fitting new bits to an old boat.

[sahona]

Why do they change things?
just to annoy us or to try and shift more stuff?
Bought a new loo seat as the captain didn't like the current one, Lavac catalogue (PDF) partnumber checked by physically measuring the bowl to get correct model etc., and guess what - nothing matches. Not the old lid to the new seat. Not the assembly to the holes in the bowl. Thanks a bunch Lavac, I will probably buy elsewhere out of pique...




I've also replaced my Gibb 3 winches with Lewmar 15STs. The base of the Gibb had four mounting holes, the Lewmar 10, (Yes) none of which matched the holes in the boat. OK, different manufaturer etc. but it would be nice to have either a standard, or blank baseplates that can be drilled to suit. It wasn't just a case of drilling and countersinking holes either, some of the gear enclosure casting had to be ground away to allow free area for the new holes.
Now all that remains to be done is put the wheelhouse cover in for re-modelling to accommodate the new winches...do you think they'll do it for free?

[sahona]

update : I'm getting a lot of help from Spares Marine on this subject and it seems I don't have the model of Lavac I thought I had. Needless to say, the spares are more expensive but that's the price of a happy bum I guess.
Can't over stress how helpful Steve at spares marine is. will update if it all 'pans out' OK...

[Silkie]

My Navico tillerpilot packed up recently but fortunately I managed to blag the long-term loan of an Autohelm from a friend. The locating pin precisely fitted the existing socket, the actuating arm accommodated the old extension piece (though not exactly the same thread) to give the same operating range and it was easily re-wired to the current plug and socket.

Result!

[BlowingOldBoots]

I have two Lavac Zeniths on my tub. When we bought the boat LadyOldBoots set about doing a deep clean. In her enthusiasm she flung away the 'smelly old toilet seats'. £400 later ...........

If you have a Zenith the parts are getting rare. Shop around though as all the bits are sold separately and big savings can be had by buying from the different retailers, or change the loo for a £100 jobby.

You could have wiped the pish off before taking a picture, it made me boak a wee bit and now I have burnt my throat with reflux acid.

[sahona]

'Snot pish ya bas.
It's the reason the lady captain wants it changed.
It has since been cleaned with oxalic and come up quite nice, but it doesn't last. It seems to be the same stain as you get round the waterline at the bow -seawater with probably a homeopathic concentration of pish , especially in marinas.
Probably the trick will be to polish it to seal out the watter.
Or buy a new seat at well-nigh a hundred beer-tokens. I know I can get a complete new loo for that amount, but I don't like these leaky pumps and faulty valves, so the Lavac stays.