[C320-list] Common hacks to save money

[Jack Brennan via C320-list]

The Nova Kool conversion kit is a great suggestion to avoid the ever-rising prices of Dometic products. So I'm wondering what other hacks people have found to avoid the high cost of boating gear. Here's a few of mine.


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A tablet computer with Aquamaps, an app that costs about $15 a year and has more accurate charts than Garmin or Raymarine. $20 or so will get you a rail mount on Amazon for the pedestal. Another $30-50 will get you a waterproof battery backup that will keep the tablet running for a day or so. Beats the hell out of a 3K chart plotter.
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Chinese 12-volt fans on Amazon that cost $10-20 and plug into a socket. I installed these sockets in every cabin on my boat, patched into the cabin light circuit. They stick with Velcro. Much more reliable than the $150 ones at West Marine.
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Dyneema lifelines. For about $200 and $10 for a fid to splice the line with eyes, you can replace those expensive SS lifelines. Dyneema is stronger than SS. I bought some SS pelican hooks on Amazon for gates and use cow hitch knots on the other ends, which makes for easy adjustments. Replace every five years or so due to UV.
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Weaver davits on the stern to carry the dinghy. Inexpensive, convenient and reduces the windage that regular davits create.
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Amazon has things called dog sofa covers that drape over the settees and keep them from getting wet and dirty. About $25 or so each. They come in navy blue, too.


Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.

[Laura Gwinn via C320-list]

I am very interested in the Weaver davits. Went to web site and they only
show the dinghy at back of swim platform with davits attached. Surely you
arent towing the dinghy witn it “attached” to the davits? It must rotate
up “onto” the swim platform? Hope that question makes sense?
Odyssey #688
Kent Island MD

Sent from Gmail Mobile

[ART HARDEN via C320-list]

I have used 21 inch ratchet, tiedown straps that you can buy in any harbor freight or hardware store. I hook the strap onto the lower stern rail, running through the outside line of the dinghy under and back around to the opposite side of the dinghy and through the safety line. I then roll the dinghy up against the Stern rail and do the final attachment through the ratchet. The hooks fit over the 1 inch railing perfectly. When I get ready to watch the boat, I just undo this ratchet pull the strap out and let the Diggy rotate into the water. Essentially the dinghy is just strapped to the transom.


Sent from my iPhone

Art Harden
Catalina 320 "Tortuga" 243
E-42
937.885.9380 (o)
937.477.5544 (m)

> On Jun 14, 2026, at 8:48 PM, Laura Gwinn via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com> wrote:
>
> I am very interested in the Weaver davits. Went to web site and they only

[Michael Stumpfoll via C320-list]

1/2” nylon anchor line with taught line hitches to do the same thing. Taught line hitches like you learned in Scouts. Two loops on the down side, one loop on the top side.
Thanks,
Mike Stumpfoll

On Jun 14, 2026, at 10:18 PM, ART HARDEN via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com> wrote:

I have used 21 inch ratchet, tiedown straps that you can buy in any harbor freight or hardware store. I hook the strap onto the lower stern rail, running through the outside line of the dinghy under and back around to the opposite side of the dinghy and through the safety line. I then roll the dinghy up against the Stern rail and do the final attachment through the ratchet. The hooks fit over the 1 inch railing perfectly. When I get ready to watch the boat, I just undo this ratchet pull the strap out and let the Diggy rotate into the water. Essentially the dinghy is just strapped to the transom.

[Michael Stumpfoll via C320-list]

I use the iSailGPS app on a second hand iPad (model with built in GPS) for navigation. Have the same app on my phone. It works great, download any map you need for free.
Thanks,
Mike Stumpfoll

On Jun 14, 2026, at 8:05 PM, Jack Brennan via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com> wrote:

The Nova Kool conversion kit is a great suggestion to avoid the ever-rising prices of Dometic products. So I'm wondering what other hacks people have found to avoid the high cost of boating gear. Here's a few of mine.

[Michael Stumpfoll via C320-list]

I guess the other hack to save money was buying a walking foot sewing machine 20 years ago. It is a knock of off a sailrite. $200 back then. I have gone through a bolt of sunbrella on various projects over the years like a new bimini. I buy the sunbrella from a local awning shop. The other big savings on my past boats was to abandon the head and holding tank and switch to a porta potti. So much easier to deal with. The four of us on two week trips up and down the Chesapeake, it was always easy to carry the tank ashore to empty in any marina toilet or porta john. Freed up storage space in the boat. Fiberglassed over two holes in the hull no longer needed. Eliminates maintenance and smells. Does nothing for boat resale value, but I couldn’t care less.

Thanks,
Mike Stumpfoll

On Jun 14, 2026, at 8:05 PM, Jack Brennan via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com> wrote:

The Nova Kool conversion kit is a great suggestion to avoid the ever-rising prices of Dometic products. So I'm wondering what other hacks people have found to avoid the high cost of boating gear. Here's a few of mine.

[Chris via C320-list]

Along the vein of spending now to save big... I bought a really great
RIB tender and outboard and a main anchor I could really trust come
what may. As a result i saved heaps on marina and mooring ball fees
when cruising.

On 15 Jun 2026 14:21, Michael Stumpfoll via C320-list