| Falcon's Log 17 |
| August 14, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida Thunder and lightning all around us this morning, but still sunny and hot. A big series of thunder cells are right off the coast. I can't tell yet if they are heading this way or not. They are close, though, so it won't be long before I find out. 1.) Continue with bilge pumps. DONE!!! (almost, really) 2.) Add more electrical wire conduit clips. 3.) Cut down fasteners inside cabin roof to allow installation of insulation. 4.) Wire in VHF Radio and run antenna lead. 5.) Match rudder quadrant stops so they give equal travel both ways. 6.) Install lighter socket in console. 7.) Make final under-floor water system connections. I went outside to get some supplies out of the dock boxes so I can work on the bilge pumps and saw a huge mass of black clouds coming in at us over the Gulf. It is totally overcast now and a cool, awesome breeze is gusting in and saying there WILL be weather following. I secured everything on the docks and covered the toolboxes with tied-on tarps, took down the awning and moved the power tools and some other stuff inside, where I can use it to work today. I love the cool air - okay, allow me to define 'cool' as being less than 85 degrees - but the weather is really only a mild inconvenience today. I got the first pump installed and will now do the second. The storms have all moved straight north along the coast and while it is still overcast a bit cooler than the daily life-sapping heat wave, we have not yet felt a drop of rain. Why am I talking like Stewie on Family Guy? Hmmm. Too much TV. Maybe I'm preparing for a move to England where I will dazzle the local ladies with my cool accent. Yeah, probably not. With three of the four bilge Items installed, I'm getting anxious to get the last on in so I can re-install the engine. I may have to have it in place to safely route the bilge pump piping and secondary pumps around the transmission and prop shaft. It's going to be crowded in there and I don't want interference conflicts to twist the whole project into 'cocked hat', as the bad guy said in 'Ronin'. Ahhh. It's movies. Fair enough. Back to work. |
| And now, for those of you patiently awaiting tropical vistas and glorious sunsets, another tedious, boring set of incoherent technical shots of who cares what for no good reason other than, 'it is how I spent this day'. I have completely lost count of how many times I wrestled these four items in and out of the bilge - a bilge that is too deep for me to touch the bottom of, just 'by the way' - before I settled on, built and installed each unit. The picture to the left shows the connections still left to be filled by the secondary pumps. The two aiming straight at each other are the 2000 system and the ones on opposite sides are the 3500 system. I think I'm almost there. The bracket hanging down on the two bolts is what I put there today to support the secondary 3500 pump. I'm not sure yet what I'll do to support the secondary 2000 unit. It looks like it's clearing outside. It never rained a drop here. Back to the bilge. It would be good to get this done. |
| Done! The bilge pumps are all plumbed in and mounted! Of course, I have to pull the secondary pumps back out tomorrow to seal the innovative inlet snorkels I designed and attached to the bottoms. Yes, that's right. They rock. They are the single development item that made the cascading pumps possible. I should write it up and post it on the site somewhere, but it would REALLY be a good idea to make sure it works as expected first. After sealing the pumps and re-installing them, I'll need to complete the wiring as far as possible. Shortly after re-installing the engine, it will be time to design and build an electrical distribution panel and get it painted and installed and complete the entire wiring of the boat. Easy to say. We'll see how it goes. Getting item #2 on the list is another part of it. Once all the clips I'm going to use are installed, I can just run all the wires and label every one. That will make connections clean and straight forward, though certain systems will still need some sorting out. I will begin by getting all the engine, charging, and running systems done so the boat is 100% operational, regardless if all the accessory AC, music and interior lighting circuits are complete. Or even the watermaker, for that matter. It can wait. |
| And finally, even though this has already been a long post, sunset shots. |
