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Product Reviews

126K views 126 replies 79 participants last post by  grumpyolddude 
#1 ·
Equipment & Gear Reviews​

I thought this might be a nice sticky for everyone. No offense, but I do not trust all the magazines to give me an honest review!! I want to know what sailors think and real life applications.

So... post away with BOAT ONLY Gear reviews. If they really irritate you... say it and why. If you found something really cool and want to let others know... again, the same.

GROUND RULES: STAY ON TOPIC. I do not mind some debate on product reviews, but let's keep it on topic and civil or I will delete it. Also, list the product you are reviewing in the subject. It will make it easier to flip through pages and find things. Look at my example below on the Garmin 478 GPS.

There is an old phrase that says, "If you ask 4 sailors their opinions you will get 5 different answers." I agree with that... so welcome all opinions. This should be good for both seasoned and new boat buyers alike. Let's make it fun and informative.

- CD
 
#2 ·
Garmin 478 GPS

Garmin 478 GPS map.

What a really cool unit. It has preloaded all of the coastal maps for the US. I believe it even has Hawaii and Alaska. You can overlay weather on it, output it to your pc, etc.

It is like a mini, portable full function GPS. I have always said all that you need in a backup is lat and lon so you can overlay, but should you lose your main system, this think would sure be nice to have. Neat technology that would have been unheard of ten years ago.

Cost: It lists about 999 at West. I have seen it advertised in the 7XX. We got it at west last weekend for about $650... and I am sure they still made a profit!!

- CD
 
#47 ·
Garmin 478 GPS map.

What a really cool unit. It has preloaded all of the coastal maps for the US. I believe it even has Hawaii and Alaska. You can overlay weather on it, output it to your pc, etc.

It is like a mini, portable full function GPS. I have always said all that you need in a backup is lat and lon so you can overlay, but should you lose your main system, this think would sure be nice to have. Neat technology that would have been unheard of ten years ago.

Cost: It lists about 999 at West. I have seen it advertised in the 7XX. We got it at west last weekend for about $650... and I am sure they still made a profit!!

- CD
CD - I've had one of these for two years now, and agree that they are a great portable unit (mine would be even better if I paid what you did:) ). You completely left out all the complete STREET NAVIGATION for the entire US that's built into the unit too!

I frequently use mine when I'm on business trips to get me from one client to the next. I have also used it on a trip from Boston to Key West and back on my motorcycle. Some co-workers poke fun at it because it's not as small as a Nuvi or TomTom, but let's see them use one of those on a boat.:rolleyes:

You can interface it with NEMA 0183 devices (DSC Radio, AutoPilot, etc.) and it has a built in Sattelite radio control - the antenna (receiver) costs $300, so I'm not going to call this a tuner - that can provide XM weather service if you subscribe, you can plug in a depth sounder/fish finder.... :cool: There is a lot in this unit.

I bought it initially because I sail OPBs, and could never count on knowing how to use the chartplotter on the boat that I got.

Ed
 
#3 ·
Self-Inflateable Fenders

I cannot give you the model number, but they are the self inflateable fenders with the little pop-out finger pump.

It sounds great because you can always refill your fenders without having to have a seperate pump. Instead, mine just seem to leak out of there and you do not have enough years in your life to refill a large fender with a finger pump.

You are better off staying with the traditional fenders and filling them the old fashioned way. You will save more money that way too. DONT BUY THEM, in my opinion.

- CD
 
#4 ·
Even more than a sticky, IMHO this topic warrants its own forum, with the product name as the topic and all linked reviews and replies in the same thread - easier to keep organized and to browse through. As a sticky, product reviews and responses/reviews from other users will soon become jumbled with other posts, and after a few pages the only way to pull all the replies together will be through a search anyway. Would seem to make more sense to make it a forum and keep products, reviews, and replies all in the same thread.

This is certainly one of the first places I come to do a search on a product before I buy or consider anything.
 
#8 ·
I am going to go ahead and answer this here: I would like to see the participation and activity on this before pursuing with the admin a new forum. Let's see if we can kick it off. If it gets to be too large we can always move it over. I thought it would be nice to scroll through the many pages here and see product reviews. You can serach the thread for topics you are specifically interested in.

It would also be very helful for everyone to list the product they are discussing in the subject line - so it will be easier to follow.

