Sunday, August 28, 2011
It's Inevitable
One of the joys of boating is that many places on a boat are designed around the 2 out of 3 head/hand rule. You have the option of seeing what you're doing but only using one hand. If you can get two hands on your project, there won't be room to get your head in a position to see what you're doing.
Taming the Tube - 3M 4200 and 5200 -
You pay over $10 for an itty bitty tube and after you use it for the first project it's useless 'cause you can't get any more out of the tube. At least that's how it used to be for me.
When I start a new tube, I've always used a syringe to apply the sealant - there's more control and it's not as messy.
After the first use, sometimes I'll get optimistic and drag out one of those 'caulk savers', but they never work and I'd get frustrated sticking the small screwdriver in and out, trying to ream an opening which would yield pliable sealant. And if by chance some sealant did come out, it had little lumps that would clog the syringe.
Then I realized if the syringe worked on a new tube, it could just as well work on a used one...by making a new hole in the tube. Poke the awl into a likely spot and give the tube a slight squeeze. If nothing comes out, try another place.
When you find a productive hole, just hold the syringe up to the hole and squeeze the sealant into the syringe.
After loading what I need into the syringe, I squeeze a little more out of the tube and let the sealant set up, healing the hole and making the tube ready for my next project.
This tube has been used for several projects over the last month.
And this is how you get the last little bit.
When I start a new tube, I've always used a syringe to apply the sealant - there's more control and it's not as messy.
Then I realized if the syringe worked on a new tube, it could just as well work on a used one...by making a new hole in the tube. Poke the awl into a likely spot and give the tube a slight squeeze. If nothing comes out, try another place.
This spot was dry
Struck paydirt here as witnessed by the sealant on the awl.
After loading what I need into the syringe, I squeeze a little more out of the tube and let the sealant set up, healing the hole and making the tube ready for my next project.
This tube has been used for several projects over the last month.
And this is how you get the last little bit.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Shoot Through The Hull
I'm not a fan of the epoxy method of attaching the 'ducer directly to the hull, although it's definitely the easiest. I prefer to mount the 'ducer in a plastic pipe, then fix the pipe to the hull.
Fit a piece of plastic pipe to the hull where you want the 'ducer mounted. Put a wire brush on your drill and clean/roughen the hull where the pipe will attach. Mount the ducer in the pipe in the same orientation you would have it if it were hanging off the transom. Seal the mounting holes with 5200. I leave 1/2" or so between the 'ducer and hull.
Swab the place of attachment liberally with acetone. When it dries use 5200 to fix the pipe/ducer to the hull. Fill the pipe with water or antifreeze and you're done. If you want to keep the water/antifreeze in the pipe from evaporating, drip/pour enough hot wax on the liquid in the pipe to seal it. I don't bother with the wax; I use water and only need to refill it once a season.
Don't like the spot? Tear up the pipe, clean up the 5200 on the hull with the wire brush and try another place.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Raw Water Strainer
We needed a way to hose off the dogs and people after they come aboard from the beach. I bought an RV pump because I didn't want to mount the pump below the waterline as is required by the typical centrifugal washdown pumps. The RV pump is self priming and has a pressure shut off, but should have a strainer to keep the valves from clogging.
After I bought a tiny strainer (<$10), I decided I'd like something larger so I didn't have to clean it so often. I was inspired by a plastic SOS pad that I had lying around.
I measured the pad and found it would fit pretty nicely in a 3" PVC pipe. I had a time figuring how to make the 'filter' housing out of PVC, be able to seal it AND get it apart to clean it. After poking around in the Home Depot plumbing section I found the answer - a hose clamped rubber pipe cap. This was just the ticket - the caps were thick enough to take a threaded fitting and still stay water tight, but to be on the safe side, I cut a PVC coupler in half and used it squeeze the rubber from both sides.
The thru hull takes a 1" hose and the pump takes a 3/8" hose. I like the idea of a 1" supply because it can drain the filter when the boat is back on the trailer, hopefully eliminating the need to clean it. So I put a 1" fitting on the 'in' side and a 3/8" fitting on the 'out' side.
Rather than use the SOS disc that inspired me, I opted for a new Scotchbrite pad which I could cut just a little larger for a good snug fit. I would have been comfortable just leaving it at that, but I had some stainless screen from another project so I cut a couple circles to sandwich the pad.
And there you have it. A nice big filter to keep trash out of my pump.
A piece of clear pipe of some kind would have been nice so I could see what was going on inside, but I already had $15 in the project and didn't feel like it was necessary, at least for now.
I'll mount the filter vertically, well above the waterline, with a straight run to the thru hull for optimum self cleaning/draining.
After I bought a tiny strainer (<$10), I decided I'd like something larger so I didn't have to clean it so often. I was inspired by a plastic SOS pad that I had lying around.