| August 15, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida It is 6:30 AM and I am up and feeling fine. The disease is on the run and I am getting back to my regular self. There are still some lingering symptoms, but not much. I am going to do the sealing on the secondary pumps this morning and get the wiring squared away. Last night I ordered five 40-60 amp 12volt relays and the sockets to handle the loading of the paired pumps without over-stressing the Rule Super float switches. While researching the current draw on the Rule pumps, I discovered that Rule actually makes a spigot-in/ spigot-out 3800 pump. Cool. It costs over $200 with tax and shipping, so I'm still way ahead on this project. 1.) Finish bilge pumps. Done 2.) Add more electrical wire conduit clips. 3.) Cut down fasteners inside cabin roof to allow installation of insulation. Done 4.) Wire in VHF Radio and run antenna lead. 5.) Match rudder quadrant stops so they give equal travel both ways. 6.) Install lighter socket in console. 7.) Make final under-floor water system connections. Done 8.) Install engine. I can't help making the lists right now. I'm getting a lot done and I really have a lot to do. I spoke with Kirrill in San Francisco on the phone last night. Kirrill is my old roommate from the Air Force before I went to Viet Nam. We still keep in touch. It would be good to get together in the future and we're looking forward to it. It's 10 AM and the pumps have been removed, sealed and re-installed. I have to take a break now and do up a schematic on Corel Draw so I'm not muddling with the wiring. It's a bit complex, considering all the components and options I'd like to keep open - you know, manual AND automatic functions; high water alarm; electric panel operation as well as a console switch. |
| That's the schematic. After lunch I'll start the wiring. I might also do the other items on the list that are in the console. The radio and lighter socket. Another item done. All the long fasteners (77 of them) have now been cut down to size so the insulation (already cut) can be put up in the cabin ceiling. |
| Above are some of the 77 bolts that had to be cut off on the cabin ceiling. To the left are the last of the under-sole water connections. I am getting close to finishing off many of the large jobs on the boat. We had a sweet squall line come through, complete with near lightning strikes, power outages, torrential rain and gale force winds. It lasted about twenty minutes or so. I buttoned up the boat and did the water connections. Now - thank God - I have it opened up again so I can have some air down here. Well, cool air. You know what I mean. I did a lot of cleaning up inside the boat today and I still have a lot to go. The problem is that I have to move the extra stuff around from spot to spot to make room. Tomorrow I'm going to put a lot of my extra clothes into those vacuum bags that only work for a couple of days and move them into the truck. I hope the weather lets me work outside on the console tomorrow. We had several squall attacks today - feeder bands off some low hanging around the Keys somewhere. Anyway, things are moving well and I am enjoying getting things done. I also realized I still have some of the water system to do, but it's in the head - where there is no head - and that's why I have to get the extra clothes out of the boat - they're stored in the head. |
| August 16, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida Getting a bit of a late start today. I was awakened at 3 AM by Carol Ann being towed back in by SeaTow. She was sailing with Jamie, Robert and Roberts brother, whose name I can't remember, and they lost their rudder effect. They said they grounded somewhere and afterwards the rudder had little effect on the steering, so, not having a steerable outboard - the motor is fitted inboard in a hole too small to allow turning - they had no choice but to call for a tow. I can't quite figure it out. The rudder looks fine. They may have had the sail trim totally cattywampus and been trying to pinch up much harder than the boat could take. I have also been doing a bit of cleaning and sorting here inside. I'm glad I did. I found some stuff I'd forgotten that I had and I can use it right now. The weather is still suspect outside - cloudy, windy and not looking very good. I just got a call from Donny and Barb. They are in Boca Raton motoring up the Intracoastal and trying to stay ahead of the two storms making news in the Mid Atlantic Region. They will be stopping at the Space Coast to watch the Space Shuttle launch on the 25 of this month. It's scheduled for sometime in the dead of night, so it should be pretty exciting to watch. I hope they have clear skies. On with the list. 1.) Add more electrical wire conduit clips. 2.) Wire in VHF Radio and run antenna lead. 3.) Match rudder quadrant stops so they give equal travel both ways. 4.) Install lighter socket in console. 5.) Install engine. Done |
