This guy hung out in the ferry path for 30 minutes. It drew quite a crowd but seemed to know when it was time to head north.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Humpback whale off Kingston
This guy hung out in the ferry path for 30 minutes. It drew quite a crowd but seemed to know when it was time to head north.
Yanmar 3GM30 Maintenance
This beauty was installed in October 2001 replacing the Palmer P60 gas engine. I paired the transmission with a 3-blade 13in fixed propeller. It will run all day at 2800rpm burning only 0.6 gal per hr. With a 27 gallon fuel tank, that's approximately 45hrs of run time between fuel ups. It has definitely made cruising a pleasure.
Type: Vertical, fresh water cooled, 4-cycle diesel engine
Model: 3GM30(F)
Cylinders: 3
Continuous output rating: 17.7kW (24PS)/3400min-1
Maximum output: 19.9kW (27PS)/3600min-1
Engine oil capacity: 2.7L DElo 400 SAE Viscosity 30W
Clutch oil: 0.3L SAE Viscosity #30
Fuel filter: Racor 500FGSS (new 2016)
Yammer built the 3GM30 from 1983-2005.
Maintenance/Upgrade Log
2018 (1741hrs)
- Rigging inspection
- Valve Adjustment
- Raw water pump
- Rear main seal/bearing
- Crankshaft rear seal
- Engine alignment
- Replace fuel lines on engine and engine fuel filter housing
- Drained coolant and changed out coolant hoses and clamps, refilled system with fresh Yanmar coolant
- Changed lube oil and filter
- Changed air filter
- Changed transmission oil
- Fuel lift pump gasket
- Thermostat
- Adjusted throttle cable tension
- Fuel Lift Pump
- Oil/Filter
- Racor 30micron primary and secondary filter
- Galley Spray Faucet
- Galley Water Filter
- Head Faucet
- LED Cabin lights
- Zinc on shaft (May)
- Fuel Lift Pump
- Dodger/Bimini Connector Panel
- 3 Small Forward Portside Portlights
- Traveller blocks and lead lines
2017
- Oil/Filter
- Racor 10micron filter
- Autopilot
- Windless
- Solar
- Bimini
- Zinc on shaft
2016
- Oil/Filter
- Racor 10micron filter
- Dodger
2015
- Oil/Filter
- Racor 10micron filter
- Racor Assembly
2014
- Oil/Filter
- Racor 10micron filter
- Exhaust Elbow
2013
- Oil/Filter
- Racor 10micron filter
- Raw Water Pump/impeller
2012
- Oil/Filter
- Racor 10micron filter
2011
- Oil/Filter
- Racor 10micron filter
- Timing Gear Case Seal
2010
- Oil/Filter
- Racor 10micron filter
- Raw Water Impeller
2009
- Oil/Filter
- Racor 10micron filter
- Raw Water Impeller
2005
- Raw Water Impeller
2004
- xxx
2003
- xxx
2002
- Valve Adjustment
2001
- Yanmar 3GM30F
Monday, May 29, 2017
2017 Haulout - Edmonds
7 days on the hard in the Port of Edmonds this year. Edmonds was a little more expensive but it's 30 minutes from home, 5 minutes from Gallagher's, and made it easier to get help on the windless and fairing out the hull. Thanks Lar!
Waxing and gellcoat fixes
A 45 year old boat is tough to make look like new. I've not been super attentive with waxing and gelcoat repair. I figure I can always get to this later, but later never seems to come. When I finally do commit to a shining boat, here's what I'll do...
Repair the gelcoat (from Practical Sailor)
Enter the Preval Sprayer. It's quick to set up and clean, and provides adequate coverage in a single application. Best of all, it's available in auto supply stores and hardware for just $7, so when you are done with it, you can just throw it away.
The Preval Sprayer is not a new product. It has been used for many years by boatbuilders and boatyards to do spot repairs to gelcoat. It's not economical even for a yard to do minor cosmetic repairs with a big, compressor-driven industrial spray gun. Not only is the setup and cleanup time-consuming, but large spray guns require a relatively large quantity of gelcoat to operate, which is wasteful when doing touch-up work. For an extra $3, the Preval comes with its own 16-ounce paint jar that screws onto the base of the propellant can. However, we don't recommend buying the paint jar. It is too big for gelcoat work, as it requires nearly 2 ounces of liquid to keep the stem of the propellant can immersed. This is 2 ounces that you cannot afford to waste.