I measured the pad and found it would fit pretty nicely in a 3" PVC pipe. I had a time figuring how to make the 'filter' housing out of PVC, be able to seal it AND get it apart to clean it. After poking around in the Home Depot plumbing section I found the answer - a hose clamped rubber pipe cap. This was just the ticket - the caps were thick enough to take a threaded fitting and still stay water tight, but to be on the safe side, I cut a PVC coupler in half and used it squeeze the rubber from both sides.
The thru hull takes a 1" hose and the pump takes a 3/8" hose. I like the idea of a 1" supply because it can drain the filter when the boat is back on the trailer, hopefully eliminating the need to clean it. So I put a 1" fitting on the 'in' side and a 3/8" fitting on the 'out' side.
Rather than use the SOS disc that inspired me, I opted for a new Scotchbrite pad which I could cut just a little larger for a good snug fit. I would have been comfortable just leaving it at that, but I had some stainless screen from another project so I cut a couple circles to sandwich the pad.
And there you have it. A nice big filter to keep trash out of my pump.
A piece of clear pipe of some kind would have been nice so I could see what was going on inside, but I already had $15 in the project and didn't feel like it was necessary, at least for now.
I'll mount the filter vertically, well above the waterline, with a straight run to the thru hull for optimum self cleaning/draining.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Found The Phantom Start Gremlin
I put a voltmeter on the coil and switched her from 'off' to #1 battery - nothing. I turned the key to light her up and she was running before I could release the key. This would have explained why I never heard the starter - it could have hit just for a fraction of a second.
She was pumping cooling water as she ran, so I goosed her momentarily to energize the alternator. The needle jumped right up to just a little under 14v. So, evidently no damage by her coming alive on her own and me switching the battery off while she was running.
I let her warm up a little. While I was peering into the engine compartment, looking for clues the starter engaged on it's own, trying to start the running engine. I disengaged the starter by switching the batteries to 'off' but the motor kept running. When I turned the key off, she went silent. I lit her up again and got the same results.
I went up and examined the keyless ignition switch on the flybridge. It was very warm to the touch. Suspecting some of the recent heavy rain got into the works, I removed the switch and took it to the bench to check for conductivity; the ohm meter showed resistance, telling me the circuits were not completely open. Apparently with the ability to pass a slight current, the sizzling and cooking going on at the contacts would occasionally incite full juice to pass.
With the flybridge switch disconnected, I again lit her up and let her run for a spell. She appears to be happy now, pumping cooling water, charging the batteries and not trying to start on her own. When I rewire the new flybridge switch, I'll put in a separate starter button - to keep the ignition and starting circuits isolated.
She was pumping cooling water as she ran, so I goosed her momentarily to energize the alternator. The needle jumped right up to just a little under 14v. So, evidently no damage by her coming alive on her own and me switching the battery off while she was running.
I let her warm up a little. While I was peering into the engine compartment, looking for clues the starter engaged on it's own, trying to start the running engine. I disengaged the starter by switching the batteries to 'off' but the motor kept running. When I turned the key off, she went silent. I lit her up again and got the same results.
I went up and examined the keyless ignition switch on the flybridge. It was very warm to the touch. Suspecting some of the recent heavy rain got into the works, I removed the switch and took it to the bench to check for conductivity; the ohm meter showed resistance, telling me the circuits were not completely open. Apparently with the ability to pass a slight current, the sizzling and cooking going on at the contacts would occasionally incite full juice to pass.
With the flybridge switch disconnected, I again lit her up and let her run for a spell. She appears to be happy now, pumping cooling water, charging the batteries and not trying to start on her own. When I rewire the new flybridge switch, I'll put in a separate starter button - to keep the ignition and starting circuits isolated.
The gremlin:
I decided to cut the switch open to verify that it was the culprit.
It's pretty safe to say water in the switch was the cause. There is a drain hole in the switch, but the switch was mounted so the hole was at the top. The B+ wire should be at the top.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Believe It Or Not
A couple days ago I finished up installing a Floscan. I switched on the ignition and witnessed a successful installation. That night in bed, it dawned on me that I should have wired the power to the ignition switch as well as the backlighting, so I did. This time I fired her up on the muffs and in addition to the digital tach readout I could see the gallons used and engine hours clicking away. I shut her down with a sigh of relief that everything had gone so well.
Last night, Merlin and I were aboard fitting a pin to the setee table to fix it in place when it was in the down for sleeping position. The installation was successful, but during the final stages we had a thunder boomer. Man did the rain come down. Merlin has grown sensitive to the thunder, so we cuddled on his lower bunk bed through the worst of it.
When I got up I noticed rainwater coming in through the rear door and profusely around the front windows. This wasn't a boat, it was a sieve! I put a couple cups out to catch the incomming rain, but by that time the worst was over.
Tonight I was going to do some plumbing work in preparation for the Labor Day Weekend outing, but the mosquitoes were so bad I decided to work in the shop. I heard a subdued 'pop' and then a grumble. I thought it was my 40 year old air compressor pumping back up, but as the noise continued I realised that wasn't it.
The loaping growl became ever so familiar, but I just couldn't place it. Holy Shit! that's Big Duck coming alive!
