Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Messages - Analgesic

#31
Main Message Board / Re: Diesel in the bilge!!
March 09, 2019, 06:37:47 PM
I did one more test I failed to mention-soaked a paper towel in the pink stuff, put it in a jar and it lit with a match.  It  burned immediately with black smoke  so I'm certain it's diesel.  The pinhole leak seems most plausible at this point.  I'll check back Wednesday and look for any new clues. 
#32
Main Message Board / Re: Diesel in the bilge!!
March 09, 2019, 05:46:45 PM
At first I wasn't sure it was diesel, hoping it was red antifreeze from the aft tank.    I would have expected a horrible odor but I suspect the cold temperatures affect that to some degree.  However, I mixed it in a cup with water and it layered out beautifully and of course once I got home to room temperature, I smelled like diesel.  I too am puzzled by the water in the bilge.  My best guess is it resulted from some of our harsh storms with horizontal rain and gusts to 60 knots over 12 hours.  The pin hole answer seems likely.  I guess I will need to hand pump the tank empty into jerry cans in order to lift it and check underneath as I can't see anything presently.  Any other suggestions? 
#33
Main Message Board / Diesel in the bilge!!
March 09, 2019, 04:27:33 PM
So, I went to visit my 1988 C34 today on the hard in MA for the first time in a month (with some pretty intense cold since last visit if that is relevant).  The boat is shrink wrapped and the bilge had been dry.  I was shocked to see about 1/8" of pink diesel on top of a 1/2 " of ice in the main bilge.  Behind the engine in the aft birth there was about 1/4" of diesel under the shaft and up against the vertical fiberglass at the back of the engine.  There also was diesel in the depression above the shaft further aft of the shaft exit tube. No trickle tracks could be identified.   So, the search for a source is on.  I removed the aft cabin panel to inspect the fuel tank and all visible surfaces looked well  There was no diesel directly below the engine.   I turned the key to start the fuel pump briefly and couldn't identify any trouble.  The fuel tank read 3/4 full which is where I left it in the Fall.  All fuel lines are dry to my inspection off the top of the tank and into the space under the head sink. 
So, I absorbed everything I could (best estimate a pint of diesel total) and laid down dry paper towels to port of the shaft so if there is a trickle I should be able to see which towel it hits on the way to the low point. 
Has anyone dealt with this?  I fear something catastrophic might be coming on.  I can next visit the boat in 4 days.  Thanks in advance for any guidance on how best to proceed.     Brian McPhillips
#34
I installed the same set up as MarcZ several years ago using a Garhauer product and I think it is one of the best upgrades I have made.  It allows rapid reefing in adverse conditions with minimal stress.
Brian McPhillips
#35
Main Message Board / Re: Zinc question
October 12, 2018, 09:24:48 AM
Just got a look at prop (3 blade fixed) and I do see some pitting which is concerning, will need to remove and polish off metal paint for closer inspection.  I have the zinc for salt water and installation  was done using proper method described.  I'll trouble shoot the bridging wire, pencil zinc in heat exchanger and look for other trouble this weekend. 
#36
Main Message Board / Zinc question
October 08, 2018, 08:20:52 AM
Last Winter I replaced the PSS Shaft Seal bellows which involved disconnecting and reconnecting the shaft to the flexible coupling.  There is a wire that jumps metal to metal around the coupling.  This morning I hauled the boat for the season and noted the two shaft zincs looked as good as new, not the sacrificial decaying look I'm used to seeing at season's end.  The shaft itself looks okay at first glance.   I have to assume the bridging wire is bad.  I haven't checked the pencil zinc in the heat exchanger yet.  Anyone know if I need to be looking for other sacrificial metal trouble in the engine or elsewhere?   
#37
Main Message Board / Re: Upgrading Roller Furler
November 08, 2017, 04:36:36 AM
I agree, it is the sail design and not the furler  that creates shape when my genoa is reefed.  I have a "rope luff" which creates the shape.  The furler is under very high tension when I am occasionally out in 25-30 knots close hauled.  I find my Harken handles this well as I'm sure other modern designs do.  Having seen my older model fail under such conditions (no fun!), I wouldn't go with a lower end model in high wind conditions. 
#38
Main Message Board / Re: Upgrading Roller Furler
November 06, 2017, 03:45:28 PM
My 1988 furler exploded this past July and I went with the high end Harken.  The local rigger said he wouldn't sell or install the lower end Harken, that it is cheap and designed for new boat builders who only care about price.  I reef all the time and get great sail shape, couldn't be happier. 
