diy boat owner 2004-1 1-888-658-2628 contents 2004-1 ... · adversely affect the trim, safety,...

©DIY boat owner 2004-1www.diy-boat.com 1-888-658-BOAT (2628) 1

CONTENTS 2004-1DIY boat owner 2004-1www.diy-boat.com 1-888-658-2628

Columns

9 SCUTTLEBUTTDoubling Hose Clamps: Fact or Fiction?Putting two clamps on a hose is certainlya good thing for clamp manufacturers butwhen is it really necessary or evenrequired? By Patricia Kearns

30 ELECTRICAL Charging Issues: Five common chargingproblems and their solutions. By JohnPayne

40 ELECTRONICS RFI: How to Troubleshoot: Buzzing,humming, high-pitched whines, static,turn on/turn off spikes, signal loss — allexamples of interference that affects theperformance of sensitive electronics. Thekey to understanding how to troubleshootis to understand the causes. By JohnPayne

56 DIY PROJECTSRubbadubsail in The Hot Tub; How toReplace an Engine Damper Plate; NewLife to Lifelines; A Diyer’s Approach toSoggy Decks; Rolling a Boat Over

64 VIEW FROM THESTERN

Is Your Boat In Trim? When upgradingyour boat’s equipment, the added weightand, specifically, where you put it canadversely affect the trim, safety, stability,performance and maneuverability of yourboat. By Roger Marshall

2 CURRENTSLetters, News, Wanted

10 TALKBACK Q&A Questions from DIY Readers

11 DIY TECHNICALHELPLINE — It’s FREE

Technical Help with your subscription.See insert on page 49 or log onto DIYONLINE at www.diy-boat.com

16 Tech Tips

Departments

17 LEAK-PROOFINGCABIN WINDOWS The repair method and the likelihood ofsuccess in your efforts to stem leaks atwindows or ports on your boat dependson whether these fittings are framed orframeless. By Nick Bailey

23 EXHAUST SYSTEMPRIMEREvery year, too many boats sustain seri-ous engine damage that could be easilyprevented with a little knowledge of proper exhaust system installation andmaintenance. Here’s the information youneed to check your system, repair andupgrade it. By Larry Blais

32 CABLE STEERINGUPGRADEDespite the popularity of today’shydraulics, mechanical cable steering isstill a viable proposition on smaller cruisers. Follow these steps to replacestiff, worn and corroded steering system. By Peter Caplan

43 RIGORS OF RIGGINGYou’ve waxed the hull, oiled the teak andserviced the engine but when was thelast time you inspected the rigging? Onolder boats, replacing the mast is a verycostly investment. Regular cleaning andcareful inspections go a long way to pre-venting premature damage and failure.

50 BOAT UPKEEPPreventative maintenance is time wellspent when you consider the reducedrepair bills and greater trade-in value ofyour boat. Here’s how to restorePlexiglas, renew a painted finish, repairnicks and dings on steel boats and othertricks to keep your boat shipshape.

WIN A 3M HULL & DECK CLEANER

DIY ON CD-ROM See page 36• DIY Back Issues & CD-ROMs • 1995-2003 Archives• DIY EZINE

log onto www.diy-boat.com

FREE TECHNICAL HELP WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONTo subscribe call 1-888-658-BOAT or log onto DIY ONLINE at www.diy-boat.com

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©DIY boat owner 2004-1www.diy-boat.com 1-888-658-BOAT (2628)2

CurrentsSt. Croix’s (www.davit.com) folding

ladder lets you get onboard your inflat-able from the water with ease andgrace. Made of 1" (25mm) polishedstainless steel, the ladder has threeflat, foot friendly steps, grab handles,an adjustable lanyard to secure to theboat and the whole assembly folds forstorage.

Sailboat owners with diesel engines as small as 25hp now have the option of fuel flow monitoring. Thenew Series K from Floscan (www.floscan.com) pro-vides electronic measurements of fuel consumption,

measured at the engine, not at the fuel tank. This devicedetermines optimum boat speed under power for maximum fuelefficiency, resulting in a 10% to 30% savings in fuel costs. It

also keeps watch over engine and drive train performance by moni-toring the optimum speed per hour reading. Easy to install by a skilled owner withsimple tools, prices range from US$910 to US$2,290. [Refer to DIY 2003-#2 issue for complete details on installing a Floscan system.]

Is a head refit in your future? If so, look at the lat-est super bowl: the Vetus (www.vetus.com) Hato.This unique MSD hangs on a bulkhead (bracketincluded), saving valuable space underneath and elim-inating the need for a raised platform, a practical solutionwhere floor space is at a premium. Besides, it makes for easycleaning of the head compartment. This porcelain beauty containsa discharge pump and macerator within its base that’s coupled to asmall 1" (25mm) diameter discharge sanitation hose. It’s available in either12-volt or 24-volt models, or AC-volt by special order, all which operate oneither raw or pressurized water.

Never underestimate the importance of runningclean fuel through a diesel engine. Clean fuelimproves combustion for more efficientengine operation and power, extends injec-tor life and results in less maintenance.

The portable TK-150 from Algae-X(www.algae-x.net) cleans tanks and reconditions and

transfers diesel fuel. At US$699, it’s not cheap but it’s agreat addition to a club or marina’s rent-a-tool program.

You won’t need sealant when installing Tri-Matrix ports from New Found Metals(www.newfoundmetals.com). These ports usehigh-density, closed-cell foam that, when thru-bolted, compresses to form a tight, leak-freeseal. Hinges and dogs fully adjust for cabinthickness and gasket pressure. Made of316/316L stainless steel and ASA weather-resistant polymers, either acrylic or laminated and tempered glass lens and aone-piece inner seal that carries a 10-year guarantee, these ports are availablein three sizes. The 5" x 12" (12cm x 30cm) port sells for US$166.95.

NEAT BOATING STUFFEdited by Jan Mundy

Confidentiality GuaranteedDIY boat owner Magazine takes

privacy seriously. The informationyou provide when you subscribeor place an order for CD-ROMsis col lec ted to bet ter ser ve ourreadership. The informationremains confidential to DIY boatowner. Neither DIY nor any of itsaffiliates, provide subscriber lists,email addresses or other infor-mation received about i t s cus-tomers to any other companies.

For the Love of BoatsHaving lived on the West Coast

for many years, Carol and I haveacquired a variety of older wood-en boats and skiffs and a collec-tion of old inboard and outboardmarine motors. The maintenanceof this equipment is primarily myresponsibi l i ty, which is why Iawai t , wi th ant ic ipat ion, eachissue of DIY both for the techni-cal information and to see pho-tographs of other poor souls stuckworking on their boats. Thankyou for a great magazine.Bill Smith, Prince Rupert, BritishColumbia

Review or print a copy of the complete 1995-2003 Editorial Index by

logging onto DIY ONLINE at

www.diy-boat.comand click on “Archives.”

Or call us toll-free at 888-658-BOAT (2628)

and we’ll snail mail acopy.

DIY EDITORIAL INDEX


http://www.algae-x.net

http://www.vetus.com

http://www.floscan.com

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Trojan Owner's SiteLaunched

A group of Trojan devotees havelaunched www.trojanownersclub.com tofunction as a resource for all Trojan yachtowners. The site consists of a messageforum, boat reports, boats for sale,newsletters and a member's boat section.

Capacity RegsThe USCG regulations require that

monohull boats less than 20' (6m) inlength display a maximum weightcapacity label. The label is not requiredon multi-hull boats, pontoon boats(catamarans) or on sailboats, canoes,and kayaks or inflatable boats regard-less of length. The Canadian CoastGuard requires a capacity label on allrecreational boats 20' (6m) or less thatare fitted with (or capable of being fittedwith) a 10 hp or larger engine. Makesure you know your boat’s capacity.While the law addresses only smallboats, the dynamics of weight distri-bution affect the handling of all boatsto some extent. For further informationon trim and weight relationships, readRoger Marshall's "View from the Stern"column on page 64.

Structural BulkheadsI was all the way to the last page of

DIY 2003-#4 issue before I could finda problem. In "View from the Stern,"Roger Marshall suggests that an ownercan replace a bulkhead with honey-comb board. Though he cautions to doit only to a non-structural bulkhead,most owners simply won't know whatis structural and what is not becausethey do not have the design knowledge.In today's plastic boat world, problemsalready exist regarding poor interiorstructural bracing, especially in cheap-er boats. Owners already play fast andloose with "handy holes." Maybe astronger caution would be in order toget professional advice first.— Donald Bell, Bell Associates YachtSurvey and Appraisal, Seattle,Washington

Roger Marshall responds: When Iwrote the piece, I hadn’t thought that areader would tear out a perfectly goodbulkhead and install a foam cored one.

I presumed that a reader who was inthe middle of rebuilding a boat mightwant to investigate the weight advan-tages of using a cored bulkhead.Depending on the material used for thecore, the tensile and bending strengthof a cored bulkhead could be equal toor exceed the strength of a solid ply-wood bulkhead, although the com-pressive strength may be slightly lower.In hindsight, I should have suggestedthat a reader who is rebuilding a boatwould be wise to consult an engineerto work out the loads and placement ofstructural members to ensure that acored structural bulkhead is adequatelyreinforced. In writing this piece, DIY ranout of column inches before I ran outof words so this point may not havebeen clearly made. Maybe this wasn'tclear in the story which was alreadymany more words than the editor want-ed me to use.

Where's the Magazine ID?I recently picked up DIY 2003-#3

issue at a local West Marine and it wasa pleasure to read the magazine. I ini-tially couldn't find the issue number ordate on the cover anywhere but thennoted it on the first page. I thenchecked an issue from 2002 and it toowas missing a date. Is there any rea-son for this? Bulter Smythe, Annapolis, Maryland

We dropped the cover date in 2001due to confusion with newsstanddates. You'll find the magazine dateon the Contents page as well as at thebottom of every page.

CURRENTS

DIESEL BEATS OUT GAS

"What is your boat's primaryengine?" was the recent questionposted on DIY ONLINE. Not sur-prising, 30% of all respondents haddiesel-powered inboard engines and2% with the hybrid diesel stern-drive. Gas engines where split intoinboards at 22%, sterndrives at20% and outboards at 23%. Jetdrives accounted for 2% and elec-tric for 1%.

To cast your vote in our new poll,log onto DIY ONLINE at www.diy-boat.com. Results are posted inupcoming DIY issues.

Publisher & Editor: Jan MundyVP Sales & Marketing: Steve KalmanDesigner: Joe VanVeenenIllustrator: SachaWebmaster: Jeff KalmanCirculation: Britton HardyCopy Editing: Patricia KearnsTechnical Advisor: Recreational MarineExperts Cover design: Joe VanVeenenContributors: Steve Auger, Nick Bailey,Larry Blais, Susan Canfield, Peter Caplan,Roger Marshall, John Payne, Peter Pisciotta DIY boat owner™ and The MarineMaintenance Magazine™ are registeredtrademarks of JM Publishing. DIY boatowner is published quarterly by JMPublishing. ISSN 1201-5598While all precautions have been taken toensure accuracy and safety in the execu-tion of articles, plans and illustrations inthis magazine, the publisher accepts noresponsibility for accidents, materiallosses or injuries resulting from the useof information supplied in these articles,plans or illustrations. All rights reserved.No part of this magazine may be reprint-ed or used without the express writtenconsent of the publisher.


Tech Tips, Impeller Wrap Plus

In the DIY 2003-#4 issue "Tech Tip"column, a reader offers a tip for impellerinstallation so the blades don't turn back-wards. When installing a brand newimpeller this would not be a problem. Afterinstallation, use a pair of needle nose pli-ers to correct the problem blade by turn-ing it in the proper direction. When rein-stalling a used impeller, a blade that wassimilarly corrected would eventually revertto its previously backward attitude and fail-ure would be imminent soon after instal-lation. Prudent boaters should replace animpeller every season. The “cost” of thejob is in the labor and, since you’re in thepump already, why not invest a little extrafor the peace of mind that a new impellerwill bring to the job. Also before installingan impeller, put a light coating of multi-purpose grease in the pump housing. Thiswill ease insertion of the impeller and helpprevent a dry start.

— Peter Godwin, Ontario Boat & EngineWorks, Orangeville, Ontario

Wanna Install a Bow Thruster?

Most specialty jobs demand cus-tom tools and few jobs are as chal-lenging as a bow thruster installa-tion. Cutting the thru-hull hole forthe bow tunnel demands tools,gigantic tools. Check out these toolsused by Florida Bow Thrusters inCape Canaveral, Florida (www.florid-abowthrusters.com). First, there'sthe drilling of a pilot hole with a 1-1/2"- (38mm-) diameter, 7' (2m)long bit on a 3/4" drill. Then thehole is cut using a hole saw thatmeasures 13" (33cm) in diameter,24" (61cm) in length. Cutting a holeof this size in your boat is certainlynot a job for the inexperienced (orthe timid).

— Jan Mundy

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DIY WINS WRITINGAWARDS

At the annual writing awards, con-ducted by Boating Writers International,DIY columnist Nick Bailey received amerit award for “School of Hard Knocks,”(DIY 2003-#2 issue) in the Boat/EngineCare and Maintenance category. In theTechnical Writing category, Nick scored a3rd place for “Close Encounters” (DIY2003-#3 issue). In past years, DIY writerSusan Canfield, a SAMS-certified marinesurveyor and owner of Marine Associates,a surveying firm in Annapolis, Maryland,won 2nd place in the Technical Writingcategory and a Genmar Trophy honor-able mention for "Fire Onboard," whichappeared in DIY 2002-#3 issue. DIY'sEditor Jan Mundy received 3rd placehonors for "Teak 101," in the Boat/EngineCare and Maintenance category, whichappeared in DIY 1998-#2 issue.

WHAT OILS FOR YOUROUTBOARD?

Motor oils sold for today's outboardengines have become product specific.


Mercury, for example, offers several dif-ferent oils for its products based on theage, fuel system and, of course, cost.For an older outboard that uses a 24:1oil ratio, there is no advantage in usingexpensive oil designed for a MercuryOptimax. On the other hand, I wouldnot trust a low-cost generic oil to pro-tect my new 2004 $17,000 comput-er-controlled outboard. The best oil foryour outboard is the one recommend-ed by the engine manufacturer. Stayaway from unrecognized brands. If theprice is too good to be true, there is like-ly a catch. Ensure that the oil you pur-chase is recognized by the NMMA orengine manufacturer as acceptable.— Steve Auger

IT'S NOT THE SECONDHAPPIEST DAY

The purpose of this writing is to clarifya myth about the two happiest days of aboater's life. My wife, Kim, and I recentlyaccepted a position with my company to

transfer to the Los Angeles area. After agreat deal of consternation, calculationand looking for boat slips we decided itwould be best to sell our newest and mostenjoyable family member, our 1985 SeaRay Express, “Bearboat.” Contrary to thepopular myth, this was definitely not ahappy day.

About two years ago, we were inter-ested in buying a boat (instead of a cot-tage) and ended up with what turns outto be the first real hobby I have had in my50 years of life. “Bearboat” was a lot moreboat than we had considered but as thethen owner told me, “bigger is better,” wewent for it. Since then, I've recorded thecompletion of over 100 projects in mymaintenance log. I have been twisted,contorted and stuck in positions I neverthought these old bones could muster. I

have learned so much about howboats work and what makes themnot work. I have repaired things Inever would have dreamed of tack-ling before.

In the final analysis, everythingthat came up in my original surveywas corrected, repaired or replaced.In addition, I completed numerousother projects that I believe wouldamount to a fairly complete restora-

tion. Through the course of this wonderfuljourney, I can't begin to tell you what atremendous resource DIY magazine, yourtechnical line and DIY's MRT CD-ROM'shave been to me. I have been in sometight situations where I was hearing anumber of different repair strategies fromvarious resources. With the wealth of expe-rience DIY offers, I usually defaulted toyour opinion and with great results. Yousaved me tons of headaches on so manydifferent issues and put me on the rightpath. Whether a boat owner turns theirown wrenches, does light maintenanceor hires the work done, the informationDIY provides makes you a better mechan-ic, owner or check writer. Considering thecost of owning a boat, everyone shouldhave DIY Magazine and all the servicesyou offer in their toolbox.

CURRENTS

Crystal-Clear

If you attended a boat show this pastwinter you likely noticed a radicalchange in gelcoat hull colors on newboats. Dark, solid colored hulls are out.Baby blue, melon orange, ashen yel-low, tan and white with black and blueaccent colors are in. Of course, youalready new this after reading the reportin DIY 2003-#3 that manufacturerswould switch to more conservative col-ors for the 2004 models.— Jan Mundy

(continues on page 8)


SHOWCASE YOUR BOAT ONLINE

We are in the processof refurbishing our1987 C&C 39'(11.8m) Landfall.Thanks to your mag-azine, we ordered thePeeler for the hull,which had a seriousblister problem, andordered DIY's MRT“Blister Repair” CD-

ROM. The Peeler (www.claresmobile .com) worked like acharm; very easy andvery clean after hook-ing it up to a vacuum.I've just finished strip-ping, cleaning andsanding the salon tableand coating it withCetol Clear Gloss. Itcame out great but def-initely yellowed withthe oil-base finish. NowI'm working on thesalon stairs. I wrote toUltimate Sole (www.ultimatesole.com) and will probably

order the product to do thestairs and the floorboards. Iplan on taking all the doorsand drawers home to work onthe wood. When the weatherwarms up, I'll begin to refur-bish the salon interior walls.On our last boat (a 1984Catalina 30, which we totallygutted), I used Cape Ann to dothe interior and it came outgreat. (It only took every week-end 8 hours a day for 6months to complete). I reallywant a high-gloss finish butwill settle for a water-based

product since I know it won’t yellow. I really enjoy all thishard work though my work conditions are not the best (back-yard or den, depending on the weather).Dawn K Bohnenberger, E. Iship, New York

What can you do @DIY ONLINE?www.diy-boat.com

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ArchivesAn editorial index of all DIY articles from 1995 to the current issue!

DIY EZINEThe 7 most recent issues of DIY - All Online! No more storage, searchable, and accessable from any port.


So, this was not a happy day, it was a sad day. Like sayinggood-bye to a trusted old friend. A wonderful retreat where Ifound peace in my heart and met some of the best friends ofmy life. In fact we sold the boat to our friends Bob and Debbie.They were as excited to take delivery, as I was sad to see hergo. Bob has promised to keep "Bearboat" clean and in goodrepair. Thanks very much for your assistance throughout thismost excellent adventure. Jim Discher, now living in Long Beach, California

The first time DIY heard from Jim he emailed theTechnical Helpline asking for information on a leaking stuff-ing box. During the past two years, Jim contacted DIYnumerous times looking for expert help. As a new boatowner, his enthusiasm was invigorating, especially on thelong nights when we burned the midnight oil to get an issueon press. We hope to see him on the water again.

PRODUCT SUPPORT EXCHANGEAfter reading the article in DIY 2003-#4 about the great

help given to one of your readers by Seaward Products, Ijust had to write about Katadyn North America (www.kata-dyn.com), suppliers of PowerSurvivor watermakers. Myfirst contact with them was in 1996 when I purchased anEndeavour 42' (12.6m) cutter equipped with an 80II EPur watermaker. It made freshwater but (after inspection)I found it had a scored ceramic piston. At that time, Pur(now Kataydn) sold me a complete new piston and pow-erhead at half price to replace the bad one that came withthe boat even though the malfunction was not its fault. Iwas on the boat this winter (7 years later) and found thata pump O-ring seal was leaking. The rebuild kit sent tome from some place in Maine had the wrong size seals init (serial # 865 and lower take a larger type). I located anO-ring that would fit at a local Yamaha dealer so I couldat least put my unit back together. During reassembly, Itightened the piston head onto the push rod too far and asmall portion of the black Teflon that coats the rod chippedoff. Of course, this made a new leak (different from the O-ring leak) around the rod, which didn't take long to totallyruin the shaft seals. Upon returning home, I contactedKatadyn and explained all of the above to the VP of sales.He proceeded to find me the correct seals and even senta new piston and a new redesigned rod without the Tefloncoating on it. All of this at no charge! Now I know whygood companies succeed.— Dan Bomgarden, Winnebago, Illinois

If you have experienced either excellent or very poorservice with a manufacturer, retailer, repair yard, etc.,email your comments to the editor at [email protected] send snail mail to: In the U.S.: JM Publishing, P.O. Box1072, Niagara Falls, NY 14304; In Canada: JM Publishing,P.O. Box 118, Lindsay, ON K9V 4R8.


CURRENTS

(continued from page 6)


connections that actually require dou-ble clamps.

The only U.S. law on the matter isfound in Code Of Federal Regulations(CFR) 183.564 and it relates solely toa gasoline fuel tank fill system. “… (b)Each hose in the tank fill system mustbe secured to a pipe, spud, or hose fit-ting by:

(1) A swaged sleeve; (2) A sleeve and threaded insert; or (3) Two adjacent metallic hose clamps

that do not depend solely on thespring tension of the clamps forcompressive force.