- CD
 
#5 ·
I was going to suggest the same... a new forum for people to put in product reviews. Putting them all in one thread will be difficult as soon as there are 20+ and commentary. Along the same lines, I'd love to see a forum for companies to put press releases or new product announcements - a forum where the people won't get jumped on for "advertising" their product. That would be a huge benefit to me!
 
#6 ·
As was mentioned, some form of indexing, or cross reference system certainly needs to be co-ordinated. Perhaps if a forum format is decided, it could be set up with categories, so relevant reviews and articles could be initially posted in order by the author.

Otherwise CD (it is his brainchild) would need to do some regular organizing to avoid the need for inquiring sailors to sift through pages and pages of random reviews . . . just to find recommendations for say, the best bilge vermin eradicator.
 
#7 ·
Teshannon-

IIRC, the Garmin in question has a bayonet mount antenna and you can get an extension cord for it, so that the antenna can be remotely mounted. However, it generally will work inside a fiberglass boat fairly well. I have the older 276 model, which didn't come pre-loaded with the coastal maps and doesn't support the XM WX weather info. It also does terrestrial (car) navigation and comes with City Navigator or some other set of USA maps preloaded IIRC.

They're excellent little units. I got mine primarily for use in my truck, but also carry it aboard as a backup to the main Garmin I have.

As for the price. West Marine had a sale last weekend, so he may have gotten it during the sale.
 
#14 ·
Pettit Trinidad SR bottom paint

2 coats, in the water for 3 years 8 months in San Francisco Bay and all growth just hosed off. Looked like the day it was painted. No barnacles.

I will use it again.
I will second that. Its what I used, but only one coat. Next time, two coats. The growth on the bottom is very slow.
 
#10 ·
Topside Oil Changer

Topside Oil Changer

I bought one 30 years ago and it still works great. Simple and mess free. Need to warm up the oil first and it does require some patience.

I have tried a pump that you run with your drill, didn't work for me.

If the engine has a drain plug then I drain into a plastic bag, messy if you aren't careful but it's quick.
 
#11 ·
Orca Green Marine LED Tri-color/Anchor Light

I've been using an Orca Green Marine LED Tri-Anchor light for two years now. The unit only needs two wires to work as both an anchor light or a tricolor, and uses very little power. When I've been anchored out, and look at the anchored boats from shore, I've noticed that the OGM anchor light appears brighter and whiter than the anchor lights on other boats.

The fixture I have also features an emergency strobe and required a third wire to use the strobe feature. They've come down quite a bit in price over the last two years and are USCG certified. I am planning on switching all of my deck level running lights over to LED-based fixtures.
 
#12 ·
Lowrance LMS337CDF Chartplotter / SONAR unit

Hello,

In April I bought a Lowrance combo GPS chartplotter / SONAR unit (LMS337 C DF). This has a 5" high resolution (480 X 480) color screen, 50 and 200 hz SONAR transducer, external GPS antenna, NMEA 2000 (and 0183), etc.

The unit was easy to install and works great. I paid $550 at Westmarine (closeout price) with a 3 year service plan. For $100 I bought the detailed charts for the entire US.

The only difficulty is that the connectors for the SONAR are very large so I could not fit the wires in the steering pedestal or the pedestal guard. I have bought a bigger pedestal guard and will do a better installation job over the winter.

Barry
 
#13 ·
Starbright Black Streak Remover

I had black streaks running down the hull/topsides from a nearby fire, similar to the black diesel engine exhaust stain I sometimes get on my transom. After trying boat soap, simple green and similar cleaners with very limited success after lots of elbow grease, someone suggested Starbright Black Streak Remover.

It worked like a charm--spray on, wait a minute and wipe off! It only cost me about $8.00 for a spray bottle that lasted all season.

I have since then seen Black Streak Remover made by other companies, including in the RV section of department stores, but I haven't wanted to risk getting less than the great results of the Starbright stuff.

I have no connection with any of the products mentioned.

Frank.
 
#15 ·
I would unreservedly recommend the Moeller Oil Boy Fluid Extractor Kit. Used it this fall on my Atomic 4 and it worked like a champ. Extracted all the oil in just a few minutes (I didn't time it, but certainly less than five) with just the recommended 15-16 pumps, with plenty of vacuum left over.

