Another quality brand you could look at is Hellamarine that are made in New Zealand. I have a boat with them (not my Amel which is still like yours with converted LED globes). They do round surface mo

James, My Maramu is in Australia. It's such a shame it's so hard to get up the Red Sea these days otherwise that is where we would be heading to the Med. I did it in 1995 and 1998 when it was nerve wr

I love that area. I have fantastic memories of Ustica and the Aeolian Islands. I wish my Maramu was in Sardinia! As a way to head west I've done the trip twice up the Red Sea as far as UK. Once across

James, I've had Popeye for about 5 years. Last year I removed the Perkins M60 and installed a 75hp Yanmar. John Maramu #91 1981

James, If you are doing this before buying the boat it sounds like there is not too much you can take apart but if you have concerns about seized valve guides then just removing the rocker cover to ob

On my 1981 boat I have a number laminated into the engine room hull on the port side. It would be obscured if painted over. John Popeye Maramu #91

James, 99% sure it is 24mm. John, Popeye, Maramu #91

Warren and Zetta, Hi, I am up the coast in Port Douglas. My business is Wavelength Reef Cruises and we have a shop in the marina here where Popeye is also parked (but we live in a house!). You are ver

Antonio, This subject has come up before and been answered by Olivier. I just checked it on the search facility and it was last 27th January (2015). Reading that should make it clearer. John, #91 Mara

If you put a seacock on the exhaust outlet you have a big problem if it is left closed by accident and the engine started. It is correct to rely on the gooseneck of the exhaust and water trap and not

Mawgan, Just put a photo up to give you a better idea what I was talking about. Note it is not in use as I took it off the boat. John, Popeye Maramu #91

When I bought Popeye it had no compressor but one had been on previously and running from a 4 kvA gen set. From some spares left I think it was a Bauer Junior. It appeared that the set up had been to

What is it with bagging of the 55? I remember when the 54 was criticized when it came out and especially after that terrible accident with the gentleman on a halyard on an electric winch. These boats

I prefer to give a bit more credit to the guys at Amel that they know their market and what it takes to design, build and sell a boat in that price range. There is little doubt they are superb quality

I might have one in a bit over a month or so as I have an electrician who says they can convert my NECO motor to operate with a Simrad control. The NECO control unit works fine but does operate quite

It can be confusing if you look at land based solar information and transpose it to a boat. There are two issues for pointing the panels in the right direction. One is distance from the equator and th

Vladimir, It sounds like your studs (pins as you call them) might be screwed in too far and anyway need replacing due to corrosion. Have you tried two nuts together on the stud to make a lock nut and

You could try Penguin Engineering in Uk. They supply Barka Italian products. Not sure about the Super Maramu but the quality and appearance is a good replacement for older Amels. On their website clic

Steve and Liz, Well said. Some discussions are too black and white. Ok a shackle should not be stronger than the car but we all know stainless steel shackles vary a lot. 630 stainless has a uts of ove

Kent What about pivotting solar panels on the guard rails outside the aft cabin top rather than need an arch. Say with two decent sized solar panels when using the autopilot a lot under sail it still