There are only two places where ABYCstandards require the doubling of hose

clamps. You must double-clamp hose-to-pipe connec-tions in engine exhaust sys-tems and at the connectionsfor the fuel tank fill hose (gaso-line [same as in the CFR] anddiesel). That’s it! The rest isin the legends of “good marinepractice.”

Here’s a little hitch in thetradition. There are situationswhere doubling clamps is nota good idea and that’s wherethe addition and tightening ofa second clamp will impingeon the hose and the clampedge will actually cut the hose.This occurs when the pipe ortailpiece nipple is too short toallow for two adjacent clampsto secure the hose to the pipeend. Be careful when you’rebeing careful. Sometimes,more is not better and some-times, less is more.

About the author: Besides being DIY’sproof editor, Patricia Kearns formerly wasan assistant technical director of ABYC.She is a NAMS certified marine surveyorand operates Recreational Marine ExpertsGroup, a marine surveying and consultingfirm based in Naples, Florida.

ScuttlebuttScuttlebuttDOUBLING HOSE CLAMPS:

Fact Or Fiction? Putting two clamps on a hose is certainly a good thing for clamp manufacturersbut when is it really necessary or even required?

By Patricia Kearns

“Double clamp all hoses connected tothru-hull fittings.” The foregoing direc-tive is almost a standard phrase in marinesurvey reports. It’s one of those thingsthat we expect to see and respond towith alacrity to make sure that our boatis “safe.”

If we accept that double clampinghose is a good thing, a necessary thingor even a mandated task, then we getout the box of clamps and get to work.If we have an inquiring mind, we mightalso ask, “Who says double clampingis a good, necessary or required thing?”It’s a good thing because it sends us tothe innermost reaches of our boats tocheck on clamps where we may likelyfind some broken or rusty ones and othernasty things like a mushy or chafinghose, a leak, a corroded seacock, et al.That proactive errand alone is a goodthing. The question remains, “Is itrequired or do we double clamp becausewe have always done it?

Doubling hose clamps is an accept-ed marine practice that evolved fromthe times when hose was slipped overthe end of a smooth pipe or pipe fit-tings before the widespread use of barbedfittings and tail pieces. The use of twoclamps better assured that the hosewould stay on the pipe. That’s it. Simpleenough and a “belt and suspenders”habit that continues in good marinepractices today.

“Who says?” Have you ever tried topull a hose off a barbed fitting? Today’sboat and yacht piping systems, includ-ing fuel systems with two notable excep-tions, use smooth pipe and hose. Gettinga hose off a modern barbed fitting is aSchwarzenegger effort. Question? So,why the clamps at all? Answer? It’s goodmarine practice but there are only a few

Install lamp screws as shown instead of inline to dis-tribute loading and stress on the hose barb.


Finding Flush Fault Q:My Sealand Vacu-Flush toilet keepspopping the circuit breaker. I found loosewires at the circuit breaker and tight-ened them but cannot locate the vac-uum pump on my 1988 Formula 29PC.The unit’s operating light dims on andoff as it works, even when connectedto shorepower. How would you recom-mend I go about troubleshooting thisproblem? Can the pump get clogged bysomething?Tim Wenham, “Diver’s Dream,”Cleveland, Ohio

A: I discussed your problem with the“head” man, Mike Starito of NortheastSanitation in Farmingdale, New York(www.northeastsanitation.com). Here’sthe official answer. “If the toilet is nolonger operating and flushing, check forloose wires on the vacuum switch nearthe pump. A bad connection builds upresistance. Measure the amperage tothe motor using a multimeter. It shouldpull a maximum of 10 amps. The cir-cuit should also have a 10-amp break-er, so check the breaker. If you’re pulling

more than 10 amps, you likely have aclog in the bellows in the vacuum pump.When clogged, it doesn’t allow the motorto compress, which puts extra load on themotor, increasing the amperage and acti-vating the breaker (a safety feature). So,you need to locate the pump and removeits cover. Before you don the gloves andmask, try this simple trick. Fill the toiletwith hot water and flush. Do it again.This might eliminate the clog. This willonly work if you used marine grade orRV toilet paper, which is water soluble.If however, you didn’t use biodegradablepaper, standard household paper canbuild up in the folds of the bellows, clog-

between the sea strainer and pump.The check valve would prevent a lossof prime after the pump shuts down.However, if the check valve gets cloggedwith debris it will leak and you’ll havethe same problem as before. You might,therefore, prefer to replace your AC sys-tem’s present pump with a self-prim-ing flexible-impeller pump. Should youchoose this latter alternative, ask Cruisair’scustomer service (Tel: 804/ 746-1313,Web: www.tmenviro.com) for their pumprecommendation. Vented loops (siphonbreaks) are designed to admit, notrelease, air.— Susan Canfield

Reading MoistureMeters

Q: I’m in Mexico working on myFreedom 39 balsa-cored blistered hull.When it was hauled out, the gelcoatwas ground off, exposing hundreds ofsmall blisters. Using a GRP 33 mois-ture meter, above the waterline arereadings of 7.5 or 8 on the fiberglassscale. Some places below the water-line have identical readings but othersare higher, 11 or 12. Higher numbersare also seen on the keel, which is leadencased in fiberglass. The service peo-ple say the readings should be below5 before a barrier coat is applied, butbetween 5 and 10 would be okay ifabsolutely necessary to proceed. I’mskeptical of the yard’s readings becauseof their lack of experience with coredhulls and because I’m not sure abouttheir competence with the meter.David Jensen, “Hopalong,” Sacramento,California

A: I use a GRP 33 from J.R. OverseasCompany almost daily. The moisturemeter is a simple tool to use: hold itagainst the hull, press the button, andget a reading. I have found them to betrustworthy provided the meter is cali-brated. The GRP 33 has a Plexiglas andcopper calibration plate included withthe kit. Regardless, the readings youreport from your hull and topsides aremuch like what I’m used to seeing every-day. Ideally, you want to see the samereading below the waterline as one takenon the hull side a couple feet above thewaterline, usually less than 10% on thewood scale. I have never seen any lam-

ging the piping and stalling the motor.When this happens, the only remedy isto physically remove the buildup. Removethe cover over the bellows and go dig-ging. Wear rubber gloves and eye pro-tection when doing this job.” — Jan Mundy

AC and Vented Loops

Q:My 1998 express cruiser has a fac-tory-installed Cruisair air conditioningand heating unit (AC). When cruising,the water is sucked out of the hosesand, when the boat stops, the waterrefills. Most times, this action forms anair pocket that prevents water from flow-ing through the recirculating pump. Ihave to remove the hose on the outsideof the pump to let the air escape so theAC restarts. I have tried the followingmodification but without success:removed the strainer and extended thehose from seacock to pump (all arebelow the waterline); extended the hosevertically adding a reverse P-trap; andextended the hose vertically so it extendsabove the waterline and added a barbtee, which did help to release air butalso introduced new air into the sys-tem. After reading your article on vent-ed loops (2003-#3 issue), I’m won-dering if this is a good fix for this unit.Al Solari, “Cha Ching,” Chrysler Park,Ontario

A: The basic problem is your AC sys-tem’s centrifugal cooling water pump.Centrifugal pumps are not self-primingand should always be installed belowthe liquid level they are to pump. Inyour situation, the least expensive alter-native would be to install a check valve

Talkback Q&AHelpline 1-888-658-2628

inate dryer than 3%on the wood scale.The readings youquote sound quitetypical for a boat inthe process of dry-ing out. Ideally, aboat hull should beat 5 but getting tothose last few lowpoints on the meter

can take a long time to achieve. The dryer the boat is whenthe bottom is resealed, the longer the hull will go before it blis-ters again and the more minor the blisters. In practice, ifyou can get the hull below 10 and within a point or two ofthe topside readings, you can push the envelope and pro-ceed with sealing the bottom without incurring too muchadditional risk. Nonetheless,dryer is better. Lead or anymetal within 1" (25mm) or soof the meter will give a highreading, as the meter is a elec-tromagnetic device and is sen-sitive to any conductor, Includingwater trapped between the bal-last and the skin. If in doubt,you should drill a limber holeto drain this area and glass itup later. Balsa core may or maynot contribute to higher read-ings but it doesn’t make anydifference. You still want to see those magic “dry” numberson the meter before you proceed. After all, the balsa core ispart of what you are trying to dry out here. If it’s wet, (25+)the hull won’t dry out without special treatment, e.g., theHot Vac system or even core replacement. If it’s damp, (15to 25) it will really slow the drying process. A GRP 33 meterreads to a depth of about 1/2" (12mm) so it will register thecore moisture. Try to find a spot on the hull that is not cored


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(often near thru-hulls) and take a com-parison reading. Also, try taking a read-ing on the inside of the hull to compare.If you get a similar reading to the out-side, you can assume the core is asdamp as the outside skin. If not, theoutside skin is where the moisture isconcentrated. Another way to get harddata is to take a core sample (shownin top photo, previous page) from theinside in the wettest spot you can find.Drill a shallow pilot hole into the innerskin only (try to avoid making work foryourself by cutting all the way through).Remove the pilot drill from the holesawmandrill and, with the holesaw, cutthrough the inner skin and core. Stopwhen you feel it bottom out on the out-side skin. Pry or chisel out the “coupon”of inside skin and core only. Check thecoupon and the remaining outside skinimmediately with the meter or have theyard do this when you are there to seethe results first hand. This way you haveseparated the hull elements and cananalyze them, each isolated from eachother. It’s frustrating waiting for a boatto dry out. Like many aspects of boat-ing, patience will be required.— Nick Bailey

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Restoring Hull Bottomson Dry-Stored Boats

Q: The bottom paint on our recentlypurchased 1998 Maxum 2800SCR isin good condition. We were told that,since the hull bottom, when new, wassanded before the first bottom paint job,we now must maintain it with frequentpaint jobs. As the boat is used primarilyin the freshwater sections of the PotomacRiver and stored on a lift in a slip, mustwe paint it? Alan Gorenstein, Potomac, District ofColumbia

A: According to Jim Siedel of Interlux,when a boat is not kept in the waterthere is no need for antifouling paint.Over time, however, the existing paintwill begin to fade and chalk. This is anaesthetic problem only and, while itdoesn’t harm the hull, it may damage

people’s clothes if they come in contactwith it. Use a paint remover (e.g.,Interstrip 299E) to remove the coating.To remove the leftover stain in the gel-coat, blend 299E and 399 at a 50/50ratio and apply while agitating the sur-face with a ScotchBrite pad. Next, com-pound the hull, follow with a glaze (e.g.3M Finesse-it II) and then wax. Thesephotos from Interlux show the stepsinvolved. In the bottom photo, the boatlooks brand new. If you decide to paintbut don’t wish to do this on a routinebasis, Jim recommends using a hard

paint, such as Fiberglass Bottomkoteor Fiberglass Bottomkote Aqua, both ofwhich retain their color longer than abla-tive or copolymer paints.— Jan Mundy

More Pump Power

Q: I have a second water tank locat-ed about 12' (3.6m) from the waterpressure pump. The hose runs down-hill, except the first 2' (.6m), which is ver-tical. Both tanks connect to a manifoldand there are no leaks. Water flow fromthe faucets is very poor. Seems like Ineed more suction but the pump allowsfor a 12' (3.6m) draw. What do yousuggest for more psi?Stephen Camp, “Argo,” Greece

A: When DIY contacted Dick Lee atFlojet (www. jabsco.com) on Steve’sbehalf, we received this prompt response.“The simple fact is that pumps pushmuch better than they suck. Pump suc-tion is limited to atmospheric pressurethat is about 15 psi at sea level. Thelength and size of hose is critical. Fora 12' (3.8m) run, 5/8" or 3/4" (16mmor 19mm) should be adequate, as small-er hose increases pressure drop andcauses a loss of flow. Any connectionsbetween the tank and the pump alsoreduce pressure and flow, unless theyare full hose inside diameter.”

Tips for RemovingNon-Skid

Q: I plan to replace the originalTreadmaster on my 1988 Fisher 34motorsailer. Any advice on getting theold non-skid off? Norris Y. Palmer, “Sweetwater,”Grapevine, Texas

A: I’ve installed a synthetic non-skidbut never removed this material so Iforwarded Norris’ letter to PlastimoUSA, distributor of Treadmaster (Tel:866/383-1888, Web: www.plasti-mousa.com) and received this replyfrom Steven Paley. “Unless Treadmasteris chipped along its edges or otherwisetorn, it may not yet need to be replaced.Sprucing up its appearance withTreadCote, our proprietary rejuvenator,may prolong the life of heavily weath-ered or stained decking for another five

years or more. If it is truly time to replace it, however, you’vealso come to appreciate that Treadmaster’s renowned dura-bility makes the job a bit challenging. The proper way toremove old Treadmaster is by abrasion, that is, grindingand sanding. For this, you’ll need a variable-speed anglegrinder or sander/polisher tipped with a 10" (25cm) softfoam pad. A variable-speed belt sander can be useful atthe intermediate stages and a small palm sander and hardhand sanding block will help with the finishing sanding. Inaddition, you’ll want a variety of sandpaper disks, belts andsheets ranging from 40 to 100 grit. The large, flat areasthat Treadmaster normally covers on deck are easy to tack-le with the grinder. The trick is to remove all the Treadmasterand rough up the underlying layer of adhesive without goug-ing the deck material underneath. If the builder used epoxyadhesive, this should be relatively easy. If contact adhesive


was employed, your wicket might be a bit stickier. Somepros prefer to just grind the top surface of the old Treadmasteraway, sweeping the area with a belt sander and finer gritto remove the remainder. The devil, however, is in the edges.Great care must be taken not to scar adjacent flat areas,deck hardware or woodwork with coarse abrasives. Maskingoff painted or gelcoated surfaces at the edge of the Treadmasterhelps, of course, but tape is no match for a 50-grit wheelon a grinder. One pro uses very thin pieces of sheet metalheld with weights butted to the Treadmaster to avoid acci-dental brushes with nearby areas. Another uses an arsenalof scrapers, chisels and utility knives to cut the Treadmasteraway in delicate areas. But there is no substitute for time,patience and hand sanding along the edges. One trick thepros use to alleviate the painstaking work along the edgeis to cut the new sheet of Treadmaster 1/4" (6mm) largerthan the old one in all directions. This way, the new sheetcovers the old glue line and any blemishes along the edge.There is a certain beauty to all this sanding. Since the deckareas need to be roughed up prior to installation of the newTreadmaster, consider your work to be as much surfacepreparation as removal. Don’t worry about normal scratch-es since epoxy adhesive will cover those. All you need todo before laying your new deck is to fill any deep gougeswith epoxy putty and sand smooth. Your new Treadmastershould see you through at least another 15 years.”— Jan Mundy[Ed: Refer to DIY 1998-#3 issue for details on pat-terning, cutting and laying new Treadmaster.]

Boring Heater CoresQ: At what temperature does silver solder melt? My heatexchanger core is plugged and I can’t flush it so I want toheat it until the seaweed burns? Or do you suggest anothermethod? Gerald Loranger, “Dianna Marie,” Prince Ruper, British Columbia

A: Caution! You are walking onthin ice! Volvo coolers andexchangers are made of many dif-ferent materials. The tube bun-dle is a copper material, likelycupronickel, which is a littletougher than the standard cop-per used on many exchangers.Since the tube bundle is securedwith silver/copper/phosphoroustype of brazing alloy, the temper-atures to melt this solder arebetween 1,190F to 1,500F (643Cto 815C), much higher than stan-dard silver solder. If the tube bun-dle is removable from the alloyhousing, have it “cooked out” ata radiator shop. Don’t use acidsaround the aluminum alloys. That’sa deathblow. As a lastresort, try the old-fash-ioned wooden doweltrick. Pass a dowel of theproper diameter gentlythrough one tube at atime. A small gun borecleaning brush also workswell. Go gently into thatcooler.— Bob Smith

Shaft Vibrations

Q: I have an almost 11' (3.3m) long, 1.25"- (3cm-) diam-eter shaft that has vibration problems at times. It all start-ed when I replaced the stuffing box, which supported themiddle of the shaft, with a PSS dripless shaft seal. ThePathfinder engine has a Drivesaver and the strut is at theoutboard end, within 1" (25mm) of the Max-Prop. Enginealignment and cutlass bearing are both good. The shaftwas replaced due to corrosion under the cutlass bearing(the boat had no anodes when I bought it) but it didn’tchange the vibration problem. Vibration only occurs whenI slow down then accelerate. If I slow down to 2 knots orless and accelerate again, I don’t get the vibration. Whenthe vibration occurs, boat speed is about a 1/4 knot lessat the same rpm. The problem gets worse when sea growthadheres and unbalances the shaft, so I clean it often. TheMax-Prop has 2,500 hours since the last rebuild andthere’s more play in the blades than I’d like. I’m sure theproblem is caused by the long shaft unsupported in themiddle and made worse by the looseness in the Max-Prop



blades. I thought of mounting anoth-er cutlass bearing in the stern tube,but the clearance is insufficient. Anyother ideas, other than to go back tothe original stuffing box?DIY reader via email

A: When DIY contacted P Y I(www.pyiinc.com), distributors of theMax-Prop and PSS shaft seal, wereceived this prompt response fromFred Hutchison. “From your descrip-tion, I suspect that the original stan-dard stuffing box was acting as a sup-port bearing for the shaft. When thePSS shaft seal was installed, it removedany support from the shaft and this isthe likely reason for the shaft whip.The rule of thumb for unsupported shaftlength is 40 times the diameter of theshaft. So, for your 1.25" (3cm) shaftthere should only be 50" (127cm) ofunsupported shaft. While this calcula-tion can be exaggerated, you current-ly have 132" (335cm) of unsupportedshaft. A stuffing box has very little con-tact on the shaft and should never actas a support bearing, which wouldmore than likely wear a grove into theshaft, as if the packing is too tight.The proper method to support the shaftis with a cutlass bearing at the inboardend of the stern tube or a pillow-bear-ing forward of the PSS seal inside theboat. This bearing should be as closeto the center of the shaft as possiblefor the most benefit. As a point of ref-erence, there is a cutlass bearing thathas a 1.25” (3cm) ID and a 1.5”(3.8cm) OD that should fit in yourstern tube. The play in the Max-Propmay contribute to the problem of shaftwhip, but it’s more than likely not theprimary issue.”

Drive LubricationQ: I would like to use synthetic motoroil and lube in my 1992 Mercruiser5.7 with a Bravo II drive because Ibelieve there would be advantages inease of starting and longevity, all thegood things about synthetic oils. Thecost would be manageable since I onlyuse the boat recreationally and changethese fluids once per year. My concernis that I haven’t seen any studies ordata where this has been done and I’venever seen Mercury suggest the use ofsynthetic oil. I would think syntheticuse in the engine wouldn’t be a bigproblem but I’m not so sure about thesterndrive. I suspect Mercury has somekind of additive package in their lube(it smells awful) that may or may not berequired in a synthetic lube. Dan Montague, New Freedom,Pennsylvania

A: Your question is one that has beenasked many times since the introduc-tion of automotive synthetic motor oils.The key to the phrase is “automotivesynthetic motor oil.” Mercury Marineissued a service bulletin in October of1997 in connection with Mercruisergasoline engine oil recommendations.The recommended oil for your engineis Mercury or Quicksilver four-cycle25w40 marine engine oil. Mercury25W40 oil is a blend of straight 25weight and straight 40 weight oildesigned for use in marine engines. Ifthis was not readily available, a highquality SAE 30W detergent automo-tive oil with an API service rating ofSH,CF/CF-2 could be used. The useof non-detergent oils, multi-viscosityoils, synthetic oils, low quality oils oroils with solid additives is specifically

not recommended. ThoughI have not seen any lubri-cation failures due to theuse of synthetic oil in aMercruiser engine, myadvice is to stay with theMercury 25w40 for yourengine and Mercury HighPerformance Gearlube forthe sterndrive unit. Changethem both every 100 hoursor annually and you’ll nothave any oil based lubrica-tion failures. — Steve Auger


PROLONGED CRANKING SOLUTION If your diesel engine doesn’t start rightaway, close the raw-water intake valve(seacock) to the engine. Continuous crank-ing will pump seawater into the water-lift muffler, putting your engine at risk ofingesting water from the exhaust systembackpressure when the engine does start.Closing the water intake to the pumpprevents the seawater pump from push-ing water into the waterlift. As soon asthe engine starts, turn on the valve sothe water pump restores the cooling waterflow, which will then circulate and bedischarged overboard along with theexhaust gases.Hal Roth, “Whisper,” St. Michaels,Maryland, from the book, “How to SailAround the World.”

