2016 Winter Projects - what have you

[joe_db]

I know some of you are far enough south that you will ask "what is this winter of which you speak", but for the rest of us this is down time.
I have:
1. Add second electric coolant pump and switch for it. I may add a fan thermostat sensor to bring it online automatically as well.
2. I have a cabin heater and water heater on the list too if $$ hold out.
3. Add the valve and switch for my second fuel pump. I switched from series to parallel and it has been sitting 3/4s done for some time now. Since a common failure mode seems to be the valve in the pump getting plugged up, series is fairly useless.
4. Remove the thermostat and add a bypass valve. This is the first step in getting the Indigo thermostat set up, which is also a $$$ question.
5. Add a cockpit viewable fuel pressure gauge.
6. Add a cockpit viewable oil temperature gauge.
7. Depending on what #6 shows, maybe get an oil cooler.
8. Add an anti-siphon vent to the salt water loop.
9. Swap alternators back to the 100 Amp unit.
10. While I am at it, install a new accessory drive that has been sitting around ever since I traded a CNG tank to get it.
11. Think about a salt water intake strainer. Bad memories of a fish in the water pump

[JOHN COOKSON]

Originally Posted by joe_db

I know some of you are far enough south that you will ask "what is this winter of which you speak", but for the rest of us this is down time.I have:
1. Add second electric coolant pump and switch for it. I may add a fan thermostat sensor to bring it online automatically as well.
2. I have a cabin heater and water heater on the list too if $$ hold out.
3. Add the valve and switch for my second fuel pump. I switched from series to parallel and it has been sitting 3/4s done for some time now. Since a common failure mode seems to be the valve in the pump getting plugged up, series is fairly useless.
4. Remove the thermostat and add a bypass valve. This is the first step in getting the Indigo thermostat set up, which is also a $$$ question.
5. Add a cockpit viewable fuel pressure gauge.
6. Add a cockpit viewable oil temperature gauge.
7. Depending on what #6 shows, maybe get an oil cooler.
8. Add an anti-siphon vent to the salt water loop.
9. Swap alternators back to the 100 Amp unit.
10. While I am at it, install a new accessory drive that has been sitting around ever since I traded a CNG tank to get it.
11. Think about a salt water intake strainer. Bad memories of a fish in the water pump

You call 1-11 above down time? I don't.

You use the days when the weather is to nasty or cold to sail to maintain and improve. I don't view this as down time at all. When the weather improves you will be set and ready to go sailing right out of the chute.

Carry on.

TRUE GRIT

[The Garbone]

8 & 11 are a must.

As for redundant pumps, I would buy them, wrap em in an ESD bag and stow them as ready spares.

my thought is electric motors crap out at start up and if they are installed lightning can get them as well as the added complexity that is never a good thing.

[Dave Neptune]

I have a very sad winter project. My reliable for 35 years now "Volador" and it's venerable A-4 need to be sold. The wife wants a new fangled one with an open transom and countless other complexities.

I'll also need to brush up on diesel tuning once I get accustomed to her complaining about the smell, noise and vibration!

Dave Neptune

[joe_db]

The extra fuel pump is wired with a fuse and plumbed on the intake side. The output side has a T that is plugged, all I need is a barb and three inches of hose plus maybe a switch. I am not overly worried about lightning taking out the fuel pump, the idea is if it dies someplace like Kent Narrows with 3 knots of current behind me and a closed bridge ahead of me all I need to do is turn the pump on. From flying airplanes I am used to having the backup fuel pump ready to go with a switch. The actual pumps Piper uses are the same as the A4uses too. Besides for all that swapping fuel pumps underway involves working in a hot engine room and spilling gas
The coolant pump is also something that would be a giant PITA to install underway. Among other things, it would dump all the coolant in the bilge. I also think I might *need* two pumps to run cabin and water heaters.

[joe_db]

Diesels are all about clean fuel, fuel problems, clean fuel, and keeping fuel clean with a side helping of heat exchanger and exhaust issues. You can go a VERY long time between actually messing with injector timing.

Originally Posted by Dave Neptune

I have a very sad winter project. My reliable for 35 years now "Volador" and it's venerable A-4 need to be sold. The wife wants a new fangled one with an open transom and countless other complexities.

I'll also need to brush up on diesel tuning once I get accustomed to her complaining about the smell, noise and vibration!

Dave Neptune

[tomsailmaker]

Dave I thought you were moving over to a power boat. There are a few GRAND BANKS for pretty cheap on Craig/s List (LA) so you can spend all your boat time doing bright work. I think there cheap because the owners are getting tired of doing bright work. My girl friend is looking at cabins at BIG BEAR like you did we will see - I don't ski no more.

[Dave Neptune]

Joe, I'll have to dust off some of my old diesel tools. I will check the timing on any diesel I get just to be sure. It is really amazing how nice they do run when correct and the electronically timed engines are truly amazing as far as smoke and being clean running. Hopefully whatever we find will be a new electronic style and a simple rail type works fine too.

