not engine related - boat refreshing

[Mark S]

We installed the Air Head two years ago and haven't looked back. I didn't remove the through hull -- just made sure the ball valve was closed and screwed on a bronze cap with a lot of compound around the threads.

Steve, we aren't in the water now but if you want to see ours on the hard at Liberty Marina I'll be glad to show you.

Mark

[sastanley]

update - you see it first. The Admiral has not even seen this!

OK, Time for a small update.

I am still working on electrical upgrades and the chart table, when other things are not too pressing.

One of things I had originally done with the chart table was have it open left to right and hinged vertically..this proved problematic, so I now have a new hinge on the bottom..less wire needed when opening, and more tidy. I also had to cut up the trim to get the door open (notice port table top back edge), so I can replace this and not have that goofy angle any longer.

So, the next step since I was picking up some stuff at superbrightleds.com (new stern running light, gauge lights, etc.), was add some waterproof 20" strips to the chart table. So, I built a piece of trim for the top, and the lights came with self stick tape. I got them installed and wired up to individual switches, since I have a few extras on my panel.

So, I got a white LED strip (aux one), & a red one (night light). Here are some pics..one of each & both.

This solves a couple of issues..no lights on the panel, no chart table light, no red light in the boat, and no cabin lights on the stbd side.

[Skywalker]

Houston, we have ignition!

Love it! Great work.

Skywalker

[Mo]

Shawn, that's looks great! Very impressive!

[ndutton]

Good look Shawn. For those who don't remember, Shawn built the entire cabinet from scratch. Well done.

[TomG]

Shawn,

Looks great my friend!

Along with the knowledge and camaraderie this forum offers, one of the other characteristics of this place is serendipity - the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for (Merriam-Webster).

I'm in the middle of a major rehabilitation of my old but lovely Tartan 30. The metal fuel tank original to the boat apparently developed a leak years ago and was decommissioned but never removed from under the port settee. A previous owner somewhere up the line installed an new fuel tank in the sail locker back by the quarter berth. I have hated this "arrangement" from the first second I saw it and very nearly didn't buy the boat because of it. What I've really wanted to do is remove the old metal tank and put a new plastic tank in that same space, while reclaiming the area for sail storage where the "new" tank now occupies. My problem has been where to get a tank that would fit into the old tank's void without having a metalshop make a custom tank at an exorbitant price.

And out of the blue, along came this thread with your link from September 2011 for Triple M Plastics and the custom holding tank you had them make.

Serendipity.

I'm calling Triple M this morning!

[sastanley]

Good look Shawn. For those who don't remember, Shawn built the entire cabinet from scratch. Well done.

yeah...but with a LOT of help & coaching from some guy named Neil Dutton. (Thanks!)

[Kelly]

LED strips

Kudos, Shawn.

I'm interested in using some of the LEDs in boat applications such as your lighting strips. The traditional light bulbs I use now drink heartily from the batteries. If my memory serves me correctly, Neil also used some LED lighting in his refit. It all looks good! And yet another good reason to show us that awesome switch board.

[toddster]

Looks great. How's the access to the q-berth behind the chart table? I've been contemplating putting something in roughly that location, but action is probably many months away.

Re: the LEDs. Last year, I put four of those LED strips in as main cabin lighting, plus 12" red ones over the galley and chart table for "night running." And 12" white strips in the V-berth and Q-berth. They're all on dimmers, but at full power, the main cabin lights draw more than 2 amps. They generally work OK.

Issues:
Not cheap.

The adhesive backing fails after a while (yes, I cleaned all surfaces scrupulously and used the alcohol wipes.) I bought nylon "staples" at home depot that are intended for romex, and replaced the pre-loaded tacks with #4 ss screws to clamp up the LED strips.

I seem to be rapidly developing presbyopia, and can't read a darned thing under the red light without the darned cheaters. And one of red strips turned more yellow after a while.

I also screwed a little strip of wood in front of the LED strips to act as a valence, so they don't shine directly into my eyes. And to hide the wires.

[sastanley]

toddster, for the number of LED's in the strip they are OK...those were less than $20 each. I already noticed the adhesive won't last long and have them secured at least at the ends for now.