BUMP-N-GRIND NO MORETo prevent fenders from rolling away andshifting when your boat is tied to a dock,rig a fender board made of StarBoard ora pressure-treated 2x4, drill holes in theends, attach some line, position outboard

of thefendersand fas-ten theboard tostanchionbases ord e c kc l e a t s .The fend-

ers will ride vertically between the boatwith the board taking the pressure at thedock piling.

OVERHEATING GET-HOME RIGWhen your engine starts overheating andyou go below to find that your raw-waterintake pump is not working, you canremove the freshwater system’s electricpressure water pump or a bilge pump orany other electric pump and rig it betweenthe raw-water intake and your engine’scooling system, bypassing the brokenraw-water intake pump. You can makethis trick even easier by setting up anemergency kit with the right diameterhoses, cut to the right length, ready toconnect to the selected pump and theengine and you’re good to go. DIY reader via email

BACKFIRE BLUESWhen one of my boat’s Crusader enginesdeveloped an intermittent backfire oncewarmed to operating temperature, andI suspected carbon buildup in a cylindercausing premature ignition, spraying acan of ValvTect De-Carb through the car-buretor per the label instructions clearedup the backfire. Paul Seifert, “Lil rivet,” Cape Haze,Florida

BRUSH CLEANER Paint brushes that have hardened canbe usable again if you soak them inInterlux 202, a solvent based productsold to clean bare fiberglass of waxand other contaminants.

SLICK PROP Teflon water-repellentgrease applied to the propeller makesit more difficult for marine critters toget a grip.

FOR CLEAN, SOFT, WHITE LINES To a 5 gallon (4 liter) bucket, add a cup(236ml) each of Downy (fabric soften-er) and Wisk laundry detergent and thenhalf fill the bucket with hot water andtoss in all your dock and anchor lines,halyards, sheets, etc. Add more water ifneeded to cover and let “brew” overnight,then rinse well to remove all residue. Richard Asztalos, “Charisma,” Mt.Clemens, Michigan

WATER STOPPER Add some plas-ticine to your spares’ kit and stuff it inthe anchor line (or chain) deck pipe toseal it from water splashing onto thedeck and flooding the bilge.

IF YOU ONLY USE IT ONCEA must-have addition to your toolbox isthe X-Out screw extractor, which removesstripped screw heads that fit an indent-ed drive. Just place the X-Out bit into a

1/4" (6mm)v a r i a b l espeed drillset in re-verse and,while run-ning thedrill at slow

rpm, apply downward pressure and rotatethe bit side to side. It cuts and reshapesthe screw head and backs out the screw.

Tech TIP DIY’s editor Jan Mundy bought a plas-tic case with three bits at a boat showfor US$20.

RUST-FREE TOOLS It’s inevitable that the ever-present mois-ture in the marine environment will cor-rode tools carried onboard. Wrap eachtool tightly in plastic wrap before stor-ing in your toolbox to keep out the wetstuff. If you really want to go over theedge with protecting tools, spray themwith your favorite marine lubricant andwrap them. This is especially worth theextra effort for the tools you don’t useoften. Protect them and they’ll “be therefor you” when you really need them.

CHARGED BULBS To eliminate corrosion, increase longevi-ty and reduce electrical shorts of trailerlights, navigation lights and other lightsonboard fitted with incandescent bulbs,remove each bulb and coat the metalbase with dielectric grease.

PATCH WORKS Make a quick, temporary repair forsmall holes and tears in canvas cov-ers, tops and sails with iron-on patch-es. The patches are available in a widevariety of colors, so you can be as cre-ative as you like.

TECH TIPS WANTEDDo you have a boat-tested tip or tech-nique? Send us a photo (if available) anda description, your name, boat name andhomeport and mail to:

DIY TECH TIPS P.O. Box 22473 Alexandria, VA 22304

Or Email to [email protected]

Reader tips are not tested by DIY, but wewon’t publish anything we feel mightharm you or your boat.


Story and photos by Nick Bailey

Notwithstanding the old joke about theboat being a hole in the water into whichmoney is poured, we all know any boatwith a cabin is just a floating conveyancedesigned to be wet on the outside anddry on the inside. Based on the serviceinquiries I handle every day the “dry onthe inside” part seems to be hard toachieve consistently. One common leaksource is the cabin window (or “fixedport,” if you prefer).

It’s more difficult than it looks to attacha transparent lens over an opening cutinto the cabin trunk and keep it sealed.Boat builders have devised manyapproaches to fastening and sealingwindows but the outcome generally fallsinto two categories: the window lens iseither mounted or retained by a frameor is fastened without a frame. In thecase of the frameless window, the lensattaches directly to the boat with adhe-sive, mechanical fasteners or a combi-nation of the two.

To carry out an effective repair to leakywindows, it’s important to understandthe characteristics and most commonfailure modes of different window styles.Many window designs have inherentproblems that may require re-engineeringthe installation from scratch if the repairis to sustain long-term success. Readon to see some of the common prob-lems encountered and the repair solu-tions used by a professional shop fordifferent types of windows.

The Dawn of Plastic

It wasn’t long after fiberglass becamethe material of choice for productionboat building that acrylic (Plexiglas) or

polycarbonate (Lexan) began to replaceglass as the predominant material forboat windows. These plastics are work-able with standard woodworking toolsand, unlike glass, they areflexible enough to conformto the curved surfaces of atypical cabin trunk. A lot ofthe early plastic windowswere off-the-shelf fixed portswith aluminum frames.These were only availablein stock sizes so many boatbuilders, looking for moredistinctive styling, began toforego the frame altogetherand simply attached theplastic window lens direct-ly to the cabin.

Frankenstein Mark 1 The first of the frameless windows

mounted with mechanical fasteners wasthe Mark I or “Frankenstein” window.The window lens, usually a slab of acrylic0.25" to 0.5" (6mm to 12mm) thickwas mechanically fastened with screwsor bolts over a gasket or bead of sealantlaid between the lens and the boat struc-ture. This simple installation was pop-ular on boats built in the late ‘70s andearly ‘80s but fell out of favor as main-tenance problems persisted.

The lens colur of choice was usuallya dark tint, which absorbs sunlight, heatsup and then expands, pushing hardagainst the fasteners. This causes a vari-ety of problems: cracks originating atthe fastener holes would quickly migrateacross the lens; fasteners work loose;the sealant (many of which don’t stick

that well to plastic) loses its grip on thelens and the leaks commenced. A Band-Aid solution was to drill the fastenerholes over-sized to allow room for thelens to expand. This reduced lens crack-ing but the amount of thermal move-ment, especially with the long narrowwindows popular on sailboats, wouldeventually break the seal. Unfortunately,this style of window is always prone toleaks and is a good candidate for re-engineering the installation with the addi-tion of an external frame. Nonetheless,good repair technique can maximize theleak-free service interval.

If the decision is made not to upgradethe window installation with a frame(see below), this is just a reseal job.The fasteners are removed and, start-ing at the location of the leak, the lensis gently pried loose by slipping a putty

knife between the lens and cabin trunk.Clean all the old sealant off both mat-ing surfaces. Carefully check the lensfor cracks. If cracked, replacement ofthe lens is mandatory. This is also agood time to replace a weathered orcrazed lens for cosmetic reasons. Usethe old lens as a template, trace theshape of the new lens onto a sheet ofnew plastic and cut out with a band-saw or jigsaw. In many cases, the lensalso needs a bevel or cove cut into anedge of the lens with a router or beltsander. Edges also usually need sand-ing with 120 grit paper to achieve asmooth finish. When a shiny gloss isrequired at the cut edge, this is quick-ly achieved by kissing the edge with theflame of a torch. Next, the fastener holesare drilled in the lens and it is at thispoint some minor engineering improve-ments can be made.

Drill fastener holes oversize as needed

P R O S E R I E S

LEAK-PROOFING

Cabin WindowsThe repair method and the likelihood of success in your efforts tostem leaks at windows or ports on your boat depends on whetherthese fittings are framed or frameless.

The classic mechanically fastened “Frankenstein” win-dow.

18

in the new lens. For example, if the orig-inal holes were drilled 5/32" (3.9mm) fora 1/8" (3mm) fastener, the new hole isenlarged to 1/4" (6mm). The limiting fac-tor is the size of the washer used on theoutside of the window. It should bridgethe hole. Flathead fasteners with cupwashers have the lowest profile and holdsealant best. Another technical upgradeis to reseal the window with an ultra-flex-ible professional glazer’s silicone such asDow Corning 795 or equivalent. Thesesilicone sealants have the ability to stretchor compress 50% so they are flexibleenough to maintain a seal despite thethermal movement of the lens.

Now the new window is dry fitted.From inside the cabin, the outline of theopening in the cabin trunk is traced ontothe protective paper on the inside face

of the lens. The lens is lift-ed out and the protectivemask is carefully cut andremoved to expose the outerbonding ring of the lens.The exposed area is sand-ed thoroughly with 80 gritto ensure good sealant adhe-sion. To prepare for caulk-ing, masking tape is appliedto the cabin trunk about3/16" (4.7mm) outside ofthe lens all around the out-side perimeter of the win-dow. The small, unmaskedgap allows for a tidy exter-nal sealant bead when fin-

ished. Once the dry fit and masking iscomplete, the window is again removedand sealant applied to the cabin trunkin two or three fat concentric beadswithin the area in contact with the win-dow. Special care is taken to make sureeach fastener hole is well caulked. Tomake positioning of the window moreprecise, two or three fasteners are pre-fitted to the lens to act as registrationpins. The lens position is fixed by engag-ing these fasteners into the correct cabintrunk holes just as the lens is loweredinto place onto the fresh sealant.

The remaining fasteners are nowinstalled and the window is gently tight-ened using a sequence similar to torquingdown an engine cylinder head. Care istaken to avoid over-tightening the fas-teners, since the lens can crack easilyand it’s important to avoid squeezingout too much sealant. A thicker gasketof sealant has more compliance as thewindow expands and contracts. A bondline of about 1/16" to 3/32" (1.5mm to2.3mm) thick is about right. Excesssealant that squeezes out is removedwith a putty knife and the final caulk-ing touch is achieved by smoothing abead around the outside perimeter ofthe lens with a gloved forefinger. Maskingtape is removed while the sealant is stillwet. As soon as the caulking has cured,the protective mask on the lens isremoved before it’s exposed to rain,heavy dew or too much sun that ren-der the masking painstakingly difficultto remove.

Despite my iffy prognosis for this win-dow style, it’s worth noting that somemanufacturers have stuck with themechanically fastened approach and

have achieved a reliable window seal.A successful variant used by some boatbuilders uses screws and washers asretainer clips holding only the outsideedge of the lens (e.g. no fastener holesthrough the window). The window sitsin a recess and the perimeter fastenersare invisible, buried in the thick beadof black glazer’s silicone that surroundsthe window.

By the early ‘80s, boat builders, aftermany complaints, abandoned theFrankenstein frameless window to pur-sue the new technique of attaching aframeless window using advanced adhe-

OversizedHole

Cup Washer

Flathead Fastener

EXTERIOR INTERIOR

CabinTrunk

Plexiglas orLexan Lens

MethacrylateAdhesive

PolyurethaneSealant

CabinTrunk

EXTERIOR INTERIOR


Example of Frankenstein Mark 11window installation.

Alternate frameless installation uses fas-teners, hidden by glazer’s silicone, toretain outer edge of the window withoutdrilling holes through it.

Typical installation of a frameless windowwithout fasteners.

©DIY boat owner 2004-1www.diy-boat.com 1-888-658-BOAT (2628)

SA

CH

A

The fastener-free frameless window.

PRO SERIES

SA

CH

A

sives. Besides offering better leak resistance, boat design-ers also wanted to improve cosmetics and were glad to leavebehind the fastener studded look.

Windows in BondageA slick looking acrylic window glued in place with methacry-

late adhesive is what I call the Mark II bonded window. Thispowerful adhesive supercedes mechanical fasteners andtakes over the job of fastening the lens to the cabin trunk.The task of sealing the window is delegated to a bead oftough polyurethane sealant applied externally around theperimeter of the window. Particularly when flush mountedin a recess, this technique created a great looking, fasten-er-free window with what was supposed to be a bulletproofseal. Although this was usually the case in the early days

(during the war-ranty period), asthe years wentby and theseboats began toage, windowproblems devel-oped.

Methacrylateis awesome stuff.It has an adhe-sive bond sostrong that oftenthe underlyinglaminate failsbefore the adhe-

sive does and that is not a good thing. As the window lensexpands in the hot sun, a powerful force is exerted on thebondline. Something has to give. First, the expanding win-dow causes the cabin trunk to flex. In many cases the onlyindicator of the huge stresses involved are the “crow’s feet”cracks radiating out from the corners of the window. Second,the adhesive can fail, or worse, the gelcoat tears away fromthe underlying glass laminate at the bond line. With time,it’s not uncommon to see the window pop loose, but onlyin one corner. Special repair techniques are required to repairthe problems created by the methacrylate bonded windowscommonly found on older boats.

A leaking window of this type is first carefully assessed todetermine exactly what repair is required. If the lens stillseems to be well bonded, it may only be a simple matter ofraking out and renewing the perimeter caulking. Nonetheless,if the lens is in any way debonded or loose, the perimetercaulking can’t do its job of sealing the lens. If only one cor-ner is loose, it may be possible to do a temporary repair bycarefully installing one or two screws to secure the lens priorto raking and caulking the perimeter bead. A lens with morethan a few inches of loose caulk requires complete removaland reinstallation.

The standard procedure is to first rake out the perimetercaulking and then carefully pry out the old lens, in one pieceif possible. More often than not, however, the lens remainsfirmly bonded to some areas, so removal demands the use


Steven Roll applies Plexus A320 methacry-late using a special adhesive gun.


of a chisel or router. At this point, ifremoval might destroy the old lens, acardboard template is made to preservethe pattern. After the lens pieces areremoved, the residual adhesive is sand-ed away and any gelcoat or fiberglassdamage to the bonding surfaces isrepaired. If the old lens is salvageable,it’s cleaned (or sanded) to prep it forreinstallation. If a replacement lens isrequired, it’s cut following the instruc-tions above.

Once the cabin surface and windowis properly cleaned and prepped, a beadof methacrylate adhesive is applied tothe cabin with a special mixing gun.The window is then immediately put inplace and clamped firmly until the adhe-sive hardens. Methacrylate bonds andhardens almost immediately so theplacement of the window is very mucha one shot deal. The clamps, usually afew wood 2x4s jammed between thelifelines and window, are left in placefor a few hours or overnight. To prep forthe perimeter caulking the cabin andwindow are masked as outlined aboveand the sealant bead applied with acaulking gun. Theoretically, this style ofwindow is not supposed to move aroundmuch so the less flexible polyurethanesealants (3M 5200, Sikaflex 252) canbe used for the perimeter bead. In use,even a perfect repair may only last afew years before the window pops looseagain.

Free-Floating Frameless Window

In the long term, any attempt to restrainthe thermal motion of a large plastic win-dow creates problems. The window even-tually leaks or cracks or the cabin trunkcracks and the window comes loose. Inthe last 10 years or so boat builders haverecognized this and have taken a differ-ent tack. Many boats are now built withframeless window installations wherethe plastic lens is free to expand and con-tract. This is achieved by using the afore-mentioned high flex glazer’s silicone toboth seal and bond the window in place.This technique, similar to the way thelens in a framed deck hatch is installedrequires the window to be mounted in awide recess and works best when thewindow is nearly flat or is pre-molded tothe shape of the cabin. No mechanical fas-teners are used and the window is allowedto float in a thick silicone gasket. Hereit can expand and contract freely with-out breaking the seal or coming loose.This installation technique is difficult toduplicate in the field, as the window mustbe fixed in place and left completelyundisturbed for the two days (more orless depending on the temperature)

required for the sealant to cure com-pletely.

Framed Windows Framed windows, either off-the-shelf

or custom, don’t suffer the same kindof problems as outlined above but unfor-tunately are not 100% problem free.The advantage of a framed window isthat the frame itself handles the job offastening the window to the boat andthe lens is freed from all those stress-es. The flexible rubber gasket thatsecures the window in the frame alsoallows the lens to expand and contract.The disadvantage is the rubber gas-ket that eventually degrades and leaks.

Many older boats have off-the-shelffixed ports with aluminum frames.Excellent replacement ports are stillmade today by all the major hatchmanufacturers but are only availablein certain sizes. Rubber gaskets in suchframed windows slowly deterioratefrom exposure to sunlight and pollu-tion, especially ground level ozone.Occasional gasket leaks can be dealtwith by working Permatex penetratingwindshield sealant (available at auto-motive shops) under the edge of thegasket. The sealant between the win-dow frame and the boat occasionallyleaks for some of the same reasons asoutlined above with respect to frame-less windows. When you cannot stopthe leaks, you have no choice but toreplace the gasket, if one is available.

A gasket replacement usually requiresremoval of the entire window assem-bly. Fasteners are removed, the frameis gently pried away from the cabintrunk and the sealant cut with the edgeof a putty knife. Once the windowassembly is on the workbench, the old

Masking for perimeter caulking.

Lead weights and wedges serve asclamps while the sealant cures.

PRO SERIES

Beclawat aluminum framed fixed port and replacement rubber gasket.


gasket is peeled out and the lens freed.Each make of window has its owntricks. The one shown below was madeby the Beclawat Company in Belleville,Ontario, and was supplied by the thou-sands to Canadian boat builders dur-ing the ‘70s. It uses a unique rubbergasket (still available) to seal the out-side of the lens against the frame anddouble-sided foam adhesive tape tobond the inner side of the lens to theframe’s inner flange.

After removing the lens, all the oldtape must be scraped off and the framecleaned with solvent or a citrus clean-er capable of dissolving gummy residue.The old lens (if reusable) is also cleaned

and polished before reinstallation.Acetone or lacquer thinner is neverused to clean plastic lenses but stovealcohol is okay. If the lens is in poorcondition, a new one is cut. The newgasket is measured and cut about 1"(25mm) longer than the old one toallow final trimming during installa-tion. New double-sided foam adhesivetape is cut (3M ScotchBrite VHB tapeworks well for this), the protective back-ing peeled off and the tape firmly appliedto the frame’s inner flange. The pro-tective mask is peeled from the frontof the tape and the lens is carefullyplaced onto the sticky surface andimmediately pressed firmly to maxi-mize the bond. Starting at the bottomof the frame, the new outer gasket ispushed in between the frame and thelens until the detent cut into the gas-ket “snaps” onto the frame. To enhancethe seal, a little clear silicone is smearedonto the sealing surfaces of the gas-ket as it’s pushed into place. Next, thewindow assembly is refastened to thecabin with fresh sealant (eitherpolyurethane or silicone works fine inthis application).

The Ultimate Frameless Solution

When a frameless window installa-tion is repeatedly defeated by the prob-lem of expansion, a completely differ-ent method of securing the window isneeded. Here is where a retrofittedexternal frame offers a permanent solu-tion. The addition of an external framedoes two important things. First, itmechanically fastens the frame to thecabin and takes over the job of secur-ing the lens in place. No fasteners gothrough the lens and no ferocious bond-

ing adhesives are required to retain thelens. This equates to less stress on thelens and the boat. Secondly, the lens,now that it’s free of being rigidly fas-tened, remains restrained by the frameand is caulked with flexible glazing sil-icone allowing it to expand and con-tract freely without problems.

Frames are made of polished stain-less, painted or anodized welded alu-minum or wood. In many cases, a trou-

(top) Custom stainless-steel frame; (bottom) anodized aluminum frame.

(left) Rubber gasket is pushed in until detent locks in frame. (right) Detent in sealinggasket.

Clean off old sealant and polish the lensbefore reassembly.

Double-sided adhesive tape bonds thelens to the frame

Sample add-on frame mounting.

EXTERIOR INTERIOR

CabinTrunk

Glazer'sSilicone

More Roomto Expand

Frame


SA

CH

A


blesome window doesn’tneed to be removed. Theframe, together with agenerous bead of caulk-ing is simply installed over-top of the existing win-dow. For maximum dura-bility, the new frame isusually thru-bolted andacorn nuts are used onthe inside of the cabin forbest cosmetics.

Many chronic window

leaks have been banished forever byretrofitting a frame. (Including those onmy own boat.) The only minor draw-back is that an external frame doesn’tappeal to everyone aesthetically.Compared to the way many windowslook after repeated amateur attemptsto seal leaks, an add-on frame is a bigimprovement.

About the author: Nick Bailey has spent26 years in the boat repair business andis service manager of Bristol Marine inMississauga, Ontario.

White painted aluminum add-on frame goes over top offlush mounted window.

PRO SERIES

(left) A flush-mounted, bonded window after several amateur leak repairs. (middle) Tired flush mounted windows before add-onframes. (right) Flush mounted windows after add-on frames.

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11Issues

The Portable Solution



Dry Exhaust – The SimpleSolution?