Instead, use an unwaxed paper cup. Just stick the stem of the propellant can in a corner of the cup as you spray. You must be careful to keep the stem immersed in gelcoat, or the sprayer will sputter and splatter. You must also be careful not to tilt the propellant can more than 60 degrees, or the spray will come out in large droplets. As long as these two precautions are followed, the Preval appears to do just as good a job as the more expensive and time-consuming Badger Air Brush.
The Preval will spray 16 ounces of liquid with a full can of propellant. This means you can re-use it for several gelcoat repairs before you toss it.
However, you must carefully clean it after every use. Cleaning is a quick three-step procedure: First, stick the stem in acetone and spray for a few seconds. Then clean the strainer on the bottom of the stem by inverting the propellant can, putting your finger over the spray button orifice to create back pressure, and give it a few quick bursts.
As a final precaution, stick the stem back in acetone and spray it through the system for a few more seconds. When buying gelcoat, it's best to check first with the builder of your boat, because he is most likely to have colors that match, or give you the information you need to make a match. Mini-craft of Florida offers an extensive supply of gelcoats and pigments, as well as its own color-matching service. You can also find pigments at retailers like West Marine, Defender, or Jamestown Distributors or your local boatyard. Be aware that some of the so-called "gelcoat repair kits" sold at retailers are not formulated in the same way as your original gelcoat, and will not deliver the same finish. Mini-craft or a local fiberglass supply house is a better source.
As with any gelcoat job, the surface must be perfectly faired with auto body and/or lacquer putty, or fairing compound before spraying. The gelcoat must be thinned slightly with reducer to spray evenly (although acetone is often recommended from thinning, it will cause the finish to more quickly lose its brightness, color, and gloss).
You can't forget to coat the wet gelcoat with PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) or it won't dry tack free. PVA is available from Evercoat and others and is easily sprayed over your repair with the Preval. It cleans with water.
After the gelcoat is dry, you must sand it with 260-grit wet/dry paper, then with 400 and 600 grit, and finally, buff it with polishing compound.
For more on gelcoat repair and fixing just about anything else on your old boat, Don Casey’s "This Old Boat," is a great resource. And my recent blog post on fiberglass polishing links to various Practical Sailor tests of articles on cleaning, protect, and maintain gelcoat.
Shopping list:
Note to self: Re-watch the process in this West Marine video
Repair the gelcoat (from Practical Sailor)
Enter the Preval Sprayer. It's quick to set up and clean, and provides adequate coverage in a single application. Best of all, it's available in auto supply stores and hardware for just $7, so when you are done with it, you can just throw it away.
The Preval Sprayer is not a new product. It has been used for many years by boatbuilders and boatyards to do spot repairs to gelcoat. It's not economical even for a yard to do minor cosmetic repairs with a big, compressor-driven industrial spray gun. Not only is the setup and cleanup time-consuming, but large spray guns require a relatively large quantity of gelcoat to operate, which is wasteful when doing touch-up work. For an extra $3, the Preval comes with its own 16-ounce paint jar that screws onto the base of the propellant can. However, we don't recommend buying the paint jar. It is too big for gelcoat work, as it requires nearly 2 ounces of liquid to keep the stem of the propellant can immersed. This is 2 ounces that you cannot afford to waste.
Instead, use an unwaxed paper cup. Just stick the stem of the propellant can in a corner of the cup as you spray. You must be careful to keep the stem immersed in gelcoat, or the sprayer will sputter and splatter. You must also be careful not to tilt the propellant can more than 60 degrees, or the spray will come out in large droplets. As long as these two precautions are followed, the Preval appears to do just as good a job as the more expensive and time-consuming Badger Air Brush.
The Preval will spray 16 ounces of liquid with a full can of propellant. This means you can re-use it for several gelcoat repairs before you toss it.
