#3 Continuation of Most Useful Household Appliances When Cruising
#3 Caframo Two Speed, Two Blade Fans Model 747
These are the best! The BEST!
They don’t just move air forward... they propel air, yet they’re quiet! They are 12 volt operated and use a mere .59 amps. They can be clamped on, screwed on or suction cupped where is most beneficial for you. You can put them in the cockpit, the head, over your berth, the galley... they are fantastic!
It looks a little dangerous without a grate covering in front of the blades, but the plastic blades are "finger safe". I’ve stuck my elbow in it and Jim has stuck his head in it... not on purpose. It didn’t feel good, but we didn’t suffer any cuts or abrasions. Most importantly, we didn’t lose any body parts.
These are not cheap fans, about $50 at West Marine with tax. However, if you are in hot or humid conditions, we highly recommend this product! Last time I made it to the states I purchased two more of them!
Caframo makes other fan models, and we have a couple of them on board. They are not near as powerful. They are also not as easy to clean. The two blade, two speed Model 747 is the most impressive in our opinion.
- meri's blog
- Login or register to post comments
Lookin' ta' buy a boat like you had and would like your opinion. 1-10 scale overall, the good/bad/ugly, stuff to watch for, what you liked/didn't like...that kina' stuff The boat I'm lookin at is a cheepie @ 8 grand and has some issues but basically appears sound.
Any help appreciated,
Paul
Paul,
Thanks for your interest. Here are a few thoughts in no particular order:
Now is a buyers market. Up until the day you buy the new boat, you have all the power. After that day, you share it with West Marine, boat yards, mechanics etc. - and it ain't cheap then!
We just bought our Tartan TOCK for 1/4 of what is sold for a year ago. $22,000 now vs. $85,000 then. Granted, it needed an engine rebuild ($5000) and fuel tank work (less than $1000 plus lots of time). Bottom line. There are deals out there. Don't jump at the first one.
Regarding the Cal Cruising 35 specifically: She is an excellent boat for a couple and still good with one child. Less so with 2 children, one of whom is a teenager (our situation). She sails very well for a shoal draft cruiser, has great tankage and is a solidly build coastal cruiser. She has great views outside from inside the cabin! And the 35' can slip into smaller anchorages that larger vessels can't.
I don't know of any specific weaknesses to look for. Ours was well maintained prior to buying (we paid $40K for her in 2007) and and no soft spots to speak of. We kept her in excellent condition and put 20K or so into her... only got $35K when we sold her this year because the market is so soft. I would suggest doing this... after you buy it I would drop the rudder and make sure the stainless shaft is good. I think 40 years on a spade rudder demands it. The survey wont find a problem if there is one.
To sum it up, if there were only the two of us on board we would still have the boat. She is a good boat. There are lots of other good boat too. We suggest doing lots of looking first.
Good luck to you!