Dry exhaust systems were the first toappear and are still popular on com-mercial fishing boats. The hot exhaustgases are simply carried overboardthrough piping. This piping must notleak, so it needs to be made from qual-ity materials and properly maintained.The piping must be adequately sup-ported throughout its entire length tominimize failure from vibration, shock,expansion and contraction. Piping sup-ports must be constructed so that heatcannot penetrate or transfer throughthem and ignite anything. A metal flex-ible section of piping should bridgebetween the engine and the boat toabsorb engine vibration. (See the chartof accepted materials taken from ABYCP-1 on page 26.) Protective guards,jacketing or covers should be installedto prevent anything or anybody frombeing burned. Typically, the piping willascend vertically through a protectivestack to a high outlet so the toxic gasseswill clear the deck. Some method ofpreventing sparks from escaping fromthe outlet, such as a spark arrestor,should be provided. A muffler, some-times called a silencer, may need to beinstalled to reduce exhaust noise to aless obnoxious level. Most silencers alsofunction as spark arrestors. Somemeans of keeping rain water out of theexhaust system when the engine is notrunning should also be provided, suchas a hinged cover at the outlet.Commercial fishermen use everythingfrom an inverted can to a bucket.

Wet Exhausts — Just AddWater

Wet exhaust systems are designed tomix water directly with the hot exhaustgasses, cooling them so they can trav-el through metal, rubber compoundsand fiber-reinforced plastic, withoutcooking the piping, to a through-the-hull outlet that is usually close to oreven below the waterline. These sys-tems and their components must notleak so specially formulated hoses andpiping have been developed. The mate-rials used should be labeled for theirsuitability to this application, i.e.,

By Larry Blais

Engine exhaust consists primarily offully burned and partly burned hydro-carbons. The fully burned (oxidized)hydrocarbons are water (H2O) in theform of superheated steam and car-bon dioxide (CO2) a gas. The partlyburned hydrocarbons are mostly car-bon monoxide (CO), a potentially dead-ly, odorless, invisible gas, carbon inthe form of soot and various other,partly oxidized and unoxidized hydro-carbons. Boatbuilders have been deal-

ing with getting these hot, toxicexhaust gasses safely overboard eversince internal combustion engines werefirst installed in boats.

With the development of theAmerican Boat & Yacht Council(ABYC) P-1 standard, Installation ofExhaust Systems for Propulsion andAuxiliary Engines, the industry hasvery clear guidance on how to designand install both wet and dry exhaustsystems.

E N G I N E

Typical Dry Exhaust System The exhaust passes through the exhaust manifold into the exhaust system piping. Ifthis piping extends very far before it connects to a flexible section, it should be bracedto prevent failure from vibration induced fatigue. The flexible section is there to pre-vent engine vibration from fatiguing the rest of the exhaust piping. All of the unjacket-ed piping should be protected with guards, jacketing or covers to prevent anything oranybody from being burned by heat that can reach over 1,000F (537.7C). As the pip-ing ascends vertically, it should be surrounded with non-combustible materials andadequate ventilation to prevent heat damage and/or fire. A spark arrestor keeps sparksfrom spraying the deck and the hinged cover keeps rain water out of the exhaustwhen the engine is not running.

SilencerSpark Arrester

Exhaust Pipe

OptionalHinged Cover

Jacket

Flexible Section

Air Outlet

Insulation

Cabin Top

Manifold

Cooling AirInlet

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Every year, too many boats sustain seriousengine damage that could be easily preventedwith a little knowledge of proper exhaustsystem installation and maintenance.Here’s the information you needto check your system, repairand upgrade it.

ExhaustSystem Primer

Braces to prevent failure

(as close to engineas possible)

from the water mixing point directly to the outlet, usually inthe transom slightly above the waterline. Much more com-plex systems are required when the engine is below thewaterline and it is not practical to locate the exhaust sys-tem cooling water injection point high enough above thewaterline to prevent water from flooding the engine. Herethe much misunderstood and maligned waterlift is oftenused.

Exhaust systems that discharge the exhaust gases under-

“marine wet exhaust.” Propersupport of all the components isrequired and all hoses must besecured with at least two clamps.

Wet exhaust systems require asource of cooling water. An

engine’s raw water pump usually provides this water, how-ever a separate pump is sometimes used. If this supply ofwater is lost by a blockage or a pump failure, the hot exhaustwill quickly damage the exhaust piping, so an indicator,audio or visual, should be installed at every helm positionto alert to the loss of this exhaust system cooling water sup-ply. This indicator responds to a high temperature sensorlocated on at or near the point of water injection.

Any section of the system from the exhaust manifold tothe point of water injection that is not surrounded by a waterjacket must be fitted with heat shielding material in the sameway as is required in a dry exhaust system.

The design for a wet exhaust system depends on theengine location relative to the boat’s waterline. The simplestsystem is found in many small powerboats where the engineand exhaust system cooling water injection point are wellabove the waterline. Here the piping runs at a slope (grade)


An improved version of the waterlift is this two-chamber version by Vetus (left). Made of injection-molded plastic it’s durable, corro-sion-proof and lightweight. Engine exhaust pressure pushes down on the water, forcing it up the outlet pipe until the water level in thechamber is low enough to allow exhaust gasses to escape up the outlet pipe, carrying some of the water with it. The waterlift chambermust be large enough to prevent engine cooling water from backing up into the cylinders through the exhaust valves during normalcranking, starting and stopping cycles and while the engine is stopped. Two-chamber mufflers produce a much better dampening effectthan single chamber units. (right) Installation of exhaust assemblies is greatly simplified with the Vetus NLP waterlock. Both the inletand outlet hose connectors rotate 360° and the chambers can be offset through 300°. Note: Metal waterlifts should only be installedon freshwater boats. Stainless steel units have a tendency to cavity pit, especially when aggravated by hot saltwater, and aluminumwaterlifts corrode around the welds.

ENGINE

This cutaway drawing of anexhaust elbow shows how thecooling water is injected into thehot exhaust gasses, mixing withthem and cooling them so they willnot damage the exhaust pipingthat follows. Cast iron elbowsexposed to saltwater can rustthrough the inner wall in as littleas five years flooding the engine.

Many boats with sterndrives have little margin for error becausethe exhaust elbows are so close to the waterline. If they areloaded more heavily, encounter rough water or are towed, waterhas a good chance of spilling over the elbow into the exhaustports of the cylinder head.

water are becoming more prevalent. The underwater dis-charge reduces noise and fumes. These boats should haveflapper valves in the exhaust passageway called water shut-ters that help prevent water from backing up the exhaustwhen an engine is not running. These shutters must be fre-quently checked and properly maintained as they wear outand can be damaged by a lack of exhaust cooling water.

Many engines havebeen flooded withwater after raw-waterpumps failed and hotexhaust gases dam-aged these shutters.Even boats that dis-charge their exhaustabove the waterlinemay benefit fromwater shutters in theexhaust, as many riskwater backing up theexhaust passagewayand flooding theengine when the en-gine is not running,especially in heavyseas and/or whileunder tow. Theseshutters are availablefrom many engine andexhaust system man-ufactures.


TIPQUICK CHECKS• Routinely check all hose connections for tightness. • Regularly check all hoses for chafe and deterioration.• Saltwater has a tendency to clog vented loops. At least once a

year, disassemble and clean them. • When laying up the boat for long term storage always drain

the muffler through the drain plug. — Jan Mundy

This exhaust hose was badly burned through when the raw-water pump failed. Since this hose was plumbed to a below thewaterline thru-hull, seawater filled the boat and it sank.

(top) This water shutter is designed tofit in an exhaust hose. (bottom) Thiswater shutter has been so badlyburned that the rubber flapper valvesare broken, leaving just a little rubbercovering the stainless steel crossbar.


By far the most common underwa-ter exhaust system is the through theprop exhaust system found on manysterndrives. Here the water-cooledexhaust gasses exit underwater throughthe propeller hub where they aretrapped in the prop wash reducing thefumes that can be sucked back into thecockpit. Other sterndrives may haveexhaust outlets elsewhere such as in orunder the anti-cavitation plate.

Recently, inboard cruisers withexhaust outlets integral in the boat’sbottom have appeared. The most exot-ic are found on large high-performanceyachts where the exhaust gases are dis-charged through slots in the bottom toreduce hull drag.

A recent development in exhaust sys-tem designs is the dried wet exhaust.In this system, the exhaust is cooled

with injected water like a wet exhaustbut then the exhaust goes through aseparator where the water is separat-ed from the now cooled exhaust gasses.Then each is discharged separately thuseliminating the gushing spray at thethru-hull discharge and, in the case ofa genset, often reducing the noise levelto a nice hum.

Every type of exhaust system requiresconstant attention to keep it operatingsafely. Inspect each of the componentsregularly. Look for cracks, rust, leaks,freeze damage and any evidence ofoverheating. If the raw-water pump failson an engine with a wet exhaust, don’tforget to check the exhaust componentsfor heat damage. If the boat is operat-ed in salt or brackish water, check themetallic components for corrosion.Jacketed cast iron riser elbows exposed

ENGINE

Exhaust Materials

Recommended materials for exhaust components as per ABYC P-1 standard, Installationof Exhaust Systems for Propulsion and Auxiliary Engines.

This is one exhaust port of the engine thatwas flooded with water after the aboveshutter was destroyed and the boat wasput under tow.

Vetus transom exhaust flapper with thru-hull connects directly to the exhaust hose.

Several production boatbuilders have dis-covered that they did not raise theexhaust elbows high enough above thewaterline to prevent water from backingup in the exhaust system and flooding theengine internally after the boat was fullyloaded, and/or in heavy seas and/or whilebeing towed. Many engine manufacturersproduce riser blocks of various heightsthat raise the exhaust elbow. Here is a 6"(15cm) riser block between the engine’sexhaust manifold and the exhaust elbow.An elbow of this type is often called ariser because it raises the height of theexhaust loop.

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to saltwater can rust through the inner wall in as little asfive years, flooding the engine with saltwater. Where thereare signs of water leaking out, there is also the possibilitythat water is going into the engine. This is by far the mostcommon cause of major damage to gasoline inboards andengines with sterndrives used in saltwater. At the very least,these elbows should be removed and inspected every yearonce they reach four years old. Many owners who have expe-rienced having their engines drown in saltwater simply replacethe elbows every four or five years to be on the safe side.Cast iron exhaust manifolds will rust through as well, some-times in less than 10 years, if exposed to saltwater. In thesecases, a full freshwater cooling system that includes themanifolds would be a wise addition.

When it comes to exhaust systems, a little knowledge andattention will go a long way in making your boating experi-ence a pleasant one.

About the author: Larry Blais is a master mechanic, mastershipwright and marine surveyor who specializes in surveys thatinvolve marine forensic analysis. He teaches classes for theUnited States Coast Guard, Havorn Marine Survey andShipwright’s School, University of Washington’s Sea Grant pro-gram and hosts workshops in diesel care for the NorthwestSchool of Wooden Boatbuilding.


Here, an exhaust water shutter has worn through its hinge pin,shattered and lodged in the exhaust Y pipe where it wore a holethrough the aluminum casting. This hole allowed water to floodthe bilge and sink the boat. More frequent inspection of theseshutters is a good idea.

TIPHIGH TEMP PROBEIf you run a wet exhaust system without cooling water for even aminute you risk damaging exhaust hoses or burn a plastic muf-fler. The Vetus XHI exhaust temperaturealarm provides a visual and audible alarmwhen temperatures inside the exhaust hoseor the muffler exceed an acceptable level.Temperature sensors mount onto theexhaust hose immediately after the mixingelbow. The alarm taps into an existingbuzzer or you can purchase a panel-mountalarm. Sure beats stretching over the side to manually check thewater discharge temperature.— Jan Mundy

ENGINE and ELBOW WELLABOVE WATERLINE This exhaust system configuration is typ-ical when the engine, exhaust elbow,cooling water injection point and exhaustoutlet are well above the waterline. Theexhaust and cooling water travel downthe piping, through the silencer (muffler)and out the boat through the outlet con-nection at the transom. When the engineis shut down, water simply drains out ofthe system by gravity because of the con-stant slope (called grade) of the piping.One or more check valves (e.g. watershutters or flappers) help keep water frombacking up the exhaust and flooding the engine when the engine is not running and the boat encounters following seas.

Engine Under Waterline and Elbow RaisedIn boats where the waterline is higher,the exhaust elbow is raised to gain a safeheight above the waterline. This raisedexhaust elbow is often called a riser. Theminimum distances shown are to thestatic (at rest) waterline and represent ageneral margin of safety. In actual expe-rience, the waterline can change drasti-cally due to loading and sea conditions.Installation of the exhaust system shouldtake into account these conditions.

Silencer High or LowIf exhaust systems that depend on gradeto drain out have low spots in the pipingwhere water can collect, the back pres-sure could prevent the engine from start-ing. When the exhaust outlet is under thewaterline, it only takes the failure of theclamps or hose to sink a boat. Exhaustoutlets should not be installed under thewaterline if it can be helped, unless thesystem is specifically designed for it.

Elbow Too Close to Waterline When the exhaust elbow and water-injec-tion point are too close to the waterlineand the elbow cannot be raised, a water-lift may be the answer. Certain precau-tions must be exercised with a waterliftsystem because the exhaust outlet pip-ing is above the exhaust elbow. Thewaterlift chamber must be large enoughto hold all the water that drains into itwhen the engine is shut off and thenwhatever water pumped into it by thecooling water pump during normal enginestarting. If a hard starting engine iscranked enough, the water pump canflood the system and the engine. (Hence, the reason to close the water intake valve during repetitive cranking until the enginestarts.)

WET EXHAUSTS — DOs and DON’Ts


VETU

S

Exhaust Elbow at or Below WaterlineWhen the exhaust elbow and water-injection point are at orbelow the waterline a waterlift system should have an anti-siphon device (a.k.a. vented loop or air vent) installed in a loopof the cooling water hose to the injection point. This preventswater from siphoning though the water pump into the waterliftsystem and flooding the engine. The vent bleeds off water sothe device doesn’t clog. This doubles as a telltale — no waterstream discharging overboard means a loss in engine coolingwater. Sometimes, the vent hose discharges into the cockpit,which allows a quick visual reference. More common is to plumbthe vent overboard.

When the exhaust elbow and water-injection point are far belowthe waterline the anti-siphon device must be raised. A raisedloop in the exhaust outlet piping helps to prevent water fromentering the system through the transom. The Vetus gooseneckshown here can be install in many waterlift systems and maygive an additional margin of safety.

Min. 5cm (2")



feeds a self-contained system. The housebanks can have an emergency crossoverswitch.

Q: Is there a table that I use to predictvoltage in my house batteries over a peri-od of time? Three deep-cycle batteries,totaling 420 amps are monitored and Inormally use 0.9 to 1 amp hours topower alarms and propane fridge whenI’m not onboard. Battery voltage dropsto 12.25 volts after using 33 amps,11.75 volts after 100 amps. Is this inthe normal range? Andre Massicotte, Bayside, Nova Scotia

A:There is a standard table for batterystate of charge on flooded-cell batteries.Your readings indicate that after 33 ampsthe battery is nominally at 50% chargeat 12.25 volts and around 25% chargelevel for 11.75 volts. However, this is nota correct state of charge and state ofcharge tables are generally given as opencircuit values. These are always higherand more accurate than ones taken ason-load readings, which are inaccurate.When you take readings, it should bewithout any loads switched on. This givesa lower voltage reading than a stable off-load one. This explains why after using100 amps, the battery reads around25%, instead of what should be 12.45volts and 75% for batteries in good con-dition. Nominal 100% reading of a bat-tery in good condition at 80F (26.6C) is12.65 volts, 75% equals 12.45 volts,12.24 volts equals 50% and 12.06 voltsis 25%. Of course, the voltage readingsare also directly correlated with the bat-tery density readings. Also, note that thesereadings vary a little between batteries,battery chemistry and temperature. To

get accurate readings switch off loadsand measure an hour later when batteryvoltage recovers and stabilizes.

Q: I run two 180-amp batteries, oneengine and one house, and an isolator.How should I wire my batteries to keepthem charged all the time? I plan to wirethem directly to the bank but I’m con-cerned that, since the house battery isalways the lowest, the charge will likely goto the circuit with least resistance andcharge one battery. I was thinking to runfrom the solar controller (positive to bat-tery one and then battery two) and thenuse a common ground for both. I leavemy boat unattended for 30 days at a timeand I must keep the batteries charged forbilge pumps etc.

A: I’m not sure about whether you arereferring to a diode isolator or a switchisolator. Charging is not dependent onresistance. It’s based on voltage. You cando as you suggest and connect the out-put of the switch isolator to each batteryin turn. A simpler method is to simply con-nect or parallel all the batteries as onebank and charge them all together. A qual-ity solar controller or regulator shouldmaintain a float charge of around 13.2to 13.8 volts. In fact, unlike deep-cyclebatteries, start batteries don’t self-dis-charge within 30 days, so just maintain-ing the charger on the house battery bankalone is sufficient. You can freshen up thestart battery when you are on the boat.

Q: When underway, the starboardengine voltmeter acts strangely. Sometimescharging shows 14.4 volts, rises to 15.4and then returns to 14.2 volts where itstays for a while and then goes back to15 or 16 volts. I have checked my bat-teries and the two voltmeters are okay. Anyidea what else to check? Walter Czycz, “Fairbanks,” Horseshoe Bay,British Columbia

A:The symptoms you describe canbe caused by a couple of things. First,

Charging Issues Five common charging problems and their solutions.

By John Payne

Battery Chargingwith Isolators

Voltage Formula

Solar Charging

OverchargingProblems

Q: I am considering installing one iso-lator for each of the two main engines.Each engine has it’s own starting battery.The charging output for each engine willgo to its respective isolator, which willthen be split so that one side of the iso-lator goes back to its dedicated startingbattery. The other side of the isolator willbe wired to a house battery. This will bethe same for the second motor; one sidewired to it’s own starting battery and theother side wired to the same single housebattery. Under this system, the housebattery would have two charging leadscoming in from two different isolators.This system would theoretically chargethe house bank if either motor were run-ning. Would this cause problems whenboth engines are running? What otheroptions are available that accomplish thesame task of charging the house batterywith either engine? This same system willalso have a parallel switch between thetwo starting batteries. Nathan Onken, “The Roamer,” Excelsior,Minnesota

A:This is a common scenario on dualengine installations. In practice, havingtwo alternators charge the same batterywould not cause problems. One tends toact as master and one slave, as there willbe one with marginally higher output volt-age than the other. Also, one regulatortends to read the output voltage of theother alternator and so you don’t get anyimprovement in charging and chargingalways benefits from a smart regulator.The upside is that you have some redun-dancy in charging. I prefer, where it’s pos-sible, to have a relatively large house banksplit into two banks, one for high currentloads, the other for more sensitive elec-tronics’ loads. Each charge output then

E L E C T R I C A L


eliminate a voltmeter problem by swapping the voltmeters. Ifall checks out, do the same with alternators and verify thefault follows the change. This type of fault occurs with fastcharging regulators whenever the sensor wire is disconnect-ed or is loose. Again, if all checks out, the problem might bean internal type alternator regulator malfunctioning. Checkthe alternator brush gear. Sometimes a brush sticks andaffects the regulator field control. In many cases, such faultsalso manifest themselves with interference on radios andother electronics.

Q: I need a good 100-amp charge when underway to topup the battery banks on my 38' (11.5m) 1984 Chris-CraftCatalina with Mercruiser 454 inboards and alternators ratedat 55 amps each. At the dock, I switch to a Heart 100-ampcharger. Can I hook up my two engine alternators to charge alarge battery bank according to the diagram below? My boat-ing buddy, who has the same boat, was advised that this con-figuration is problem-free provided the engines aren’t run fortoo long.Peter Preager,Aurora, Ontario

A: The shortanswer is yes.Having twoalternators feed-ing the samebank doesn’tcause any con-cern for over-charging asthey are, in fact,both nominally14-volt output.No matter howmany alterna-tors connect toone battery, thecharge voltageremains thesame. Chargeinput capabilityrelates to the charge acceptance rate of the battery bank. Havingtwo 55-amp alternators doesn’t equate to a good 100-ampcharge. Also, one regulator tends to read the output voltage ofthe other alternator so adding a smart regulator improves charg-ing. You’ll have some redundancy in charging. Where possi-ble, it’s better to have a relatively large house bank split intotwo banks, one for high current loads, and the other for moresensitive electronics loads. Each charge output then feeds aself-contained system. A good option is an emergency crossoverswitch on the house banks.

Charging offAlternators


By Peter Caplan

After many years of neglect, the orig-inal cable steering on my 40-year-oldCoronet had become very stiff andsteering the boat was hard work.While hydraulic steering is the stan-dard on most modern boats, especiallycruisers with two helm positions, it’sby no means the only choice. When itcomes to smaller cruisers, the advan-tages are less clear and there are somegood reasons for staying with cablesteering. Push-pull cable steeringremains the usual choice for the small-est cruisers but it’s also suitable forlarger single helm cruisers. The heavy-duty cables used for this type of sys-tem offer minimum backlash and withthe low friction materials used today,it’s possible to achieve very light andpositive steering.