However, you must carefully clean it after every use. Cleaning is a quick three-step procedure: First, stick the stem in acetone and spray for a few seconds. Then clean the strainer on the bottom of the stem by inverting the propellant can, putting your finger over the spray button orifice to create back pressure, and give it a few quick bursts.
As a final precaution, stick the stem back in acetone and spray it through the system for a few more seconds. When buying gelcoat, it's best to check first with the builder of your boat, because he is most likely to have colors that match, or give you the information you need to make a match. Mini-craft of Florida offers an extensive supply of gelcoats and pigments, as well as its own color-matching service. You can also find pigments at retailers like West Marine, Defender, or Jamestown Distributors or your local boatyard. Be aware that some of the so-called "gelcoat repair kits" sold at retailers are not formulated in the same way as your original gelcoat, and will not deliver the same finish. Mini-craft or a local fiberglass supply house is a better source.
As with any gelcoat job, the surface must be perfectly faired with auto body and/or lacquer putty, or fairing compound before spraying. The gelcoat must be thinned slightly with reducer to spray evenly (although acetone is often recommended from thinning, it will cause the finish to more quickly lose its brightness, color, and gloss).
You can't forget to coat the wet gelcoat with PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) or it won't dry tack free. PVA is available from Evercoat and others and is easily sprayed over your repair with the Preval. It cleans with water.
After the gelcoat is dry, you must sand it with 260-grit wet/dry paper, then with 400 and 600 grit, and finally, buff it with polishing compound.
For more on gelcoat repair and fixing just about anything else on your old boat, Don Casey’s "This Old Boat," is a great resource. And my recent blog post on fiberglass polishing links to various Practical Sailor tests of articles on cleaning, protect, and maintain gelcoat.
Shopping list:
- Unwaxed paper cups
- Gelcoat and catalyst
- Pigments
- Gellcoat thinner
- PVA
- Preval sprayer
- Paper towels
- Acetone
- Fairing compound
- Wet/dry sandpaper 260, 400, 600
- Polishing compound
- Wax - Collinite Heavy Duty Paste Fleetwax
Note to self: Re-watch the process in this West Marine video
Thursday, May 18, 2017
Autopilot!
The Spring Defender sale somehow kicked me into purchasing some items that I've been wanting for years. The Admiral approved these 'safety' features and prices were 50+% off retail with a $200 rebate from Raymarine so that was all I needed.
My last install this year is the Raymarine Evolution EV-100 Wheel Autopilot Pack w/ P70 Control Head. Hmmm, I might have to switch from my Garmin chart plotter, GPS, sounder unit to a newer Raymarine a Series, c Series, e Series or gS Series MFD Pilot Control... next year.
I've never used an autopilot so this year will require some experimentation. I didn't want to drill any new holes in fiberglass right off, as the end game would be to ultimately control the autopilot from the pedestal. But I need to know more about how the P-70 control unit might be adversely affected by the compass magnets, and the displays resistance to weather. More importantly, I need to answer the question, do I stay with my tried and true Garmin 178C GPS chart plotter, or make the switch to one of the new Raymarine systems above. Hmmm, time will tell.
For this season, I installed the unit aft of the starboard cubby. Next season, perhaps a new pedestal, with a nav pod that can accommodate all the navigation equipment for a trip around Vancouver Island, and beyond.
The ACU-100 Control Unit and EV-1 Sensor Core are located just below the in the starboard lazarette.
My last install this year is the Raymarine Evolution EV-100 Wheel Autopilot Pack w/ P70 Control Head. Hmmm, I might have to switch from my Garmin chart plotter, GPS, sounder unit to a newer Raymarine a Series, c Series, e Series or gS Series MFD Pilot Control... next year.
I've never used an autopilot so this year will require some experimentation. I didn't want to drill any new holes in fiberglass right off, as the end game would be to ultimately control the autopilot from the pedestal. But I need to know more about how the P-70 control unit might be adversely affected by the compass magnets, and the displays resistance to weather. More importantly, I need to answer the question, do I stay with my tried and true Garmin 178C GPS chart plotter, or make the switch to one of the new Raymarine systems above. Hmmm, time will tell.
For this season, I installed the unit aft of the starboard cubby. Next season, perhaps a new pedestal, with a nav pod that can accommodate all the navigation equipment for a trip around Vancouver Island, and beyond.
