Messages

Dan,

Like you I'm still using my original CNG stove, it's safe and reliable and puts zero load on your batteries. When something works don't fix it.

If your still using the CNG stove where are you getting tanks filled. When I bought the boat I assumed that it was a propane stove. I have never heard of CNG, not to mention that the tank was missing and I cant even find a tank if I tried to maintain the stove as a CNG

My original plan was to revamp my CNG stove to a propane stove. The stove is really in good shape I don't think the PO ever used it. But after doing a lot of research switching out the orifices and installing new thermocouples on the all the burners to bring it up to nautical safety rules plus build a vented propane locker, I am weighing out different options. I could buy a induction stove top for 148.00 and and airfryer/oven for 189.00. I have always planned on installing solar panels and a inverter, my question is how many battery's will this take to run this. 

wow thats a huge difference compared to 950.00

Well I think I solved the question of the button, I believe it was a button to flush the toilet. I found some wires I think went to the button and then to the toilet. This weekend I really had to get deep into the bulkhead in the bathroom, I had to cut out the bad part of the bulk head I then made a new piece to fit back in. Next weekend I will coat the backside of the board with epoxy install it and then use fiberglass mesh to bond the old with the new piece. If I have time this season I plan on using FRP board on all the ares that are white formica in the bathroom. I ended up pitching the toilet looking at new ones on defender. I maybe regretting that decision. How can such a small toilet cost 1000.00

Hard to believe it is almost time to cover the boat for a second time. I am starting to pull items out of the boat that I will be able to work on over the winter. First one is the CNG stove I have found another 2 burner propane stove and oven and this winter I am going to try to convert it to propane, if it doesn't work I will be no worse off. If it does then Ill build a propane locker. I like the one on this site but maybe a two cylinder?
Before I cover I need to have all the plywood cut for the countertops, I'll bring these home also as I want to try to make white epoxy countertops. I almost have all of the teak trim pieces refinished already, and will need to reattach when the countertops are complete. My big hold up is the bathroom bulkhead, there is so much damage from water that half of it is rotten I plan on cutting out the rotten areas tab in new half in plywood, all the areas in the bathroom I am going to install new FRP board. This will make the bathroom look brand new. I wish I had two more month of weekends that would make it for sure that I will splash next year. With the bathroom and all the countertops that were rotten its looking like next year splash may be a dream.

Thanks Ron

If I can ask a question now that it is barrier coated do you think it would hurt if I waited until spring to put the bottom coat paint on? When i go to put the bottom paint on do I have to sand the entire bottom again?

As Alex and Steve said that was added by a PO for any number of reasons. Do you have an electric or a manual/pump head/toilet? I ask because it looks like there is a small hole in the bulkhead behind where the head/toilet mounts, but too pixelated to tell when I zoom in. If it is a hole, it could be where the wires from the switch exited to connect to the head/toilet.

the toilet has a electric motor but the spot I think you are seeing is a piece of velcro I think was attached to the lid. not sure though

When I first bought the boat I thought the bottom was going to be the largest project on the boat, so I thought. It was a long weekend but I'm pretty proud of how the bottom turned out. It started out looking like a 100 year old house to having it media blasted, completely sanding the whole bottom with 80 grit, cutting out the catalina smile fixing it and fairing that area and the keel.
This weekend started with washing the bottom, then cleaning it with acetone, taping off the waterline and putting two coats of barrier coat.

Switch picture

The wall between the nav station. There is a switch with a plaque that say shower pump, this switch has a black rubber protective end on it

A few more pictures The companion way slates were as gray as the side trim boards, they only have 3 coats of varnish but I plan on at least 7-8 coats. The trim pieces I have to break out the belt sander as it took hours of sanding with 80 grit on the slates the belt sander should make a quicker job of the outside trim.

here's a few more pictures from the long weekend. I ended up tearing out the head counter top. I cant believe how much water damage their is. I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to fix the bulkhead between the nav station and I haven't figured out the bulkhead on the back wall that goes to the aft cabin. does anyone know what the button on the main wall is in the head, there isn't any wires connected to the back of it.

Ron and Noah

After tearing out most of my boat I can see a couple of things that I would change from the the way it was originally built. On both sides the galley and the nav station the small divider that separates the saloon went all the way down to the fiberglass with the countertop notched around the divide allowing the vent line when it would (pee) or in my case leak from the stanchion the water would follow the divider down to the fiberglass and then under the countertop.
When I put this back together I am going to run my countertop under those two dividers and seal the countertop to the hull. If it was to start leaking it would come out on top of the countertop instead of underneath where its out of site out of mind.
I really like the idea of running the vent back to the rear tank vent. This would eliminate the leak issue there, will the length of the pipe going to the vent create more problems? If one of the stanchions did leak is there a way to make sure the water gets to the bilge without hurting any of the bulkheads or woodwork. I like the idea of gravity flow from the aft tank to the forward tank is there a way to fill the aft tank and have it then fill the front tank? This way you are only filling the tanks from 1 location. I ask all these questions as I am in position to implement some new plumbing ideas that may  eliminate  some leaking problems. After reading all the post on this same problem I can only imagine the amount of mold that is growing under peoples countertops. How many times a year or five years does someone open the small compartments that are on the saloon shelfs.
If anyone has a good suggestion Im open to all suggestion. Almost everything that I have done on the boat in some way has come from this site, either my posts or searching the post on this site.

Stanchion bolts can leak. Are you planning to remove them and glass up all those holes?  How about blocks and winches?

Do you really want a hose that not only occasionally pees but, for the remainder of the time, sucks connected to the bilge area?

Rather than re-running hoses why not simply bed them as they should be in butyl, add backing plates, and not need to touch them for 30 years at least?

Isn't the vent line just to let air out of the tank when your filling it. couldn't you let it get air from the inside the boat and why would it pee once in a while (from over filling???) I have already fixed the stanchion I used butyl tape and had to use two layers on one side where the base is bent probably from people pulling on it.
I was going to take pictures for the update post but I found myself tearing the countertop off by the nav station. With damage coming from the same vent hose on that side of the boat. I usually stay up beat but this one you might say I was venting,

I know that I have the aft cabin tank and I never really checked to see were that one is vented to. What tank is vented by the nav station? Let me know how that works out for you. I am planning on running a lot of pex piping and that doesn't seem like it would be that hard while I'm running pex that way anyways.