Tom, my wife does want a power boat, however I'm not ready yet and still unsure of feeding one as often as I head to the island for weekends. I have a few friends that have "gone over to the dark side" and miss the sounds of the sea while sailing. And a couple have "come back" just to be able to hear those sounds again, just takes money.

Dave Neptune

[BadaBing]

Originally Posted by Dave Neptune

I have a very sad winter project. My reliable for 35 years now "Volador" and it's venerable A-4 need to be sold. The wife wants a new fangled one with an open transom and countless other complexities.

I'll also need to brush up on diesel tuning once I get accustomed to her complaining about the smell, noise and vibration!

Dave Neptune

You are a very blessed man that your wife is so sensible. I know guys who would love to have a wife who is a sailing enthusiast. I actually knew a guy on a beach cat sailing forum who was angry at me because my wife is hooked on sailing and his was not.
How large does she who know all good things want to go?

[Dave Neptune]

Bill, the wife is far from an enthusiast, she likes being there just hates the trip and I don't want to go on a power boat at all yet. When yanking on lines starts to become a burden for me I will perhaps consider power however I'll probably just stop boating in the ocean and take up lake sailing and fishing.
I have tried to get her to consider cruising since 1977, no "kinks" in her armor yet. Her reply is usually if it is a spot I want to go I'll meet you there and visit from a nice hotel~oh well.

Dave Neptune

[Mo]

Originally Posted by Dave Neptune

Bill, the wife is far from an enthusiast, she likes being there just hates the trip and I don't want to go on a power boat at all yet. When yanking on lines starts to become a burden for me I will perhaps consider power however I'll probably just stop boating in the ocean and take up lake sailing and fishing.
I have tried to get her to consider cruising since 1977, no "kinks" in her armor yet. Her reply is usually if it is a spot I want to go I'll meet you there and visit from a nice hotel~oh well.

Dave Neptune

My wife and kids are just hard to get out of the house and on the go...once aboard and off the dock they are Ok. Did a trip last summer that I could have stayed a couple of weeks on the go but they pretty much wanted to go home after 5 or 6 days. Weather was pretty good too! If it had been messy they'd have wanted to go home earlier.

No worries of my wife wanting a new boat though. She's the same with cars...as long as she can go to it and it works all is good. Never cared what she drove, Toyota Tercel 4x4 wagon, Isuzu Trooper, 4x4 pickup (called it a road hog but drove it) VW Passat and Jetta...never ever complained much about things like that...but she runs the roost...I might put in a suggestion or two for the house but that's as far as that goes. Actually, she's not picky there either...MAYBE she was a keeper.

But lets get one thing straight...I'd sell everything in a heartbeat, get a good boat and not look back. My winter project is the same one I should have done this past summer and fall, but got too busy. I have new SS cabin top rails to replace the teak ones...still sitting in my garage. Otherwise, she'll be good to go...and might go again without me putting them on.

[Ajax]

My winter project is to simply survive the winter without snapping and killing someone.

[hanleyclifford]

My winter project was pretty much dictated to me by the winter from hell I spent on the dock in Wickford last year - new paint job for deck and topsides. I usually do that anyway at each haul out but this year the need is especially obvious. The sitka mast has a few expansion separations that will have to be re glued; PO sealed the base of the stick so it did not drain properly. Good news is that everything below the water line looks real good.

[Marian Claire]

More like a spring project for me. Bottom paint. It has been 3 yrs. Will also be repainting the hull from water line to toerail. I discovered a few years ago that the owner/builder put a coat of, what I think is just epoxy, on the mahogany planking then painted with Brightside. This layer, being 45 yrs old, is breaking down and eventually shows thru the paint causing it to crack and in some areas flake off. I think the only way to stop it is to take everything down to bare wood and start over. I am just not ready to do that. So every few years I sand, fair and repaint. Will also repair the damage I caused when I had to wrestle my anchor free from a piece of wire rope in Silver Lake/Ocracoke and the damage done by the boat that drug down on me during one of the storms. Still slowly removing all the old varnish that I lovingly applied 10 yrs ago. I am letting mother nature do most of the work.
Finally getting to the boat for the first time in two months so no telling what else I will find.
Dan S/V Marian Claire

[Oldlaxer1]

Oh, where to begin.
Scrape about 15 layers of bottom paint, sand and repaint
Sand and paint hull, deck and cabin top.
Replace lenses in 4 portlights
Install fresh water filter under galley sink.
Put Y valve on head sink to either feed head or drain overboard.
Connect fresh water faucet at head sink.
Connect Moyer temp and oil pressure warning system.
Replace original traveler with Lewmar ball bearing traveler
Install folding midship deck cleats
Main halyard and vang led to cockpit
Fix gate on mast for main slides

That should keep me busy....