| Here is the new, improved version of the bilge pump wiring. I found a nice, big terminal strip with six contacts and opted for that over the smaller, 8-lug version. I also added a background color and slobbered a little of the color palate around the rest of the drawing. I can't help it - I like pretty pictures. I will go as far as possible with the wiring and include a shot, but will have to wait for the relays to arrive prior to finishing the job. Meanwhile, I'm very tempted to put the engine back in place - as soon as I finish the last of the bilge pump connections. |
| And there is the bilge pump wiring. All the device wires are run through one of the 'Chinese Handcuffs' woven wire looms that Don Capron gave me a while back. Check this: the section he gave me was EXACTLY long enough and ONE hole in it EXACTLY where the secondary wires needed to enter. That Don is BRILLIANT!! Okay, time for some Tiger Woods golf (the PGA Championship) and then some clean up and maybe even installing the engine. |
| And that's the name of THAT tune. The engine is in. It's a straight ahead procedure anyway - block and tackle and pure grunt. It just takes a bit of care and finesse, and a willingness to hold onto the lift rope for ten minutes at a time, like, twice. After that, it's all wiggle and shake, not unlike faking a seizure to escape a traffic ticket. I'll do the alignment and bolt it in tomorrow. Then add 'Install Balmar Regulator' to the list. It's the big regulator for my 130 amp alternator. |
| August 17, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida Eddie and Sandy were here yesterday evening to check the condition of their reefers. They lost power a couple of weeks ago and inside the units smells like road kill, so they're going through the steps to try to alleviate that. They also wanted to make sure I was ready for a smoked venison barbecue on Tuesday night. I'm ready. Now I just have to wait for 36 hours. On to the list. And, try not to add things I KNOW I can't get to today. 1.) Finish engine installation and alignment. Done. 2.) Add more electrical wire conduit clips. 3.) Wire in VHF Radio and run antenna lead. 4.) Match rudder quadrant stops so they give equal travel both ways. 5.) Install lighter socket in console. I am also making another wiring diagram - the one for the steering console. I like the first one so much, I figure I should have a whole series of them in my Ship's Papers, or when the Alzhiemers catches up with me I won't be able to fix anything. I also need to gather ALL my equipment manuals and papers into one, organized file, somewhere. I may have to buy a special briefcase. |
| I started this Console Wiring last night and finished it today. It does occur to me that I can easily document all the wiring in the boat in much the same way. I guess once I have all the drawings I need in 'Play School' fashion like these, I can consolidate them into a single, large schematic whose only intention can be to boggle the mind and make trouble shooting nightmarish if not impossible. Still, I like to please everyone. These colorful ones are easy in CorelDraw. They just take a little time. I just finished the engine alignment and final bolt down to the beds and up to the propeller shaft flange. I'm re-assured that my worry about it being a hard, hot job was for good reason, because it was a hard, hot job. But it's done. I still have all the hook-ups to do - the control cables, the exhaust, the big battery cables, the fuel and the wiring harness, all coming to the final touchy item, the Balmar regulator. Oh, yeah, the raw water, too. Then, the rest of the list above and add some new items. I still have a bunch of wiring to do before I can fire up the engine, but it's coming along and I'm satisfied. I'm tired tonight. It's only 5:45 PM and I thought I would be doing more, but I worked hard all day and the last bit wore me down to a nub. I cleaned out the whole head and stuffed most of my clothes into |
| plastic vacuum bags and moved them to the truck. The bags are pretty impressive the way the crush down to a shriveled prune under the draw of my 6 1/2 HP Shop Vac, but I decided not to put them into any dresser-type drawers just in case they liked to 'grow' back to pre-suck size in the dark of night. Sure enough, after a few weeks, they completely lose their vacuum. Fair enough. At least they make it easy to get the clothes moved and keep them clean. I've been vacuuming and cleaning everything inside the boat and juggling everything in my head as far as what has to be done first and how to do it. The lists actually help a lot. It makes me feel like 'people are watching and they'll know I'm a lazy dog if I don't get it done'. So I get it done. I still have too much to do to think about. |
