Prout registry and other musings

Discuss all things about Prouts

Moderators: klaus53123, classicone, Brad, moderators

classicone
Moderator
Posts: 85
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:09 am
Location: Hertford, North Carolina, USA

Prout registry and other musings

Post by classicone »

Hello all, just became a "member" of the ProutCats group on yahoo. There seemed to be some chatter, but couldn't view any threads without becoming a "member". It doesn't appear to have much to offer other than some spam. I found few recent threads.

So, I wonder if anyone else has given thoughts to a Prout registry. I would find it fantastic to be able to contact other Quest model Prout owners. I find that even Snowgoose models from the late 70's to early 80's have much in common with my Quest, also Quest 33's.

Anybody interested?

With the new incarnation of Prout, I wonder if there is information available? I did find some interesting posts on a Canvey Island site with pictures of some Prout firsts! Someone thought that one of the pictures was of the first Snowgoose.

Are there any previous employee's still on this site?

BTW...Happy New Year

Terry
ChrisH

Post by ChrisH »

Been meaning to reply to this.

I don't know of any other Prout Registry other than this one. Perhaps it could be rejigged to highlight which Prout people had, and perhaps organise it under model headings. Just a thought. It would have to be done I think under the forum membership as at present that is the only way we can contact other members.

I would be interested in this, and helping it on it's way.

Chris
SeaWolf
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:22 pm
Location: Miami, Florida
Contact:

Prout Quest

Post by SeaWolf »

Never heard of the Yahoo Prout site, but will take your word for it.

Bill and I own a Prout Quasar (1978) and love it. We did a complete refit which took a couple of years. We did the start and stop thing. When we got saturated with the problems of construction, we stopped. When we had the fortitude to face it again, we started. Right now the boat is 99.9% finished and we're looking to get out there cruising again.

We're in Miami, Florida and would love to hear from other Quasar owners.
Loree & Bill
Aboard SeaWolf
www.CruisersLife.com
classicone
Moderator
Posts: 85
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:09 am
Location: Hertford, North Carolina, USA

Projects, projects, projects.....

Post by classicone »

February is quickly passing and the weather in NC may break at any time.. time to start on the most pressing of projects.

SunStar 2 will be the recipient of number of important upgrades. I have always been disappointed with our DC system. So this winter I have been slowly and quietly purchasing electrical upgrades; high amp alternator, max charge regulator and digital duo charger. This coupled with a large battery bank, 3 stage shore power charger, and a newly installed solar charge system should, I hope, help with available amps.

Now I just have to figure out how to wire all of this up and where to mount the batteries and how many of those expensive led lights I can afford!!

My wife, Jennifer, has been doing her part also. She is learning how to use her sewing machine while creating interior curtains, cushions, bimini and cover.

Last years projects:

So far the composting head is functioning properly and the interior smells fresh everytime we enter the cabin. The tempur mattress has been wonderful for these old bones and the hatch AC proved only marginally acceptable.

Terry
Sailorman
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 4:29 am
Location: Beaufort, NC, USA

LED lights

Post by Sailorman »

Terry,
I have purchased some the of ULITE Round LED Accent Light accent lights from here: http://www.superbrightleds.com/mini_tubes.htm

The 3 LED red ones do a great job for night lights and I have one white 3 LED one in the head that provides plenty of light. At only $4 each, it is hard to go wrong. I bought my LED masthead lights from there also. As of this spring, I will no longer have any incandesant lighting in my boat.
Ed
Classic Cleavage
1974 Prout 34 Snowgoose
captfolly
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:00 am
Location: Stuart, Florida USA
Contact:

Post by captfolly »

Hey Terry,

we have been immersed in somewhat similar projects...!! just finished the installation of the lavac head and the gravity drain holding tank and plumbing...no electric pumps or y-valves..!...we had replaced and relocated the thruhulls in our december haulout...replaced the original bronze ones with forespar marelon ones...Doris has been busy with varnishing the interior and sewing new covers for the cushions, making curtains, new luff tape on the jibs for the roller furler, etc...we still have many projects to go...new galley double sink and new propane stove...hoping to get aboard this spring and head north to the Chesapeake for hurricane season...would be great to meet up on our way north with you and Ed and compare ideas!! I'm going to try to get some more pictures up on picasa...do you have any pics of your refit on the net anywhere?...

Ed: which leds did you use for your masthead light?? I bought a couple of their BA15S-WLX1 High Power 1Watt LED bulbs for a couple of bulkhead lamps on the boat and they fit great and are very bright!...

fair winds,

George & Doris
Sailorman
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 4:29 am
Location: Beaufort, NC, USA

masthead lights

Post by Sailorman »

George - took me a few minutes to find the order:
Item Name: Bayonet
Item Options: Color: Super White
Type: Ba15d

Item Number: 1142 20 Led

Quantity: 2

Total: $43.98 USD
I got 2, one replaces the tri-color light and the other is for the anchor light. Now I can use the anchor light and not even worry about the battery drain.

The BA15S-WLX1 High Power 1Watt LED light you bought, does it seem to b the same brightnss as this: LW-12VDC Wired LED ? I am trying to find some LEDs that will be suitable for reading. At $2 each, I can afford to add quite a few of these and still nt worry about the battery.

I have a number of pics posted, let me figure out where they are.
Ed
Classic Cleavage
1974 Prout 34 Snowgoose
captfolly
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:00 am
Location: Stuart, Florida USA
Contact:

Post by captfolly »

hey Ed...

the 1 watt bulb is MUCH brighter than the panel mount...I got a red one of the panel mount to use as a propane solenoid 'on' indicator...the panel mount ones might be good for close local light, but for a reading fixture light the 1 watt unit looks to be pretty good for the price...we're still experimenting with lighting...lcd cccl backlights are quite bright and quite cheap...2-12" ones for about $7, with inverters for 12v...and they don't seem to be noisy for the ssb, and draw about .25 amps...more than leds but quite a bit of light...
http://www.coolerguys.com/840556012009.html

...finally got some more pictures up on picasa...hope to put some more up soon as we get internet time (another project, wifi access!!)