The stiffness in this boat’s steeringhad been attributed to the outdrivebut, once the cable was disconnect-ed, the outdrive turned freely and the

steering remained stiff. There was alsoplenty of corrosion apparent on the oldcable assembly. The cable terminationat the helm consisted of a hooked endlocated in an opening in the innerdrum and was clear that this arrange-ment was now obsolete so there thiswas not a matter of simply replacingthe cable.

After looking at currently availableoptions, I chose a Morse CommandD290 drive assembly and helm kit.The adjustable tilt helm allows wheelposition adjustments to operator pref-erences and steering from sitting orstanding positions. At the outdriveend, the transom mounting cablebracket for the outer cable wasalready in place and still in perfectcondition.

The key to smooth cable steering isa carefully run cable, with wide sweep-ing curves. Avoiding tight bends in thecable is a key to smooth operation andthis was considered carefully whenplanning the installation. The job tookfour hours of actual fitting time andtwo days in total, including removalof the old system and custom fabrica-tion work at the helm.

Cable Steering UPGRADEDespite the popularity of today’s hydraulics, mechanical cablesteering is still a viable proposition on smaller cruisers. Followthese steps to replace a stiff, worn and corroded steering system.

R I G G I N GP O W E R B O A T

The complete kit prior to installation consisted of the helm unit (A), tilt unit (B) and the tiltgaiter-cover, (C).

After disconnecting the old cable at bothends, the nut in the center of the wheel isslackened and removed, and the wheel ispulled off the shaft.

Removing the instrument panel gave easieraccess to the inside of the helm console…

…which made it much easier to unbolt theold steering head for removal.

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The aperture for the wheel in the front of the helmconsole was too large for the new steering assembly,so a spacer was made using two pieces of 1/2"(12mm) plywood. These were glued together, cut intoa rough circular shape with a bolt through the mid-dle, sanded smooth by being spun in the chuck of anelectric drill used as a very crude lathe. Thespacer was sanded until it fit the apertureand then covered with white vinyl to matchthe console.

Spacer is glued into the apertureusing a contact adhesive and thenew helm unit is placed through theinstrument panel aperture.

Holes for the three bolts, which hold theentire assembly in position, are drilledthrough both the spacer and the console.

Fit the new padded sport wheel and tighten the centernut before mounting its cover.

The whole assembly is now boltedsecurely into place. Bolts are notsupplied with the kit due to themounting variables.

The trim gaiter slips overthe tilt unit, where it clipsneatly onto the flangearound the base. Two tilt-release levers passthrough slits in the sidesof the gaiter. The woodruffkey for the new wheel fitsinto its slot and somewater-resistant grease isapplied to the shaft taper.

Place the adapter bracket for thetilt unit over the helm face andbolt to the helm unit. At this stage,the assembly is still loose in theconsole.

Inserting the bolts for the tilt unit between the console and the adapter bracketbefore being tightened was a tricky process. At this stage it was found that the boltheads prevented the unit from sitting flush on the spacer, so it was removed and thespacer counter bored to provide recesses for the bolts.

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Run the new cable through its pre-planned route. It’s easiest to run it from the tran-som to the helm, as the latter end has only the inner cable protruding, whereas thetransom end has a large nut on the outer cable.


POWERBOAT - RIGGING

The spent core cover has a similar spigot on its end, and issecured in the other opening to protect the end of the cable thatprotrudes when the wheel is turned to full starboard lock.

Grease the swivel bushingand place into the swivel,where the bolt insertsthrough it. Next, pass the boltthrough the steering arm andfit the washer along with thelocknut and tighten to 150inch pounds or 12.5 footpounds (41.7 Newtonmeters). Depending on thehole diameter in the steeringarm, a further bushing isprovided, if required.

At the other end thegrooved mounting tubepasses over the end of theinner cable and secures tothe outer cable with thecaptive nut.

Bolt the end swivel to the eye in the end ofthe inner cable. Torque the nut to 50 inchpounds (13.904 Newton meters) and thenslacken a quarter of a turn to allow the swivelto pivot freely but without any play.

Feed the inner cable into one of the twoentries in the helm unit, while turning thewheel to pull it in. Which entry you shoulduse depends on which side of the boat thehelm is installed. Here it was on the portside, so the cable passes through theentry nearest the port side (when theopenings are facing downwards). Thisensure that, when the wheel is turned tostarboard, the cable pulls the tiller bar ofthe sterndrive (or rudder) to steer to star-board. Once the outer cable enters theopening, it’s secured in position with alocking nut and bolt through a groove inthe cable spigot.

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Clamp the two halvesof the ball bushing inthe appropriate posi-tion around thegrooved mounting tube,after centering both theoutdrive (or rudder)and the steering wheel.

The two halves of the anchor bracket are placedaround the ball bushing and fixed together using thetwo bolts and nuts provided. Anchor brackets areformed so that this bushing clamps tightly within therecess on the steering arm. Now, bolt the assembledanchor bracket to the transom mount using the fournuts, bolts and washers provided.

Once the basic installation is complete, all connections are checkedfor excessive free-play or tightness and adjusted accordingly.

Adjusting the tilt of the wheel is a simple matter ofpulling out the locking bar against spring pressureand moving the wheel to the desired angle.

The tilt assembly isadjustable to any of fivepositions from fully up tofully down as seen here.Although the fully downposition would be unsuit-able on this boat, helmpositions with the wheelset at an angle wouldderive even greater bene-fit from the tilt option.

The finished job is neat and provides comfortable steering for everyhelmsman whether sitting or standing. In use, the new steering hasproved to be a huge improvement over the worn-out original system.It turns effortlessly with no backlash.

Teleflex discontinued the Command 290 helm assembly when itpurchased Morse, rather than offer two competiting rack steeringkits. The TeleflexMorse SS141 rack steering kit replaces the Commandline and installation is similar to the details in this article. As abonus, the SS141 offers improved performance both in lost motion(when you turn the wheel and nothing happens), improved efficiency(the amount of effort it takes to move the wheel) and four turns lockto lock. All this translates into a smoother feel, less effort and abetter steering boat. Below are the estimated cost of componentsin U.S. dollars to install the SS141.

SS141 Rack Steering Kit $144.99SSC5216 16' (4.8m) Steering cable $131.43Wheel, Quest #8021 $30.58

DIY BILL

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21

Marine Equipment InstallationsHere’s how to choose, install and operate equip-ment for your boat includ-ing: air conditioning and heating systems, audio systems, bow thrusters, davits, lightning protec-tion, propane systems,

refrigeration, windlasses and more.

Fiberglass Boat RepairHow to survey, repair and prevent cosmetic and structural damage in fiberglass hulls, decks and transoms. Includes the step-by-step repair

of minor cracks and gouges, large holes, water-soaked decks, delaminated hulls and proper installation of hardware.

Nautical NecessitiesFrom cleaning to fuel filter-ing to waterproofing charts, you’ll find ideas and inspi-ration in this compilation of tips to do-it-yourself boat maintenance, repair and

troubleshooting. Divided into 20 categories to make look up easy.

Better Boats More than 200 do-it-yourself projects. Practical solutions to deck and cockpit refitting, inte-rior renovations, rigging upgrades, space-saving

equipment storage, safety add-ons and other nifty items to customize your boat.

Sailboat RiggingA practical guide to deck layouts, equipment repairs, performance upgrades, rig tuning, sail controls and steering systems.

Building With Starboard22 Projects and Fabrication Techniques: The ideal choice for replacing wood compo-nents onboard – won’t delaminate, rot or splinter and requires no paint.

Plumbing 101A boat owner’s guide to the inspection, mainte-nance, repair, trouble-shooting and upgrading of onboard plumbing systems.

DIY MechanicGasoline and diesel engine service. How to maintain, troubleshoot and repair outboard engines, stern-drives and diesel inboards.

AC/DC Electrical SystemsA guide to expanding, upgrading, surveying and troublshooting your boat’s AC and DC electrical system. All articles follow ABYC Standards.

Painting & RefinishingThe complete guide to painting and refinishing hulls, topsides and decks with marine coatings.

Launch & Haulout How to prepare your boat for spring launch and win-ter storage. Includes lay-up checklists, maintenance and lubrication guides, engine servicing, haulout guidelines, easy-to-build storage covers and more.

Technical CD-ROM Library for Boat Owners

MRT SeriesCDs contain articles from past issues of DIY Boat Owner Magazine

To order call 1-888-658-BOAT or Shop Online at www.diy-boat.com

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Making the Electronics Connection

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Powerboat RiggingFrom gauges to propellers to steer-ing systems, here’s everything you need to know to maintain and repair your boat and trailer, improve boat handling and perfor-

mance, and find solutions to common servicing problems.

UPDATED

UPDATED

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NEW

UPDATED

NEW



Story & photos by Peter Hall

Most sailors who venture to the trop-ics with their boats experience equip-ment breakdowns and operational fail-ures, usually caused by factors thatcould have been prevented “if only theyhad known.” This strange behavior inequipment, which ran perfectly in theirhome waters, results in severe cruiserfrustration, fat bills from couriers to flyin spare parts and less time spentenjoying “paradise.”

For example, within weeks of gettingto the Caribbean my new Fischer PandaMini-8 generator began to overheat.The thermal protection switches on theFischer Panda abruptly shut it down. Aseal leak in the Johnson model F4B-9seawater pump restricted the coolingseawater flow that led to the overheat-ing condition. A few months later, Inoticed that the generator was runninghotter than normal. Again, seawaterflow was inadequate. After severalchanges of impellers, which temporar-ily solved the problem, and with no vis-

ible signs of a leak, I changed the pumpfor a new one. The result was good ini-tial seawater flow for a few days andthen recurring shutdowns due to over-heating as flow deteriorated. Ready toturn my state of the art generator intoa boat anchor, I instead resolved to takea systematic management approach toresolving this annoying problem.

Trouble in ParadiseThe Mini-8 is an 8 kW seawater-

cooled asynchronous alternator drivenby a freshwater-cooled Kubota Z482two-cylinder diesel running at 3,600rpm to produce 220/110-volt 60-cyclecurrent. It’s German engineered andbuilt, innovative and very compact. Itwas installed by the boat builder, QueenLong in Taiwan, and commissioning,installations of optional equipment andpre-delivery activities were done in Ft.Lauderdale by Hylas Offshore Yachts,who also registered the 35-hour check

and warranty for the Panda. The alternator shares the engine-driv-

en seawater-cooling system. Seawaterfirst cools the alternator housing. It thenflows to the heat exchanger to cool theengine and then out to the engineexhaust. This is pretty standard stufffor most engines, except for the unusu-al seawater-cooled alternator. Eachmonth, I reverse the flow (pump to heatexchanger then to generator andexhaust) for a few minutes (I keep twolengths of hose to do this) and a sig-nificant amount of debris exists theexhaust. After this, the saltwater flowgoes back to normal 6.3 gallons (24liters) per minute and the generator runsat proper temperature and then, pro-gressively, the saltwater flow drops andthe procedure has to be repeated.

Surface seawater temperatures in thesouth Caribbean average 77F (25C)with some anchorages even higher.Overheating engines easily boil seawa-ter. This leads to the formation of scale.

R E F I T

Running Hot In The TropicsHow to cure an overheating Fischer Panda generator and some tips on maintaining allengine cooling systems.

Location of heat exchanger and water terminal block before retrofit.

Peter Hall contacted DIY’s Technical Helpline with aconcern about his Fischer Panda generator overheating.His usage averaged three hours daily and the generatorwas faithfully run for three minutes under no load tocool down before shutdown. After a month of operationin Caribbean waters, the raw-water (saltwater) coolingsystem becomes clogged at the heat exchanger andstarts running hot due to a significant reduction (one-third less) in saltwater flow. At one stage Fischer Panda,who apparently admitted to overheating problems withother units operating in the Caribbean, were going toreplace his generator but reneged. It appeared to Peterthat he was accumulating salt and minerals and “bak-ing” it onto the aluminum housing, which then fall offand clog the heat exchanger. He sent two samples ofdebris collected after cleaning the heat exchanger to thecompany. Follow-up emails to the manufacturer and itsauthorized dealer in Florida were not answered. Peterwas considering two options: purchasing a generatorthat works in saltwater or replumbing the system so theraw-water flows through the heat exchanger first, a refithe suggested to the dealer but was told, “can’t.”

DIY’s electrical expert John Payne communicated withFisher Panda on Peter’s behalf. Fischer Panda confirmedreceipt of the debris samples and confirmed that thebuildup of crystals was normal but forming in large piecesto block the heat exchanger was not. Fischer Panda agreedto ship a cooling water retrofit kit to Peter’s next port ofcall in Venezuela. Details of his refit follow along with somegreat tips on maintaining all engine cooling systems.


Water vapor exiting from the exhaustis an indication of an overheatingengine (it could also indicate water orcoolant getting into the cylinders).Apparently, if seawater rises above122F (50C), it’s a sure recipe for theformation of scale.

It took me months to figure out thatscale forms in the alternator housing.This scale falls off the housing and thenblocks the heat exchanger and the hoseleading to it. This debris causes the sea-water flow to decline, which meanseverything runs even hotter and makesmore scale. The thermal protectionswitches didn’t help either as the abruptshutdowns led to even more scale.

The debris collected is made up ofwhite and gray flakes and small stones,which break up easily and bubble whenplaced in white vinegar. This is not tobe confused with the wet and gooeygray stuff that I understand to be indica-tive of galvanic corrosion, a problem Ihope never to have.

Cooling a PandaIf you have a Fischer Panda and are

operating outside normal operatingtemperatures, here are some thingsto try. Buy two lengths of hose to fit.Clear hose will work. Jury-rig thehoses so that you reverse the seawa-ter flow and back flush the heatexchanger to see if it’s clogged withdebris. The pressure from a gardenhose is not enough to do this. Havesomeone with a sieve (borrow onefrom the galley) collect the debris thatexits the exhaust and save it for anevaluation. Remove the water termi-nal block, which functions as anexpensive anode and directs seawa-ter in and out of the alternator hous-ing. Check for debris caught in thehose leading from the block to theheat exchanger. In any event, theblock should be removed and inspect-ed at regular intervals to check forcorrosion. Descale or replace the heatexchanger with a new one. Check

with Fischer Panda service for thebest way to clean the heat exchangerif you choose this option.

After DIY contacted Fischer Panda,the company kindly provided, free ofcharge, a retro kit that consisted of anew heat exchanger, water terminalblock and hoses already configured forthe change. Seawater now flowsthrough the heat exchanger first so anyscale coming off the alternator housingcan exit directly to the exhaust. A sur-prising amount of debris continues toexit the system, even though tempera-tures are well within spec. (An optionnot explored with Fischer Panda wasto plumb separate cooling systems forthe generator and engine, howeverthat’s a big retrofit and adds yet moreholes in the hull.)

The retrofit turned out to be a simpleprocedure although it looked very diffi-cult at the start. Temperatures are nor-mal after 50 hours of operation.Seawater flow is now a robust 6.8 gal-

Seawater now exits housing (at terminalblock) direct to exhaust.

Engine front view showing seawater andcoolant pump.

Many boaters havereported seeing a greenflash in the last rays of asetting sun. Though somemay not agree, I believethe effect is caused by acolor change. When youstare at any primary colorand that color is suddenlyremoved from sight, yousee an image of its com-plementary color for a briefsecond or two as it fades away. In this case, the red of the sun becomes a greenflash.

To demonstrate my theory, stare at a large solid red dot placed on white paper,about 8" (20cm) away, for about 15 seconds, then shift your gaze to the whitepaper beside the circle. Give it a second or two to develop and a green circleappears, then immediately fades away. You have just witnessed the green flash.

— Bert Small

Green flash at sunset. Watercolor by DIY reader BertSmall, Seagull Art Studio & Gallery ([email protected]).

Witness the Green Flash

Original InstallationSeawater Pump >> Generator Housing >> Heat Exchanger >> to Exhaust

RetrofitSeawater Pump >> Heat Exchanger >> Generator Housing >> to Exhaust

Fischer Panda Seawater Flow


lons (26 liters) per minute and I nolonger need to pull hoses every fewweeks to clear out debris.

Scale AntidotesIf used in seawater, any equipment

that is raw-water cooled, whetherengine, generator or outboard motoris subject to scaling over time. Preventthe build up of scale by practicing afew simple procedures (read “ Tips toPrevent Running Hot and ControlScale” above). Strictly monitor andcontrol operating temperatures andespecially make sure you cool downthe engine before turning it off. Get atimer, set it for a minimum of three,preferably five minutes and idle with-out load before shutting down. Thenenjoy a sundowner and look for thegreen flash at sunset.

About the author: Peter Hall has racedand cruised sailboats for 40 years and forthe past 5 years, he and his wife havewintered onboard in the Caribbean. Whenwe went to press, they were aboard“Halliday Girl,” a 2001 Hylas 46, off thenorth coast of Venezuela.

TIPSPrevent Running Hot and Control Scale

below spec seawater flow. Low seawater flowcan be caused by partially closed or blockedseacocks. Plastic bags, barnacles and coralworms are major factors to check for in theCaribbean. So are undersized or leaking hosesand missing vanes on impellers. Also, whatmight appear as a minor pump seal leak, indi-cated by a few salt deposits at the weep hole,can drastically reduce pump flow.

• Check that the thermostat functions prop-erly. Some people remove it, but this may notwork with your specific engine design. Also,

• Install a temperature gauge on yourequipment. If you don’t have one, or can’tinstall one, buy a portable temperaturegauge and several thermocouples so thatyou have the means to monitor tempera-tures. Use sticky tape to attach the ther-mocouple temporarily to the area you wishto measure. The gauge can also be usefulto monitor other equipment.

• Get baseline data for evaluation; forexample, start with the hot and cold side ofthe heat exchanger. There needs to be atemperature differential for the heatexchanger to do it’s job. Determine requiredseawater flow. Then hold a bucket below theexhaust and measure the actual amount ofdischarged over time. For example, theFisher Panda Mini 8 should have 5.5 to 7.6gallons (21 liters to 29 liters) per minute ofseawater flow.

• Take a step-by-step approach to elimi-nate probable causes of an overheatingengine. Running at over capacity is a usualreason, so know the generator’s capacityand stay below that. Another reason is

check the radiator cap. It might not allowthe proper pressure to build up in thecoolant system. More serious problemscould be a malfunctioning coolant pump ora blown head gasket. However, at thatstage, it might be time to find a qualifiedmechanic.

• Bleed the engine coolant system for pos-sible air locks. An overheating engine canboil the coolant, resulting in an air lock atthe highest point in the system. Not knowingthis early on was a contributing factor tomy frustration. Be sure to perform this dutybefore restarting an overheated engine.Kubota has two bleed screws, one at thethermostat and the other at the top of thecoolant pump. Basic procedure is to starta cold engine and run without load for 2minutes. Then shut down, open a bleedscrew and close when coolant appears. Youmay need to repeat this procedure severaltimes until all air is expelled.

• Always idle the engine without load atleast 5 minutes before shutting down. — Peter Hall

Measure temperatures to obtain baselinedata.

�


By John Payne

Noise sources on a boat are oftenclassified as radio frequency interfer-ence (RFI) or electromagnetic interfer-ence (EMI). They are major enemies ofelectronic systems, corrupting your GPSposition fixes, degrading radio com-munications and causing general elec-tronics’ performance problems.

RFI is essentially interference andnoise that is superimposed as a distur-bance or voltage transient either on theelectrical power supply or the data andsignal lines. This is then processedalong with the good data to corrupt ordegrade the processed information.

Transient or Induced? The voltage transient is probably

the most damaging and comes frommany sources. The best-known effectis the corruption of GPS and Lorandata where the power is taken off anengine starting battery. When a sig-nificant load is applied to the battery,there is a momentary voltage dropcreating what is often called a brownout condition and then is followed bya voltage increase. This low-voltagedisturbance can exceed 100 volts insome cases, damaging power sup-plies, wiping memories or corruptingthe data. The same applies to twobattery systems where the housebank supplies items such as electrictoilets and other heavy current drawequipment. A starting battery voltagecan have a 3 to 4-volt dip on start-ing. The variation or interruption ofcurrent in the equipment power con-ductor also causes transients.

Induced interference is the secondcommon RFI noise source. Electricalfields are radiated from cables andequipment and this is induced intoother closely located cables or equip-ment. The most common causes of this

are cables running parallel or within thesame cable bundle, known as mutualcoupling. Always run power supplycables and data cables separately andmake cable crossovers at 90°. In par-ticular run power cables to sensitiveequipment separate to main powercables to reduce inductive and capaci-tive coupling to signal conductors.