The ACU-100 Control Unit and EV-1 Sensor Core are located just below the in the starboard lazarette.
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Solar Bimini!
This year I purchased 2-120 watt, 12v flexible monocrystaline solar panels that attach to my bimini, sewn by Liberty Bay Canvas in Poulsbo. These panels will provide up to 20Ahrs on good day. This system feeds my secondary battery bank (lights, propane, stereo, windless, and refrigeration (some day).
I will also be able to charge the house bank if needed. The Harbor Freight 500 watt charge controller is located in the starboard stern lazaret ensures the batteries don't overcharge. There's 'load' output which acts as a low voltage disconnect circuit that I may connect to some cockpit lights at some point.
The finishing touch was the connector panel which was added after the bimini is installed.
I have 14 gauge wiren running from the solar panels to the charge controller and 12 guage running to the batteries.
I've played with several other rigid solar panels over the years but always managed to break them. I riveted aluminum awning tracks to these new panels to so they can slide out in the winter months. The last few summers have been hot up in Seattle so this should really keep the sun down and the batteries up.
Iverson built my dodger, but I wanted to do something a little different with my bimini. I had scavanged some framework from King Canvas in Ballard, and altered my old dodger handrails to complete the design. Liberty Bay Canvas sewed the bimini and connectter panel.
A windlass after 45 years!
Not sure why we're finally adding a windlass. Maybe it was spraining my back clam digging in the Broken Islands? Whatever, we just installed a windlass (Lewmar V1) with the help of a marine electrician. He recommended I use my secondary battery bank which I only use when at anchor. This bank is located under the sink in the head. This is my older battery bank so I always run my engine when using the windlass, as it gets a nice trickle charge/amp boost from the alternator.
All I had to do was run 50' of #4 awg back and forth to my windlass. Both banks contain 2-80Ahr deep cells I purchased from Costco/Interstate. I charge my secondary battery bank with 2-120 watt solar cells and a separate charge controller when on shore power.
The windlass draws 80 amps, so it's best to run the engine and send a few extra amps to the backup battery bank which then provides plenty of power.
We also installed foot switches on the bow. Last piece was to run 14/3 wire to high up inside the companionway where I installed a helm switch. This way I can run the windlass solo from the cockpit for a quick drop in a crowded harbor.
I spray painted the chain at 30 foot intervals all the way up to 120ft. This wears off every year and requires repainting.
The anchor roller was destroyed in 2019 in a anchoring mishap in Deer Harbor when I hooked a derelict vessel. Long story but I'm happy and far better off with the repairs which included a new anchor roller, 1/2" stainless plate under the roller and headstay, navigation lights and pulpit.
We now have three sets of ground tackle in the anchor locker. The primary tackle now has 150ft of 5/16in G4 chain and 200ft spliced to 5/8" 3-strand rope with a 35# Delta anchor.
I can't overstate that the chain and windlass has required a completely different anchoring technique. It's taken me a fair bit of time to master. The main difference is the time it takes to drop the anchor. Mine drops about a foot per second. So if you're in 20 feet off water, that's 80 seconds to drop to a 4:1. I finally learned that I need patience, so adopted this technique.
I didn't like the original rode system, which came with 60 feet of chain spliced to 200 feet of nylon rode. The splice would continually get hung up no matter what I tried, and pushing the splice down the gypsy even with gloved hands was a recipe for disaster. After a couple less than pleasant experiences, I replaced the chain with a longer 150 ft length. I've not had to drop more that that (yet) so I'm happy now.
Previous to the windlass, I used 10 feet of chain and 3 strand anchor rode running through a hawsepipe. This in addition to a kellet which is incredibly effective and entails running a 20# lead ball on a line down the rope to the chain. This really holds the chain to the bottom and severely limits swinging in tight anchorages. Worked great for 20 years... but now I'm lazy! Other benefits of the short chain/kellet approach:
- They can contain and minimize swing radii in light conditions
- They can help dampen "sailing" at anchor
- They can keep a boat stationary when using bow and stern anchors
- They can help ensure that rode is kept down and away from the boat’s keel, rudder, and propeller.
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