Project Reports
 

When do you start varnishing?

Bart

Seahag wrote

I'm thinking about washing the deck one of these days.

Project Reports
 

I'll give you 2 more points for full credit, and another 2 points as a
bonus for the nice pictures.

What is that growing on your saildrive?

Bart


Jeff Morris wrote in message
...

As promised, some pics. Almost all the engine work is done - now I have
the
buffing and painting. Launch in about a week.

Here's a shot down one of the exhaust elbows, chipped out, but not
dremmel'd:
http://www.sv-loki.com/carbon.jpg

The elbow with a "U"
http://www.sv-loki.com/exhaust.jpg

Here's the clump of eel grass I pulled out. The gasket for the end of
the core
assembly is shown for scale. The intake chamber is the smaller part of
the
gasket, one third of the core. The grass is fluffed up compared to how it
was
when pulled out.
http://www.sv-loki.com/eelgrass.jpg

The Volvo prop, 16x11
http://www.sv-loki.com/propopen.jpg
http://www.sv-loki.com/propclosed.jpg

Looking forward under "Loki" - in front is a Prout 37:
http://www.sv-loki.com/pdqprout.jpg


"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
"N1EE" wrote in message
om...
Good report, but not enough detail. 8 points.

Any pictures? The eel grass would have been
interesting to see.

Tomorrow, maybe - I did save the largest clump.


What sort of props do you have?

Volvo two blade folding


What do you recommend for raw water strainers?


There's no cheap way because you need full flow. I'm thinking Groco
750's.
Defender is $75 - WasteMarine is $99. I always wondered why they
weren't
standard on the boat, but I guess they think the saildrive feed acts as
a
strainer. All in all, it wasn't a lot of debris for 5 years, but it did
get
inconveniently far into the system.

What is with the carbon in the exhaust elbows?

One engine has a severe bend in the hose between the elbow and the
muffler -
about one foot radius. I'm thinking this causes enough back pressure to
carbon
up the elbow. This is the forth time I've pulled it, but the buildup
wasn't
that severe. The first time it was 80% clogged, so I figure its worth
doing
every year or so. This is the second time for the other engine - its
buildup
isn't to bad.

Like a lot of jobs, the first time is hard and stressful - then it gets
quick
and easy. Four bolts releases it from the block, so the only hassle is
the
big
exhaust hose.

Is this the first time you have serviced it?

I've done all this before, except for the heat exchanger core. I wish I
had
done that several years ago.

How did you find this problems?

A mechanic at Ashley Marina in Charleston, SC was fixing an oil leak
(warranty
work - a bad gasket in the original setup) and didn't like the way it
reved
up.
When he realized we also used that engine for battery charging, he
decided it
was worth looking at the elbow. His advice was to reroute the exhaust
(which
I
haven't done), rev higher when possible, and pull the elbow every 300
hours.


How often does this item need service?

See above. I'm thinking in a year or two I'll just replace the elbows.



Are you coming up to Long Island Sound this year?

We're hoping to get to Maine this Summer. Also, it's likely we'll go to
the
Vineyard and maybe Nantucket. Further South than Newport or Cutyhunk is
unlikely. When are you getting out out of the Sound?.

-jeff

Project Reports
 

DSK wrote

Rebuild battery platform (already done this for the genset start
battery)... btw a great source of strong rot & rust proof material is
thick plastic cutting board. It's resistant to battery acid too and a
really big one costs $7 at Wal-Mart or the like. Much cheaper than
Star-Board!

I'm using some of this to make mast block spacers. Great stuff and
like you said cheap. I need to figure out how to secure my batteries
for a rollover. No hurry there, since I don't plan to take it on the
ocean anytime soon.

Build up spoke/hub of steering wheel to make it less wobbly. I have to
have at least one ongoing job involving WEST epoxy.

I do so much of it, I'm thinking about buying a vacuum bagger pump.
My friend Marty says a vacuum cleaner will work. Have you tried
that?

Later this year I'm going to install a new house battery bank. To show
what involved, the first step is cutting a hatch in the fore cabin sole
to get access under that space. One reason the heater project has taken
so long is that every little step has required the massive amounts of
planning, re-planning, and eons of labor.

