BSQV\WQOZ12@=;:WP`O`g ''#³ $ "&7aacSa]T27G( for Boat Owners A technical reference library for BSQV\WQOZ12@=;:WP`O`g$ powerboat-  ''#³ $ ;@BAS`WSa 19.95 ers and "&7aacSa]T27G( EACH sailboaters. CDs contain articles from past for Boat Owners The editorial A technical issuesBSQV\WQOZ12@=;:WP`O`g of DIY Boat Owner Magazine  ''#³ $ archives of reference "&7aacSa]T27G(DIY from library for 1995 to powerboat- $ 2006, Buildingfor With Starboard Boat OwnersLaunch;@BAS`WSa & Haulout 19.A technical95 ers and organized by 22 Projects and How to prepare your boat referenceEACH sailboaters. Fabrication Techniques: CDs containfor springarticles launch from and win past- year and issue from librarycover tofor cover. The editorial The ideal choice for issues of DIYter $storage. Boat Includes Owner lay-up Magazine $99.95 powerboat- archives of ;@BAS`WSareplacing wood compo- checklists,19. maintenance95 ers and DIY from nents onboard – won’t and lubricationEACH guides, ;@B0=FA3Bsailboaters. 1995 to CDs containdelaminate, articles rot fromor splinter past Building With Starboardengine servicing, haulout Launch & Haulout The editorial 2006, UPDATED and requires no paint. UPDATEDBeat22guidelines, Projects the easy-to-build and High CostHow to archives ofprepare ofyourRepairs boat organized by issues of DIY Boat Owner Magazine Fabricationstorage covers Techniques: and more. for springDIY12 launch offrom the andMRT win - year and issue from cover to cover. The ideal choice for ter storage.1995Series Includes to in a lay-up — Do It Yourself!custom vinyl $99.95 Better Boats replacing wood compo- checklists,2006, maintenance Building WithMore Starboard than 200 do- Launch & Haulout case. Power 22 Projects and Marine EquipmentHownents to Installations onboardprepare your – won’t boat and lubrication organized guides, by it-yourself projects. DIY CD-ROMs Can Help Get You Ready for Fall;@B0=FA3B Fabrication Techniques: fordelaminate,Here’s spring how launch torot choose, andor splinter win - year and issue fromengine cover versionservicing, to cover. has haulout Practical solutions to deck The ideal choice for UPDATED terandinstall storage. requires and Includes operate no paint. lay-up equip- UPDATED guidelines,Powerboat easy-to-build and cockpit refitting, inte- Each CD is a handy compilation of the best$99.95 articles from storagepast issuesRigging covers of and andDIY more. Boat Owner Magazine, 12 of the MRT replacing wood compo- checklists,ment for yourmaintenance boat includ- Series in a riornents renovations, onboard – rigging won’t conveniently arrangedanding: lubrication air conditioning by topic. guides, A and must-have Sail addition version to has your Sailboat boat maintenance Rigging. library. upgrades, space-saving Better Boats ;@B0=FA3B custom vinyl delaminate, rot or splinter MoreengineheatingExclusive thanservicing, systems, 200 Offer haulout do- audio for Ezine Subscribers — case. Power equipment storage,and safety requires add-ons no paint. and UPDATED guidelines,systems, boweasy-to-build thrusters, Marine Equipment Installations UPDATED it-yourself projects.(reg. price is $19.95 each)$119.95 $12 of the95 MRT version has other nifty items to customize your boat. UPDATED storagedavits, covers lightning and protec-more. (Specify powerHere’s or sail) how to choose, Practical solutions to deck installSeries14 and inoperate a equip- Powerboat Better Boats andtion, cockpit propaneLimited refitting, systems, inte-Time Only! custom each vinyl Rigging and refrigeration, windlasses and more. ment for your boat includ- Blister Repair More than 200 do- rior renovations, rigging

