Anyone else here got a speed log?  One of those spinning propellor-y things sticking out the bottom of the hull?

Like this:



If so, does it keep stopping?

Mines like a paddle-wheel, utterly useless, so I removed the instrument involved as it's not required anyway...

Quote :

No Regrets wrote : Mines like a paddle-wheel, utterly useless

Yes, paddle-wheel -- that's the word!

Our's keeps getting jammed.  The last time it was with some sort of freshwater barnacle.  This is a pic of it next to a pop stud on the fold-down seat back:

Quote :

so I removed the instrument involved as it's not required anyway...

You just go by the rev-counter? (Our's is broken. )

Okay, the big question...

Do you think it's possible to safely remove the assembly while the boat's in the water?  

If it's a through hul fitting, get six fat mates to sit on the bows, to  lift the rear up enough, but FFS tell them not to move.

Alternatively, fix the rev counter, which you're right in thinking I use.

In fairness, nobody gives a hoot how fast you go on the Thames, as long as the wash is minimal.
We keep it low, and never get a wave!  

Got one of those buggers too! NASA clipper duet thingy.

Mine wasn't working but was just stuck through lack of use. So while the boat was out of the big wet wobbly thing over winter, I sprayed some WD40 on it. Span it a few times and its been fine ever since.

Follow up to this:

As often as not, ours is reluctant to start.  If we motor along for 10 mins or so, then it'll probably start up and work perfectly for the rest of the trip.

But sometimes it doesn't start up and I have to go down to the floor cupboard behind the cockpit door, remove all the cleaning materials stored therein, lift the flooring panel, slacken the speed log's retaining ring, twist the whole assembly through 180 degrees and wait for a shout of "Yes!" from up top.

Then it's just a matter of tightening the retaining ring, replacing the flooring, cramming in all the waxes, rags, sprays, polishes, etc again, closing the cupboard door and then climbing back up to the cockpit.

<sigh>

PITN.

actually you don't even have to twist the whole thing around - just spent four days cruising and if it didn't start you needed to go through that business of moving everything from the cupboard and give it a gentle tap (even tho' you would rather give it a good thrashing with a boat hook!)

Yeah they do get stuck, I have found that by just brushing under the hull in the area where it is usually does the trick.
As you have said you dont really need it but its annoying when the display says zero isnt it, probably be best just to remove the display!

How about a captive rubber-band that we can pull and release to give the speed-log head a smack with a small bead or summat.

This looking down on the speed log from above:



To save you the bother of going down into the cabin, I could probably route the rubber band up to the helm position if you like.  

--Last edited by brianlj on 2008-09-03 11:10:01 --

Good one Brian, can you design something for me so that I can automate brushing under the hull please?

Actually, I saw a good extendable brush for doing just that about a year ago.  I didn't buy it (Boo!) but it was just a brush for doing the outside of a conservatory roof.  It was like a normal home window cleaning kit -- about 20 feet long -- but it had 2 elbow joints in the shaft.

I reckon you could get it right underneath the hull.

Brian - if there was anyone else with this problem you could probably market it - but worth a quick bit of work on our boat when you are next up to the boat because that might just do the trick! Actually maybe the manufacturers might like to hear from you - or maybe not!