| August 18, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida It's 5 AM and I've been up since 3:30. Just woke up wide awake, so I got up, made coffee and started doing a few computer jobs while I listen to music. I have some pretty big music files on the computer and have my favorites (sort of) separated into two files of the exact same songs, only one is listed by Artist and the other by Song. I sometimes STILL can't find the song I'm looking for. My 'favorite' files are 3600 tunes and I'm always adding a song or two from Amazon MP3 Downloads. Which reminds me - I got one two days ago that needs to be entered to the favorite files. Okay, done. Took almost a minute. The hurricane threat is gone, but we might still have periods of rain. It's a bit of a pain in the ass, but I'm working inside now, so no big deal. I had a long phone conversation with my son Matt on Sunday. My kids are the best. They really are. I know a lot of parents feel that way, but I also know a lot don't and I've seen why. My kids are the best. Now I have to get the publishing going and get rich and give it to them so they can afford to put me in an old folks home when the times comes so I can dodder into walls and poo in diapers with the best of them. Yeah, that's the ticket. Tapioca for dinner. On to the list. 1.) Wire in engine and connect cables. In Progress 2.) Install the rest of the wire clips. In Progress 3.) Install lighter socket in console and wire to radio and lead cable back. 4.) Match rudder quadrant stops (I'll be there doing #3 above). 5.) Install buss bar distribution bars and big ground bar. In Progress 6.) Install fuel filter and fuel lines. 7.) Install Balmar Regulator. That's actually a do-able list for today - unless getting up this early causes sudden spells of dozing. |
| The work on Sunday really must have taken it out of me, though I couldn't tell by waking up at 3:30 AM Monday. Looking back, I realize that brief period of rest was only the extended nap I should have taken Sunday to recoup. I started working diligently this morning with all intentions of completely the list, when Geoff came and asked me if I wanted to take a ride to Sarasota to a sailmaker, where he needed to drop off a jib for a new furling line and a cover sock, then over to visit with Pat and Red Dog for a few minutes, then to the Russian food scratch and dent for groceries. Great - let's go. When I got back, a once again dove in and struggled to get some stuff done, but by 3:30 PM, I was ready for a nap. Couldn't do it. A wild front came through with violent winds and VERY CLOSE lightning strikes. BIG ONES!! When I finally began to doze a bit, Eddie banged on my boat and got me up. I talked with him as it drizzled on us and we decided to call off the venison feed for the evening, as the gnats were have quite a feast on us. I called George Pappas and cancelled, then tried to get some rest. Geoff came back over and tried to be quiet, thinking I was probably resting, but I was already wide awake so I went back outside. An hour later, Eddie came over and announced the feed was back on. I called George and he was sitting in a restaurant eating, so I gave him Jammer's New Mexico number and had him call, as that is what I promised Jammer yesterday. Then I ate, took pictures, slapped at bugs and went home. I know this all sounds like I'm writing it on Tuesday night, but it's really Wednesday morning. That's how I warp the time/space continuum. I was too tired last night. |
| August 19, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida Okay, it's still Wednesday morning and I'm getting in gear. I didn't wake up this morning until almost 8 AM. It was great. I needed the rest. I actually woke up thinking I hadn't accomplished a thing on the boat yesterday, but that's not true - I did make headway on three of the items on the list and also got some computer work done and got a good start on the engine panel wiring drawing. I'll just copy the whole list here again and continue on. 1.) Wire in engine and connect cables. In Progress 2.) Install the rest of the wire clips. In Progress 3.) Install lighter socket in console and wire to radio and lead cable back. 4.) Match rudder quadrant stops (I'll be there doing #3 above). 5.) Install buss bar distribution bars and big ground bar. In Progress 6.) Install fuel filter and fuel lines. 