The real news this week is that I have secured a mooring for the summer season. Its a floating dock actually, and nearly straight across from where I will be launching the boat. If I can get the engine to run for two minutes I should have no problem. The real problem is going to be getting to the boat. There is a strong current in the river and it isn't possible to row at certain times. I really need an outboard powered dinghy. I have a 12 foot aluminum skiff but the marina rules limit the dinghies to 10 feet or less. I have a very nice little nutshell pram that is only 8 feet long but it won't take a motor. I have an almost new Honda 5hp outboard. I need to find a boat to match it with. If I had time I would build one. I really really don't have time.
The cockpit scuppers are permanently in place; well, done for now, I can remove them for maintenance.
The installation was a bit more fussy than I wanted. The countersunk holes for the drain fitting were actually cut square with a forstner bit. The whole area is a bit crooked so my idea was to use the sealant to smooth it all out and fill the gaps. I have used sealants where this was possible. This time I used Boatlife Lifecaulk, a white polysulfide, and it wasn't quite as simple as I had expected. Its okay. Not flawless or superb. To make matters worse, I realized at the last minute that I didn't have any cleanup rags on hand so I put a bathtowel into service that was being used to protect the cockpit sole. The bath towel kept shedding little blue bits that got stuck in the sealant. I may have to go back and touch it up. Polysulfides have a reputation of turning brown in the sunlight so I also have some 3M 101 polysulfide sealant that I was going to use as a personal test of which looses its whiteness soonest. I didn't use it today but I will on other deck hardware in the near future. Other sealants (like Sikaflex) I have been told don't darken but I wanted to limit the adhesive factor since these fittings will definitely be coming out when its time to replace hoses. I didn't want to tear up chunks of fiberglass when I do this. It happened to me when I was taking the boat apart and I wanted to try and minimize that possibility. The port side scupper was particularly difficult because the hose length is more critical. This is because the deadrise at the seacocks is considerably more on the port side than the starboard side. These boats are not in any way symmetrical. When I had first planned out the installation of the drains I practiced on the starboard side. Only later did I realize that the hose needs to bend more on the port side. Its okay. It works. It doesn't look as nice as the starboard side. Whew! - long boring paragraph.
I installed the fuel fill hose from the deck fitting to the fuel tank.
I seem to remember the Coast Guard or someone requiring two clamps on each end of the hose. I did it (using all stainless steel AWAB's of course- accept no substitutes) but I don't get the logic in it. No other fuel line in the boat has two clamps and they can and are actually more likely to leak than the fuel fill hose. Just in case, and to make everyone happy, I have two clamps on the top and bottom of the fuel fill hose.
The engine controls are installed in the cockpit well.
Except for the choke cable as it seems I forgot to bring the handle end with me and I want to think about its final location for a bit. I think the choke is going to have to go between the throttle and the fwd cockpit lid drain hole. I was planning on tucking it under the throttle but the house battery shelves are in the way. I thought about putting it close forward of the throttle but the exhaust runs right through here. I really was hoping to hide the choke handle a bit but that might not be possible. The good news is that it will be easy to operate from between the other two controls. The bad news is that an errant jib sheet might tear it off...
A view from behind the throttle.
I just need to epoxy in a block for the cable to clamp down to and then I can attach the throttle cable. I put a backing pad around the throttle lever just because. I don't really think it needs it but its there anyway. You can also see how crowded the area really is. Once the exhaust hose is re-connected there really isn't much room for the choke cable. The water injection hose is going to be re-routed soon which will help a bit. I have a leftover bronze vented loop fitting from the original head installation and I figured I would put it into the exhaust system as I don't have anything like it at the moment. The injection point is above the waterline but it helps the injection hose to run better, it can't hurt and is probably an improvement over the original installation.
Backside of the transmission shift lever.
I had cut out a backing pad and fitted it but at the last minute I realized that the pad interfered with the lever arm sliding all the way onto the shaft. So, no backing pad for the transmission shift lever fitting. I brought along a Southcoast winch handle to show the fitting ready to go but the handle didn't fit. I was hoping the same handles that I use for the winches would work for the transmission but its not to be. I am going to have to search out another winch handle and modify it to fit I think. I extended the length of the manual bilge pump backing pad down to the fuel tank and this will provide a good spot to anchor the transmission cable.
Speaking of the backing pad, I put a coat of epoxy on one side of the plywood backing pad, the opening port frames/fillers, and the head seacock trim pieces. I didn't take a picture and it really isn't very interesting to look at. They are in the cellar. I will do the other sides next week.