The only disadvantage I've found with this product is it's tall and narrow, so it's kind of tippy during transport.

Jim
 
#16 ·
Poli-glo

One of the few "miracle" products that actually delivers what is promised. It truly does a wonderful job on older, dull gel-coat and takes a mere fraction of the time waxing requires. About an hour, once a year, and your older boat has an almost like new shine. I have it on good authority that using it on walkways is contraindicated. (g) Seriously though, it leaves a very smooth and slick surface that might be suitable for the bulkheads of the cabintop but not for anywhere you'll wish to keep your footing.
 
#17 · (Edited)
TRIDENT MARINE 12 VDC MARINE GAS CONTROL & DETECTION SYSTEM

(22a) #1300-7760

w/ Full detection/control panel, Gas Detector, & 10 foot quick connect cable. (1300-7760 will work on 24 VDC when used with a 24 VDC solenoid #1300-7708.2-24V).

(22b) #1300-7761 w/12 VDC Solenoid

w/ Full detection/control panel, Gas Detector, 10 foot quick connect cable and 3/8" solenoid.

Turns LP Gas ON or OFF from inside Galley; continuously monitors space(s) for presence of LP Gas in up to three locations with additional Gas Detectors (1300-7720); and automatically turns gas off and activates audio and visual alarms if gas is detected at 10% or more of lower explosion limit (LEL). Includes Marine UL Listed Detector (with red function light); UL Listed low pressure solenoid (22b); and UL Listed state of the art surface mount Control Panel (three alarm zone indicators, green function light, red alarm lights, 95 dB alarm, new mute/test button and 10 Foot Quick Connect Cable (#1300-7721-120). The detector is ON and monitoring even when Gas control panel is OFF, and its alarm horn will sound as long as LP Gas is present at 10% LEL or until the mute button is touched. If gas is detected when the control panel is turned ON, the control switch, green light, solenoid and gas are automatically turned OFF. The red alarm light illuminates to show where the alarm occurred. Accepts additional gas detectors (model 1300-7720). Draws 163 M.A. when OFF 953 M.A. in ON/Standby mode, & 255 M.A. in alarm mode.
Bought and installed this system on my boat, along with new propane tank, hoses, fittings and rebuilt Force 10 stove. Used two detectors, one directly under the dedicated propane locker in the bilge area under the aft cockpit. The other is in the cabin about 1 inch above the sole and about 18" from the stove.

First Impressions: Opened the box and was less than impressed with the items. The housings are all plastic and not particularly durable. I ended up making a new box for the cabin sensor unit to allow it to be flush-mounted. The black plastic thing was ugly and would have easily been damaged. I left the bilge unit in the plastic casing as it is not likely to come in contact with anything.

The control unit itself also comes in a plastic casing, dark grey, and while it looks a litle cheap, it can at least be invisibly mounted.

The solenoid and hoses looked run-of-the mill and seemed to be of acceptable quality.

The instructions were adequate - included pictures which helped somewhat. Did not hardwire the unit as the manufacturer suggests, rather, put it on a switch, wired into the 12 volt panel. This proved to be a very smart move on my part.

Operating Results: The unit performs as advertised. If anything it does its job a little too well. The cabin sensor goes off for any number of reasons, propane, butane, battery gas, some cleaning solvents, pretty well anything that isn't pure, clean, air.

The bilge unit has never gone off - for which we are eternally grateful, however I know it works because the little red light goes on, and there is a test button on the main panel, which also says things are fine.

Issues: It would be good if the alarm were louder. It is audible if the engine is not running, or the stereo is not on, but I questio whether it would wake us up if we had been imbibing.

Recommendation: I think it's a serviceable unit and does what it is supposed to do. Have not assessed it against comparable units, but it does have some features that I like - namely, it shuts off the solenoid automatically when it senses gas, and the panel indicates which sensor is picking up the trace. It can also handle one more sensor (for a total of 3), which I might install next year.

Found the instructions and
 
#20 ·
RayMarine E80, incl radar, dual helm CP, etc

We get a lot of questions regarding electonics, so I will write up my impressions of the Raymarine prodcuts as objectively as possible. Electronics rank as one of the more significant purchases you will make on the boat, so make sure it is worth it.