Well, I assume you have your wife's support. My ex-girlfriend
stood in my way--no longer. Last year I had to spend 2.5 months
in California. So I'm grateful to have time this year to finish it off,
and noone standing in my way.

In the Air Force, we used to say,
"Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way!"

You are fortunate to have a wife who likes boats as much as
you do.


My report: Hull Fairing and Painting Project

Hoo-ee... now there's a LOT of labor. I've faired some boats 24' and
smaller. One thing to do that makes it easier to see what's happening is
to use different colors, just t little, in each successive batch of
fairing compound. I feel it should not take more than three passes to
get it all perfect (although on a 46' hull, each pass represents a HUGE
amount of labor) otherwise you're just plastering it on and sanding it
off. But the results are really nice... fairing the hull was the single
biggest go-fast improvement I did to the Lightning.

Huge labor is right. After I'm done, I'm going to become a
professional arm wrestler.

I had so much area to do I found I never had enough materials.
So my boat looks like a patchwork doll with difference colors
in different places, and on top of each other. I'll take a picture
if I can find my digitial camera.

Why don't you post some picture for us of your projects?

Bart

Project Reports
 

Barnacles. The hull has had much Micron Extra, so it came clean with the
powerwash. The saildrive itself has had generous dousing in old style TBT
spray. But the rubber fairing shroud between them can have neither, so it gets
the growth. The shroud is not the seal, there are two more rubber layers
underneath, with a moisture sensor between them. The entire engine/drive floats
on soft mounts, so there is virtually no vibration transmitted. From the helm,
or in the main cabin, you can't hear the engines unless they're rev'd up.



"Bart Senior" wrote in message
. net...
I'll give you 2 more points for full credit, and another 2 points as a
bonus for the nice pictures.

What is that growing on your saildrive?

Bart


Jeff Morris wrote in message
...

As promised, some pics. Almost all the engine work is done - now I have
the
buffing and painting. Launch in about a week.

Here's a shot down one of the exhaust elbows, chipped out, but not
dremmel'd:
http://www.sv-loki.com/carbon.jpg

The elbow with a "U"
http://www.sv-loki.com/exhaust.jpg

Here's the clump of eel grass I pulled out. The gasket for the end of
the core
assembly is shown for scale. The intake chamber is the smaller part of
the
gasket, one third of the core. The grass is fluffed up compared to how it
was
when pulled out.
http://www.sv-loki.com/eelgrass.jpg

The Volvo prop, 16x11
http://www.sv-loki.com/propopen.jpg
http://www.sv-loki.com/propclosed.jpg

Looking forward under "Loki" - in front is a Prout 37:
http://www.sv-loki.com/pdqprout.jpg


"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
"N1EE" wrote in message
om...
Good report, but not enough detail. 8 points.

Any pictures? The eel grass would have been
interesting to see.

Tomorrow, maybe - I did save the largest clump.


What sort of props do you have?

Volvo two blade folding


What do you recommend for raw water strainers?


There's no cheap way because you need full flow. I'm thinking Groco
750's.
Defender is $75 - WasteMarine is $99. I always wondered why they
weren't
standard on the boat, but I guess they think the saildrive feed acts as
a
strainer. All in all, it wasn't a lot of debris for 5 years, but it did
get
inconveniently far into the system.

What is with the carbon in the exhaust elbows?

One engine has a severe bend in the hose between the elbow and the
muffler -
about one foot radius. I'm thinking this causes enough back pressure to
carbon
up the elbow. This is the forth time I've pulled it, but the buildup
wasn't
that severe. The first time it was 80% clogged, so I figure its worth
doing
every year or so. This is the second time for the other engine - its
buildup
isn't to bad.

Like a lot of jobs, the first time is hard and stressful - then it gets
quick
and easy. Four bolts releases it from the block, so the only hassle is
the
big
exhaust hose.

Is this the first time you have serviced it?

I've done all this before, except for the heat exchanger core. I wish I
had
done that several years ago.

How did you find this problems?

A mechanic at Ashley Marina in Charleston, SC was fixing an oil leak
(warranty
work - a bad gasket in the original setup) and didn't like the way it
reved
up.
When he realized we also used that engine for battery charging, he
decided it
was worth looking at the elbow. His advice was to reroute the exhaust
(which
I
haven't done), rev higher when possible, and pull the elbow every 300
hours.


How often does this item need service?

