[Nick Flint Posts: 4853 Status: Offline]

Latest up date on Sparkle.
1 The exhaust system has been refurbished whilst engine OUT, and now runs a treat, with the much nicer deep rumble on tick over, rather than the artie/fartie I was becoming fed up with. Fingers crust on longevity.
2. The VHF system has been run up and tested today, and now works a treat (also).
The Auxiliary (motor bike) battery--- which powers the intercom and the VHF is NOW charged via the Briggs engine, but only when connected via a "double pole / double throw (I think its called) which has Main engine 12V in- and can be switched over to allow flow of charge INTO the aux battery, but NOT allowed in reverse, due to a diode in circuit, or conversely- remain separate systems by having switch OFF.
The thinking here was that I could have the aux battery charged as and when, but I could disconnect the engine (alternator/facet pump interference) should I need / prefer interference FREE transmissions.
VHF Testing today with Mr Taylor, has shown that even with engine running there is ZERO interference, and when persuaded to just "huskily breathe" into the mike, I could well make out his "husky breathiness" so expected by young ladies!
In a strange twist of fate/electronic magicarie, I NOW don't get ANY interference, NO MATTER what I have switched on or OFF. Perhaps this is the two batteries acting as an attenuating device with or without the diode???
Other areas of frustration ARE available i gather, but I've done "quite well" here-----
Clearly I will need to test "on the loch" at some early juncture, but can I suggest we ALL take COMMS rather more seriously in the future?
i.e. can we please just have a comms call out before we set off, (I KNOW its a bit like roll call back at school, where you were expected to call out names in order, but this is perhaps one of the last areas of "sloppiness" we have still in our operations, and as such its a darn sight easier than marinating our electrics (for instance)

[Nick Flint Posts: 4853 Status: Offline]

I managed to get Honda Fireblade silencers from Ebay around £35-45 mark. They are still out there, as nutters change them for the stupidly named LOUDER "silencers".
These seem to have a pleasant boom boom.
Having run my craft (at Liverpool) into a severe head tide, wave, AND wind, THREE UP  full throttle for ONE hour, i checked yesterday to find my gun gum repair (backed with a stainless Jubilee clip) was ----"not"
The clip has vanished, and I've traced the pipe along and down to silencer. Some thieving Liverpudlian must have half inched it!


On a personal note I find "impossibilities" interesting. 
Phone camera views declare the discrepancy to have returned (the hole out of which "farteth a goodly trump")
I have followed Johns earlier advice to fill this chasm with "Quickstep Reinforced Epoxy putty"
This will also be held "circumferentially" by a stainless Jubilee clip.
I then hope to try out on the Severn shortly and burble past dozing ducks.
Have you ever seen ducks putting wings in their ears?


P.S. You KNOW its cold in Scotland when Johns Exhaust has snow on it----