Topsides look like cracked egg

[JPA Cate]

Once you start, by the time you realize it's going to take more time and money than you had estimated, there is no way out other than pushing on through and completing the project.

^^^
That sounds like a terrific understatement! Good on you for seeing it through. I'll bet it was darned difficult and discouraging at times.

Ann

[fred4936]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

^^^
That sounds like a terrific understatement! Good on you for seeing it through. I'll bet it was darned difficult and discouraging at times.

Ann

Hi again everyone. I have a surveyor lined up, and will purchase a moisture meter. I see there are two kinds, with prongs or without. Which kind is better? What numbers would constitute too moist? Thank again, will let you know what happens. I have visited the boat to assess if it is within my means to repair. More data coming in!

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by fred4936

Hi again everyone. I have a surveyor lined up, and will purchase a moisture meter. I see there are two kinds, with prongs or without. Which kind is better? What numbers would constitute too moist? Thank again, will let you know what happens. I have visited the boat to assess if it is within my means to repair. More data coming in!

The ones with probes simply will not work unless you drill holes to insert the probes ... a no go. Here, take a look at Moisture Meter Mythology to learn a little before you use one of these things. (They are not as simple as some believe).

I've been meaning to update that article for quite a while but have not gotten to it. As you'll see in the article I've owned and played with almost every brand of meter from $100 to $700 each. My favourite and most consistent now is the $40 Ryobi unit from Home Depot.

[hellosailor]

Tried this one as well?

Ryobi Phone Works Moisture Meter

Model# ES3000

Plugs into a smart phone, where it also can store data. Reviews not so happy.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Tried this one as well?

Ryobi Phone Works Moisture Meter

Model# ES3000

Plugs into a smart phone, where it also can store data. Reviews not so happy.

Nope, have not tried that one but next time I pass a home deport I'm going to buy a couple of spare E49MM01's. I tend to loose them in deep bilges and occasionally have one run over by a travel lift

[hellosailor]

I had a similar problem with a fancy swiss army knife I often pack when traveling. So I made up a simple square braid from dayglo orange shoelaces, it winds up being about the same size and shape as the knife. Using it as a "key fob" makes the knife pretty hard to mis, or mislay. Flat lacing is also very easy to braid, YouTube if you've never attempted that.

When I had a more serious incident with my car keys (somehow they got in a drawer where they never would be put) and spent the day worrying about replacing a $300 fob plus $100 in reprogramming plus another $100 if I found the mislaid one...I went online and bought a couple of Tiles. (There are a number of competitors and all are on Amazon these days.) For $25-40 it is the size of a large postage stamp, clips on a keychain or sticks on something like your meter.

If you mislay it? Pull out your cell phone, press "FIND", and the tile chirps. Loudly. And the phone points you towards it. If you're out of bt range, your phone notifies you if another user passes near it.

$25 tile, $40 meter...Maybe not worth it. But for $300-500 for a key fob...Yeah, I got on the bus. (The tile also has a button to ring your cell phone, in case you have a carnivorous couch.)

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I had a similar problem with a fancy swiss army knife I often pack when traveling. So I made up a simple square braid from dayglo orange shoelaces, it winds up being about the same size and shape as the knife. Using it as a "key fob" makes the knife pretty hard to mis, or mislay. Flat lacing is also very easy to braid, YouTube if you've never attempted that.

When I had a more serious incident with my car keys (somehow they got in a drawer where they never would be put) and spent the day worrying about replacing a $300 fob plus $100 in reprogramming plus another $100 if I found the mislaid one...I went online and bought a couple of Tiles. (There are a number of competitors and all are on Amazon these days.) For $25-40 it is the size of a large postage stamp, clips on a keychain or sticks on something like your meter.

If you mislay it? Pull out your cell phone, press "FIND", and the tile chirps. Loudly. And the phone points you towards it. If you're out of bt range, your phone notifies you if another user passes near it.

$25 tile, $40 meter...Maybe not worth it. But for $300-500 for a key fob...Yeah, I got on the bus. (The tile also has a button to ring your cell phone, in case you have a carnivorous couch.)

I carry a lot of odd bits to work. Quite a few more than are shown here, including at least half a dozen flashlights. The older I get, the more I lose

[hellosailor]

Nah, just make up "SWAG bags" and tell each client "You get a free SWAG bag with each survey" containing of course, a complete new set of all those tools that is just used by you once, for their survey, and left on the boat for them or the owner. I know, you'll have to charge a few bucks more "But honey, look at all the cool stuff we get with the survey!"

[boatpoker]

You should go into marketing