76

(7 replies, posted in Technical)

77

(9 replies, posted in Technical)

You would probably need a diver to be certain the sling is correctly located.  It obviously mustn't bear on the propellor or shaft and if it slips, is likely to rip the rudder off before they can stop the lift and drop you back in.

Why complicate your life?

T'ing it into a cockpit drain requires an expensive bronze barbed T fitting (as its potentially below the waterline) + an expensive vented loop, that must either be maintained annually (basically just unscrew and wash out the rubber air inlet valve - but access will be a stone bitch)  or have its own vent hose and vent fitting.   

It adds three extra joints to the drain to increase the risk and also, if the reason you are running the pump is a split cockpit drain, shutting the seacock will stop you getting rid of the water!

Well above the waterline with a simple plastic through hull with no seacock is cheap, doesn't compromise the cockpit drains and will give you better flow than anything that has multiple joints or fittings in the hose.

My JR Contessa 26 has three 1/2" cockpit drains to the bilge (non-self draining cockpit) and a 1 1/2" drain straight out through the transom from about 6" up the rear of the cockpit with a non-return valve, that is supposed to help if you get pooped.   There is not really enough room to fit a seacock + the angle is virtually impossible and access to operate would involve relocating the gas locker, but as the drain is well glassed in 2" copper pipe up to the valve, I don't worry much.  Unfortunately wave action 'burps' the valve and if there is any fine floating debris or even weed about, it can jam the valve open so I keep an expanding rubber dinghy bung in the cockpit end through hull fitting except in heavy weather.

Cockpit drain seacocks are GOOD, but its use them or loose them.  If you dont operate them weekly or at least whenever you go to the boat, they are likely to be seized when you most need them.  You also should have a good supply of tapered bungs easily accessible or even taped to the hoses in question. Bungs should be chosen to have a small end that suits the fitting and a large end that will still adequately block the hole if the whole fitting has sheered off and the flange dropped out. Tied on with a lanyard is a PITA as it is one more thing you have to undo if the lanyard is short, and if its long the bung is likely to have floated off somewhere awkward and jammed out of reach.   Give me a couple of turns of tape you can twist loose any day!

Yes, don't do it!
Consider the scenario:

You are on a long beat to windward and that cockpit drain is continuously immersed on one tack.

The bilge pump starts itself due to the water level and promptly fills the hose with water.

After emptying the bilge, the pump gurgles to a stop, but   the hose is full of water and the outlet is immersed so it starts back syphoning and as the bilge fills, starts again.

You hear the pump short cycling and guess its float switch is jammed so turn it off (or some hours later the battery fades, or even the pump fails)

Now the pump back syphons till you notice the cabin sole awash, or even till you sink.

Also, how much down on your marks would you have to be for the outlet to be immersed with the vessel upright?
A simple cockpit party could be enough to start the trouble if a few extra guests drop by.


If you must install a pump to a (potentially) below water through hull, a vented loop is essential to break the syphon.

80

(4 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

You would'nt want the same profile.  The original JR boats dont have a lip on the edge of the hatch opening, just an upturn from the deck moulding with a plain edge.  The profile I am using fits onto a car door interior panel edge to form a seal against the opening and has a U section spring moulded into it to hold it onto the panel edge. This has to be stretched over the edge of the GRP and guled in place.  As yours has a lip, you want a profile with a flat self-adhesive base.  Probably a high quality (i.e. automotive) version of the typical P shaped domestic door/window sealing profile would do nicely.  Look for one made of black neoprene if possible. All the vinyl foams etc. are basically junk.   

N.B. don't let the foam snag on anything as it tears fairly easily. small tears can be repaired with rubber adhesive but large rips mean you need to re-do the whole thing.  It is far better if you can put the foam on the underside of the hatch lid where it is protected rather than round the opening as I had to.

82

(4 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

Try classic car restoration suppliers. 

There is a hollow profiled closed cell foam rubber lip seal that is ideal for the original JR 'dustbin lid' hatches. Simply clip it over the upstanding deck moulding edge with a smear of black Sikaflex to glue it in place and butt the very carefully cut ends together, also with a smear of Sikaflex.  Put a piece of waxed paper over the joint then put the lid in place with a light weight on it to align the ends, but dont clip it down till the sikaflex is set.   

Its better to put the seal inside the lid where it is protected but the old JR dustbin lids have such a narrow edge on the deck moulding that it chews up the seal if you try that.

It doesn't leak a drop even if I am taking it green back to the mast, but in rough weather you need to tape or tie the hach clips so they cant spring open when a heavy wave lands on the hatch and compresses the seal slightly more.