I dashed out of the shop (it's not far to the boat) and up on the deck, noticing the exhaust flap vibrating as I went.
Then on to the helm where I noticed the red light - signaling that the outdrive wasn't fully down, was on. I grabbed the key only to find it was in the off position.
I then dashed back and turned the main battery switch to off. The mill then went to sleep. Tomorrow I'll need to see if the impeller is still good and whether or not I blew the diodes in the alternator, then try to figure what kind of gremlins started up the motor in Big Duck.
If this had happened when I wasn't around, the engine would have overheated and been toast, so I'm assuming it's a sign that she's really anxious to get out there and go.
Can anyone explain this spontaneous ignition? There was no starter cranking, I would have noticed that sound as she wouldn't start and I needed to manually prime the carb after doing the plumbing for the Floscan. She didn't light up again on her own when I turned the battery back on after the incident, and she properly responded to a brief key on/start. Suzy reminded me that The Duck should have run the blower for 5 minutes before she lit herself up.
Can anyone provide an explanation?
Here's what I found.
Last night, Merlin and I were aboard fitting a pin to the setee table to fix it in place when it was in the down for sleeping position. The installation was successful, but during the final stages we had a thunder boomer. Man did the rain come down. Merlin has grown sensitive to the thunder, so we cuddled on his lower bunk bed through the worst of it.
When I got up I noticed rainwater coming in through the rear door and profusely around the front windows. This wasn't a boat, it was a sieve! I put a couple cups out to catch the incomming rain, but by that time the worst was over.
Tonight I was going to do some plumbing work in preparation for the Labor Day Weekend outing, but the mosquitoes were so bad I decided to work in the shop. I heard a subdued 'pop' and then a grumble. I thought it was my 40 year old air compressor pumping back up, but as the noise continued I realised that wasn't it.
The loaping growl became ever so familiar, but I just couldn't place it. Holy Shit! that's Big Duck coming alive!
I dashed out of the shop (it's not far to the boat) and up on the deck, noticing the exhaust flap vibrating as I went.
Then on to the helm where I noticed the red light - signaling that the outdrive wasn't fully down, was on. I grabbed the key only to find it was in the off position.
I then dashed back and turned the main battery switch to off. The mill then went to sleep. Tomorrow I'll need to see if the impeller is still good and whether or not I blew the diodes in the alternator, then try to figure what kind of gremlins started up the motor in Big Duck.
If this had happened when I wasn't around, the engine would have overheated and been toast, so I'm assuming it's a sign that she's really anxious to get out there and go.
Can anyone explain this spontaneous ignition? There was no starter cranking, I would have noticed that sound as she wouldn't start and I needed to manually prime the carb after doing the plumbing for the Floscan. She didn't light up again on her own when I turned the battery back on after the incident, and she properly responded to a brief key on/start. Suzy reminded me that The Duck should have run the blower for 5 minutes before she lit herself up.
Can anyone provide an explanation?
Here's what I found.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Floscan
I don't usually indulge in expensive electronics, but a fuel monitor is the exception. I've learned that they can quickly pay for themselves in fuel savings by allowing one to know the most economical cruising speed. I'm not fond of doing the math for the gallons per hour readouts, so I like a unit that gives me miles per gallon. The 9000 series Floscan will show a mpg readout if hooked up to a GPS that provides NMEA 0183 data. I have a Garmin 478 chart plotter that will send NMEA 0183 but the Garmin is also hooked up to the GSD 21 to provide depth readings. To display depth, the 478 must be configured to accept the sounder signal and that prohibits the use of the 478's NMEA 0183 capability. For that reason I have a Cuda 350 GPS/Sounder to provide the NMEA data to the Floscan. I like having two sounders anyway, I set one to sound a warning alarm at around 15' and the other to sound the danger alarm at about 4'.
The fuel sensor installation for the Floscan is 2 hoses and 3 wires. There are detailed instructions on placement of the sensor and routing of the hoses, but I just put it in whare it was convenient. We'll see how it goes.
The display head is another story. There are a gazillion wires coming out of the harness, a set of which are for dual engine installation which I didn't need. I had removed the old tach because the 9000 includes a digital tach readout as well as a hobbs meter so many of the connections for the 9000 were right there because they fed the old tach. By now there were so many holes in the dash from removing stuff that wasn't needed/working, that I decided I needed to make a new one.
There's a windup knob on the upper right of the steering hub. It's a 5 minute timer for the bilge blower - I can never remember to turn that darn thing off. Farther to the right is an LED that's on when the blower is running. The ignition goes in the lower right hole. Things would have been a little more organized but I didn't want to put any new holes in the old dash
The NMEA feed was a challenge. My Cuda didn't come with the NMEA cable so I had to purchase it separately. When I looked for the instructions on how to wire the cable to the Floscan, I couldn't find them. The Cuda is made by Lowrance and the accessories come from LEI Extras. Navigating the Lowrance site was awkward with many links invalid. Eventually I gave up there and went to the LEI site. No luck there either. I'd experienced this kind of frustration on previous occasions with Lowrance, but when I bought the Cuda I had forgotten it was by Lowrance. So I went back to the package the cable came in to see if I had missed any fine print, and I had. "See your unit installation manual for wiring instructions."
