Winter Work II

The shower...

Despite may hours of work this project doesn't shorten the list.. because it never made the list. Just wasn't a sexy enough project. But very important none the less.

The boat didn't have a shower sump or grey water system. The water simply drained into the bilge.. and after floating through the whole boat was pumped out aft of the engine. Yuck.

Just about the hardest thing to take a picture of. This picture is of the sole of the head and to the right the aft bulkhead. (Ignore the weird hole in the bottom right hard corner this is for the air intake for the diesel heater). The square on the floor is the new sump and the triangle to the right is a channel leading from the low point into the sump. Not quite complete (since there isn't actually a drain in there yet). But you get the idea. There will be a grate covering the sole once complete.

Here is the view under the head sink with the door open and drawers removed. You can see the seacock in the middle. To the right of the red hot (!!) water hose is the accumulator (expansion tank) for the fresh water and above that the fresh water pump, a diaphragm pump. In the upper right is the sump pump after an inline filter.

Winter Break

Back In February we went on a little car camping trip to warmer climates. Being ocean-centric we couldn't head South without bringing a boat along ... so we towed a 12' aluminum skiff.. from Maine to Florida. We camped at GA and FL state parks with the trip culminating at Bahia Honda State park in the keys... here are some photos to excite your own water-centric side...

WINTER WORK

... aka everything that needs to be done before we move aboard!

It has been a hard winter here on midcoast Maine. Lot of snow - and lots of work. We haven't been enjoying the usual winter sports and activities. Instead SS has been working every weekend - all weekend - on the boat and I have been picking up lots of hours at work. However we have (SS has) put an impressive dent in our to do list. This is the first in a series of photo heavy posts chronicling the Winter Work!

The to do list (as written on the side panel..which most likely doesn't match the list in SS's head) reads:

1. Cabinetry
2. New roller furler
3. New canvas
4. Refrigeration
5. Radar
6. Repower

So, to start: REPOWER!

Our new engine:
A Universal M25xPB 25hp diesel from Hansen Marine.

We (SS) spent a great deal of time considering the options.

Our requirements:

1. Absolutely not a Yanmar
2. Low RPM

Yup. That's about it. We looked at Beta, Westerbeke, Nanni, dreamed of Perkins (too big). Alas every 25hp engine uses a Kubota block which would not meet criteria 2 (low RPM). So we settled on the Universal, designed for 3000 RPM vs everyone else's 3600. A classic workhorse, now manufactured by Westerbeke we knew we could get parts - and that she would stand the test of time.

ooh shiny!

Despite trying to find the heaviest (read sturdiest stand the test of time-iest) engine available the Universal looks light and tiny in comparison to the retiring Sabb with it's massive fly wheel (which, for the record runs at 1800 RPM). The Universal weighs in at 295lbs vs. the Sabb's 425lbs.

She looks a little bigger swinging from one chain fall to another in midair!

Before the engines could be swapped out glass work was required. The old engine came out, and SS moved the stringers to fit the new smaller footprint.

One of the big problems we had sailing last year was the mizzen mast step. It just wasn't secure enough and flexed.. a lot. The design calls for the shaft to run under the mast step, so with the engine out SS glassed in lateral supports.

The bilge got a lovely new coat of paint at the same time!

There she is, in place. So cute! Behind and to port you can see the new 27 gallon diesel fuel tank, and with it came more glasswork in the form of a secure base with tie down straps. Plus the fuel fill was moved from the starboard to port sides.

The new engine came with a 55 amp stock alternator. Luckily the Sabb had a very nice 100-120 amp Balmar alternator- be it with an archaic external regulator. SS built a new bracket for the larger alternator (see photo) and purchased a new external regulator. He chose a Mastervolt Alpha Pro 12V regulator. He chose the Mastervolt in part because it uses a negative field, however the Balmar was positive field. SS opened up the alternator and changed the field. He explained that in his experience negative field regulators were longer lasting.

Finally the new bronze 3 blade prop from H&H Propeller was placed on the new 1'' Aquamet 22 (really fancy stainless steel) shaft.

Phew! And that only crossed one item off the to do list!

5. Repower