Common SourcesNoise occurs in different frequency

ranges and similarly, equipment mayonly be prone to problems within aparticular frequency range. Multiplenoise sources can cause a gradualdegradation of electronics components

and when the cumulative effectsreach a certain point, the devices fail.• Arcing Noise. These are repetitivespikes that are caused by commutatorsand sparking of brushes. The brusheson any alternator, particularly if dirty,can cause sparking and noise. Chargingsystems commonly cause this or whenloose connections exist. The most com-mon cause is loose or poor enginereturn paths for alternators, when thenegative path arcs across points of poorelectrical contact. This is also causedby ignition systems from distributorsand spark plugs being impressed on aDC system, often through radiation toadjacent cables. When troubleshoot-ing, always determine what is runningat the same time. • Induced Coupling Interference.Wiring that is installed in parallel withothers can suffer from inductive cou-pling interference causing buzzes and

humming soundson the radio. Thisoccurs like a trans-former with a singleturn primary andsecondary coil, withthe magnetic effectscausing the induc-tion. Low groundimpedance andunbalanced circuitsare the most pronewith serial data,multi-cable controland co-axial cablesbeing the most sus-ceptible ones. It’s

important to keep signal cables fromrunning in parallel with main powerwiring. When troubleshooting, alwaysdetermine what is running at the timeas this impacts which cables areinvolved and will help localize the prob-lem area.• Ripple Noise. Ripple is created inany rectifier bridges (diode, silicone-controlled rectifier (SCR), etc) such asalternators, chargers, fluorescent lightsand inverters. It’s usually a high-pitchedwhine. Good quality equipment hassuppressed electronics. Ripple badlydegrades communications’ audio qual-ity. When troubleshooting, again deter-mine which lights are on, or whetherchargers or engines are running.

E L E C T R O N I C S

RFI:HOW TO TROUBLESHOOTBuzzing, humming, high-pitched whines, static, turn on/turn offspikes, signal loss — all examples of interference that affectsthe performance of sensitive electronics. The key to understand-ing how to troubleshoot is to understand the causes.

An example of transient waveform.


RFI noise is simply intermittent, such as static dischargesor lightning pulses, which may not even be visible local-ly.

What tools do you need? A small, cheap battery-pow-ered AM radio is a good tool for tracking down and sniff-ing out radiated sources of noise on board, with static caus-es being easily picked up. Passing it close to the cables orequipment is the method used. Some noise is simply relat-ed to time of day. Interference from solar activity and ion-osphere factors, for example, on radios are sources that

• Static Charges. These have a number of sources. Externalcharge interference arises due to static build-ups in sailboatrigging. On reaching a certain voltage level, the static chargedischarges to ground to cause interference. Another com-mon cause is when dry, offshore winds occur and a staticcharge builds up on fiberglass decks. The problem is preva-lent on large fiberglass yachts with large deck areas. A light-ning protection system can ground these charges. Engineand shaft charges also cause interference and this can arisedue to static build-ups, both induced and those due to mov-ing parts in the engine. The static charge discharges toground to cause interference. Shaft interference can arisedue to static build-ups on propeller shafts. The static willcause interference when it discharges to ground on reach-ing a high voltage level.• Surge (electromagnetic pulse). This can be caused bylightning activity. Pulses can be induced into electrical wiringand aerials. • Spikes. Turn-on spike results from the initial charging ofpower supply input filters on power supplies. Turn-off spikesarise when reactive loads are switched and the magneticfields collapse on inductive loads, such as transformers,relay or contactor coils, solenoid coils, pump motors, etc.metal oxide varistor (MOV) suppressors are often put acrossthe coils. • Solar Activity. This is caused by ionospheric and solar orsun spot activity. Usually it results in signal losses or majorcorruption. When troubleshooting this condition, alwayscheck whether storms are in the area.

Troubleshooting Once sources are defined, RFI troubleshooting is the

relatively simple method of locating the noise source.The listed causes must be verified one by one to eliminatethem. It’s a matter of logic and the systematic switch-ing off of each device to locate the noise source. Whenthe noise stops, the cause is located. A simple process ofelimination, although it isn’t always that easy. In manycases, it may consist of identifying two or more sourcesthat are overlaid to cause a cumulative noise effect. Some

A distance of at least 6" (15cm) should separate signal cables from power-carrying wires.

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plugs. If ignition noise is identified, move the power wireas far as practicable from any of these sources. If thisdoes not improve things, then check all of these compo-nents. Also, check that plug wires and spark plugs areRFI shielded.

Suppression Methods There are a number of methods that can be used to

reduce or eliminate interference. The use of shieldedcables along with proper installation is one. The use ofsuppressors, such as a filter or capacitor installed closeto the noisy equipment is common and this effectivelyshort circuits noise in the protected frequency range.Filters may take a number of forms and suppressor capac-itors may need to be installed on alternators. Cable sep-aration is another major suppression method.

About the author: John Payne is DIY’s electrical specialist andauthor of “The Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible,” and“The Motorboat Electrical and Electronics Manual” (SheridanHouse), and founder of the Marine Electrical School (www.mari-neelectrics.org).

must be considered. These may affect GPS, SSB andHAM radio and satellite communications all simultane-ously, giving the appearance of some greater problem. Ifyou have determined that RFI is around noise and dust,you may already have the answer.

When troubleshooting a GPS or radio, first disconnectthe antenna and, if the noise continues, it’s probably causedby the electrical system. If RFI increases when the GPS orradio aerial is reconnected, then the cause may be atmos-pheric or from some other emission or is being picked upfrom the antenna feed cables. It’s important to understandthat RFI may originate from more than one path, so ensureall possibilities are investigated.

Metallic SoundsTicking on the radio is a common problem. When the

ticking noise varies with the speed of the engine, thenyou are probably experiencing ignition noise or alterna-tor based causes. Usually this only affects the power wirefor the equipment. Sources of this noise are usually thedistributor, the ignition coil, spark plug wires and spark

ELECTRONICS

Proper Grounding

The proper grounding of electronic equipment is essen-tial for optimum performance. Most RFI problems,such as noises, hums, buzzes, interference or crosstalk, etc. are, in many cases, caused by bad electron-ic grounding.

Ground signals carry currents and currents run throughthe wires. If there is any difference in voltage betweenthe two ground points, this causes current flow and prob-lems. Currents that flow through the various grounds areknown as ground loops. The ground in electronics is areference voltage point for all signals equal to 0 volts. Toprevent ground loops, all signal grounds should be con-nected to one common point. Cable shields are designedto protect against interference from unknown or unspec-ified sources. The effectiveness of shields is measured interms of transfer impedance. This is a measure of effec-tiveness in capturing the interference field and prevent-ing it from reaching the conductor pairs inside. Data cablesalso have shields that are made from a foil-polymer lam-inate tape or have layers of braiding. These also may havea drain wire installed to enable termination of the screento ground. Most equipment manufacturers also specifythe termination of shields to ground. Never ground at bothends. Always ground one end only and, typically, this is atthe equipment end. In many cases, shields are not con-nected at all, so check and connect them, as it may bea source of RFI.— JP

Methods of screening: (top) cables are grounded by a metalscreen; (middle) shields protect against interference fromunknown sources; (bottom) wire pair twisted together reverseselectrical fields effectively causing cancellation.


Story and photos by Jan Mundy

Masts, booms and rigging are theleast maintained items on most sail-boats. Structural flaws, wear and cor-rosion are the primary suspects whena mast falls down. Once it’s up, it’srarely given much consideration againuntil something goes wrong. Boats thatget a winter vacation from service oftenenjoy the benefit of a chance to look atthe rig and rigging if the mast isunstepped for storage. A sloppy forestay,elongated attachment holes on chain-plates or tangs are all clues that themast and rigging needs a thoroughinspection. And don’t forget the internalpoints of rigging attachment, thosechainplates that are often buried behindjoinery.

Wash the mast with soapy water andrinse well to remove acids, salts and griton sheave and block bearings. Now,we’re ready to go. Grab a magnifyingglass, a penetrating dye (available froma welding shop), spray lubricant, straight

edge (ruler), barrier solution and sealantand let's look at the problem areas start-ing at the masthead.

The StickStarting at the top, examine the mast-

head carefully at the point of attachmentof every piece of hardware. We’re lookingfor cracks radiating from fastener holesor wear at rigging connection points. Aimthat magnifying glass at any welds glassto check for cracks. Brush or spray thepenetrating die on welds and swage fit-tings to look for microscopic cracks that,when stressed, can grow and let go,bringing the mast down. Productionmasts have cast heads fastened with riv-ets. Check that rivets aren't popping outand fasteners are tight and refasten asneeded with Loctite (the red one). Useyour magnifying glass to examine tangsfor cracks where their angles are formed.

Malfunctioning sheaves cause bigproblems at the masthead. Sheaves areusually made of nylon or aluminum.

Nylon sheaves tend to deteriorate fromUV exposure. Aluminum ones typicallyhave oil-impregnated, self-lubricatedbearings that eventually wear out. Spinsheaves to make sure they turn freely.Check bearings and look for side wear.Often the axle bolt doesn't sit horizontalto the sheave and halyard tension caus-es side loading. A nylon sheave with abadly worn center indicates a too smallbolt or overloading.

Worn sheaves sometimes have flatspots where wire halyards run over them.Sheaves are cut differently for wire thanrope. Most older masts had wire-to-ropehalyards and sheaves designed for wireonly. With the minimal shrinkage linesavailable today, most halyards on newrigs are now rope and rope-only sheavesare used. If you switch from wire to ropehalyards, you will need to change thesheaves.

Check for side-to-side play betweenstacked sheaves. A sheave that doesn’tfit properly causes side loading and wearsagainst the housing producing a sharpedge. Where there is excessive play, adda 1/16" (1.5mm) Teflon (or other thinplastic) spacer between the sheaves toprevent a halyard from jumping thesheave and jamming.

While you're at the masthead, removethe axle bolt retaining the sheaves andapply a spray lubricant, not oil, whichcollects dirt and dust, causing the sheaveto jam. While you're at it, clean and lubri-cate the mast track.

Both deck and keel mast steps areprone to corrosion from standing waterand should have a drain hole. A deck-stepped mast rests in a cast foot or ataller tabernacle that provides extra ver-tical support. For added support, themast bottom needs a compression tube,preferably welded in. Made of 1" alu-minum tube, it’s cut to fit the exact insidewidth of the mast then thru-bolted withthe step retaining bolt.

Check halyard splices, shackle attach-

R I G G I N GS A I L B O A T

T I PWhen storing a spar, never cover it withplastic. Plastic retains moisture,resulting in corrosion where aluminumand stainless steel are mated. And if themast is painted, the coating will blister.

Greenhouse Effect

Rigors of RiggingYou've waxed the hull, oiled the teak and serviced the engine butwhen was the last time you inspected the mast and rigging? Onolder boats, replacing the mast is a very costly investment.Careful inspection of standing rigging and its terminal connectionhardware and keeping these free of dirt and corrosion will go along way to preventing premature damage and failures.


ments and halyard alignment out of exitboxes. Wear plates installed on exitshelps to reduce rope chafe. Considerreplacing any halyards that have becomestiff from UV exposure.

Spreader Failure Spreader attachments are either weld-

ed or fastened with screws, bolts or riv-ets. Cast bases can fracture, typicallywhen a mast is unstepped and stowedon a rack. Check tightness of screwsand bolts and look for cracks in cast-ings and along weld lines. Look forsymptoms of wear on the clevis pin thatcaptures the spreader on its base.Correct shroud alignment with spreadersis critical. Sometimes the spreaders,especially the aerodynamic, foil shapedtype, are ground with a bit of rocker atthe inboard end so they tend to move.They shouldn't. The normal mast pump-ing action eventually elongates the bolthole and the spreader grinds away thebase, causing it to crack or split.Spreaders are self-aligning (fore and aftonly) so once your rigging is up and

properly aligned there should be nomovement. Vertical spreader alignmentmust be adjusted to “bisect,” i.e., main-tain the correct angle of the spreader tipto the standing rigging. Custom mastshave fixed spreader bases to prevent anymovement.

One reason for spreader failure is lackof an internal mast compression tube.Remove the spreader base, if possible,and look for a tube. Better built mastshave a welded-in compression tube thatspans the mast inside diameter to linkboth sides of the extrusion together andequalize the loading. A tube can be refitby a mast manufacturer but it won't beas strong as a welded-in tube.

A common problem in winter climatesis "pregnant" spreaders. Masts stowedon a rack with hollow spreaders in anup-down position fill up with rainwaterthat then freezes, causing aluminum toexpand and crack or break the tips orform a bulge in the trailing edge. Best toremove spreaders during long-term stor-age.

Many spreaders have a cast aluminumtip welded into the end. Stainless-steel

rigging passing through the tip is cap-tured with a cap, plate or screw, andthen the end is taped so it doesn't chafeheadsails. Tape traps water, reacts withthe aluminum and stainless steel and,as dissimilar metals, dissolves the alu-minum casting. Spreader tip corrosionis a widespread problem.

This is not just a saltwater problem.Acid rain can dissolve aluminum. At leastonce a year, remove the tape from thespreader tips, inspect and clean themand allow them to dry completely beforeretaping.

Hinge PointThe same visual inspection you per-

formed at the masthead and spreadersalso applies to the gooseneck, which isthe strange name given to the hinge thatsecures the boom to the mast. Checkcastings, sheaves, fasteners and goose-neck alignment. Use the magnifying glassto examine the gooseneck fitting forcracks. A surveyor we know has report-ed often finding the clevis pin at thegooseneck fitting adrift from the loss ofits securing cotter pin. While doing its

SAILBOAT RIGGING

Wrong size pin has caused holes tostretch (elongate) in this masthead tang.Always insert a correctly sized clevis pin.

Isolating stainless-steel fasteners with adab of Tef-Gel under the head and aroundthe screw body would have preventedcorrosion between fastener, tang and thealuminum mast.

(top) Without a compression tube, thisspreader failed. (bottom) Every thru-boltgoing through a mast or boom shouldhave a compression tube as shown in themast base where it's pinned in a deckstep.

This double mast conduit design allows asecond wiring conduit to slide over theinside extrusion.

Metal doesn't have to look like this!Restore pitted and dulled aluminum byscrubbing with a Scotch-Brite pad andsoap and then rinse and wax frequently toretard further damage. Note where thecasting broke due to elongated pin holes.This has been welded to make it usable.Early masts had cast stem fittings; nowmost are fabricated and welded.


work, this clevis pin tries to back out of the connection pointand shears off the cotter pin.

Look for cracks radiating from vang and mainsheet attach-ment points on the boom caused by excessive loading. (Note:Upgrading from a rope vang to a rigid vang can break a boomthat wasn't designed for such high loading.) Compressiontubes at these high-stress points are recommended. Checkbails for wear and for loose attachment. Be sure you've installedthe correct slugs or slides. The wrong size hardware perma-nently damages the track and the only solution is a new boom.(Ditto for mast tracks.) Clean and spray the track with a Teflonlubricant.

Standing Rigging: WireDamage (kinks and crushed wire) to standing wire rigging

often occurs when stepping and/or removing or moving themast or when it’s stored incorrectly on a rack. Wire kinks shouldnever be straightened by force. Even a gentle bend is enough toorder a replacement wire. When stowing a mast, place foam orcarpet between the rigging and mast to prevent damage. Alsocover the rack where it touches the mast. To prevent kinks, besure no rigging gets trapped under the mast. Take the samecare with furling gear to prevent damage to a foil.

Wipe all wires with a cotton ball or nylon stocking to uncov-er any "meat hooks." Never use your bare hand. A single burris sufficient to condemn the wire (and tear your skin). Riggingthat is heavily rusted or randomly discolored should also bereplaced. Examine every end fitting for cracks. Look for fray-ing and rust where the wire enters the swage or mechanicalterminal (e.g. Norseman or Sta-Lok) that suggests corrosiondamage. Lay a ruler alongside the swaged fitting to check foralignment. Replace any rusted or bent terminals. Dab siliconesealant at the wire-terminal juncture to reduce the chance offurther water intrusion.

Standing Rigging: RodAt one time, the life expectancy of rod rigging was quoted in

years, now it's rated in miles or wear cycles. The breakingpoint can be seen in the analogy to a wire coat hanger. Howmany times can you bend the rod (wire hanger) before it fails?

Rod rigging should be inspected at least every two years.Before doing this, you'll need to clean the rod. Varsol andscrubbing with a ScotchBrite pad works best. Navtec, theoriginal rod manufacturer, recommends a careful, end-to-endvisual inspection with a magnifying glass. Typical problemareas include: cracks at the mushroom-shaped ends (not to

TIPBet you didn't know that…Turnbuckle screws should always be of a dissimilar metal thanthe body. This means coupling a stainless-steel turnbucklebody with a bronze screw, for example. Most boats are riggedwith all-stainless or all-bronze turnbuckles. When dirtcollects on the screws and then these are turned, similar met-als tend to gall. When this happens, the two parts marry forev-er and are nearly impossible to take apart. (A good reason forkeeping screw threads clean and well lubricated.)


SAILBOAT RIGGING wire. Do not use the round split rings. They deform and fallaway. A blob of clear silicone on the sharp cotter pin ends willprotect skin and clothing. To loosen a seized screw, try StarBrite'santiseize lubricant and always replace any screws with damagedthreads. Also, using your ruler, check that turnbuckles arestraight and replace any that are bent. Check toggles for wear,cracks and bent clevis pins. Pinholes in the surface of castbronze toggles are signs of “blow holes” in the casting and theysignal the need to replace the toggles.

Look for cracks where chainplates bend and around clevispin holes. Examine the bolts holding the chainplates for wearor distortion. Check for crevice corrosion around the base (atdeck level), caused by standing water. Check for misalignmentwith the standing rigging, which causes chainplates to flex andputs uneven stress on pins and jaws of toggles and turnbuck-les. (Tip: With the mast up and tuned, disconnect one wire ata time and watch carefully to see if the chainplate moves; reat-tach this wire before disconnecting a second wire.)

CorrosionCorrosion is caused by dissimilar metals in the presence of

salt or acidic water; stainless steel and aluminum being thetwo metals most often found on masts. Oxidation or pittingof aluminum or rust around stainless-steel fasteners is a suresign of corrosion. On painted masts, peeling paint aroundstainless-steel fasteners signals corrosion activity. If you see

be confused with score marks from the heading process);cracks where the rod bends over spreaders; kinks at terminalconnections; seized ends that prevent pivoting of the rod asthe system is designed to do so it sticks, bends and snaps;damaged tie bars and of course, bent rod. The only suremethod to test rod is destructive testing, at which point replace-ment is the only sensible option. Rigging usually fails withoutwarning and it never breaks at a good time. When in doubt,replace it. One of the methods of securing rod rigging to themast is with aluminum (older masts) or stainless-steel (newermasts and more durable) tie bars that pass through the mast.Problems occur when routing wire-to-rope halyards throughthe mast. If the halyard lands on the wrong side of the tie bar,over time it saws through the tie bar, which disconnects the rodfrom the mast, potentially dropping the mast. Make sure hal-yards are routed correctly inside the mast.

Deck Level Keep turnbuckles clean by scrubbing with a toothbrush that’s

dipped in boat soap. Regularly lubricate with lanolin or a dryTeflon lubricant to prevent cross-threading, particularly if thescrew and body are made of the same metal. Never apply apetroleum-based grease, which tends to attract dirt.

Be aware of turnbuckle screw thread length (more is better)and always safety lock the screws, either with clevis pins or (continues on page 49)


SAILBOAT RIGGING

(top) A mis-routed wire halyard has chan-neled these Navtec rod-rigging tie pieces.(bottom) Example of rod rigging attach-ment to a mast.

Corroded (exfoliating) mast step due tostanding water in bilge.

Mast heel casting showing galvanic corro-sion due to standing water in bilge. Thecorrosion would have been worse haddielectric material not been placedbetween mast heel and step.

A 5/8" (16mm) clevis pin goes in a 5/8"(16mm) hole. If you lose a pin neverreplace it with a smaller diameter one.

Example ofspreader tipsthat weretaped andtrapped waterresulted in cor-rosion.Spreader tipcorrosion is acommon prob-lem.

Su

san

Ca

nfi

eld

Su

san

Ca

nfi

eld Tie bar

Mushroom end

Rod


Dissimilar metals caused this aluminumcasting to corrode. This one was originallyblack when new but has faded.

Assortment of plastic sheaves show: UVdamage; the sheave or a spacer of theincorrect width caused a halyard to jumpthe sheave and break the sides; a wirehalyard has cut into the plastic sheave.

When a cast spreader base fractures, it'san expensive fix. The mast is completelydissembled of wiring and rigging, the baseis removed and a new one welded on.

Mast mounted winch base shows signs ofcorrosion from trapped water.

Cast aluminum steps and saltwater (evenacid rain) are prone to corrosion. Thedesign of these deck steps offers littlesupport to tall masts.