7.) Install Balmar Regulator. Okay, it's like this: I have spent WAY too much time in the past two weeks hanging into my dock boxes fishing for hardware that I dumped into the box a couple of months ago. I had about ten or fifteen 5 gallon buckets filled with all kinds of parts, pieces, nuts and bolts, hanging around the dock, the truck, and the boat. I finally got so sick of shuffling them around and fishing through them, that I just emptied them into a dock box and tossed the empty pails. I'm not sorry, I swear it, but now I have to dig all that crap out of the box, sort some of it out (that I might, or already DO, need) and chuck the rest. Read 'chuck' as 'give away' or 'deposit on the last chance shelf'. The VERY FIRST thing I was doing today was clawing through that crap on the bottom of the box to find something I KNEW I had and couldn't find. But now it's past 1 PM and I need to get to the mechanical stuff on the engine. Oh, yeah, I also did a lot of cleaning up of the stuff I've been tossing out of the boat and into the cockpit. The cockpit needs to be clean and clear for me to do the list items out there. I'm having lunch right now. Right after I ate I went back to work sorting the tones of gear out on the dock, then took a run to Walmart for a few things I needed. Brown paper to make the patterns for the fiberglass panels on several of the bulkheads in the head and against the after cabin wall - maybe some more places as well, but those are important so I can continue to finish the water system and get it on line. I also got a small locking box for the stack of Index cards that I have with addresses and other stuff. The lock was incidental - I really only wanted the solid box instead of the plastic one. I also needed some super glue, mashed potatoes thumb tacks and a straw hat that I'm hoping will protect me from the sun a little better. While finishing up cleaning out the dockbox, then re-loading it with a bunch of stuff that is big, but still needs to be sorted and tossed, I became weak and dizzy and felt like I suddenly needed to either fall flat on my face or take a quick nap. I elected the nap option and went inside to lie down in front of a fan and drank a quart of water. In ten minutes I felt fine again and went back outside. Too much sun and not enough water. I got a lot done today but wasn't able to nick the list, though I actually added a few things to it and made serious progress on them. Eddies and Sandy were also on their way to eat (unbeknown to me [you just NEVER get to say unbeknown any more]), and we stopped into the Golden Corral, where Carol Ann was at work. Good food, excellent company, great waitress. |
| August 20, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida I may have gone a bit overboard with longish posts on this page. It looks like I'll only get 7 days on it. It's okay - I've got all the room in the world and there is a lot going on right now. It's a little exciting and I like it. 1.) Wire in engine and connect cables. 2.) Install the rest of the wire clips. Done 3.) Install lighter socket in console and wire to radio and lead cable back. Done 4.) Match rudder quadrant stops (I'll be there doing #3 above). Done 5.) Install buss bar distribution bars and big ground bar. 6.) Install fuel filter and fuel lines. 7.) Install Balmar Regulator. 8.) Make patterns for fiberglass panels. 9.) Cut edge battens for cabin roof. Done I still have some sorting and cleaning up to do before I can swing back into the boat work, but it's all going well. It's 10:40 AM and I'm inside for a snack and to get a couple of parts. The sorting went very well and I've 'ratcheted up' the willingness to simply toss into the trash handfuls of unneeded crap. I'd saved SO MUCH stuff 'in case' I might someday need it and those opportunities have passed. There is some thoughts that someone else might want the stuff, but the very best of it will visit the last chance rack before going to live permanently in a landfill. 1:15 PM and all the console work is done except running back the antenna cable - because I JUST remembered it. No problem. I'll add it to the list later on along with 'Lead all mast wiring through cabin roof and seal', because until I do that, there is nowhere to connect the other end of the VHF antenna cable. 4 PM and just finished some business for Espin. He has apparently sold the Southern Cross 31 and is busy emptying it out. He's up in Pensacola. He needed me to go get his mail and go through it with him. I set up the Bluetooth and used it. I'm still not entirely comfortable with it, but it works fine. Now to get something else done as fast as possible. It is now 7:15 PM and I'm done for the day. Good day. Got a lot done. See you tomorrow. |