See above. I'm thinking in a year or two I'll just replace the elbows.



Are you coming up to Long Island Sound this year?

We're hoping to get to Maine this Summer. Also, it's likely we'll go to
the
Vineyard and maybe Nantucket. Further South than Newport or Cutyhunk is
unlikely. When are you getting out out of the Sound?.

-jeff

Project Reports
 

DSK wrote in message ...
N1EE wrote:
Your spring project reports are due soon. (10 pts)

Well, since I'm working on the boat pretty much full time, I don't
really have any "spring" projects. But here is a list of what is
currently going on:

Final stages of installing heater: wiring 12V power to the main board,
insulating the exhaust (which involves wrapping a special hi-temp "spun
ceramic" (does that sound better then just plain "fiberglass"?)


Sounds better than asbestos!

tape
around the exhaust pipe inside the welded-on heat shield... not fun),
filling & testing the water loop, finish the mounting & insulating of
the water loop hoses, route the air intake. Maybe by summer the heater
will be working!

Installing remote mike/speaker/control head for VHF radio.


Should of bought one with that feature!



Clean engine heate exchangers, install new hose.


Yeah me to soon.

Install new raw water impeller.

Yelp me to soon


Rebuild battery platform (already done this for the genset start
battery)... btw a great source of strong rot & rust proof material is
thick plastic cutting board. It's resistant to battery acid too and a
really big one costs $7 at Wal-Mart or the like. Much cheaper than
Star-Board!

Yelp we use walmart big batteries they last 2 years or so


Remake fuel system connection with slow (1 drop every 3 days) leak.


Ugh, do you have an air trap?


Install check valve in fuel line to genset.


Your gen set fuel pump does not have a check valve buildt in?



Build up spoke/hub of steering wheel to make it less wobbly. I have to
have at least one ongoing job invovling WEST epoxy.

Not gonna last, your wasting time, afro american engineering.



Later this year I'm going to install a new house battery bank. To show
what involved, the first step is cutting a hatch in the fore cabin sole
to get access under that space. One reason the heater project has taken
so long is that every little step has required the massive amounts of
planning, re-planning, and eons of labor.


Sounds like a cramped little boat.


My report: Hull Fairing and Painting Project

Hoo-ee... now there's a LOT of labor.


Yelp so much Ill never bother to do redclouds hull. I like the salty look ;0)


Joe


I've faired some boats 24' and
smaller. One thing to do that makes it easier to see what's happening is
to use different colors, just t little, in each successive batch of
fairing compound. I feel it should not take more than three passes to
get it all perfect (although on a 46' hull, each pass represents a HUGE
amount of labor) otherwise you're just plastering it on and sanding it
off. But the results are really nice... fairing the hull was the single
biggest go-fast improvement I did to the Lightning.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Project Reports
 

"Scott Vernon" wrote in message
...

"Donal" wrote


When I become incredibly wealthy, I'm going to set "No-Archive" option
on
all my posts.


why?

That's a hypothetical question.


Regards


Donal
--

Project Reports
 

Installing remote mike/speaker/control head for VHF radio.


Joe wrote:
Should of bought one with that feature!

We did. But I didn't want to spring the additional $$ for the self
installing model ;)


Clean engine heate exchangers, install new hose.



Yeah me to soon.

Don't put it off... especially as the Gulf water heats up.


Install new raw water impeller.


Yelp me to soon

Another thing to not delay

These things have a way of catching you just before you were gonna do
the job.


Remake fuel system connection with slow (1 drop every 3 days) leak.



Ugh, do you have an air trap?


Install check valve in fuel line to genset.



Your gen set fuel pump does not have a check valve buildt in?

I would have thought either the lift pump, or the injector pump, or
both, would function as a check valve. But apparently not. The main
engine will run for about 15 minutes with the genset supply valve open.
Then it coughs and dies and I have to bleed it (on this engine, not a
big problem).




Build up spoke/hub of steering wheel to make it less wobbly. I have to
have at least one ongoing job invovling WEST epoxy.


Not gonna last, your wasting time, afro american engineering.

No, I think it will be solid for all the ages to come.

....every little step has required the massive amounts of
planning, re-planning, and eons of labor.



Sounds like a cramped little boat.