Back on the internet I found the .pdf manual for the Cuda installation. I couldn't just get the wire colors because the cable is doctored up for installation to "the popular Uniden brand" which takes some special circuitry that has to be removed for true NMEA operation. I needed to print 5 pages, so I entered that span of pages in the dialogue box and hit print. It printed 8 pages, only one of which was correct. I thought I had entered the span wrong so I tried again. Same results.
So I went in again and selected 'print current page' for each of the pages as I viewed them. As they were printing I noticed the .pdf dialogue box showed a different page number than was at the bottom of the page on the screen. Lowrance had struck again.
Despite all the Lowrance runaround I did finish up the installation. It's nice when things come together. We'll give her a water test in a couple weeks.
The fuel sensor installation for the Floscan is 2 hoses and 3 wires. There are detailed instructions on placement of the sensor and routing of the hoses, but I just put it in whare it was convenient. We'll see how it goes.
The display head is another story. There are a gazillion wires coming out of the harness, a set of which are for dual engine installation which I didn't need. I had removed the old tach because the 9000 includes a digital tach readout as well as a hobbs meter so many of the connections for the 9000 were right there because they fed the old tach. By now there were so many holes in the dash from removing stuff that wasn't needed/working, that I decided I needed to make a new one.
The NMEA feed was a challenge. My Cuda didn't come with the NMEA cable so I had to purchase it separately. When I looked for the instructions on how to wire the cable to the Floscan, I couldn't find them. The Cuda is made by Lowrance and the accessories come from LEI Extras. Navigating the Lowrance site was awkward with many links invalid. Eventually I gave up there and went to the LEI site. No luck there either. I'd experienced this kind of frustration on previous occasions with Lowrance, but when I bought the Cuda I had forgotten it was by Lowrance. So I went back to the package the cable came in to see if I had missed any fine print, and I had. "See your unit installation manual for wiring instructions."
Back on the internet I found the .pdf manual for the Cuda installation. I couldn't just get the wire colors because the cable is doctored up for installation to "the popular Uniden brand" which takes some special circuitry that has to be removed for true NMEA operation. I needed to print 5 pages, so I entered that span of pages in the dialogue box and hit print. It printed 8 pages, only one of which was correct. I thought I had entered the span wrong so I tried again. Same results.
So I went in again and selected 'print current page' for each of the pages as I viewed them. As they were printing I noticed the .pdf dialogue box showed a different page number than was at the bottom of the page on the screen. Lowrance had struck again.
Despite all the Lowrance runaround I did finish up the installation. It's nice when things come together. We'll give her a water test in a couple weeks.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Filling The Generator
We were recently out overnight, at anchor, with 4 adults a 16 month old and two dogs in 100+° temps. This would have been a nightmare if it hadn't been for the air conditioner which allowed us to keep our cool. Of course the air conditioner is dependent on the generator. The generator is a Honda EU3000i mounted on the roof of the boat just in front of the air conditioner.
There's more about the generator and air conditioner(s) here.
http://72land-n-sea.blogspot.com/2011/07/roof-air-conditioner-eu3000i-generator.html
Over the course of the 30+ hours we were aboard, the generator ran for all but 3 or 4 hours. We used about 10 gallons of gas in the generator and to keep from carrying gas cans I've installed a generator fill system which pulls gas from the main boat tank.
The system consists of a valve which directs the gasoline from the boat's main tank to the generator fill system instead of sending it to the motor.
The generator fill is via an electric fuel pump mounted on the firewall in the bilge (make sure you use a marine rated electric fuel pump). From the fuel pump there's about 15 feet of approved fuel hose - enough to reach topsides to the generator fill port. The electric fuel pump is fed from it's own fuse via a 5 minute wind up timer. The timer feeds wires that run the length of the fuel line to rocker switch a foot or so short of the end of the hose. The switch has an 'on' indicator light. There's a tight fitting plug in the end of the generator fill hose.
To fill up the generator:
Open the engine hatch.
Switch the valve to send the gas to the generator fuel pump.
Wind up the 5 minute timer.
Take the hose topside to the generator.
Remove the plug in the hose.
Put the hose in the generator fill port.
Move the rocker switch to on, and monitor the flow of gas into the generator tank.
It takes less than 5 minutes to fill a completely empty generator tank. If the generator is filled before the tank is empty, you can get a good idea of how much gas it takes by the expired time on the timer.
The timer is just right of center on top with black arrow to show wind direction. The 'motor or generator' valve is below the timer. The fuel pump is to the left of the valve, just under the recepticle (the recepticle is not hot unless the engine hatch is open and it is switched on from inside the boat).