E80(s)

The E series CP and radar is a considerable improvement over the old RL series in my opinion, as I have owned both. You can "daisy chain" them together in series which allows a quick relay of information between them. The E series differs from the C series in that you can control the functions between any of the units and they talk to each other. THis is very nice because it allows you to:

1) Plot your course, etc from your nav station. When I personally lay out a long run, I have PAPER maps and charts everywhere. I find it is a pain to do that in the cockpit. Thus, you can sit down below and review/put in all of your waypoints and make your route without sitting outside. Once I have saved the route, it will be relayed/read to the unit at the helm.

2) Review your course from your nav station/seperate location. The REALITY is that when you are offshore, you are not sitting at the helm all day waiting for the off chance that a boat will cross the horizon. You will keep watch in the cockpit, but will get up and make coffee, snacks, or go to the head which takes you down below. I always bring up the radar so I can keep glancing over at it and know when something is appriaching - often before I can see it.

3) Bring up different screens. Depending on the run (offshore/coastal), I will seperate the screens to my prefered settings. For example, at the helm I keep up the Chart Plotter on one half and the radar on the other. I will occasionally flip over to see what the Cross Track error is and time to target. Down below, I usually keep up the radar on one side and the log information on the other. I personally make 30min paper plots for dead reckoning (just in case). You can also make the screens totally custom to show just the information you want. It is easy to do with the E/C series Raymarine.

  • The E/C series all scroll quickly. THat was a major frustration with the old RL series that they slow to scroll - which was a MAJOR PITA when plotting courses and reviewing waypoints.
  • THe E/C series has a Find Ship function that quickly puts the cursor on your current position and holds that into the middle of the screen so that the screen scrolls versus the boat moving off the screen. I believe you have the ability to change that the boat moving instead and refreshing at the end of the page - but I detest that function so have never tried.
  • Installation is one of the big plusses for the E/C series. It is about as Plug-Play as it gets.
  • You can easily pull up tide information from any area at any time (even future).
  • You can pull up telephone numbers and addresses of about any marina with that information - and there is a lot. This is of course assuming the info has not changed.
  • Navionics charts are very detailed and have many nice functions, including a 3-d overview and satellite pictures, but they are expensive.
  • I find it easy to manuever through the screens and appreciate the customability of the units.

  • MARPA. This stands for Mini Automatic Radar Plotting Aid. It basically tracks your course/heading against up to 10 other contacts. If there is going to be a collision, it warns you. I have not spent enough time with this to give it a thumbs up or down... but still a very nice tool to have in crowded harbors or shipping lanes.
  • The Radar overlay on the screen is absolutely an awesome function. In my opinion, it helps account for the reality of where things are versus where the CP says they are. Though the units are better now than 5-10 years ago, there is still an offset. It also allows you to focus more on the CP versus having to keep look between the radar and CP. THis is very helpful when travelling down the ICW at night which is a hair raising experience in shallow, narrow lanes. You will see pilings that are not supposed to be there and one missing where the CP says they are.

  • You can Overlay weather up to X miles offshore. I have been told 200 by some, and 20 by others??? This requires a Sirius weather receiver (which will also recieve your music) and a subscription that ranges from about 20/month for the very basic and 50 for everything which includes wave height, period, doppler radar, weather predictions, etc. I DO NOT HAVE THIS, I am only telling you what I have been told. So, this is hear-say. The garmin unit also uses this, though it requires a XM subscription (at basically the same cost). However, be aware that XM is being purchased by Sirius if the SEC approves.
  • Very nice numerical information is relayed from the peripheral units (wind/depth, etc). You can custom this to your personal preferences. This is a really nice function that we use a LOT when plotting offshore.
  • Easy communication and connection b/t Raymarine wind/depth/speed.
  • You have the ability to put cameras (up to 4 I think) on the unit and video monitor different areas. We have considered putting one in the kids cabin, but have not used this function yet.
  • Another REALLY neat function we have not taken advantage of (and I THINK is unique to Raymarine) is the personal locators. It is a little orance wristband you put on yourself, kids, dink, etc... and if it ever gets more than a certain distance from the boat (30 feet I think) it sets off an alarm. I think it sets off a MOB. I personally know this would make me sleep more at rest on long runs at night. Losing one of my kids or my wife at night is a nightmare I always have.
  • The picture quality is very nice at night and day. You can easily reduce the brightness for running at night. I have never had a problem seeing the screen even in the brightest sun.