I'm sure you could find something self adhesive and similar to go round the inside surface of your lid right at the edge, mitering the corners carefully with an exacto knife and prepping the surface carefully by sanding followed by a skim coat of impact adhesive to get maximum adhesion.  Don't forget the waxed paper when closing the lid on the freshly glued corners.

83

(12 replies, posted in Technical)

Well, really rough conditions could cause a plugged pickup and, if there was a loose connection somewhere, also cause alternator problems. 

You certainly have debris in the tank that needs dealing with. How mucky was the filter?  If its not full of gunk, it may just be a case of getting the tank as empty as possible using an oil removal pump to get the last of it, and running all the fuel from the tank through a filter funnel before returning it to the tank.  I would also add a shock dose of biocide and keep a good supply of spare filters aboard.   If it was really nasty, either you need to remove the tank for cleaning or get a specialist in to do it in-situ.     

Assuming your belt is not slipping, it looks like you also have an alternator problem.

84

(12 replies, posted in Technical)

I am suspicious of apparently unrelated faults.  Was the water much rougher than usual coming out of the marina that day?

To get my tank clean inside, I had to remove it, drain it, fill it with boiling water, detergent and a carefully counted handful of gravel (so I could be certain I had got it all out afterwards)  and agitate vigorously.   Anything less is a sub-standard job.

If you are lucky you may have a gauze screen on the end of the fuel pick-up tube that is blocking up.  If  so and it can be removed, a fuel polishing company *MAY* be able to do a good  enough job of cleaning the tank itself in situ.

Before suspecting a blocked pickup however, DO check for a blocked vent.  The symptoms are somewhat similar but the fuel starvation is slower to occur and can persist for quite some time after shutdown but still fix itself if left for long enough. loosening the filler cap provides an instant improvement.   A blocked pickup either clears itself when the engine shuts down if due to floating debris or remains blocked and is NOT improved by loosening the filler.  I  believe some parts of N. America have populations of 'mud dauber' wasps that build individual nests in holes in broken off hollow twigs and stems or any other similar tubes they can find - i.e. your vent pipe.

85

(12 replies, posted in Technical)

The charge indicator warning light connects between the main switched positive in the engine control panel and the junction of the auxiliary diodes in the alternator that provides the field supply to the internal (or external) regulator.  It usually provides the initial excitation current for the field.

In simple terms, if you trace it down the loom it should go to the alternator or just possibly to an external regulator if you have one.

If it goes to a sensor anywhere on the engine block its either oil pressure, temperature or water temperature, but those are not very likely to fail in a way that makes it flicker and even less likely to have coincidentally failed immediately after the engine has unexpectedly stalled.

Simplest test is pull the multiplug at the back of the alternator (if your alternator has one, if its wires on individual terminals you will have to trace it the hard way) and turn the switch on.  The light should then be out and stay out even if you start the engine.  Don't forget the battery wont be charging . . .

If I were you, I'd hope it *IS* an electrical fault as that is a cheap and easy DIY fix compared to the mechanical possibilities.

If it *IS* a failed alternator, check for loose connections and broken wires that are just hanging in place (tug each one) on the high current cabling between both battery terminals and the engine and also on the alternator output cable and inspect the battery switch carefully, testing its contacts for continuity while thumping the bulkhead next to it to simulate engine vibration as by FAR the commonest cause of alternator diode failure is the output circuit going open circuit, even momentarily under load while the engine is running.  IF there is a wiring problem you need to fix it before installing the repaired alternator.

One more possibility is that the alternator belt is badly worn or the belt tension adjustment has slipped, or some debris dropped into the belt as if the belt rode up onto the pulley edge it could have enough leverage to stall a slow running or idling engine, then drop  back into the pulley groove as the engine stopped. This can leave the belt loose enough for it to slip and cause the warning light to flicker.  However you would normally hear something, probably a thud as the belt tried to jump the groove and a lot of rattling (belt slap) or squealing when you ran the engine again.  It *might* be fairly quiet at low revs. BTDTGTTS

86

(12 replies, posted in Technical)

Is the oil pressure gauge electric or mechanical?  A sudden brief drop of pressure on a mechanical gauge is extremely serious and may indicate a blocked oil-way or oil pickup.  OTOH on the far more common electrical gauges, it is far more likely to be due to a loose connection somewhere or other electrical supply problem.

I suspect you may be having alternator issues - e.g. a diode in its rectifier shorted and it briefly presented a very high load to the engine until the regulator cut back the field.

Remove the belt, check the alternator turns freely by hand,  identify the charge indicator light on the panel and turn on the engine 'ignition' keyswitch but don't start the engine. 

