi also has the ability to become an allergen, irritant or significant pathogen to humans.

Fungi gradually destroy the things that they grow on. Ultimately Fungi thrive as a  result of a high level of moisture encouraging their growth; rather than trying to just treat the fungi to kill them, resolve the moisture issue to prevent the problem that encourages Fungi growth.

The Solutions

Requiring Power - For boats that are left within the reach of an extension cord or dock cord you can help keep moisture to a minimum with a number of heater or dehumidifier options.

GoldenRod Dehumidifiers offer inherent safety features like no fan, simple installation, constant heat output and simplicity. They eliminate dampness, mildew, condensation and humidity with size options for areas from 100 to 500 cubic feet.

Extreme (Xtreme) Heaters takes a higher tech, more active approach to keeping moisture in control. The XtremeHeater Boat Heater is a heating element that is self-regulated at a pre-set temperature and automatically varies its wattage in order to maintain that pre-set temperature.

 

Non-Powered – If you leave your boat and there is no means to power anything, you still have several options.

Hard mounting vents are are installed in the cabin top or on hatches and used when leaving your vessel for the season, while it is uncovered but still weather-tite. The big news here is solar vents that have the advantage of a fan without leading power wires.

There are a variety of moisture control devices that rely on a ’salt’ like Calcium Chloride to draw moisture from the surrounding air and can be used in nearly any location, onboard or under cover. The most common of these is the Dri-Z-Air Dehumidifier.

Lastly, if you have a boat cover, a vent with support pole can help in any season with moisture control. This system is easily installed with a pair of scissors and your hands for a clean vent installation.

PRI Fuel Treatment, Additive & Stabilizer that really works!! – at Go2marine

PRI Fuel Treatment, Additive & Stabilizer is available for both gasoline engines as PRI-G and diesel applications as PRI-D. The unique formula can be used in marine engines, RV’s and other fuel situations. With more than 40 years of research and usage, PRI, Power Research Inc is a product that accomplishes just three things for diesel and gasoline fuels (and by extension, in those engines):

1. PRI is a Fuel Stabilizer and Restorer.

2. PRI removes trapped moisture that modern fuels promote.

3. PRI reduces carbon particulate size.

Fuel Additives & Stabilizers by Power Research Inc.

 PRI is the industry leader at restoring old stale fuels. PRI can produce usable gasoline and diesel fuels from the worst storage conditions. Independent laboratory tests have tested 10-13 year old fuels that were restored with PRI and found them returned to usable condition. Treat just once a year for year after year use.

PRI will emulsify and absorb small amounts of water from fuel. While not able to clean water contaminated fuel that has large amounts of water, it does prevent alcohol phase separation. PRI prevents corrosion in the tank as well as everywhere fuel flows and contains asolutely no alcohol.

PRI reduces carbon buildup in small engines, reduces carbon in the exhaust and maintains the carbon size to less than .010 microns. Cleaner burning with less particulates means that engines stay clean on the inside as well as the outside.

PRI marginally increases the octane in gasoline and increases the cetane (diesel) rating by 1-2 points. PRI-D is suitable for diesel #1, diesel #2, kerosene, home heating oil, ULS diesel, marine diesel and marine gas oil. PRI-G is suitable for all octane ratings of gasoline. Although they are formulated for specific fuels, using PRI-D in a gasoline engine (or vice veras) will cause no harm.

Fuel Additives & Stabilizers by Power Research Inc.

Testimonials often have some value, but these unique testimonials will have you thinking that this ‘witches brew’ is one that deserves to be added to your current tank of fuel.

Diesel Smoke Control – Bob White with his 38′ Bertram “Island Time” had a problem. The real challenge was how to get two stroke 6-71 Detroit Diesels, which are known for their smoking, to stop being so dirty. PRI-D solves this problem because it works as a carbon breaker; it never allows clumps of carbon to form in the engine or exhaust larger than .010 microns. That means that smoke is far less visible and that the transom stays cleaner (and is easier to clean!). – Motorboating Magazine, May 2001.

Fresh Fuel – How old is your fuel? If your fuel is stored for longer than a season, it starts to degrade. Howard Freilich the owner of Qescorp Inc. had a unique problem. They run a recycling business, from saw blades to fuel – that’s right, fuel. Qescorp has tested PRI-G added to 15 year old fuel from salvage yards. One quart of PRI-G mixed well with 300 gallons of fuel, then left to stand for 48 hours resulted in a usable fuel that complies with the fuel specifications of all engine manufacturers. – New York Times Upfront, Summer 2007.