Negatives:
  • The cost. If you can get by with one unit (preferably at the helm, of course) you will save a LOT of money, since you can use the C series which is considerably cheaper and appears to have all the functionability of a single E series. I would estimate the cost difference at 3500-4000 once you inclide cables, etc (not including install difference). I will say that I priced out the difference between the E series and the comparable of Garmin (which is the only other unit I personally would consider outside of RayMarine) and the cost was about the same to get the same functionability.
  • You cannot turn on one unit (a slave) without the master being set on. In other words, when you set these up, you tell the system which of the units is the Master. It always has to be on. Since my Master is at the Nav (which I may change), I cannot turn on the unit at the helm and leave the unit down below off to save power. I feel that is a negative.
  • Once you know how to set up the customability of the unit, you will do it in a snap. However, figuring it our the first time is a pain.
  • Service. I have had some experience with the service on my RL series and was not overly impressed. They fixed it without charging me a dime, but they could have been a little more friendly. I have heard others say that too. I have also had others swear by them as being VERY nice... so take my comments as my personal experience only. I have not had to deal with them for many years, so it may have improved (or gotten worse!!).
  • The Daisy Chain/(HSB): Well, It is a positive and a negative. The positive is that it makes it very easy to install. The negative is that if you lose a HSB anywhere, you will basically lose everything. I had a cable come lose on my depth, and my CP's and radar both went into error mode. Luckily, it did not matter at the time and I tracked down the source. But in a storm offshore or making a narrow entrance at night I would have a heart attack. Also, they really should put in some type of a clip to hold the USB connections inplace. Since they are held there by "pressure" alone, they are doomed to work out over time (in my opinion). Basically, can you spell maintenance?? Like I need something else to keep an eye on with my boat.

Radar​

I have used the Radome 2kw on tso different boats now that I have owned. It seems bulletproof. I have never had any issues.

Wind/Depth/Speed​

Absolutely no issues that would not an issue on any unit (like the paddle wheel gumming up). I won't buy anything but.

ST 6001+ Autopilot​

Bulletproof. Never had any problems. I will go further to say that one time we were offshore in 10-15 breakers off our stbd, stern quarter. We had three boats with us. For 27 hours, our autopilot was the only one that held where the others gave out. I will not buy anything but.

Conclusion:​

In my opinion, I feel they make the best units for our use. I think Garmin is a very, very, very close second and I would strongly consider Garmin (except that new touch screen... not so sure about how that will work in cold weather with gloves on or stand up to the weather). It has its little quirks and since I have owned both Garmin and Raytheon (and Raymarine) products, I feel compelled to say that you will be up and running quicker on the Garmins than you will the Raytheons. However, once you learn how to manuever the Raymarine products, you will not have any difficulties.

These are just my opinions, so take them as such. I have personally owned the RL 70 series (BW and color), Garmin stand-alone color CP (cannot remember the model now), and used Furuno (sp??) products offshore but have not owned them - so will limit my responses there. I will be happy to answer any question I can on what I can.

- CD
 
#35 ·
This looks to be a great thread in time, thanks CD

I may be off topic a little.

First; this about the Radar was excellent for myself. As I been eyeballing a C-Series. :rolleyes:

I did want to comment on this quote;

The negative is that if you lose a HSB anywhere, you will basically lose everything. I had a cable come lose on my depth, and my CP's and radar both went into error mode. Luckily, it did not matter at the time and I tracked down the source. But in a storm offshore or making a narrow entrance at night I would have a heart attack. Also, they really should put in some type of a clip to hold the USB connections in place. Since they are held there by "pressure" alone, they are doomed to work out over time (in my opinion). Basically, can you spell maintenance?? Like I need something else to keep an eye on with my boat. - CD
Sometimes I use a little hot-melt (Glue gun stuff we find in Hobby Stores) to stick troublesome cables so they stay in place. It usually easy to un-stick with an untrimmed fingernail or whatever. I not say it will work for everyone, but, it has seemed to do well for myself. :p
 
#21 ·
Raytheon RL series CP's

As I have just finished a writeup on the E series (the newer version) I thought I would also do a writeup on the older RL series. I do not think these are in production anymore. If I recall correctly, they were about the last marine product put out by Raytheon (which split off to become Raymarine). However, since many of the older boats still have these units, some review might be helpful to boat buyers when the vessel they are purchasing has these units. Please excuse any unintentional mistakes in this writeup since I have not actually used these for several years now.

