Digital TV for boat or RV

Beware, Canadians! If you're in the market for a new TV for your boat or RV, and you plan to travel where you'll receive antenna signals from the United States, make sure the TV you buy has a digital tuner. As of February 2009 (in the US) and August 2011 in Canada, broadcast signals will be digital and you MUST have a digital (ATSC) tuner in your TV to receive them.

The time delay between the two countries has left a glut of NTSC tuner (analog) TVs dumped into the Canadian market. They WILL NOT work with American signals after February 2009 or Canadian signals after 2011. Of course, a digital converter box will make an NTSC television work but in a boat or an RV the extra appliance draws additional power from your already limited power supply.

So - if you're buying a TV in the next few months (or years) make SURE it has an ATSC tuner listed in the specs.

Extra seat for Zodiac dinghy

Want a second seat for your Zodiac dinghy? You can buy one for about $300 (get real, Zodiac - it's a piece of plywood!!!) or you can fashion a plywood seat yourself and buy just the seat brackets for $45. Being too cheap to do either, I set out to make brackets. Attempts with oak and plywood failed. Then my 'duh' moment! Sitting in the dinghy, I noticed two plastic brackets attached to the lower transom, holding down the floorboards. Guess what - they're seat brackets!!! Remove them, replace them with blocks of wood (I used oak) and attach them to your new plywood seat with 10/24 X 1 1/4" oval head stainless steel bolts and VOILA! You've got a second seat for your dinghy and the floorboards are secured better than before.


Self-bailer diaphragm failure -

btw - I hope you never have to order parts for a Zodiac. Dealers in both Kingston (Source for Sports) and Ottawa (Hurst Marine) are distinctly UNhelpful and email directly to Zodiac has gone unanswered. The diaphragm in my self-bailer failed and it appears to be impossible to order a new one. Beware - the Zodiac self-bailers were changed in 2002 and the old diaphragm and the new one have the same part number. Mine is like this (Z60501) Repairs to the old one with duct tape are holding for the moment but when that gives out I think I'll go to Westmarine and buy and install a new self-bailer. That's a lot of hassle for a $10 part but at least I'll be able to buy replacement diaphragms!!