This is the terminal end of the fuel fill hose showing a "T" handle plug (which is captive to the hose clamp) and the rocker switch. Wires to/from the switch are held to the hose by spiral wrap.
I suppose there's a lot of ways to get in trouble with a system like this, but I wonder if they're any worse than trying to pour gas out of a gas can into the generator while the boat is rolling...then finding a secure place to store that gas can and making sure it's not leaking?
There's more about the generator and air conditioner(s) here.
http://72land-n-sea.blogspot.com/2011/07/roof-air-conditioner-eu3000i-generator.html
Over the course of the 30+ hours we were aboard, the generator ran for all but 3 or 4 hours. We used about 10 gallons of gas in the generator and to keep from carrying gas cans I've installed a generator fill system which pulls gas from the main boat tank.
The system consists of a valve which directs the gasoline from the boat's main tank to the generator fill system instead of sending it to the motor.
The generator fill is via an electric fuel pump mounted on the firewall in the bilge (make sure you use a marine rated electric fuel pump). From the fuel pump there's about 15 feet of approved fuel hose - enough to reach topsides to the generator fill port. The electric fuel pump is fed from it's own fuse via a 5 minute wind up timer. The timer feeds wires that run the length of the fuel line to rocker switch a foot or so short of the end of the hose. The switch has an 'on' indicator light. There's a tight fitting plug in the end of the generator fill hose.
To fill up the generator:
Open the engine hatch.
Switch the valve to send the gas to the generator fuel pump.
Wind up the 5 minute timer.
Take the hose topside to the generator.
Remove the plug in the hose.
Put the hose in the generator fill port.
Move the rocker switch to on, and monitor the flow of gas into the generator tank.
It takes less than 5 minutes to fill a completely empty generator tank. If the generator is filled before the tank is empty, you can get a good idea of how much gas it takes by the expired time on the timer.
The timer is just right of center on top with black arrow to show wind direction. The 'motor or generator' valve is below the timer. The fuel pump is to the left of the valve, just under the recepticle (the recepticle is not hot unless the engine hatch is open and it is switched on from inside the boat).
This is the terminal end of the fuel fill hose showing a "T" handle plug (which is captive to the hose clamp) and the rocker switch. Wires to/from the switch are held to the hose by spiral wrap.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
First Family Outing - Observations and Discoveries
If you were fortunate enough to have a Nana when you were a kid, you can identify with how we feel about Big Duck. You probably didn't brag about Nana to your friends, she was 'old' and showed signs of her years, but she was caring and seemed to know what you wanted/needed. She had class and character. She was always there for you...a glass of lemon aid when you came in from mowing the lawn, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (without crusts) when you were starving, a band aid when you had an booboo on your finger or a comfy lap to lay your head on when you were weary (and she would gently run her fingers through your hair). She always made you feel good. That's how it is with Big Duck.
One might think that in the nagging 100° heat all day with 4 people a baby and two dogs on board that folks might get a little testy, but that never happened. Sara Jane and Trey are great parents and were totally prepared for an overnight away with Patrick. Consequently P was a joy the whole time. Big Duck's interior was a great playground and offered little opportunity for P to get in trouble. Outside, the 'fenced in' aft deck offered the same advantages. We also had no worry about the dogs, Merlin and Kasey, for the same reasons.
The walkway next to the head is single file (for adults) but everywhere else there is room to get around. It was such a hoot to see P scooting along the floor when the dogs were heading around or over him. Neither being bothered by the other.
The above pictures also show how accommodating Big Duck is. The bunk beds to starboard offered a great place to spread stuff out...swimsuits, towels, clothes, pillows etc.
The boat sleeps 7 inside. SJ and P slept aft in the converted double dinette. Suzy and I slept forward in the double converted setee and Trey took the lower bunk bed. After P went to sleep w/ SJ in the dinette, SJ came forward and we all marveled at the joys of our day.
When Trey was not helping unload or load the boat, or steering, or taking the dogs ashore, he was cooking or engineering comforts for the rest of us, like trouble shooting wiring or fabricating sun shields for the windows. No, he's not for hire.
By all rights, having a 16 month old aboard in 100° heat for more than a couple hours is a recipie for disaster, but not when you've got full time mom SJ along. I can't remember more than a whimper out of either of them. And SJ was eager to pitch in when P was with someone else, after her nap of course. And speaking of naps, I believe we all had the pleasure, a real tribute to teamwork.
I'm not sure why, but I'd been head strong about the selection, procurement and comissioning of Big Duck, so for months I'd kind of left my wife out of that picture. I very much missed her organizational skills and attention to stuff I never could bring myself to do aboard, but it never dawned on me to get her involved. Finally she said, "Hey, I want to help." At which point I realized what I'd been doing.
She was forgiving and a great partner in the final stages of getting Big Duck ready. Without her this cruise never would have gotten off the trailer...clothes, bedding, food, water, safety gear, medical supplies and prescriptions, galley equipment, cleaning supplies for body and boat, meal planning and an unfailing willingness to pick up after me as I caromed from task to task. Granted, Suzy doesn't get around too well, but none-the-less, she always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Big, big hug for Suzy!
