Great Inexpensive Gizmos

[skipmac]

Sesame combination padlocks.

You can open them in the dark by feel so no searching for a flashlight when you get back to the boat late at night. Comes in a solid brass version for the boat.

[capngeo]

[colemj]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Sesame combination padlocks.

You can open them in the dark by feel so no searching for a flashlight when you get back to the boat late at night. Comes in a solid brass version for the boat.

???

We have one of these, and although the number wheels stand proud and are tactile in the dark, how do you know what number they are on without a light?

Mark

[Jimbo485]

1. Rossler shopping trolleys.

We can carry 48 litres of fuel in just the trolley or one complete rudder... Excellent product.


2. Pretty much any solar panel. It does not take much maths in a spreadsheet to see where the savings lie.


3. Tap and die sets. Assorted threaded rods of various sizes with appropriate washers and and nuts.


4. Lots of flour, rice, pasta, sugar, beer, rum, cigarettes etc for the 3rd world, as either gifts or living material.


These items are all inexpensive compared to the issues involved when you do not have them...


If you live in a marina, or sail in the 1st world, you can ignore the above comments.

[callmecrazy]

This isn't a gizmo, but it's definitely improved life aboard.

Wrinkle Release! This stuff is magic. Just spray it on your wrinkled clothes and give them a stretch. The wrinkles are gone in less than 30 seconds

I'm not lucky enough to have drawers and hanging lockers for clothing, so all my clothes get stuffed into the v-berth shelves. An observant barmaid bought me a bottle of this last year and I've been using it every day since

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

This isn't a gizmo, but it's definitely improved life aboard.

Wrinkle Release! This stuff is magic. Just spray it on your wrinkled clothes and give them a stretch. The wrinkles are gone in less than 30 seconds

I'm not lucky enough to have drawers and hanging lockers for clothing, so all my clothes get stuffed into the v-berth shelves. An observant barmaid bought me a bottle of this last year and I've been using it every day since

Does it work on weathered faces????? Gotta get me some!

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by colemj

???

We have one of these, and although the number wheels stand proud and are tactile in the dark, how do you know what number they are on without a light?

Mark

We used them on our previous boat.
You roll them all back to zero and they won't go farther so you know where you are at that point. Then count clicks.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

... You roll them all back to zero and they won't go farther so you know where you are at that point. Then count clicks.

Works on the actual "Sesamee", but not the "Master" version (no stop).

[Stu Jackson]

Hold Tite

Two suction cups on a handle. Great for scrubbing the hull when you're in the water.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Works on the actual "Sesamee", but not the "Master" version (no stop).

Yes, I learned that the hard way. Couldn't find a Sesame locally and picked up a Master thinking it would work the same way. Nope.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Works on the actual "Sesamee", but not the "Master" version (no stop).

Ah yes. Now shopping for a genuine Sesamee...

Mark

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Trying this one.

We have no more toilet odours at all and have now got an eyedropper full in each head...

Absolutely works!

[mrohr]

Led cluster flashlites,Approx. $3 us. about 4" long uses aaa batteries keep em everywhere .Also the circular stick on leds that you push for on/off. Great for dark lockers, also approx. $10.

[belizesailor]

Cradlepoint MBR900 WiFi hub...$20 on eBay!

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Tell us about your favorite inexpensive gizmo that has changed your life onboard! I'll start with the Super Siphon. I got sick of fueling my feet, the dinghy, the dock, and the deck of my boat due to the cruel jokes they call fuel jugs these days--I picture the crew at the fuel jug factory sitting around telling sick jokes about all us saps using their products that make it harder to put fuel into your tank than on the ground. So I asked around some of the car forums and the Super Siphon kept coming up. Bought two from Amazon and boy are they slick. Work like a charm. No more spilled fuel and I don't have to balance an awkwardly heavy fuel jug while trying to pour into the tank while watching the rising level so I don't flood the dinghy. I don't know how I have lived without these for years. I just make sure the jug is a bit higher than what I want to fill. Put the brass thingy into your fuel jug and shake it up and down for a few seconds and pretty soon the fuel starts to flow lickety split at just about the right speed. It is easy to stop the flow at just the right moment by simply lifting the brass thingy above the fuel level in the jug. Easy peasy.

Nice call on these! Just got two of them on amazon for maybe ten bucks. First time I've gotten five gallons of water into the deck fill without spilling a drop. There were a few cups left in the bottom that I needed to tilt-pour, but at that point it's simple to do.