Flaking paint on the mast and boomgooseneck are clues that corrosion isoccurring.

SAILBOAT RIGGING

T I PIf the sound of wires, cables and halyardsslapping inside an aluminum mastirritates you, slide lengths of foam pipeinsulation through each group of wiresbefore restepping the mast.

Noise Barrier


For free-spinning sheaves, remove axlebolt and apply a spray lubricant.

Examples ofmastheads:a cast piece(top) on anolder C&C ismechanicallyfastened;(bottom) anewer mast-head has awelded-oncast head.

an evidence of corrosion occurring,remove the fitting to investigate the dam-age. To electrically isolate dissimilar met-als when installing fasteners some non-metal barrier must be put between thetwo mating surfaces of dissimilar met-als. Apply Tef-Gel or a sealant or similarbut never silicone. Check with a profes-sional rigger for suggestions about thelatest, greatest formula for electricallyisolating dissimilar metals on the mast.

Wiring and CablesRouting wires and cables down a con-

duit inside the mast separates them fromhalyards and eliminates the annoyingslapping but not all masts, especially olderones, have conduits. Newer masts haveintegral conduits or a provision to easilyinstall them and, typically, are fitted withtwo conduits: one from the masthead tothe step and a second one at the spread-

ers to run wires for spreader lights.Refitting a conduit is not an easy task.PVC pipe is run up the mast and heldwith couplings spaced about every 5'(1.5m). To fasten the coupling requiresdrilling two holes: one to pass through ahook-type tool that braces the pipeagainst the mast while drilling the sec-ond hole and riveting on the pipe. Whenthat’s done, the first hole is filled. Conduitsare not a critical component. If you cantolerate the noise, don't sweat it.

Check antenna and instrument mount-ings. Protect cables with a grommet orform a gasket of silicone sealant wherethey pass through the mast. This will pro-tect them from chafe and provide strainrelief.

Stray current causes all sorts of prob-lems. Paint will literally jump off themast and things will corrode at an accel-erated rate in a saltwater environment.Normally, this is a grounding issue so

(left) Rod rigging on an ‘80s Pearson 43 is inspected by a worker at Klacko Spars.(right) Rod end is pushed into the turnbuckle and checked for cracks. Mast terminationpoints are often inaccessible without destroying the rod end.

(top) Water seeping under the wire hascaused this swaged stainless-steel termi-nal to pit and crack. (bottom) Waterproofthe wire terminal joint with a dab of sili-cone sealant.

be sure no electrical wiring is exposedto direct contact with the mast.

All it takes is just one end of any wireor connector to fail and a mast can comedown. Every year, insurance companieswrite off dozens of sailboats because ofmast or rigging failures. On older boats,the loss of a mast (and sails) often addsup to more than the boat's insured value.Routinely inspect your mast and riggingand replace components as needed.Rigging is an expensive upgrade.Planning annual upgrades; for instance,replacing the forestay and backstay oneyear, uppers and lowers the followingyear, makes less of a dent on the budg-et.

About the author: Jan Mundy is editor ofDIY.

Special thanks to Klacko Spars, Oakville,Ontario (905/825-0015) for researchassistance with this article.

It's common to have a toggle atthe bottom of the forestay butmore critical is to have a toggleat the top. Put one at the top ofthe backstay as well.

(continued from page 46)


By Jan Mundy

REVIVE URETHANE SHINE

Q: I have been told that it's possibleto bring back the shine to Awlgrip byfirst using the 3M Marine Super DutyRubbing Compound or 3M ImperialMicrofinishing Compound followed by3M Marine Finesse-it II FinishingMaterial applied with the 3M SuperbuffBuffing Pad and Polishing Pad. Do youhave any comments or other recom-mendations?Thomas Plocek, “Strawberry,” ShelterIsland, New York

A: Never use 3M fiberglass products,which are the ones you mentioned, ona painted finish. Instead, 3M has aPerfect-it system for urethane finishesthat includes a color restorer and glaze.If your boat has an aged polyurethanefinish and you have applied the AwlcareProtective Sealer and are unable to regainthe gloss, the Perfect-it system will revivethe paint and give you a few more yearsbefore the surface needs repainting. Thisshould be considered as a last ditchapproach and should never be appliedto a finish in good condition. Using theincorrect products or wrong techniquecan destroy a painted finish. This is themain reason why manufacturers of ure-thane coatings, such as Awlgrip,Brightside, Epifane, Interthane, Sikkensand others, don't endorse sanding andbuffing of their coatings.

This is a Band-Aid fix. Just like restor-ing dull and faded gelcoat, you areremoving layers of dead material and thepaint is only so thick. As aging and fad-ing continues, you'll have to repeat theprocess. Eventually, repainting is the onlycure. For boats painted with a marineenamel, the same repair techniqueapplies.

3M Perfect-it is a four-step system:sand to remove any defects and thencompound to remove sanding scratch-es and sander swirl marks, follow witha glaze to remove swirl marks from com-

pounding and deliver a high gloss andthen wax to protect the hull from UVdamage. After washing the hull with boatsoap, sand the hull with 1,500 grit wetpaper or 1,200 grit dry paper. Dry sand-ing is faster; wet sanding is messy andthere's the slurry to clean up. Always usea sanding block when hand sanding.

Wipe off the sanding residue and applythe Perfect-it rubbing compound withwhite foam or wool buff pad, yourchoice. (Foam is not as aggressive aswool.) Mount the pad on a soft foampack-up pad and run the polisher/sanderat 1,800 rpm. Begin buffing by apply-ing a medium pressure on the surface,then light pressure. As paint is softerthan gelcoat, there's a better chance ofburning through it than gelcoat. Do a testspot first in an inconspicuous area todetermine the amount of pressurerequired.

Next step is to apply the glaze. Thisis what gives the paint a mirror-like

M A I N T E N A N C E

Boat UpkeepPreventative maintenance is time well spent when you considerthe reduced repair bills and greater trade-in value of your boat.Here are a few tricks to keep your boat shipshape.


gloss. Apply glaze with a black foamwaffle pad; never use a wool pad.(Waffle pads work fast and generate lessheat.) Again, start with medium pres-sure and then lighten up. This helps todry the glaze and buff the surface to ahigh gloss. When applying compoundor glaze, be careful you don’t scorch thepaint. Work in the solution over a smallarea, say a 2' (61cm) square area.These products act as a lubricant and,once you see the solution work into thepaint, stop. Aged, badly faded paintedfinishes may require additional com-pounding.

Since glaze has no UV inhibitors, thelast step is to apply a quality marinewax to protect your glossy finish fromsun damage. Apply wax, either the tra-ditional way by hand or by machine,which spreads the wax faster and usesless material, allow to haze and buffwith a black foam pad.— Jan Mundy


Awlgrip Touch-Up

Your boat is newly painted with Awlgrip (oranother brand of polyurethane paint) and,though you've been vigilant, you slightly butconspicuously crease the finish following aclose call with a fixed object. What to do?Don't try to fill the scratch with wax or otherfiller. Instead, follow this advice from NickHall of Awlgrip. For a small scratch or dingthe best thing to do is:

1. Wipe the scratch or ding clean with denatured alcohol using a clean cotton cloth. 2. Don't sand. Sanding just increases the size of the area needing a touch up.3. Mix a small quantity of the original color and Awlcat #3 brushing converter (H3002). The mix

ratio is two parts by volume color base to one part Awlcat #3. You don't need reducer for thissmall area.

4. Carefully color in the scratch or ding using an artist brush. If you apply too much, wipe it off with a clean rag dipped in alcohol and try again. Some colors and some scratches will need more than one coat. Don't try to fill the ding with paint. All you want to do is establish color.

5. From close up your repair will be visible but stand back a few feet and it likely looks okay. If the spot needs more than this treatment, a professional paint shop should do a blended repair.

6. Maintain your Awlgrip finish by keeping it clean and apply a protective sealer on a regularschedule; typically, two to three times a year on the deck or cabin, once a year on the hull.Doing this doubles the life of your paint job. Never apply wax on any urethane finish. — Jan Mundy


By Peter Caplan

Even the most fastidiously main-tained steel boats suffer the occasion-al rust spot. Contact with docks andother stationary obstacles, which wouldcause serious damage to a fiberglassboat, only scrape the paint from a steelhull. Sometimes, an object is acciden-tally dropped and, although no dam-age is apparent at the time, a fewmonths later, when moisture has foundits way through a microscopic hole inthe protective paint coating, a smallbubble appears in the paint surfaceindicating that rust has formedbeneath.

Because of the strong bonding char-acteristics of epoxy coatings, they don'tlift as readily as ordinary enamel orurethane paints when rust formsbeneath the coating. It may take sixmonths or more before any sign of aproblem appears. By then, the rustmight have spread beneath the coat-ing. This is not a big repair but it'sessential that the paint coating beremoved completely to expose cleanmetal. This can be as little as an incharound the original pinprick. If left unat-tended, the area will grow larger.

The following sequence shows stepby step how to repair minor rustdamage.

Two small spots on the deck paint are theonly symptoms of a developing problem.

Using a sharp wood chisel and smallhammer, the paint is chipped off untilclean, rust-free metal is exposed allaround the rusted area.

Clean the repair area with coarse abrasivepaper or emery cloth and feather thepaint edges.

Paint the metal with rust inhibiting prod-uct, being careful to cover all the exposedmetal.

Once cured, the surface turns a blue-black color.

Paint the repaired area with successivecoats of matching epoxy paint or a com-patible coating. Alternatively, fill the repairwith compatible epoxy filler as shown inthis example. Once the filler has cured,paint over it with a color matched top-coat.


TIPFor Your Mess KitKeep a rust inhibiting product onboard asteel boat as any minor damage thatcannot be dealt with immediately can becoated with the product to arrest therust from spreading for up to six monthsuntil you can do a proper repair andrecoating.

PROPANE TAILINGS: Check Before You ConnectIf the LPG supply tank is near empty when you’re refilling your propane (LPG)bottle(s), the debris or “tailings” in the tank bottom are released into your bot-tle as it's filled. Known as “propane tailings,” this residue travels through hosesand lines and can damage regulators. Run a cotton swab or your fingertiparound the vent end of the regulator. If it has an oily film, your system is cloggedwith tailings. To reduce the risk of regulator damage, purchase propane froma reliable source, frequently check the regulator for tailings, especially beforereconnecting, and carry a spare regulator.

Spot TreatingRust SpotsAn easy method to repair nicksand dings on steel boatsbefore the rust takes hold.

A CLEAR VIEW

The marine environmentis harsh on acrylic, Plexiglasand Lexan ports, hatchesand windows. Normal wearand the sun's rays soondegrade and etch the "plas-tic." While this doesn't harmthe material, it does affect

the quality of visibility when viewed from inside the cabin.The best treatment for new or undamaged plastic lenses isto keep them coated with a UV protector designed for plastics,which also prevents dirt from adhering to the surface. It does-n’t take long for UV exposure to discolor the plastic. After

cleaning, wipe the surfacedry using a chamois, loop-fiber rag or one of the new3M High PerformanceCleaning Cloths. Never usea smooth rag, such as acotton one, which canscratch the surface. Be sureno water is left on the sur-

face as the sun will boil the water and leave a permanentdiscoloration.

After 12 years and few applications of a protective coat-ing, the opening ports on our boat were badly scratched. Wehad tried various plastic cleaners but without success until

we discovered the missedstep. Just as you get a bet-ter finish when buffing gel-coat with mechanicaladvantage rather than handrubbing, the same is truewhen overhauling plasticlenses. Purely trial and error,since of course, none of this

information is mentioned under “Directions” on the productlabel.

Take any liquid cleaner/restorer intended for Plexiglas (thisdoesn't work on Lexan). There are several brands dependingon how aggressive your cleaning needs. Attach a white wool

pad to a power drill, applysome solution to the padand, running the drill at2,000 rpm, “buff” the sur-face. I used 3M PlasticProtector (no longer avail-able) and it did an excellentjob of removing the finescratches. After cleaning,follow with a plastic pro-

tector that contains UV inhibitors. Repeat applications of aprotector during the season will protect plastic surfaces fromfurther damage. – Jan Mundy


©DIY boat owner 2004-1 www.diy-boat.com 1-888-658-BOAT (2628)54

m A I n T e n A n c e

DIY TOOL BOX

Basic maintenance tools for the veteran DIYer.By Steve Auger

If you are going to be an efficient DIYer, you'll need the proper tools and equipment to safely complete service jobs. Most boaters start doing their own maintenance to help reduce the cost of owning and operating their boats. Using the correct tools, combined with an organized approach to maintenance or diagnostics can ensure that your boating will be as trouble free as possible.

Let’s start with the basics. The first item on your list is an approved service manual for the engine, drive or auxiliary system, such as a generator. The service manual contains information such as specifications and procedures that allow you to safely diagnose and maintain your boat while minimizing damage to your boat or its equipment. Next, you'll need shatter-resistant safety glasses (they are much cheaper than a new set of eyes), a pair or two of quality work gloves and a first-aid kit to treat the inevitable cuts and bruises.

If price or available storage space for tools were not an obstacle to acquiring all the cool tools we love to have, many of us would “buy the ranch." Being a rational boat owner, you'll need just a few basic hand tools, such as wrenches, socket/ratchet sets, screwdrivers, Allen wrench-es, etc. Boats built in North America in the 1980s used fasteners and measurements that require SAE imperial-style hand tools (wrenches and sockets sized in 1/16" incre-ments). Boats built in Europe or Asia and those built in North America after 1990 are typically constructed using metric fasteners and measurements. In this case, you'll need wrenches and sockets in 1mm increments. Some boats are equipped with both imperial and metric mea-surements, so you'll need both sets. Your service manuals should indicate the fastener type used on a given system.

For small hand tools, I recommend a kit that includes imperial wrenches and sockets from 1/4" to 7/8" and met-ric wrenches and sockets from 6mm to 22 mm. Purchase kits made up in plastic cases that lock the tools in place. A quick glance will enable you to determine if any tools are missing from the kit when you have finished your work for the day. Be sure to check down low in the bilge for lost tools. Purchase a screwdriver kit in the same format that includes three sizes (small, regular and large) in standard flat tip (slot), Philips (star head), Robertson (square tip sold only in Canada) and Torx, the screwdriver for the new millennium in sizes t-10, t-15, t-20 and t-25. You’ll need side cutters (diagonal pliers) needle nose pliers, slip joint water pump pliers, combination inside/outside snap ring pliers and a large and small set of Vise Grips.

As you perform different repairs and maintenance, you'll also need things like files, scrapers, tape measure, oil filter wrench, battery post brush and a couple of adjustable cres-cent wrenches (these are wonderful as they fit both metric and imperial fasteners). A 4' (1.2m) piece of 1/8" (3mm) rope makes a great preventer of lost or sunken tools. Just tie one end to your wrist and the other end to your tool of choice. You’ll save lots of tools from a dunking in the bilge or worse, overboard. A magnet on a rope is handy to retrieve metal tools from the bilge, just be sure to keep it away from the compass. Don’t forget a small hammer, pocketknife, flashlight and a good container to transport used engine fluids to the recycling center.

When working on engines, place a small fire extinguisher near the opening to the engine compartment. We hope you never need it but when you venture into a new world, there is no such thing as too prepared.

PAD CAREWith a little TLC, the wool pads used to apply rubbing compound, glaze or wax will last a boat life or longer.

Before using a new pad, you should condition it with a spur. The Ferro Pad Conditioner is a brush-type, non-corroding plastic "spur" that removes residue from the manufacturing process. To use, turn the polisher/sander upside down so the bottom of the pad is facing up. Rotate the pad slowly, about 1,200 rpm and pull the Pad Conditioner towards you (opposite of a spur), working from the pad center to the outer edge. During buffing, periodically clean the pad with the brush to help attain maximum pad life and a swirl-free finish. After use, let the pad dry and then remove the residue with the Pad Conditioner. When pads become very dirty, toss them in a washing machine with cool water and mild detergent. Always store wool pads dry and in a sealed plastic bag. This prevents dust and dirt from adhering to pads and being transferred to and scratching a gelcoat surface.

– Jan Mundy


TIPSALT REMOVERTo remove baked-on salt residue from a fiberglass or paintedhull, wash the surface with distilled white vinegar diluted in hotwater. Follow with an application of Awlwash and then handapply Awlcare. Never use a power buffer with pads. — JM

5 Causes of Hull andStructural Problems You may not be able to undertake extensiverepairs after the damage is done, but you canavoid such repairs if you follow straightforwardmaintenance procedures.

By Nick Bailey

Delamination: The bane of fiberglass hulls and decks. Keephardware sealed, check laminate with a moisture meter,sound the hull and deck and listen for a flat or dull soundingfeedback. Squirm into lockers and check tabbing. Lift floor-boards and clean the goo from the stringers so you can seewhat’s going on. Delamination is repairable but at what cost?

Fatigue: Boats, like living things, grow old. Look for cracksin glass and metal hulls and structures. These too areamenable to patching and reinforcing if caught in time.

Rot: The nemesis of the wood boat and the glass boat witha wet and delaminated wood core encapsulated in fiber-glass. Poke and prod with an ice pick in those hard to reachcorners. Get out the moisture meter. Use your nose. A woodboat that smells bad most likely is bad. The good news isthat hulls and decks can be re-cored, planks and transomsreplaced, ribs sistered etc. Have faith. Open your wallet.

Corrosion: Rust never sleeps. Steel (even stainless steel)and aluminum are not immune. Add stray electrical currentand it can be all over in a hurry. Look for pitting and for thepotential for perforations in the metal where bilgewater istrapped along stringers. Use a chipping hammer to knockoff the rust. The rust may be the only stuff left. Have a sur-veyor do an ultrasound. Weld patches and replate, sand-blast and epoxy coat. Keep a dry bilge and tidy wiring.

Hydrolysis: I bet they never told you that polyester resincould break down and dissolve after sitting in water longenough. They call it hydrolysis, more commonly known asosmosis or blisters. The resin actually leaches away leavingbehind white resin-starved fibers. The residue forms osmo-sis blisters. These continue to grow as long as they have anuninterrupted source of water. Epoxy barrier coats are a goodprophylactic but peeling and relamination of the outer lay-ers may be required if blisters and leaching are bad enough.


FLAGPOLE MODS

The small locking hex nut in my sternflagstaff mount frequently needed tight-ening, a task that required me to gobelow and retrieve a 1/8" (3mm) hexwrench. This quick project simplifiedthe process by replacing the hex nutwith a stainless-steel 1/4" (6mm) eye-bolt. By running a 1/4" (6mm) tapthrough the existing hole, I can nowtighten the flagpole without a tool. Theeyebolt also provides a handy place towhich I can lash the ensign cover. Italso makes a quick cigar holder whenthe first mate’s not looking.

— Chip Lohman, “Whispering Swan,”Quantico, Virginia

RUBBADUBSAIL INTHE HOT TUBBy Robert Beringer

Sails are usually the second mostexpensive replacement item on a boat,second only to the engine. Anyone whohas sailed in a good blow will appreci-ate that sails are con-stantly under tremen-dous pressure and theoutright abuse theyendure from saltwaterspray, luffing, chafe,etc. With every hoist,tack, reef or day in thesun, sails age a littlebit. They need TLC tokeep them going.Being the thrifty type,I’m keen on getting thesails to last as long aspossible. The sails onour 1992 Catalina 34are, after all, only 14years old.

Keeping sails cleanis the first step.(Patched is the second, but that’s anoth-er subject.) According to Maine SailingPartners of Yarmouth, Maine, the mostimportant reason to wash sails is toremove salt and other soluble micro-scopic dirt contaminants and preventthe mold growth that can permanent-ly stain sails and make them smellbad.

“Salt crystals in the fibers of sailclothcan abrade and weaken the fabric overtime. They are also hygroscopic, whichmeans they tend to absorb water out ofthe air, making an excellent growth medi-um for mold and mildew.”

Professional sail cleaning, while it doesa superb job, isn’t cheap. The going ratefor a main and genoa wash hovers aroundUS$4.25 to US$4.75 per foot (boatlength, not sail length). For me, that’sthe equivalent of a year’s worth of dieselfuel. A clothing washing machine isn’tmeant to handle stiff sailcloth so a tripto the coin laundry is not a practicaloption.

One cold December night, after a latedecommissioning of the Catalina, Ilounged in our hot tub with a cold bev-erage and considered the annual trip tothe local sail loft. Just then, in a Newton

and Apple moment, the first mate stepsout of the house and waves a bottle oflaundry detergent in my face. “We’realmost out,” she declares. “Pick someup after work tomorrow.” My eyes buggedout when I realized the obvious: I wassitting in my own personal sail washingmachine. “Everybody out,” I hollered,“Tub’s closed for the next few days.”