#39
Main Message Board / Link 2000 meter question
May 07, 2017, 11:41:34 AM
I just replaced my 4 golf cart batteries and my boat has an old Heart inverter/charger Link 2000 set up that seems to have worked flawlessly for the 13 years I have owned her.  The boat is on the hard and when I attempted to charge them using AC power, it took longer than I expected to go from Charge to Accept and never went to Float.  The  cold volts reading on the Link is 12.35 V while a direct reading on the batteries with my multimeter gets 12.64 V.  At the same time, my starting battery (a wet cell 12 V) matches exactly and it has a much longer wire  run to the Link unit.   My boat lives on a mooring all Summer so all future charging will be via alternator until next Fall.  I have already reprogrammed the unit to make up for the "gotcha" bug discussed here previously.  I don't want to harm my new batteries with incomplete or inaccurate charging.  To those smarter than me, does this sound like simply a bad or undersized sensing wire?  Is there an easy test for this?  All wires disappear into dark places and before I start down this path, I wanted to see if there might be another answer.  Thanks in advance for any guidance. 
Brian McPhillips
#40
Main Message Board / Re: Bilge pump and float switch
April 20, 2017, 07:07:12 PM
This topic took me back to my scariest boating day.  Flat calm water with a deadline to meet a ferry in Provincetown, we were motoring up Buzzards Bay full throttle when by wife went down below to make lunch and screamed "there's water everywhere," actually 1" above the floor boards.  We called the Coast Guard but the Cape Cod Canal Patrol was closer and arrived fairly quickly.  By then I had checked all through hulls with no problem found.  Family members were manning the manual bilge pump and running a pots and bucket brigade in a losing battle.  The bilge pump was on with no evident progress.  Long story made slightly shorter, together we found  that  a season of vibrations shook loose the bilge hose from the aft end of the check valve, past the limber hole under the cabin sole by the galley.  The motoring bow up angle created downhill flow right into the bilge with no check valve to stop it.  The boat was relatively new to me and I didn't know what I didn't know then- no antisiphon loop, single hose clamp on the check valve which was essentially a through hull, no bilge alarm.  Once we identified the problem and reattached the loose hose to the check valve, the bilge pump drained boat drained in minutes, only minor water damage but we were probably not long from sinking.  The experience taught me to focus on the critical systems first and frequently throughout the season.
#41
I'll put in a plug for the Forespar extending pole.  I have used this for 4-5 years now and have accumulated a lot of experience.  It mounts on a sliding track on front of the mast and deploys pretty easily.  Damage to the pole is easily avoided by being careful-don't let your crew trim the  genny until the pole starts torqueing around the shroud.  I use various lengths depending on conditions-essentially can reef the genny running down wind and with pole way out I get significant speed increase reaching at 120 degrees off the wind  with main and genny set on opposite sides, main trimmed back and genny eased until partly forward of the forestay,  " like a square rigger."  At this point I think I would find a fixed length pole limiting. 
#42
Main Message Board / Re: Reefing Setup
July 13, 2016, 07:45:24 AM
Mine is set up exactly as you describe but I start with a stopper knot rather than bowline which is much less likely to chafe over time.  I bring both lines to a Garhauer double block on port side to the deck organizer and back to line clutches near the port cabin top winch.  What I like is the ability to grab both lines together and while crew is easing the main halyard slowly, I pull both the exact same distance and they come down together the same amount.  Once the tack is snug, I pull a little more with clue or can winch it a few inches to ensure the foot is tight.  Right back up with the halyard and good to go, often set in < 1 minute in high winds.  Love it and use it frequently. 
#43
Main Message Board / Re: Cleaning Stainless
June 30, 2016, 02:19:34 PM
I use Miracle Cloth which I believe got the highest rating from Practical Sailor some years back.  Available on Amazon, Ebay, works great and very easy to use.
#44
Main Message Board / Re: Wiring near disaster
March 21, 2016, 03:03:43 PM
Okay,  I get it.  I'm shocked (pardon the pun) that two regulators with the same 3 + 1 plug would be designed with the wires in different order, but that is clearly the case.  I have the wiring diagrams in hand and I think I'll be okay at this point.  Thanks again for all the help.
#45
Main Message Board / Re: Wiring near disaster
March 21, 2016, 10:15:57 AM
Thanks.  I cannot find a wiring diagram for the Transpo regulator on line but the side of the unit has a sticker identifying the terminals in order as IASF corresponding to the Black, red, brown and Navy wires in the plug connector in my photo.  The terminal just next to these 4 is labeled Stator Output-this is where I attached my free black wire and, along with the brown "S" wire, also looks cooked.  Is it as simple as the free black should have gone to the "B-" post adjacent to the green light?