Towing Big Duck is not a problem. First, unlike most boats, Big Duck does not have a bow pulpit. This means the trailer can be shorter by a couple yards, and this also means the trailer tracks closer to the van around corners - no need to swing as wide. Big Duck's trailer is 31 feet long from ball to tail lights, and there's 10 feet of trailer sticking out past the centerline between the tandem axles. The ten-banger in the van is quite capable, although as I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't expect to maintain speed up hills/grades...and I never tow over 55 mph. The run down I26 from home to the lake is quite hilly. I never set the cruise control on this stretch because she'll shift back and forth whether in Tow/Haul or not. Using 'foot on the gas' I can prevent the shifting by allowing her to slow down on some of the grades. When we brought Big Duck back from Las Vegas we averaged 10 mpg over all. During the 100 miles down and 100 miles back we bumped 9 mpg but she was left running to keep things cool for at least 1/2 hour at both launch and retrieve.
So, how thirsty was the 350 Chevy in the duck? The fuel tank is 40 gallons. I already had some some gas in the tank and stopped at $100 instead of filling her all the way up. I'd say she was 7/8...lets say 36 gallons when we hit the water. Except for about 10 minutes at WOT, we cruised under 2,000 rpm (between 7 and 8 mph). The GPS said we'd covered 31 miles and change on the water. The tank looks to be about 2/5 full after the outing...lets say 15 gallons left. That means we used 21 gallons.
But, we filled the generator 2+ times at 3 gallons a crack, so the engine burned about 12 gallons to go those 31 miles or we got about 2 1/2 mpg. I'll know much better when we get the Flowscan installed.
On the last outing, the boat pulled to port. I moved the tail end of the I/O trim tab to port a little and that problem went away. However, Big Duck does like to wander and correcting can be a chore until you realize that the boat is not necessarily tracking the way she's pointing. She likes to crab a little during corrections and if you get the bow pointing straight up the rhumb line, you'll most likely overshoot your correction. You have to kind of sneak up on it; once you learn this she becomes much better behaved.
We found the bilge pump running every couple hours. I have a little siren at the helm so we know when the pump is active. There was never much water in the bilge and it appeared clear. It didn't seem to be coming in at any of the thru hulls or at the outdrive. Not enough to worry about, but something to look into. It could be from the freshwater tank? Then later on, the pump quit coming on, but it should have...there was water in the bilge. No biggie - I have the bilge pump auto switch mounted to a plate and it can be easily extracted for inspection/replacement.
And as mentioned earlier, the prop will need to be changed out. Another simple task.
What else? Oh yes, a little more trailer work. One fender shows signs of being kissed by the chine - need to work up a system to get her more level, or raise the bunks...and the bunks need to be slipprier so I can pull the bow all the way up to the stop after I get her loaded.
I'm still working out ducting forward for the air conditioner. The squirrel cage fan was very efficient for blowing cold air forward, but it's an additional piece of gear I'd like to do without.
Both shoot thru the hull transducers work well. I like having one forward and one aft; each set to alarm at a different depth. The aft one is set to warn us at less than 12' feet of water, and the forward one is a danger alert at 4'. The Garmin 478 is great combining the GPS, Chartplotter and DS and can be easily moved topsides when we steer from the flybridge. The trouble with this scenario is that the alarm siren is at the lower helm and if I forget to bring the Garmin down when steering from below and the shallow alarm goes off, I can't silence it without going back topsides to hit the button on the Garmin.
And it's hard to remember to turn the bilge blower on now that I don't have an outboard motor...but I'm getting better. And when I do turn it on, it's hard to remember to turn it off, so I'll wire a 5 minute wind up timer in the circuit that will remember to turn it off.
In the 70's, I guess no one drank, because there isn't a single cup holder on the entire 28 feet of boat, either below or topsides. How did they get along without them back then?
I had checked out the 4 burner propane stove right after bringing the boat home. It works great. I don't think it had ever been used - the oven was also immaculate. Our meals had been planned around the microwave so there was really no need for the stove, but we decided to boil some hot dogs for lunch instead of nuking them. Guess what? No matches -- no way to spark the burner to life. Note to self, "need lighter for stove".
Many projects to nibble away at, but nothing keeping us form going out again. I'll let you know when we do.
One might think that in the nagging 100° heat all day with 4 people a baby and two dogs on board that folks might get a little testy, but that never happened. Sara Jane and Trey are great parents and were totally prepared for an overnight away with Patrick. Consequently P was a joy the whole time. Big Duck's interior was a great playground and offered little opportunity for P to get in trouble. Outside, the 'fenced in' aft deck offered the same advantages. We also had no worry about the dogs, Merlin and Kasey, for the same reasons.
The walkway next to the head is single file (for adults) but everywhere else there is room to get around. It was such a hoot to see P scooting along the floor when the dogs were heading around or over him. Neither being bothered by the other.
See P's head between the two dogs?