| August 21, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida Fabulous morning outside. I've only been up since 6 AM but have already cleaned up some of the dock, picked a few magazines and Practical Sailors from a new stack someone left in the laundry room and made coffee. I'm switching to black coffee with sugar - the creamer is expensive and I'm not at all sure it's something I really want to be eating - most people say 'No, don't use it', so I'm going to finish my last container and chuck it. Ahhh, the list. 1.) Wire in engine and connect cables. 2.) Install buss bar distribution bars and big ground bar. 3.) Install fuel filter and fuel lines. 4.) Install Balmar Regulator. 5.) Make patterns for fiberglass panels. 6.) Bring mainmast wiring through cabin roof. Done 7.) Find and gather all equipment spec sheets and instructions. ( I can't do the Balmar until I locate the wiring diagram that came with it. ) 8.) Install the VHF Radio antenna cable. Done 9.) Install second bilge pump light in engine instrument pane. Done Okay, this is a secret, so don't tell anyone. I came upon this roll of material back in the corner of one of those 'Thrift', 'Goodwill' type stores, and bought it for $18. The tag said it was 38 inches wide and that there were 6 yards. The material is 60 inches wide with a print width of 58 inches, so who knows how much is there, really. Anyway, it looks like the wallpaper on a French Cathouse and I have always, always wanted to live in a French Cathouse. Well, when I was 15. Anyway, when I bought it I had no idea what I would do with it, I just had to have it. I sort of thought it would make a good mattress cover, but other than that, gave it little thought. Now, however, as I'm getting ready to complete the cabin ceiling ( I KNOW it's really called something else - I just can't remember right now ) and finish it and some of the bulkheads in a light tan Naugahyde, or vinyl - whatever - I can't tell the difference, I suddenly realized that the material might look excellent paneled on the deck-house inner walls, where the portholes are. I could get door skin, the VERY thin plywood, make patterns, cut the door skin perfectly, sand the edges round ( takes NO time at all ), then carefully glue the material to the door skin panels, wrapping the cloth around all the edges. I think it'll look great and carry the 'Old Classic' look of Falcon inside. |
| Oh, yes, I know, now all YOU guys want some, too. Can't help you. That's all I have and I'll be using every scrap. I think. We'll see. Time to get to work. I just figured out why these logs are so long - I need to get out of the heat, drink something and rest a bit, so I sit down and do this while I'm doing that. I got the wiring on the radio squared away and bored the necessary holes to run the antenna cable and also to bring the mainmast wiring in. I'm almost done with all of that, but working in tiny areas in this heat is tiring. Finished ( completely ) the VHF radio antenna and connected it ( mainmast wiring is now inside ) and am temporarily through working in those tiny, hot areas. It's noon but I can't eat yet. There is a merciful cool air storm raging just inland and it is providing the coast with occasional cool breezes. |
| And now for something completely different - in a way. I recently ordered an AC Ammeter for the face of the electrical distribution panel I'm going to have to start building soon. I have to have some reliable method of determining what devices are using what power so I can adjust my use of the onboard resources and not have to run my engine every day to charge the batteries. So, I ordered a meter from Allied Electronics - incredible price and good name - and it came yesterday. Wrong item. I got confused ( not entirely my fault ) and accidentally ordered the DC item instead. So, back to the site I go and look over some more equipment and make a critical decision. I also ordered an AC Ammeter ( again, only this time, I got the numbers right ) an AC Voltmeter, a DC Ammeter, and two DC Voltmeters (one each for the engine house busses ). Another hundred bucks. Oh, well. Not bad. I'm cleaning up inside and getting other stuff done for the rest of the day. It's 3:15 PM and I've had to clean up outside and prepare for that violent storm to stampede over us. It might not, but I can't let my tools and stuff lay around and hope. I might be done the big stuff for the day. |
| August 22, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida I'm getting a bit of a late start on the computer this morning. Once again, I woke up at 3 AM and got up, but this time, after doing email and a little web research, I went back to bed and slept until 7:30 AM. Then I kind of swung into things, as it were. I'm still doing that sort of stuff, cleaning up in the boat, sorting things out and preparing for big work in here. Once again, money looms it's ugly ( ugly when you're poor, stunning when you're rich ) head. Fortunately, my savings for haul-out are good enough to dip into as and when needed. The forward area of the boat - I'm finding plenty of time to think as I sort through stuff - is a complex logistics problem of what must be done and what can be done first, second, etc. The very WORST job of all, constructing the holding tank, is REALLY demanding that it be completed prior to mounting the hot water heater, which needs to be in place to complete the water plumbing. I also need to make the pattern for the head/shower wall and install the fiberglass paneling prior to installing the shower/head water manifold. Rats. That's it. As soon as I finish around the engine area, before I do the electrical, I have to make that holding tank. Then I can install all that other stuff, including the head, shower, macerator, deck pump-out, holding tank vent and finally, the head door. The list. 1.) Wire in engine and connect cables. Done 2.) Install buss bar distribution bars and big ground bar. 3.) Install fuel filter and fuel lines. 