I had planning for a couple of years to get a pair of 1 inch deck drain scuppers directly from Spartan Marine. When I went to order them last week I found out that I couldn't order them online. About the same time, while I was ordering other stuff, I found out that Hamilton marine had a bronze deck scupper in their catalog so I added them to my order ($63 a piece). Well, they are a little bigger than I had envisioned.
They look nice but they might be a little big and they might be a pain to install nicely. That's a pretty large hole to bevel cleanly and I don't want to use sealant to fill the gaps like I tried with the cockpit scuppers. I held off on drilling the big holes for now and I will think about it this week.
And thats it. All the boatowners are coming out to the yard now and they all want to talk. Its a fine line between being polite and listening when I don't want to and being rude and walking away while they are still talking. I managed that balancing act with mixed results.
Nothing really great this weekend I guess but I am closer to the goal today than I was yesterday...
5 comments:
(This thing keeps messing up my HTML; I can't edit, so I have to delete and start over. Sorry.)
You wrote: I have a 12 foot aluminum skiff but the marina rules limit the dinghies to 10 feet or less."Do you think they're really going to measure it?
If they do, just run her hard into a stone pier and crush the stem back a little. ;<)
You wrote: "I seem to remember the Coast Guard or someone requiring two clamps on each end of the hose. I did it (using all stainless steel AWAB's of course- accept no substitutes) but I don't get the logic in it. No other fuel line in the boat has two clamps and they can and are actually more likely to leak than the fuel fill hose."Since when does logic have anything to do with bureaucratic requirements?
In this case, however, this is actually an enforceable requirement for gasoline engines, per 33CFR 183.564(b)(3).
I think the "logic" behind requiring two clamps on the fuel fill hose is that while fueling the boat, the potential for much higher leakages into the boat exists thanks to the flow rate of the shore pump. That is just a guess on my part. But it doesn't matter why: it just is.
You will also require double hose clamps on all your exhaust hose connections, the only other installation where double hose clamps are required. In this case, the standards of ABYC P-1-- and specifically P-1.7.1.10.1, which dictates the double clamping--are incorporated by reference into USC part 46.58.10-5 (d)(1).
You wrote: "The bath towel kept shedding little blue bits that got stuck in the sealant."Good times!
You wrote: "I brought along a Southcoast winch handle to show the fitting ready to go but the handle didn't fit. I was hoping the same handles that I use for the winches would work for the transmission but its not to be. I am going to have to search out another winch handle and modify it to fit I think."Good grief. Does it ever end!? How annoying. So much for that good idea; now you'll still need a whole separate handle. I call this a "blow torch" moment: one of those times when, if there happened to be a handy blow torch, it'd be easy and fun to simply aim the thing at the boat and be done with it. :<)
Oh well, blogger doesn't want to enter paragraph breaks. Whatever. I hate computers.
I have extra winch handles of various sizes, thicknesses, etc.
Send me measurements and I'll rummage for you.
Want to trade dinghies for this year? I'm sure mine can handle 5hp. So long as you don't need to register it with any authorities you'll be fine. :)
Good stuff.
-Mike
Hehe, I am not quite ready for the blowtorch. I have had to remind myself that I do this because it is fun.
Tim, you don't get along with blogspot do you?
Actually, I think they are pretty strict about the length. Bashing in the front is not my first choice since the boat once belonged to my great grandfather. He would be fine with it but the rest of the family would be less so.
I was on other business on Craigslist and saw a 10 foot John boat (boxylooking thing) for $300 and I might just do it. I hate to spend even more money but it might have to be done to keep me focused on more important stuff.
Good to know that I am not wasting my time or precious AWABS on the fuel system. Now I guess I have to buy another box for the upcoming exhaust installation...
Thanks for the offer of the dinghy Mike. Unfortunately, the authorities are quite vigilant and numerous and no one that I know that has tried to stretch the regulations around the mooring location have been successful. The boat will be in sight of the public boat launch and is regularly patrolled. I will think about it and contact you.
As to the winch handle. I will take some measurements. I am really not terribly put off by the mismatch. In the scope of the project its not too bad. I consider it a minor inconvenience. I can find something to stick in there and make it work temporarily.
It's good to have a lousy, utilitarian dinghy for your harbor use--one you don't care about, whether it gets bashed and beaten, or whatever. So the el-cheapo Jonboat might be just the ticket. Who really cares when all you're doing is ferrying out to the boat? That's why I use my ancient Seaworthy inflatable and outboard for regular harbor use.
If you go anywhere and need a nice dinghy, then bring the Nutshell.
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