The boat sleeps 7 inside. SJ and P slept aft in the converted double dinette. Suzy and I slept forward in the double converted setee and Trey took the lower bunk bed. After P went to sleep w/ SJ in the dinette, SJ came forward and we all marveled at the joys of our day.
When Trey was not helping unload or load the boat, or steering, or taking the dogs ashore, he was cooking or engineering comforts for the rest of us, like trouble shooting wiring or fabricating sun shields for the windows. No, he's not for hire.
By all rights, having a 16 month old aboard in 100° heat for more than a couple hours is a recipie for disaster, but not when you've got full time mom SJ along. I can't remember more than a whimper out of either of them. And SJ was eager to pitch in when P was with someone else, after her nap of course. And speaking of naps, I believe we all had the pleasure, a real tribute to teamwork.
I'm not sure why, but I'd been head strong about the selection, procurement and comissioning of Big Duck, so for months I'd kind of left my wife out of that picture. I very much missed her organizational skills and attention to stuff I never could bring myself to do aboard, but it never dawned on me to get her involved. Finally she said, "Hey, I want to help." At which point I realized what I'd been doing.
She was forgiving and a great partner in the final stages of getting Big Duck ready. Without her this cruise never would have gotten off the trailer...clothes, bedding, food, water, safety gear, medical supplies and prescriptions, galley equipment, cleaning supplies for body and boat, meal planning and an unfailing willingness to pick up after me as I caromed from task to task. Granted, Suzy doesn't get around too well, but none-the-less, she always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Big, big hug for Suzy!
Towing Big Duck is not a problem. First, unlike most boats, Big Duck does not have a bow pulpit. This means the trailer can be shorter by a couple yards, and this also means the trailer tracks closer to the van around corners - no need to swing as wide. Big Duck's trailer is 31 feet long from ball to tail lights, and there's 10 feet of trailer sticking out past the centerline between the tandem axles. The ten-banger in the van is quite capable, although as I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't expect to maintain speed up hills/grades...and I never tow over 55 mph. The run down I26 from home to the lake is quite hilly. I never set the cruise control on this stretch because she'll shift back and forth whether in Tow/Haul or not. Using 'foot on the gas' I can prevent the shifting by allowing her to slow down on some of the grades. When we brought Big Duck back from Las Vegas we averaged 10 mpg over all. During the 100 miles down and 100 miles back we bumped 9 mpg but she was left running to keep things cool for at least 1/2 hour at both launch and retrieve.
So, how thirsty was the 350 Chevy in the duck? The fuel tank is 40 gallons. I already had some some gas in the tank and stopped at $100 instead of filling her all the way up. I'd say she was 7/8...lets say 36 gallons when we hit the water. Except for about 10 minutes at WOT, we cruised under 2,000 rpm (between 7 and 8 mph). The GPS said we'd covered 31 miles and change on the water. The tank looks to be about 2/5 full after the outing...lets say 15 gallons left. That means we used 21 gallons.
But, we filled the generator 2+ times at 3 gallons a crack, so the engine burned about 12 gallons to go those 31 miles or we got about 2 1/2 mpg. I'll know much better when we get the Flowscan installed.
On the last outing, the boat pulled to port. I moved the tail end of the I/O trim tab to port a little and that problem went away. However, Big Duck does like to wander and correcting can be a chore until you realize that the boat is not necessarily tracking the way she's pointing. She likes to crab a little during corrections and if you get the bow pointing straight up the rhumb line, you'll most likely overshoot your correction. You have to kind of sneak up on it; once you learn this she becomes much better behaved.
We found the bilge pump running every couple hours. I have a little siren at the helm so we know when the pump is active. There was never much water in the bilge and it appeared clear. It didn't seem to be coming in at any of the thru hulls or at the outdrive. Not enough to worry about, but something to look into. It could be from the freshwater tank? Then later on, the pump quit coming on, but it should have...there was water in the bilge. No biggie - I have the bilge pump auto switch mounted to a plate and it can be easily extracted for inspection/replacement.
And as mentioned earlier, the prop will need to be changed out. Another simple task.
What else? Oh yes, a little more trailer work. One fender shows signs of being kissed by the chine - need to work up a system to get her more level, or raise the bunks...and the bunks need to be slipprier so I can pull the bow all the way up to the stop after I get her loaded.
I'm still working out ducting forward for the air conditioner. The squirrel cage fan was very efficient for blowing cold air forward, but it's an additional piece of gear I'd like to do without.
Both shoot thru the hull transducers work well. I like having one forward and one aft; each set to alarm at a different depth. The aft one is set to warn us at less than 12' feet of water, and the forward one is a danger alert at 4'. The Garmin 478 is great combining the GPS, Chartplotter and DS and can be easily moved topsides when we steer from the flybridge. The trouble with this scenario is that the alarm siren is at the lower helm and if I forget to bring the Garmin down when steering from below and the shallow alarm goes off, I can't silence it without going back topsides to hit the button on the Garmin.