Snowgoose 37 "Grace" pictures
Brad
Moderator
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 1:54 pm
Location: Cartagena, Colombia

Post by Brad »

For the last year or so I have been replacing all of my lights with leds. Obviously, the tri color and anchor light have been huge energy savers. Something like 2.5 to 3 amps per hour. I really like the 2 color lights in the salon. The red is great for night sails. I put a couple of recessed lights in the cockpit and can now read during long passages.

LEDs are the way to go.

Believe the tricolor and anchor was from Masthead. 2 color dome lights were made by SeaSense and the cockpit lights are by Hella. The remainder was just replacing M16 type bulbs. I think I bought them on EBay.

I am still looking for a light over the sink.
ChrisH

Post by ChrisH »

Hi Terry/George & Doris,

Heads questions for you both:

1. Terry. Composting heads. How's that work on a boat? I know of them working on the land, but they use soil, or sawdust, or wood ash, not the items readily found on a boat. Not readily available to buy for a boat either, from initial trawling on the net. Did you design yours yourself?

2. George & Doris. Gravity drain holding tank. How was that fitted in the boat? Sounds like a good idea, and I like the absence of electric pumps and 'y' valves (and what pump for pumping out), but not a lot of space under our khazi to fit a holding tank. Be interested in how that was done.

Are fitting holding tanks mandatory now in the USA? It's coming in here in Europe but not blanket mandatory everywhere yet.

When I was in the merchant navy we used sewage disposal tanks which dealt with all the loo stuff and the final discharge overboard, treated with chlorine was clean enough to drink - so they said, never tried it myself. But, that used hungry microbes we added to the tank to eat all the macerated stuff, assisted by compressed air to circulate the tanks and provide oxygen, not something we could do on a boat, but the concept is interesting.

Chris
classicone
Moderator
Posts: 85
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:09 am
Location: Hertford, North Carolina, USA

composting heads or is that decomposing?

Post by classicone »

Hello Chris,
I installed an AirHead composting head. It is a small liquid separating head that uses peat or coconut husks to help in drying. The liquids get dumped every couple of days and the "compost" every month with 2X daily use, or once a season with weekend use. I find that utilizing a 5 gallon bucket extends the composting process for a second month to help "finish" the wastes. more info at www.airheadtoilet.com
Holding tanks are a necessary evil in most US waters. More localities are passing "no discharge zones" making pumpout stations more important. That is why we installed an AirHead. No throughhulls for input or output. No pump outs and minimal fuss.
Your description of the onboard sanitary system is how most municipality systems treat their wastes. Our homeowners system works exactly the same way.

Terry
classicone
Moderator
Posts: 85
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:09 am
Location: Hertford, North Carolina, USA

Pictures of Grace

Post by classicone »

George and Doris,
Liked the pictures. I'm always comparing and learning ways of doing things on Prouts. Is the lever above the starboard rudder the emergency tiller? Was there a stove ever installed? Why did you remove the rv a/c? The hatches in the cockpit floor, where do they go? I REALLY liked the waterproofing of your laptop!

South Carolina is your home? How's the weather this winter?

Terry
captfolly
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:00 am
Location: Stuart, Florida USA
Contact:

Post by captfolly »

hey Chris,

...more and more areas in the coastal USA are becoming "no discharge" zones...we decided to just use a holding tank and make it gravity feed to keep things fairly simple...when legal just leave the thruhull open and the tank is always empty...:D ...just finished hooking up most of it a couple of days ago...here's what it looks like:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6k ... directlink

I should be adding more as that project gets close to completion...

fair winds,

George
captfolly
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:00 am
Location: Stuart, Florida USA
Contact:

Post by captfolly »

hey Terry,

the lever on the stbd rudder was for the aries wind vane linkage...we sold the aries and removed the lever...there was a 2 burner stove and a wall oven and propane reefer and propane hot water heater...and miles of old copper tubing and fittings...all has been removed and we are installing a 2 burner stove/oven as the only propane device down below...a grill on the stern of course! the rv a/c unit was completely rotted away internally, and was bolted thru the deck hatch...we chucked the whole thing and put the hatch back on...we just use a cheap window a/c in a box enclosure over the hatch...the hatches in the cockpit floor are just storage bins, they lead into the sides of the nacelle...the old laptop was our chart plotter for the trip from boston to charleston...worked fine!! free noaa charts and free seaclear nav software....:D ... yes, south carolina is home...we presently have a slip at folly beach, near charleston, for now...I think this winter has been one of the coldest in years...sure has put a crimp in boat work...

fair winds,

George & Doris
Sailorman
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 4:29 am
Location: Beaufort, NC, USA

waterproof laptop

Post by Sailorman »

George - I love your waterproof laptop.
Looks like you had a great trip from Boston. I always wanted to sail thru New York harbor. Your trip brought back similar memories when we brought ours down from Annopolis. And the projects still have not stopped.
Your 37 looks like a newer, larger version of my 34.
I especially like the picture of the outdrive in the water before you started. Great colors!!
Did you take the old canal from Norfolk to Elizabeth City? We did the same and really enjoyed the trip up and down the locks.
I took a cheap window AC unit and mounted it above the center hatch. Started with a fabric hood and finally made up a rigid insulation board one. Runs just fine off my Kipor (Honda clone) generator.
Ed
Classic Cleavage
1974 Prout 34 Snowgoose
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