[cardiacpaul]

okey dokey, heres a real pet peeve.
The amount and depth of quality information here is wonderful. I can now tell you more about solar panels, lines, anchors and those damn dogs that I'd ever care to remember.

If I could make one suggestion, that would be to temper your responses to practical, real world products and scenarios. Remember, the VAST majority of people on here do NOT plan on a six week to six month cruise in the near future.
For those that do, by all means, best of breed, high tech, make your life easier is the way to go.

Use balance in your responses. The majority of people here don't need 3 battery banks isolated by thermo-nuclear silicone enhanced bi-metallic chrome plated tittelator valves, or a 300.00 battery charger.

The majority of people don't care if their connections are soldered or crimped. (yea, I KNOW ABYC standards) and I'm here to tell ya, that if you have a hunter 30, or a S2, or a Cat 30, it don't make a damn bit of difference. period.

I'll give you that if you're taking off via the big pond, or going to be gone (away from land) for more than a month, yea, it MIGHT give you a headache or two, but its nothing to sweat over.

One poor sob on here asked about a battery for his boat, and he got AGM, solar, house bank,starting bank, deep cycle, hazmat, triple phase, oh my god, he had a capri 16 or something with a flippin outboard. Give the ads in the magazines a rest and just tell the guy what works and what doesn't.

Another guy asked about blisters and some of the first suggestions were to grind the hull down and epoxy the pajeebers out of it. Did ya notice it was a 26 foot S2? He's NOT going to put 15k into a 10k boat. Fill the damn things, and paint the bottom... Its not going to fall apart on you The keels isn't going to fall off, he's not going to die on a lake GO SAILING!

If its a 40 ft boat thats got 100k into it, then ya, grind away the gelcoat and have a blast. but folks, c'mon, keep yer hats on and lets not try and spend the guys last quarter, ok?