4.) Install Balmar Regulator. 5.) Make patterns for fiberglass panels. 6.) Find and gather all equipment spec sheets and instructions. Done ( I can't do the Balmar until I locate the wiring diagram that came with it. ) Done 7.) Make and install 4 special hangers for aft water tanks. Done Made it through the stacks of paperwork onboard and found the Balmar manual, along with a hundred other things, including the renewal form for my documentation which is due bu August 31, 2009. By a stroke of luck, I also found the stamps to stick on it. That will be going out today. I added the hangers for the aft water tanks because the parts were right there on the table and I could get it out of the way right now, so I did. Time to eat. Went to Ace and got grommets and metric bolts and now my belt guard on the engine is finally secured with all four bolts instead of just two. Only 20 years or so to fix that item. I also did some more engine wiring and ordered stuff for the holding tank. I'll do more engine wiring and the big cables and some other stuff before quitting for the day, but it's already 6:30 PM. I got everything done on the engine except the shift cable. I'll make that a separate item tomorrow. It's almost 9 PM. Enough for today. Some things take longer than others, but I'm not just working flat out. Jim from the 30 foot Morgan Motorsailer came over and talked for a while and some things, well, I'm improving as I go. |
| August 23, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida It's 5:40 AM and I've slept enough. Long work days - even though I'm not actually thrashing like crazy all day - and poor TV programing lead to early nights. I turned in at 9:30 last night and I tend to drop right off. I should start right off with attaching the shift cable this morning, then do more wiring in and around the engine room. I might also want to try doing something with the 'drier' pump I'm thinking about installing just aft of the raw water inlet that will put a rigid tube at the lowest part of the bilge and will be able to suck it completely dry. The reason for that is smell - I don't want any bad smells in the boat, and the average bilge eventually smells like an open sewer if you can't clean it and pump it dry. I have the pump and it's not a big deal. 1.) Connect engine shift cable. Done 2.) Install buss bar distribution bars and big ground bar. Done 3.) Install fuel filter and fuel lines. Working 4.) Install Balmar Regulator. 5.) Make patterns for fiberglass panels. 6.) Connect Exhaust! (forgot) Done I made a water system diagram this morning. It was way to early to start work, so I did that instead. |
| The lines are not to my liking. I have to get into the Corel Draw and find out how to make lines between 2 and 8. I would like the water lines to be about twice as big as they are. And you'd think I'd remember that black print on a red background doesn't work here for some reason. I'll make the corrections later. On with the list. Okay, I changed it and I'll bet no one even saw the other version. Geoff also recommends that I put another sediment filter between the manifold and the Groco pump to prevent damage to the vanes in the pump and clogging of the pressure switch. It's a good idea so I'll do it. Now I have to rework the whole drawing ( almost ) again. Okay, that's it. I'm getting better at this. It took all of about ten minutes. The big ground buss bar has been a different problem. It is a solid copper bar about 16 or 18 inches long, 1/4 inch thick and an inch wide. It's been used before so there are holes all over it. You'll see a picture. Anyway, I went for larger cable bolts and bigger circuit screws, meaning lots of drilling and tapping. It took over an hour and my miserable and rust taps died like flies. I just barely made it through. Now, I have to cut a starboard backplate, attach it, and mount the bar in the engine room. 'Engine room' may not be the right name. I got stuck in there this morning and almost had to shred my shorts to get out. The crotch of my pants got caught on the alternator mount. |