Connect a digital voltmeter to the battery terminals.  It should read around 12 to 13V depending on the state of charge.  The charge indicator light should be on steady.

Spin the alternator at around 2400 RPM with a socket and an adaptor chucked in a drill.  You need a high power drill and it will tend to bog down so don't run it for long or you will burn the drill out and DON'T let the socket slip on the nut.   The charge indicator light should go out and stay out as long as the alternator is spinning fast enough. If it flickers rhyhmically, you have a failed diode or burnt up stator coil.  If it stays on, its probably bad brushes or a failed regulator and if it flickers erratically its bad brushes or a burnt up slip ring. 

If its good you should see the battery terminal voltage rise at least half a volt, and if it is well charged it should settle around 14V.   If you have a suitable ammeter you can also check the charging current. (i.e. with a DC clamp on one round the alternator output lead - usually a thick lead on a stud terminal, or round one of the battery leads.  Most cheap clamp on meters don't have DC current ranges)

You can follow similar procedures to check the alternator with the belt in place using the engine itself to spin it, but if I were you, I'd want to know if I had an engine problem or an alternator problem before running the engine again.

In all cases, if the alternator appears to be faulty, unless you are an electrical geek, isolate the battery, remove the alternator and take it to a specialist automotive alternator shop.   If you need to reconnect the battery while the alternator is off, you MUST securely insulate the bare end of the output lead.

If you are a real geek, brush and regulator replacement is fairly simple, or even fitting a replacement diode plate.   I'd leave slip-rings or bearings to the shop . . .

No way would you get me putting a tank in the bilge under the engine.  Why not look at a pair of tanks either side of the shaft (to maintain access) under the cockpit sole?

88

(1 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)

More to the point, if you are towing a tender and moored/anchored overnight, a solar light on your tender is probably a good idea.

My CAV/Delphi 296 fuel filter is bulkhead mounted beside the 1GM10 engine on the starboard side.  It *can* be accessed from the front at sea, but the access is very tight so you need something like a heavy polythene bag to put over it to catch spilled diesel as getting a can under it to drain it is a 'harbour only' operation.

It is far more critical to mount the water filter somewhere sensible as you need access underway to clear any blockage so cant realistically expect to be able to lift the cockpit sole.   A small watertight hatch directly over the filter might be an option if ALL other locations have been ruled out. 

As I am lucky enough to have a modified layout with the galley next to the companionway, the bronze strainer is simply directly screwed onto the seacock under the galley sink.  There is no intake grille and it is a ball valve seacock so any obstruction can simply be rodded out with a length of 1/2" dowel.

I am not sure about your stuffing box, but mine has an integral white metal bearing in it that keeps the shaft centred so the packing can do its job.  Replacing this bearing is expensive and difficult as very few machine shops still have any experience or capability to pour Babbet bearings.   It was actually cheaper to have an off the shelf replacement body casting, including bearing machined for an exact fit than to refurbish the old one.  Money was saved by reusing the packing nut, though I had a new locking nut made as the old one showed evidence of having been tightened/loosened by an idiot with a hammer and cold chisel.   I now have spanners to fit.

After 20 years, if your box has a bearing, it's probably knackered so replacement is worth it for peace of mind alone . . .

If you cant get the right size box shipped to you, if I were you, I'd look for a shop that reconditions bronze propellers.  All you need is someone who can build up   braze >1/16" all the way round and machine to profile leaving you with a 1/8" increase in diameter.

Another DIY option is to build it up with glass tape and epoxy to match the stern tube diameter, carefully constructing a new lip. Some care is required to get a nice dense layup with a smooth surface.  Copper alloys *MUST* be bright and freshly sanded for epoxy to bond,  and ideally you should sand mixed resin into the pores of the metal surface, wipe off as much as possible then continue with a normal layup.

This is not rocket science - just make sure that whatever you do is sound, but no need to gold-plate it

N.B. DO NOT be tempted to build up any critical pipe nipple with normal self-amalgamating tape.  Its too soft and squeezes out of the joint + turns into a goo if any diesel fuel gets on it.  It could easily turn a minor fuel weep into a sinking . . .

Is the stern tube also bronze?

I suppose I am fortunate to have an 'old-skool' rigidly mounted stuffing box and a stern tube threaded at both ends to mate with the stuffing box and the cutlass bearing housing which are also bolted to the surrounding GRP so they cannot rotate.   Of course this makes engine alignment a real PITA as  I have to get five points in a straight line - both ends of the engine, the mid-shaft support bearing (needed to stop engine vibration and resulting shaft whip beating up the stuffing box packing) and both ends of the stern tube.   When I was rebuilding it all I ended up having to make a jig with a Laser beam for alignment as taut fishing line got in the way too much.!