I maybe was drawing 1 to 1.5 amps with the 3 lights on...My ammeter in the panel is in 4 amp increments and it was just off of zero. They are not ideal, but even those cheapo SeaDog SS light fixtures are over $40 each and then you have to put a $15 high power festoon in them. Fortunately, most of the OEM plastic Catalina lights failed, so when I run new wires for real cabin lights, I have several sitting in a container waiting to get remounted, and I have LED's for most of them.

If you go back to the beginning of this thread you can hopefully get a good view of the early chart table install which shows access to the Q-berth..what is more of an issue is the forward stbd corner of the cockpit..it is a head banger if you forget it is there on your way out.

[JonnyQuest]

what sort of $20 LED lights?

Todd and Shawn--
What sort of LED strip lighting was this as they look good installed? I have installed some round led lights from Marine Beam but it appears that the strip lighting would be more appropriate. Can you point out what lights you used here?

What about power supplies and hooking into 12v system? Do they have built in power supplies or is this a separate item?

What about voltage regulation too? I recall LEDs can be finicky without voltage regulation.

I still need to add more lighting, your experience be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jonny

[toddster]

Todd and Shawn--
What sort of LED strip lighting was this as they look good installed? I have installed some round led lights from Marine Beam but it appears that the strip lighting would be more appropriate. Can you point out what lights you used here?

What about power supplies and hooking into 12v system? Do they have built in power supplies or is this a separate item?

What about voltage regulation too? I recall LEDs can be finicky without voltage regulation.

I still need to add more lighting, your experience be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jonny

Dunno, I got mine at a local chandlery. They come in plain bubble packs with no labels. $20 per foot. No power supplies or regulators. They just wire into 12VDC and you can use a dimmer.

Don't forget a dedicated engine compartment light! Maybe a lazarette light...

Re: that nebulous zone between the end of the starboard settee and the q-berth. I was thinking of installing a vertical aluminum post (perhaps removable) with horizontal arms running to the forward bulkhead and back to the cabin side, just below the windows. A place to hang wet gear, gear-hammock support, speargun/oar/boathook rack. Also possible support for a lee cloth. I'm not sure whether it would make entry to the q-berth harder or easier. My q-berth is double-width, but the other side is normally blocked by the companionway ladder. Maybe I'll just dummy it up with some PVC sticks some rainy day.

[sastanley]

JQ, these are the flexible LEDs I put under the trim on the chart table.

NFLS-X3s at superbrightleds.com

This particular group is not-waterproof..but, it looks like they dipped/potted the LEDs & circuit board in some flexible polymer of some type. I am impressed so far. If my chart table gets swamped I have bigger issues than my $15 LED strips.

Do not expect the double sided tape to hold up..I think you still need to secure the strips mechanically. I stuck mine up, and then I added a screw at each end in between the two strips with a finish washer to keep the ends from drooping. Something like staples might work well too, but this is an old boat and the finish washers are A-OK acceptable for me.

[sastanley]

toddster...my q-berth is technically double-width also, but half of it is under the cockpit, and also obscured by the ladder...so you have to get in & out between the chart table & ladder.

I use it as a storage area..the awning/poles, lifejackets, tool box,etc. live back there.

So, I did a count this weekend..I am now using a whopping 7 of the 31 circuits available in the panel.

[sastanley]

Might as well bring this thread back

OK, since Neil referenced this thread somewhere else in Aug 2017, there is no sense in starting a new one. It is already off-topic and in the right spot..All the regulars will see it. This just carries on the rest of the thread over several years.

I have since rebuilt the hanging locker and replaced the stbd main bulkhead, and patterned, cut and sewn new main saloon and v-berth cushions!! Oh, and as these pics do not show, I've also replaced the windows and had the frames powdercoated. Need to find those pics.

My wife added the flowers from the garden. I have some other pics too..need to hunt them down..it is a continuous process.

The cat was somewhat helpful (not really) in the process. The 'sewing room' was my daughter's bedroom after she graduated college and moved out, and the sewing happened while we were in the middle of renovating the room. I learned to sew in a canvas/sail loft with varnished OSB so this was a normal for me. I made a deal with my wife that I'd finish the room when I was done with the cushions.