[BadaBing]

Upgrade to DO, very likely
Add HI loop with circulating pump to electric hot water system.
Clean jest and reinstall carb
Dingy favors OR outboard engine lift. Still undecided on which way to go but still have months to decide.
Clean, sand and repaint bottom paint.
Touch up dings in Perfection finish (hulls above waterline)
Scrub out fresh water tank (to remove slime)
And the biggie, install 12v refrigeration in icebox. Likely Isotherm, water cooled model 2553, possible boat show purchase next month

[Oldlaxer1]

Bill, are you a starboard or aft galley model T30? I'm curious about the refrigeration. I was thinking of getting one of these instead of installing refer.
http://http://www.homedepot.com/p/Whynter-45-qt-Portable-Fridge-Freezer-FM-45G/202555696

[BadaBing]

John
Starboard tally.

The southern unit uses a small cylinder coil set at a through hull (sink drain) and allows water to alpha in and out for disposal of heat. The jury is still out for me on using this method. Not.having a water pump to move water through the evaporated coil is attractive but I need to take some.measurements 're the way e r level outside the hull and the.bottom.of the sink. I'm toying with using this evaporated with the through hull and possibly attaching the top to a second through hull above the waterline.

The portable 12 v frig/ freezer is a good idea but I'm concerned about having more heat trapped in the cabin. During the frog days of summer summer it already can get Very warm in there when swinging.on a hook and I don't want to add another heat source.

[hanleyclifford]

I've had this one for over 20 years; they don't even make it any more but stocks still exist: http://www.explosivepowersports.com/...FdQYHwodnOALVg

[Mo]

I've been helping a friend bring one around. He picked up a C&C 29 cheap but the engine, among other things was flooded. Hauled apart the starter, carb and a few other odds and ends on my bench in the garage...starter was the worst and it took time to clean it all up etc...works perfect now. Also putting penetrating oil in top end and turning her over on the starter every couple of days. She will need a compression check. He's hauled a good deal apart in the boat, I don't think I'd have gone so aggressively.


We'll get that engine working come spring, I have no doubt on that. It's the many projects he has on the go the same time....new fuel hoses, woodwork, vent hoses, wiring ..and lots of checks, maintenance...it all needs to be done. Once done he has something but when everything is hauled apart it takes time to get it back together. Spring comes real fast.

[jbsoukup]

Last winter I removed all the plywood from the keel stub, except for the small portion under the engine.
This winter I will finish the job.
Actually, the glass work is already done (not in this photo) and all I have to do is re-install the engine.
http://www.moyermarine.com/forums/at...1&d=1452783821

[Whippet]

Originally Posted by Dave Neptune

I have a very sad winter project. My reliable for 35 years now "Volador" and it's venerable A-4 need to be sold.
Dave Neptune

Say it aint so! Will you continue to troll this site and lob advice our way?

[lat 64]

1) New bottom paint going on in a couple of weeks.
2) A new rig gang before the mast goes back up.
3) second mortgageNot really, just seems that way.

Russ

[Mo]

Originally Posted by lat 64

1) New bottom paint going on in a couple of weeks.
2) A new rig gang before the mast goes back up.
3) second mortgageNot really, just seems that way.

Russ

Always something Russ, always something Last year I had to get my shrouds done. Although not due for insurance I called Tony from EYE Marine here in Dartmouth to have a look at the boat. He's a marine architect and marine engineer and does refit project management on ships of all kinds. Luckily I'm in his good books and he'll come and go through the boat and he knows structure. Having been know to run the boat through her paces occasionally it's good have a different set of eyes look at her as well. Tony found signs of fatigue and suggested replacement so I got Brad from Doyle sails to order in heavier gear and we put it on. I'd already put in oversized chainplates a number of years back as well as added to the fiberglass mounting joints etc, spreading the load....something Tony was impressed with since the manufacturer would see that only as over kill ...well, if all goes well the boat will take a knock or two but the stick will stay on her.

Over Christmas I heard from Paul and Daneilla on the Island Packet we did the chain plates on a ways back. They were caught in a gale during a cruise from Newport to Bermuda last year. Apparently a bunch of cruisers went and they were caught in a vicious storm, one boat lost (crew rescued) and a number more dismasted. We had reinforced the hull structure on that boat and put the chainplates outboard on the hull...she took it. He did say the impact of seas knocked the wood trim off the V berth though...on the inside...he said the bow sides flexed inward with impact and sprung the wood trim off the inside of the V-berth...I'd be a nervous sailor on that trip. When we were drilling though her to put on chain plates I said she's not very thick...we should lay some more glass in here...so we added 1/4 inch of glass ...doubling her thickness mid ship...Paul said she's a different boat and is very pleased.

No matter what the boat there's always something.

[hanleyclifford]

I too have internal chain plates but have often considered going external, which is clearly a stronger, safer configuration. Does anyone know the logic or thinking that led to internal chain plates?