RL 70 (CRC)

Would it be fair to call it fairly trend setting for its time? I think so. In my opinion, they held the market then and the Garmin products were not well developed or sought after... if they were even around. The leading competitor in my opinion was probably Furuno, whose specialization in radar, really carried them forward.

The RL series came in monochrome black and white, or color (if designated in C). The 70 stood for 7 inch display. They were taunted as truly daylight viewable - especially the color series. I put a color series at the Nav and had a B&W at the helm. This probably was a mistake because the color unit gave much better resolution. I always found the B&W unit difficult to see in direct daylight, though not as bad if it was not really bright. The color unit was by far superior.

Many of the functions that were present on that unit were carried over to the new E series. You can read above what those are. Some exceptions that I am aware of are the overlay for radar, camera, and weather ability. The course plotting and waypoint settings all work(ed) similar to the new E series. Those that are upgrading will easily navigate through the E/C series units.

I have to say that there are a few differences that make the E/C series units well superior to the older units. They are:

1) Daylight viewable. Much better resolution and brightness.

2) Scrolling. This is a big one. I always found the R series slow to scroll across the screen. The refresh took a while too.

3) The radar overlay. To the best of my knowledge, the old units did not do that. If I am wrong, I apologize.

4) MARPA. This stands for Mini Automatic Radar Plotting Aid. This is a function that was once only utilized by commercial ships to overlay up to X number of contacts (the E series is limited to 10, as I recall) and plot their course against your heading. They warn you if there is the potential for a collision. To the best of my knowledge, the old units would not do this. This is a nice function to have when crossing shipping lanes or on busy harbors.

5) AIS. Not sure they would take that input. I am not sure it was around then (which it may have been) but I had not heard of it.

I cannot think of a lot of other differences. I will say that I did have some problems early on with my units suddenly locking up. They ended up replacing the unit to get the problem resolved. Other than that, it worked fine and was an awesome tool to have on board.
 
#22 ·
Can we request Reviews here too?
I did a search on a furler unit Schaefer Snapfurl CF-700 and did not get many hits but I am sure there are a few out there that have this unit or something similar and could provide some feedback. It is for a smaller boat 24'-28' but I have noticed there are numerous owners in that range. I did a google search on it and found lots of supplier/sales info but not a lot in the way of customer reviews. Any experience with this unit out there?
 
#23 ·
Wonder Clean Washing Machine

It was suggested that I post my review of the the Wonder clean, washing machine here.

About 1.5 years ago I bought the wonder clean for my boat. I have since sold the farm and I am living in an apartment. No washing machine. The wonder clean does a great job of cleaning cloths. Doesn't use a lot of water to wash, but I've found that it does take more water to rinse then they claim. Still, I have put very dirty jeans and a couple of golf shirts in it and they come out clean. Also ringing out the cloths when your done washing them, is a bit of a pain. The other downside on a boat is where to store it. I have a large cockpit locker, so it isn't a problem for me, but I could see how it could be a problem for others. All in all, one of the best $42.00 I've spent.

EDITED BY CD: I edited this simply to put the title in the subject line. That is all I changed.
 
#24 ·
LED work light

I use110V work lights around the house but every second time I go to use one I manage to give it a little bump and the filament in the bulb goes. A real PITA. The last thing I need on the boat.

I discovered an all-LED work light from bulbtronics.com. It is a bit expensive ($35), but it is perfect for working in the engine compartment. It runs off 12VDC, 110AC or its own internal NiCads. There is plenty of light and I can never burn myself by touching it :) And there are no filaments !

Order code: LDTRUHHWRKLT Part # 0050154

[I have no affiliation with bulbtronics]
 
#52 ·
I use110V work lights around the house but every second time I go to use one I manage to give it a little bump and the filament in the bulb goes. A real PITA. The last thing I need on the boat.
I learned the benefits of using a headlamp from backpacking in mountains. It's inexpensive, lightweight, compact, focuses the light directly on the object of your attention, frees up both hands and is very miserly on batteries. Most operate on 2-3 AAA and usually one change of batteries will last a season.

 
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