E-10 Fuel – Call it Gasohol or Ethanol mix / blend or just E10, it is here to stay. Ethanol is added to gas and it reduces dangerous emissions (good) and is hydroscopic (bad). Ethanol is so good at attracting moisture, like condensation, that when it gets saturated, it simple drops the water (which is called phase separation) which then sinks to the bottom of the tank while alcohol continues to attract more water! PRI-G is a non-alcohol fuel stabilizer (alcohol attracts water!) that functions as a carbon dispersant as well. It keeps outboards running clean. – Boat Digest

‘Servicing’ Older Outboards – PRI-G is essential to maintaining your older outboard in “just serviced” condition. After electrical issues, fuel is a close second. When added to your tank and run through the outboard, PRI-G can make a noticable difference in smooth running and will preserve the parts that the fuel runs through; the carb and fuel pump. When you service your engine, service your fuel! – Motorboating Magazine, January 2002.

Keeping Out The Water – Because “future fuels” like E-10 are here now, the choices of fuel additives has grown on the market. One of the most common (and affordable) component of fuel additives is alcohol. When added to fuel, alcohol makes the fuel burn cleaner, with a 1.5% loss in mpg. Alcohol has undesirable characteristics of being hydroscopic (attracting water) as well as being a potent solvent, additionally, most gas additives were designed for the automotive industry and are not for marine use.  – Saltwater Fly Fishing, Dec 2006/Jan 2007.

Diesel Fuel Oil – The Tennesse Valley Authority had a problem, a big problem; they had 1.8 million gallons of bad fuel. The PAD (Petroleum Administration for Defense) rating was a high of 17, making the fuel unusable. The fuel was fully treated with PRI-D and then retested. The fuel was now at a PAD of 3, fully meeting TVA specifications. – Recyclers Power Source.

Outboard Gas – An outboard is only as good as it’s gas. Some fuels gum up quicker, some age faster and some build up more carbon. Adding PRI-G to your tank prevents gumming of the fuel, contamination of the carburetor and build-up of carbon that causes these small work horses to falter. Carbon build-up is a hidden killer of these engines. When too much carbon accumulates, the rings are pushed higher and higher (called “ring jacking”). The increased friction between the rings and cylinders causes elevated temperatures, accelerated wear and ultimately, power head failure. PRI-G dramatically reduces carbon build-up by reducing the size of the carbon cluster.  – Field and Stream, September 2000.

Go2marine carries PRI-D, PRI-G and PRI-OCIDE.

Boat Zincs and Anodes

Go2marine now offers Performance Metals Zincs / Anodes for outdrives, sterndrives, propeller shaft and propellers.

Performance Metals produces both traditional zinc and premium high performance Navalloy anodes for use in fresh, brackish and salt water.

• Navalloy anodes are environmentally safe, heavy metals zinc poison the environment.
• Anodes are available in full kits and individual anodes for your sterndrive, shaft and hull anodes.
• Most Performance Metals anodes and zincs have a “Red Dot” wear indicator to help insure timely anode replacement.

For a limited time, Premium Mercuiser Aluminum Anodes, Alpha & Bravo Drive Anode Kits and  Premium Volvo Aluminum Anodes, Complete Anode Drive Kits with Hardware  are on sale at Go2marine.com.

Hull Anodes / Zincs

Hull zinc anodes are used when you have underwater fittings bonded together electrically. The hull zinc depletes instead of underwater metal fittings. These anodes must be carefully monitored to protect the propeller, through-hulls or entire the hull of metal boats.

Shaft, Propeller & Rudder Anodes / Zincs

Shaft zincs or anodes are typically fashioned in two pieces and bolted together around the propeller shaft. Propeller zincs may be a ring zinc or a zinc prop nut. Metal rudders, struts and fins are easily protected with zinc anode disks bolted through them.

How do you choose from the wide array of anchor windlasses

How do you choose from the wide array of windlasses on the market?

Important criteria to be considered in selecting the correct anchor windlass include the vessel size, displacement, windage, anchor size and rode selection. Practicalities such as locker space and depth of fall for the rode also play a part in deciding which windlass is ideal for you. Your windlass choice will likely be based on the following questions;

What size windlass will suit my boat?
What is your power source for the windlass?
Choosing the windlass design
I want to use chain and rope rode for anchoring, what do I need to consider?
What else do I have to consider?

The world of windlasses is changing. Electric windlasses have made manual windlasses nearly obsolete. The reliability of electric windlasses is now so high as to be considered for long distance cruising and nightly anchoring. Go2marine has the answers to the above questions to help you select the windlass that is right for you and your vessel.
http://www.go2marine.com/productcenters/anchor_windlass/