No, it's a 20,000# disp 36' trawler. But it's already got a lot of
installed systems and they didn't think ahead to leave owners 20 years
in the future a lot of blank room for additions.


I guess the builder of your boat did so?

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Project Reports
 

Bart Senior wrote:
... I need to figure out how to secure my batteries
for a rollover. No hurry there, since I don't plan to take it on the
ocean anytime soon.

Your boat is very safe from a rollover, assuming non Cape Horn
conditions. But it doesn't hurt to secure the batteries against extremem
angles of heel & violent motion, if you plan to sail the boat hard.



Build up spoke/hub of steering wheel to make it less wobbly. I have to
have at least one ongoing job involving WEST epoxy.


I do so much of it, I'm thinking about buying a vacuum bagger pump.
My friend Marty says a vacuum cleaner will work. Have you tried
that?

Yes but you have to get a venturi or you will burn up the motor. I have
a PVC venturi that I hook a slack tube manometer to, for a vacuum gage.


You are fortunate to have a wife who likes boats as much as
you do.

Oh yes, I am a very lucky man. Marrying a good woman is the best of it,
but I've had more than my share of luck in many ways.


Hoo-ee... on a 46' hull, each pass represents a HUGE
amount of labor


Huge labor is right. After I'm done, I'm going to become a
professional arm wrestler.

Nothing like hard work to build manly muscles ;)


I had so much area to do I found I never had enough materials.
So my boat looks like a patchwork doll with difference colors
in different places, and on top of each other.

Different colors layered on top of each other is the best way to see the
high & low spots. The 470 I raced many moons ago looked like desert camo
when we were fairing it.



... I'll take a picture
if I can find my digitial camera.

Why don't you post some picture for us of your projects?

OK. Taking pictures has been a low priority but there's no reason not to
now that the pace has slowed a bit. We did a series of pics lst year for
the boatyard work, but we haven't taken any boat work pics since then.
Which is a shame because the deck & the varnish have come out marvelously.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Project Reports
 

Wouldn't this fall under the CG safety with electrical systems
category? Seems like it would...

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"DSK" wrote in message
...
Bart Senior wrote:
... I need to figure out how to secure my batteries
for a rollover. No hurry there, since I don't plan to take it on the
ocean anytime soon.

Your boat is very safe from a rollover, assuming non Cape Horn
conditions. But it doesn't hurt to secure the batteries against extremem
angles of heel & violent motion, if you plan to sail the boat hard.



Build up spoke/hub of steering wheel to make it less wobbly. I have to
have at least one ongoing job involving WEST epoxy.


I do so much of it, I'm thinking about buying a vacuum bagger pump.
My friend Marty says a vacuum cleaner will work. Have you tried
that?

Yes but you have to get a venturi or you will burn up the motor. I have
a PVC venturi that I hook a slack tube manometer to, for a vacuum gage.


You are fortunate to have a wife who likes boats as much as
you do.

Oh yes, I am a very lucky man. Marrying a good woman is the best of it,
but I've had more than my share of luck in many ways.


Hoo-ee... on a 46' hull, each pass represents a HUGE
amount of labor


Huge labor is right. After I'm done, I'm going to become a
professional arm wrestler.

Nothing like hard work to build manly muscles ;)


I had so much area to do I found I never had enough materials.
So my boat looks like a patchwork doll with difference colors
in different places, and on top of each other.

Different colors layered on top of each other is the best way to see the
high & low spots. The 470 I raced many moons ago looked like desert camo
when we were fairing it.



... I'll take a picture
if I can find my digitial camera.

Why don't you post some picture for us of your projects?

OK. Taking pictures has been a low priority but there's no reason not to
now that the pace has slowed a bit. We did a series of pics lst year for
the boatyard work, but we haven't taken any boat work pics since then.
Which is a shame because the deck & the varnish have come out marvelously.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Project Reports
 

DSK wrote in message ...

No, it's a 20,000# disp 36' trawler. But it's already got a lot of
installed systems and they didn't think ahead to leave owners 20 years
in the future a lot of blank room for additions.


I guess the builder of your boat did so?


Well.... yes they did, I have lots of elbow room in the engine room,
have easy access to the main and the gen set.

Some times I wonder why he did not build a passage way thru the
engine room to go from the forward cabin to the aft cabin.

Joe



Fresh Breezes- Doug King