How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

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WinSome
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How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by WinSome »

Here in Ontario, the mud dauber like to clog our telltales during lengthy storage or sitting around. To keep them out we insert a piece of cord string trimmer line into the tell-tale. Remove when you start it up. How do you manage this issue?
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NiceAft
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Re: How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by NiceAft »

First, I had to look up what a Mud Dauber is :?

Then, only being familiar with the tell-tails on my Mac, I can't visualize your problem. :? :?
To keep them out we insert a piece of cord string trimmer line into the tell-tale. Remove when you start it up
Ray ~~_/)~~
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Jimmyt
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Re: How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by Jimmyt »

WinSome wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 7:05 am Here in Ontario, the mud dauber like to clog our telltales during lengthy storage or sitting around. To keep them out we insert a piece of cord string trimmer line into the tell-tale. Remove when you start it up. How do you manage this issue?
Great idea!
Jimmyt
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NiceAft
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Re: How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by NiceAft »

Terrific Jimmy,

Now will someone tell/show me how you insert a plastic string into a tell-tail :?: To me, tell-tails are strings that hang from sails, or shrouds.
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Ray ~~_/)~~
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Re: How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by Inquisitor »

I'm with NiceAft... I'm drawing a blank.

Our mud-daubers must be a hull of a lot bigger than yours. They make condominiums on the side of the house here.

Another thing I learned along the way (for non-sail-attached tell-tales) use old cassette tapes. Has great dispenser, waterproof and can show you movement in the lightest wind (<< 1 knot) Roll yourself out as much length as you like and tie on to the shrouds. It helps you see the wind coming into and exiting the sale. Although most youngsters here may have to look up what a cassette tape is and what its for.

And for us old timers there is an excellent migration path: 8-track tapes, VHS tapes! You can see it even with your glasses off! :P
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NiceAft
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Re: How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by NiceAft »

:( :D
Inquisitor wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 11:44 am I'm with NiceAft... I'm drawing a blank.

Our mud-daubers must be a hull of a lot bigger than yours. They make condominiums on the side of the house here.

Another thing I learned along the way (for non-sail-attached tell-tales) use old cassette tapes. Has great dispenser, waterproof and can show you movement in the lightest wind (<< 1 knot) Roll yourself out as much length as you like and tie on to the shrouds. It helps you see the wind coming into and exiting the sale. Although most youngsters here may have to look up what a cassette tape is and what its for.

And for us old timers there is an excellent migration path: 8-track tapes, VHS tapes! You can see it even with your glasses off! :P
Ray ~~_/)~~
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WinSome
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Re: How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by WinSome »

Interesting.
I’m referring to the motor tell-tale for the water exhaust. We have these pesky insects fill the holes with mud. When it hardens to mud, the water doesn’t flow.
So I can just pull out the cordless trimmer string and go sailing with motor working fine.
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Re: How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by Inquisitor »

I had to go out and look at mine (Mercury 60 hp). I'm not sure what that's called down here besides the hole the motor's cooling water exits. Besides, I don't think even our gnats can fit in that hole. My boat sat lonely for three years and got no suitors. But I did have a couple of the afore-mentioned mud condos inside the boat.

Your solution sounds like a great one to me. If I found it to be a problem here, I'd probably 3D print a screw-in plug and have a big red flag on it, "Remove Before Flight". Mine accepts a male garden hose for clean-out or cooling while running the motor on the hard.

But, I'll keep it in mind if I ever visit the artic north (read... anything north of the SEC conference). :D
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NiceAft
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Re: How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by NiceAft »

WinSome said:
I’m referring to the motor tell-tale for the water exhaust.
OHHHHHH.

I've always heard that referred to as the Pee Hole. The resulting water flow as, you guessed it, the Pee Stream. :D Never as the Tell-Tail.

So, congratulations on a good solution to your problem. I've never had that problem. Being seventy-one, maybe someday flow obstruction may be a personal challenge; I certainly will not use your Tell-Tail solution :wink: :o :D
Ray ~~_/)~~
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Re: How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by Inquisitor »

NiceAft wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 1:17 pm Being seventy-one, maybe someday flow obstruction may be a personal challenge; I certainly will not use your Tell-Tail solution :wink: :o :D
:| :cry: There are some things you just CAN'T UN-SEE! Even when it is in your own head.

:D
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Re: How do you keep your tell-tale cleared and working

Post by C Buchs »

I blow mine out with canned air. Like this:

They come with a little red straw that fits right in the hole.

Jeff
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