| I forgot to drill the 4 mounting holes in the starboard baseplate for the ground buss bar. It will only take a minute. On the left is one of the 4 hangers I made to secure the top ends of the aft water tanks. They are attached to the bottom of the 5 inch bolts that secure the toe rails. The real purpose of using the little blocks is as chafe protection. I mean, there they were on the table without a use in the world except potential landfill. Bingo, last chance to avoid the great smelly abyss. Donny and Barb just called as I was putting away the tools on the dock before this nasty cell heading our way gets here. They were approaching their anchorage in Titusville where they intend to stay and watch the nighttime launch of the Space Shuttle. We were both busy and will call back at 3 PM, when they are anchored and I am relaxing and watching golf. The big buss bar is finished and installed. Now, I'm reconfiguring the fuel filter/tank selector switch locations to make it easier to deal with. I'll be installing it at the same time. I've gotten a lot of good work done today. The tank selector fuel valve is now mounted ( nicely ) in the battery switch box/step. There is only one more item going in there - the windlass circuit breaker. I'm mounting the fuel filter in a completely different location as well. It will now be on the back of the engine instrument panel, to the left, and high enough to service and see easily. It's 6:30 PM now and it's been a full day of work. Tomorrow will be another day. See you then. Couldn't stop. Just struggled for 45 minutes, but got the fuel filter mounted solidly. Tomorrow I'll finish the fuel plumbing and fill and bleed the system, then on to completing the console to engine wiring, the Balmar regulator, and fire up the engine. |
| August 24, 2009 - Seafood Shack Marina - Cortez, Florida Once in a great while I can't fall asleep at night. Some people say, 'Well, you were over-tired, or drank coffee, or ate a chocolate energy bar', but I know the truth. It's because yesterday I said, 'I fall right off to sleep'. I'm telling you, it's no wonder people believe in Horoscopes and Palm Readers. Anyway, I fell off sometime between 12:30 and 1 AM and woke up at 7 AM, so, good enough. I have to add something to the list that I just noticed yesterday. I extended the pressure control switch on the Groco pump to facilitate mounting it under the sink. I cut the wires in the process and now they need to be extended and connected. 1.) Install fuel filter and fuel lines. Done 2.) Install Balmar Regulator. Done 3.) Make patterns for fiberglass panels. 4.) Connect Groco pressure switch. 5.) Install terminal strip for cockpit speakers. Done 6.) Hang top corners of aft water tanks. 7.) Connect console/engine wiring. Done I asked Donny and Barb if it would be alright to assemble a few pages and post their letters to me as they cruise. The E-mails are mostly pictures with descriptions by Barbara, and I thought some of the readers would enjoy them. |
| The fuel system is done, though not filled and bled yet, but I need to get on to other things before that. I want to get the electrical done in this area so I can locate, install and connect the Balmar regulator. Geoff and Henry were supposed to leave at 'first light' this morning, but they ( read 'Geoff' ) are struggling with some battery and electrical issues. Geoff and Henry finally got out of here. I bled the fuel system and the engine will soon be ready to fire. I just need to complete the console to engine wiring and the Balmar. Okay, all the instrument and console wiring is completed. All that is left before firing the engine up is the Balmar Regulator, so it's time to swing right into it. I also need to make a nice heavy jumper to go from the ground buss to the multiple grounds of all the bilge pumps. Still waiting on the relays, but it's not a problem or a rush. IT'S ALIVE!!! Okay, actually, it's still a boat - but I JUST shut the engine off after two years ( or more ) of silence. One tiny water leak - fixed in a minute, loose clamp - and lot of cranking and bleeding - air in the lines, but it seems okay now. I'll go over everything as I get closer to leaving. I was in a hurry to run it today, so I forgot to install the jumpers to activate the Tachometer and both voltmeters. Easy and I'll have them done by tonight when I test out the instrument lights and dimmer. Oh, yeah, and the compass light and GPS. It's 7:15 PM and I might not be back here tonight. But the engine is running. :-) Oh, yeah. Okay, I'm back. I ran all the wires I had to and also the main ground for the instrument panel. Everything works. Everything. I have to adjust the tach - it has a rotary switch or two on the back - but other than that, I'm very happy. |