To convert your hot tub into a sail clean-ing machine follow these steps. Crankthe heater to max, usually 97F (36C) onmost hot tubs, for 24 hours. Remove thefilter and shut off the system. Pour in 1capful of detergent per 15 gallons (58liters) of water. Add more if sails are verydirty. Don’t use bleach. Remove battensand feed sails into the tub the same wayyou douse a jib into the forepeak, start-ing with tack or clew and completelyunfurled. Cover tub, turn on and let soakfor at least 24 hours. Haul sails from thegiant bubble bath, spread them on thelawn and hose off both sides with fresh-water. If the day is calm, hasten dryingby tying a line to the headboard, throwthe line over a tree branch and run it uplike a halyard. The results, I feel, wereas good as any I had seen at a sail loft.I drained the dirty water from the hot tubinto my garden for some extra nitrogenrich fertilizer.

— Robert Beringer is a freelance writerand career consultant who sailsChesapeake Bay on “Ukiyo,” aCatalina 34 berthed in Galesville,Maryland.

Indicates the level of difficulty with 10being the hardest, 1 the easiest.

P R O J E C T S

3

1

Hot tubs can save you money (a weak argument to buy one,but try it anyway).


HOW TO REPLACE AN ENGINE DAMPER PLATE

The noise started during a recenttrip on the “Arctic Mist,” a Jefferson40. It was only apparent when theengine was idling and out of gear.Engage the engine with the transmis-sion and the noise stopped. On clos-er inspection, the noise seemed to becoming from the port engine’s trans-mission. Owner Jim Stover had previ-ously replaced the damper plate onthe starboard engine and he thoughtthe noise was similar. The decisionwas made to order a new one for thenow noisy port engine, as this seemedthe likely culprit.

I arrived at the boat early one morn-ing a few days later to help Jim, whoassured me that changing the platewas a simple job, considering that theboat had a spacious engine compart-ment. On a smaller boat, however, itcould have been very tight indeed.

The engine’s drip pan was removedand a large wooden block and wedgeswere positioned to support the rearportion of the engine block when therear engine mounts are removed.

The propeller shaft coupler flangewas then unbolted from the transmis-sion half of the engine coupler flange(Figure 1) and the propeller shaft turnedand pushed back out of the way. Then,four of the regular upper bell housingbolts were removed and replaced withfour temporary bolts 5” (12.7cm) long.These support the bell housing whenit’s pushed back to allow removal ofthe damper plates.

With the remaining bell housingbolts and the rear engine mountsremoved, the engine rested on thewooden supports (Figure 2). The bellhousing was pried apart as gently aspossible and moved rearward as faras the longer temporary bolts wouldallow (Figure 3). This permitted ahand and a wrench to fit inside theopening.

We were surprised to find that theold bolts holding the damper plate ontothe backside of the flywheel were tooshort to reuse on the new damper plate.As the original plate was made of stain-

less-steel sheet and the new one is castaluminum and about three times thick-er (Figure 4), it required 1/2" (12mm)longer bolts. This then raised a ques-tion, would the new bolt heads haveenough clearance between them andthe bell housing when the engine turnedover?

Mechanics refer to the transmission,a Meccanica Paddana made inMonteverde, Spain, as an IRM 200Amodel. It seems to have an excellentreputation and the dealer who sold Jim

6

Figure 1

Figure 2


the new damper said he had onlyreplaced one in 15 years.

From start to finish, the job took aboutfour hours, which included two runsfor new nuts and bolts, reinstalling thetransmission and rear mounts andrealigning the engine to the shaft. Thiscame out at 0.001 difference betweenthe top and bottom of the couplerflanges, not bad for the first attempt.With a test drive affirming a success-ful transplant, the job was completed.

When the original damper plate wasremoved, it showed no signs of fail-ure. No broken springs, no apparentcracks, only some scattered signs ofrust. As Jim had already invested inthe new damper plate (US$270), hewent ahead and finished the installa-tion. What he did find, in disconnectingthe propeller shaft and transmissionflanges, was that the four nuts andbolts holding them together, were loose.The aircraft-type design of the nutshad kept the bolts from working theirway off the bolts.

The loose boats were probably theoriginal source of the noise. Whenexamined, we found that the couplingbolts had been flattened and thethreads destroyed. If you haven’tchecked the bolts holding the shaftcoupling lately, now might be a goodtime.

— Donald Boone, Carlsborg, Washington

NEW LIFE TOLIFELINES

I have cleaned the vinyl coating onthe lifelines on my 42' (12.8m)Endeavor many times with differentcleaning solutions and mediocre results.While surface dirt and stains werewiped away, they still appeared sun-damaged, yellowed and cracked. Afriend soaked his boat’s lifelines inhousehold bleach only to turn thempurple. After trying other cleaning meth-ods, he finally covered them with shroudcovers (split plastic tubes). They lookedbetter, but I found them to be unsafewhen racing because they would spinin your hand when moving about thedeck.

Replacement is pricey relative to thecost of painting the vinyl cover. Corrosionis the destructive enemy to stainlesssteel wire, especially on saltwater boats.When the vinyl cover cracks and splits,inspect the terminal fittings for corro-sion. In this case, lifeline replacementis your only consideration. For vinylcovers that require a cosmetic uplift(faded or minor hairline cracks) paint-ing may be a worthy option. [Ed: Plasticcoatings are merely eyecandy. Betterto replace these with plain stainlesssteel wire so you can monitor their con-dition.]

Step 1: Attach the lifelines from thebow pulpit to the companionway stan-chion, skipping the other stanchions.

This makes them easier to work with.Clean the vinyl cover with an Interlux333 soaked rag wrapped around bronzewool. [Ed: don’t use steel wool breaksoff in tiny shards that will rust andstain every area of the boat on whichthey settle.]

Step 2: Tape the swages and turn-buckles.

Step 3 Brush on Pettit EasyPoxy mixedwith a little thinner. A small foam brushworks best. Use sufficient thinner toeliminate brush strokes and attain asmooth finish. Let dry. Lightly sandwith 220-grit paper or bronze wool.Apply a second coat, let dry and restringthe lifelines. When my crew arrived forour first spring race, they thought I hadpurchased new lifelines.

— Richard Asztalos, “Charisma,” Mt.Clemens, Michigan

A DIYER’S APPROACHTO SOGGY DECKS

While it’s not the industry standardused by professionals to repairdelaminated cored decks, thismethod has merit.

We purchased a 36' (11m) Gulfstarmotorsailor in 2002. Being an olderboat (1972), we decided on a hull andsuperstructure survey omitting rigging,engine, sails, etc., our rationale beingthat if we had a solid foundation wecould, in our own time, build, alter,repair or renew any of the ancillary items.

PROJECTS

Figure 4

Figure 3

2

7

The survey was done without us present, a big mistake.When the boat arrived in Port Stanley, Ontario the boat wasfound to have numerous defects. The most noticeable wasloose stanchions caused by waterlogged and mushy balsacore in the side decks.

Most deck core repairs are done by cutting and lifting theouter fiberglass skins, replacing the balsa core and relami-nating the skins. [Ed: For complete details on this profes-sional repair method refer to DIY 2002-#3 issue or DIY’sMRT “Fiberglass 101” CD-ROM.] Unfortunately, the dam-aged core extended around almost the whole perimeter ofthe decks excepting the bow and the transom. To cut thisout would “take the lid off” and expose the core to the weath-er and no possibility of drying out (I was working outdoors).After considerable thought, I opted for an entirely differentmethod of repair and one, which I consider is now muchstronger than the original design.

Step 1Remove all deck hardware, cleats, stanchions and bases,

label and set aside. Cover all bolt holes and spider crackswith masking tape to seal against further moisture ingress.Mark stanchion positioning on the topsides by the caprailwith tape as their prior positions will not be visible after com-pleting this repair.

Step 2 Using a lightweight ballpeen hammer tap the deck area

and mark the suspect defect areas. Drill test holes to verifythe results. Residue on the drill bit showed deteriorationranging from none to slightly wet to dark and mushy to com-posted wood with cavities.


59

PulpitStanchions

Light and wet

Dark and mushy

Black and hollow

Black and somehollow

Handrailstanchions

VariableVariable

Dark and mushy

Dark and mushy

Stern RailStanchions

All Okay

4 - 8" 4 - 8"

Deck mapping, first by tapping with a ballpeen hammer thendrilled holes in a grid pattern, revealed the perimeter of the dam-aged balsa core.

SA

CH

A


Step 3With the perimeter now marked out,

drill 3/8" (9mm) holes at roughly 2"(5cm) square centers in the mushyspots and 4" (10cm) square centersin the black and hollow sections.

Step 4Drill a series of 1/2" (12mm) diam-

eter holes from underneath in the head-liner around the perimeter of the affect-ed area approximately 6" (15cm) apartto relieve moisture and assist in anyfuture drying process. These holes willbe covered with decorative plastic caps,available in a variety of colors, afterthe decks have completely dried out.

Step 5Inject drilled deck holes with low

expanding foam (canister). Dark watersquirted out in many places both fromthe top and from the dry out holes inthe headliner. To determine the amountof foam to use (too little is better thantoo much), I squirted foam on a boardand found that a six-second spurt pro-duced a 1-1/8" (28mm) foam “worm”about 12" (30cm) long. Not exact sci-

ence, the math worked out toa two-second spurt each onthe smaller grids, four secondson the 4" (10cm) square grid.A week later, I again tappedthe deck to check for remaining softspots (there were none).

Step 6Test the dry out holes in the head-

liner with a paper towel twisted to thepoint and pushed into the holes. Mostwere just damp. Repeating this wet testsix weeks later yielded a dry laminate.

Step 7Cut 1x6 or 1x8 boards to form a

false bulwark or legerboard around thedeck perimeter. I used #2 grade pine,which is easy to cut and bonds wellwith epoxy resin. Boards were cut (seetop left illustration) to obtain the need-ed curve then placed against the toerail and edge fitted using a power handplaner. A router with a 1/2" (12mm)radius cutter finished all inboard edgesto give them an aesthetic appeal andto allow the glass cloth to lay flat (seecross-section above).

Step 8Where the boards fit on deck, pre-

pare the surface by grinding off the


To prevent water from migrating into a cored deck always, mount hardware using the potting technique (refer to DIY 2000-#3 issuefor additional details). (1) Core is drilled with small pilot bit; (2) ream everything out with speedbore drill or small holesaw to removeall material to the depth of the the inner skin; (3) hole plugged with thickened resin mixture; (4) hole redrilled for fastener, hardwareproperly bedded and installed.

Da

vid

Aik

en

Outer skin

Inner skin

Drilledhole

Drill to here only Taped hole

Solid resin “plug”

Redrill for fastener,bed and install hardware

1 2 3 4

Ledgerboards cover stanchion bases,cracks and water-damaged balsa core.

Curve was cut in pine boards and then edge gluedtogether to match curvature of toerail.

Edge B

Edge A

Edge B

Edge A

Edge B

Edge A

TRIM ENDS TO CONNECT

TO NEXT BOARD

Glue Edge A to Edge B

to form shape as shown below

CUT CURVE WITH JIGSAW

New 1 x 6"or 1 x 8"

Toerail

1 x 6 or1 x 8 Section

ThruHull

Fairing

Balsa Core

Dry-out Hole

Deck Screw

3 layers CSMor cloth

Fairing

1 x 6 or1 x 8

Cross-section.

SA

CH

A


Boards glued on and painted.

gelcoat to the fiberglass. Tap the deck and listen for anyhollow areas. Where these exist drill 3/8"- (9mm-) diam-eter holes and fill with low expansion foam (householdtype). Don’t over do it or you’ll lift the deck. Clean off allresidue and wash with solvent or Interlux Solvent Wash202 being careful that it doesn’t run onto the foam.

Step 9Lay down one 8' (2.4m) board at a time. To do this, mix

up a batch of two-part epoxy resin and glue powder to a may-onnaise consistency. Apply a thick layer of this mixture tothe joining surfaces of the deck and board. Lay down oneboard. To secure, drill pilot holes with a 1/16"- (1.5mm-)diameter drill staggered on 9" (22cm) centers and powerscrew the board tight to the deck with rustproof 1-1/2"(38mm) long deck screws (these are green or blue). Besure to countersink the heads. Continue gluing and layingdown boards until the deck is covered.

Step 10Apply three layers of chopped strand mat (CSM) to the

exposed wood. Mix thick glue powder and epoxy resin andapply as a fairing compound to the deck and toerail.

Step 11Grind, fill, fair and sand to finish. Apply two coats of

color-matched polyurethane paint.

Step 12Redrill and rebed stanchion bases and other deck hard-

ware where marked with tape. All were installed using thepotting technique: cut out a 3/4"- (19mm-) diameter plugusing a holesaw, tape the bottom hole, then fill with epoxyresin thickened to a mayonnaise consistency, let cure anddrill holes for fasteners as needed. In all this job involvedabout three weeks continuous work but this is now one verystrong boat. Looks good, too!

— Ivan Forster, “Dreamcatcher,” London, Ontario

protect it from contact with the bracket. Tie a 1/2" (12mm)line to the rib closest to the boat’s center of gravity and windit four times around the pipe then feed it under the bucket.

3 With a helper positioned behind and to the side of thetractor and holding tension on the line, the tractor lifts thegunwale straight up. When the hull starts to slide off theconstruction framework, drive the tractor ahead about 3'(91cm), gently lowering the opposite gunwale onto old cartires. As soon as gravity tries to right the hull, set the tractorbrakes and slowly play out the line, rolling the hull upright.Now block the boat level.

When DIY reader Richard Ross retired from hog farming, hedecided to build a boat, a Glen-L design 27' (8.2m) long, 8-1/2' (2.6m-) wide cruiser. Building the hull upside down, hethen needed to roll it over. He accomplished this with hisfarm tractor, a welded pipe-rope assembly, some old tiresand one assistant. The photos below detail the procedures.

1 To make the bracket, solidly weld a 16" (40cm) piece of2"- (5cm-) diameter pipe to two pieces of angle iron. Boltthis to the tractor loader bucket using 1/2" (12mm) bolts.

2 Clamp a piece of scrap plywood to the boat’s gunwale to


ROLLING A BOAT OVER

1 2 3

Another trim problem specific to planing powerboats isthat of putting too much weight forward. When the boatgets up on plane, the extra weight forward tips the bowdown and the boat comes off plane, which brings the hullback into balance and lets it get up on plane again, butwhen the boat gets onto a plane the bow goes down andso it continues. Ad infinitum. This dynamic aberration iscalled porpoising and can only be eliminated by movingweight farther aft until the boat trims level, both in dis-placement mode (sitting stationary) and in planing mode.

So, how do you determine whether your boat will float level?The easiest way is to put it in the water and adjust weightsuntil you get level trim. When designing a new boat, thedesigner must make special calculations to be applied tothe design in order to achieve proper trim. (In designerterms, the weight times the distance from the LCF givesa moment. When the boat is designed a figure known asthe moment to change trim 1" (MCMT 1") is calculated.By finding the moment of the added weight and dividing itby the MTCT 1" you can calculate how much the boat willchange trim. There are other minor corrections that aremade, too, but beyond the scope of this column.) Thedesigner cannot just design, build, launch and take thechance that the boat will be properly trimmed. Of course,if you want to make the calculations and you do them cor-rectly, you can do the same thing on your restoration proj-ect.

A weight calculation is an estimate of the weight ofevery single piece of material in the boat. It usually takesseveral weeks to complete and is often given to beginning


designers because it’s such an onerous chore. When com-plete, the estimate is compared to previous designs toensure that it is realistic. The finished weight estimateshould be within 2% or 3% of the total boat weight. (That’swhy builders paint the boottop a few inches higher thanthe designed waterline.) A complete weight estimateincludes the vertical and longitudinal center of gravity(VCG and LCG) of each item onboard. This VCG and LCGestimate is used to figure out the stability and trim of thevessel. Of course, when the boat is launched, gear oftenneeds to be moved around, but moving heavy items usu-ally gets very expensive, so it behooves the designer toget it right the first time.

But there’s more if your eyes haven’t glazed over yet.What happens if a new boat is launched and the boatfloats out of trim? In the old days, builders would sur-reptitiously launch the boat before the official launching,check the trim and boottop level, haul the boat, correctany trim problems by putting strategically located lumpsof lead in the bilge, paint the boottop in the right placeand relaunch the boat at the official launching. Today,designers use sophisticated computer programs to deter-mine exactly where the boat should float and builders sur-reptitiously launch the boat, check the trim and boottoplevel, haul the boat, correct any trim problems and soforth. Some things never change.

About the author: Roger Marshall is a boat designer and authorof 12 books on sailing and yacht design. He has a boat designcompany in Rhode Island and is the vice-president of BoatingWriters International.

View From The STERN(continued from page 64)


I once went to a launching where, after the splash, thebow of the boat sank about 5" (12.7cm) below the boot-top and the stern stuck up in the air like a beached whale.The audience gave a collective “oops!” while boatyard work-ers ran around looking for lead ingots.

When you upgrade or modify a boat, it’s easy to forgetabout its trim as you keep adding heavy gear in every oddcorner. For example, you might decide that you need to addanchor chain, a bow roller, bow thruster and two moreanchors to your potential round-the-world cruiser. Do thisand you’ll probably add several hundred pounds of weightto the boat’s bow while removing buoyancy when cuttingout the bow thruster tunnel. That usually adds up to a boatthat floats down by the bow.

All boats, whether they are power or sailboats, are designedto float on a level waterline, unless there are specific reasonsfor unusual trim angles. For a designer, this waterline canbe in the light ship mode: that is, with no crew, fuel, sails,water or provisions onboard. It can also be in the half-loadcondition where half the fuel, water and provisions areaboard with full crew, or in the full load condition, whenall gear, crew and stores are aboard. The half-load condi-tion is the nearest to actual sailing conditions. Ideally theboat should float level under all these conditions, but often,especially if the tanks are forward or aft, the boat goes outof trim from no load to full load condition. Note that leveltrim refers to the attitude of the boat from forward to aft,heel or list refers to the transverse condition and we’ll lookat that in a future column.

So how do you keep your boat in good trim? First, considerwhere you are going to put heavy objects such as anchorchain or batteries. The best idea is to concentrate the majorweights in the middle of the hull. Build your new chainlocker as far aft as possible. In my book, “The CompleteGuide to Cruising a Cruising Sailboat,” I show a chain hawsethat doubles as a forward hatch ladder and helps to get thechain stowed farther aft. Stow your anchors secured belowdeck rather than on the bow when voyaging offshore. (Keepthem on the bow roller when coastal cruising so that youcan drop an anchor when needed or in an emergency.) Thismeans allowing for anchor storage space on deck andinstalling anchor chocks to secure the anchors when not inuse.

When refitting your boat, consider where you are locatinggear. For example, many builders put the fuel tanks out-board of the main engines to keep the heaviest weightslocated near the center of the hull. By concentrating weightsnear the center of flotation you improve the boat’s per-formance throughout its range. Note, that I specify the cen-ter of flotation, not the center of buoyancy. The factor thatcontrols fore-and-aft trim is the location of the longitudinalcenter of the waterplane or the longitudinal center of flota-tion (LCF). In an ideal situation the longitudinal center ofgravity (LCG) sits on top of the LCF. If the LCG moves, dueto filling fuel and water tanks, etc., it moves away from theLCF and the boat changes trim. Buoyancy affects trim onlyin a minor way in that the center of buoyancy may moveslightly due to the change in hull shape and volume. Whereis the center of flotation? You won’t go too far wrong if youassume it’s between 50% and 55% of the waterline lengthaft of the stem at the waterline.

What not to do? If you add an anchor chain and a heavyanchor to the bow of a boat that is not designed for it, youcan put the bow down by a considerable amount. Thismakes it easy for green water to break across the foredeckinstead of keeping the foredeck high and dry. Okay, you say,I’ll just put the dinghy on davits aft to balance the increasedweight forward. Not a good idea. You’ve now hung heavyweights off both ends of the boat. Like a seesaw, a heavyweight at both ends makes the ends go up and down more(pitching) and this motion lessens your enjoyment of yourboat.

View from thethe SternnS

Su

san

Ca

nfi

eld

IS YOUR BOAT IN TRIM? By Roger Marshall

When upgrading your boat’s equipment, theadded weight and, specifically, where you put itcan adversely affect the trim, safety, stability,performance and maneuverability of your boat.

(continued on page 63)

This Defever 49 floats down by the stern with a port list due to thelarge RIB, outboard engine and hydraulic hoist located on its boat deck.In addition, the stern thruster fitted on the lower transom requiresa dedicated battery bank in the lazarette. Other aftermarket instal-lations include a bow thruster (with dedicated battery bank forward),a hydraulic stabilizer system and a second generator at the aft endof the engine room. The resultant added weight and its placementadversely effect stability, performance and maneuverability.

diy boat owner 2004-1 1-888-658-2628 contents 2004-1 ... · adversely affect the trim, safety,...

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