And it's hard to remember to turn the bilge blower on now that I don't have an outboard motor...but I'm getting better. And when I do turn it on, it's hard to remember to turn it off, so I'll wire a 5 minute wind up timer in the circuit that will remember to turn it off.
In the 70's, I guess no one drank, because there isn't a single cup holder on the entire 28 feet of boat, either below or topsides. How did they get along without them back then?
I had checked out the 4 burner propane stove right after bringing the boat home. It works great. I don't think it had ever been used - the oven was also immaculate. Our meals had been planned around the microwave so there was really no need for the stove, but we decided to boil some hot dogs for lunch instead of nuking them. Guess what? No matches -- no way to spark the burner to life. Note to self, "need lighter for stove".
Many projects to nibble away at, but nothing keeping us form going out again. I'll let you know when we do.
Monday, August 1, 2011
First Family Outing Part B
I had very serious concerns about how well I'd manage with another couple, a baby and two dogs aboard...even if they were family, but Big Duck graciously swallowed the assemblage and associated necessities.
We steered from inside, all closed up, to keep things cool and calm until we were settled and all systems were deemed satisfactory. It was late afternoon; we headed for the anchorage so we could get the dogs ashore and take a swim before it got too dark. I have a favorite beach. It's made up of large roundish pebbles. You can go ashore and not bring any sand back to the boat... The place was packed so we couldn't anchor close enough to walk to shore, but I knew those other boats would be leaving before too long, so we dropped the hook in about 12 feet of water.
Trey decided the first order of business was to get the dogs ashore. This was to be via the dinghy and it was a relatively painless operation, especially since I was a spectator.
Then Trey, SJ and "P" swam ashore.
The other boats eventually did leave and we were able to get close enough to drop the hook and tie the stern to a tree, facilitating only a wade to the beach. The enclosed aft patio, now known as the playpen, allowed Patrick and the dogs their freedom and a good place for us to set up lawn chairs to watch the sunset.
We had a delightful night on the hook...thanks to the air conditioning.
The next morning, the dogs were again on the agenda - this time Trey carried them ashore one at a time. When Merlin was through with his business, he swam back to the boat and scrambled up the boarding steps on his own. We put him on the flybridge to dry out.
Do you know what the fish said when he banged his head against a concrete wall? Dam! And after breakfast that's where we cruised...down the middle of the lake to the dam. This time we took in the sights from the flybridge.
Patrick really enjoyed the fresh air and view but was eventually soothed into napping. Looks like his dad took the hint too?
We steered from inside, all closed up, to keep things cool and calm until we were settled and all systems were deemed satisfactory. It was late afternoon; we headed for the anchorage so we could get the dogs ashore and take a swim before it got too dark. I have a favorite beach. It's made up of large roundish pebbles. You can go ashore and not bring any sand back to the boat... The place was packed so we couldn't anchor close enough to walk to shore, but I knew those other boats would be leaving before too long, so we dropped the hook in about 12 feet of water.
Trey decided the first order of business was to get the dogs ashore. This was to be via the dinghy and it was a relatively painless operation, especially since I was a spectator.
The other boats eventually did leave and we were able to get close enough to drop the hook and tie the stern to a tree, facilitating only a wade to the beach. The enclosed aft patio, now known as the playpen, allowed Patrick and the dogs their freedom and a good place for us to set up lawn chairs to watch the sunset.
We had a delightful night on the hook...thanks to the air conditioning.
The next morning, the dogs were again on the agenda - this time Trey carried them ashore one at a time. When Merlin was through with his business, he swam back to the boat and scrambled up the boarding steps on his own. We put him on the flybridge to dry out.
Do you know what the fish said when he banged his head against a concrete wall? Dam! And after breakfast that's where we cruised...down the middle of the lake to the dam. This time we took in the sights from the flybridge.
Patrick really enjoyed the fresh air and view but was eventually soothed into napping. Looks like his dad took the hint too?
We'd been cruising under 2,000 rpm at a little over 7 mph but things were going so well we decided to try putting the hammer down (well in the case of the boat throttle control it's hammer 'up') We could wind her up to about 4,100 rpm but she refused to come up on step, making only a little over 14 mph. I'm thinking that by dropping the prop a couple inches in pitch we'll be in the 4,400 to 4,600 range that she's rated for and she'll have enough grunt to get on plane.
We took in quite a few bays on our way back to the same anchorage for an afternoon swim. This time Patrick was much more comfortable in the water.
We then upped anchor and headed toward the ramp to find a comfy cove for dinner, and what a dinner it was. Then again, I guess everything tastes better when you're enjoying life.
The original plan was for us to drop off Trey, SJ & P, then for Suzy and I to go back out and spend another night on the lake. But by now I was wilting from the 100+° all day and decided I didn't want to have to load Big Duck back on the trailer by myself. I know Suzy was disappointed, but with Trey's help I could end this marvelous cruise on a high note and look forward to another outing, so that's what we did.
Stay tuned for observations and discoveries.