93

(12 replies, posted in Cruising)

Good quality folding boats are very nice, but as you point out not cheap - even used. 

I did a deal (barter) that cost me about $75 for my Avon,  spent the same again on gear for it and used the Seagull outboard I already had (also about $75) so my tender cost me under $250 in total.

Photos of your stern tube and stuffing box showing the lip please - some modifications may be required!

The first option would be to stretch a ring of inner tube rubber over the stuffing box end to pack it out a bit. You will need to use a water based rubber lubricant during assembly so the hose doesn't displace the rubber tube.  Do this off the boat so you can easily check the rubber is still in the right place.

Get the best quality hose clips you can and put a turn of insulating tape under them to protect the hose surface from abrasion and you will be amazed how well the hose compresses onto a slightly undersize fitting.

Other options - if you can get 1 5/8" hose, would be to modify the stern tube to reduce (but not totally remove) the lip.

What's wrong with the existing shaft?

There was the year that the engine and shaft were still sitting on a  pallet beside the boat the day before the launch date while I finished rebuilding the shaft log . . .

I did get it all back in place and watertight by the end of the day's craning (I had arranged to go last) but I was still applying the antifouling grease to the prop as the tractor drove up. :-)   We sat alongside on the crane berth over the weekend while I finished stuff off and *JUST* finished hooking up hoses and wiring + alignment in time to get off the berth before the yard bought the first booked "lift & scrub" boat round.

Put a month in doing maintenance in decent weather then see if its worth launching for a shortened season . . .

Well, its gone 6 years now without having to go back to Raymarine for service - which was more or less an annual event under the previous owner, and we use it a lot on longer passages when motoring or shorthanded.  I can only conclude that reducing the stress on it was beneficial.  You DO need to check that the tiller pilot can provide enough rudder angle for heavier weather if you change its position, and as I said, I only moved it forward a few inches.

A high mount will have a LOT of leverage on the side deck.  You *WILL* need a very substantial glassed in ply baking pad.   The bent metal mounting pin holder that bolts under the tiller is really the best solution. 

On an early original UK boat, the correct mounting position for an Autohelm ST2000 is about halfway between the cockpit and the transom.  Mine is 3" forward of that to give it more leverage on the helm (at the expense of response speed) and bring the controls a little closer to the cockpit.   

Remember, the manufacturer's recommended distance from the rudder pivot point for the pin on the tiller almost invariably assumes a vertical rudder post.   You need to measure at right-angles from a line through the pintles - which (on original UK boats at least) can be approximated by measuring from the inside of the transom in the stern locker and adding an appropriate allowance for hull thickness and gap between the transom and the pivot point.  If you measure straight along the tiller it will be too close to the pivot point and will be overloaded.

99

(12 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

Assuming your existing engine is a basket case sitting next to the boat or under some mechanic's bench, start with a mounting template + output coupling template built out of plywood from the prospective engine manufacturer's dimensioned drawings.  Critical fittings can be mocked up out of expanded polystyrene and glued on.  This gives you a jig that can be offered up to your engine beds and shaft half coupling to see what modifications are required. 

To save time, stick to tried and tested replacement engine models!

Rebuilding the beds with glassed in hardwood is well within the capability of a competent DIYer with a little previous GRP experience. 

If you need the dealer to fit it so they can 'bless' the installation for warranty purposes, it  will be MUCH cheaper if you have already got the beds and coupling sorted so you aren't paying for 'head-scratching' time at their hourly rate.

100

(12 replies, posted in Cruising)

Been towing an Avon 310 (with rigid bottom boards) most everywhere for the last 5 years.   Its flipped twice in bad weather (English Channel, F7-F8) and both times was recovered by lying to and boathooking the grab-robe along the tube to flip it back.   

I tow it on a long line, typically a boats length behind, but can let out up to 100 feet if sailing downwind in surfing conditions so it surfs alongside rather than into the cockpit!   Overtaking is discouraged by a funnel drogue on the tow line at the attachment to the dinghy's towing bridle (a stainless screw carabiner).   

It does of course cause extra drag but this can be minimised by adjusting the tow till it is just bow down on the forward face of the second hump in your wake. That makes around 1/3 of a knot difference at 4 to 5 knots.

I stow it fully inflated across the foredeck in marinas etc. but ONLY if leaving the boat overnight or longer or if they object to it being moored astern or between the bow and the pontoon.

I generally don't deflate it as assembling it on board is a real PITA + as I don't carry a life raft, I want it ready to use at all times.