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Vetus America | 7251 National Drive | Hanover, Maryland 21076 Columns #3 2008 0 scuttlebutt The Word on New Boat Warranty: Boat builders are reaching out with warranties to comfort boat buyers seeking a no-hassle boating experience. Now is a good time for comparison shopping. By Patricia Kearns 8 Diesel Engines Good Vibrations: Adding a flexible coupling can be part of a greater drivetrain inspection. By Randy Renn 20 Electrical systems DC Wiring Tools: The key problem in doing 47 a wiring refit is selecting the correct wire size and circuit protection device for the job. Here’s a review of two free programs that do all the number crunching for you. By John Payne 38 Refit A Light Touch: A few simple modifications 13 50 will capture natural light to brighten otherwise dim interiors. By David and Zora Aiken 40 Gear and Gadgets Weatherwise: Weather constantly changes and often without warning so it’s wise to monitor your local weather conditions from the comfort of your nav station or cockpit. By Garrett Lambert 24 50 DIY Projects 3 Patching Plumbing Holes Curved Window Makeover; Low-cost Icebox When a transducer or plumbing thru-hull below the waterline becomes redundant and Fix; Dinghy ID begins to leak you have a choice of either installing a new fitting or repairing the weepy 56 View From The stern one. Follow these steps to seal the hole by the book. By Nick Bailey DIY Tool Essentials: Often “less is more” when it comes to your onboard tool kit. Haulout special By Roger Marshall 24 Barrier Coat Blues DEPARTmEnTs Help for do-it-yourselfers who are outside their comfort zone and working against gravity when mixing and applying exotic formulas to a hull bottom. 2 Currents By Rory Harley Events, letters, news 30 Lessons Learned in Bottom Painting 4 Ask The Experts When selecting a boatyard to paint your boat’s bottom, it’s very important that Rerigging an Alberg; Wiring Doubts; Running Hot; Oil Loads; Tranny Failure; Checks After the yard be qualified to do a proper job, especially when working on metal hulls. Overheat; Case of a Missed Connection; In By Priscilla Travis Need of a Lift; Mounts and Alignment; Merc Diagnostics; Easy 5200 Removal 31 Build a Backyard Boatshed

2 Tech Tips A few ideas to consider when you need a simple, inexpensive work or storage “shop” for your boat. By Roger Marshall 35 Why Decarbonize? Understanding the causes, effects and removal of carbon build-up in your engine helps to 52 Issues of DIY improve fuel efficiency and engine performance. By Steve Auger Technical reference 44 storm lines library on CD-ROM. Why do some nylon anchor lines hold and others break in a storm? Why is the anchor line $ 95 you’ve been using for years likely to fail? There are five critical factors that predict how Just 99. rope fares in a storm. By Bob Adriance To order call 1-888-658-2628 47 stowing for safety or order online at Despite fair-weather planning, there will be times when conditions take an www.diy-boat.com unexpected turn. By David and Zora Aiken.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628  currents

Compiled by Jan Mundy Trailering Bling The exhaust water discharge also looked play screens that indicate the capability like there was plenty of water coming out to display additional data. We found this I really enjoyed “Trailering Essentials,” and I even took its temperature and it out the hard way after purchasing FloScan written by Pat Kearns in DIY 2008-#2 wasn’t hot enough to make steam, yet I NMEA 2000 units only to find out that the issue. I’m wondering where she purchased had steam. I replaced the impeller, exhaust one data item, e.g., gph fuel burn, was all the storage box that fastens to the trailer. elbow, thermostats, etc. and dived under that we could see on our E-80. There’s a I'd love to have one like that to carry my the hull to check the seawater intake thru- running blog on this disaster on our boat's trailer jack, grease gun, tie-down straps hull. I was in the process of installing a website at www.makaicruising.com. and a few essential tools. new strainer when I found the problem. John Peoples, Carson, California Bill Davis, Swansea, Illinois The elbow after the thru-hull valve was a street elbow fitting. The water flows from Peter James replies: Some manufac- the female side to the male side. This turers are more transparent than others made a sort of funnel and some mussels in publishing details of the NMEA 2000 were lodged in the elbow, which restricted messages (PGNs) that its equipment sup- water flow. I cleaned these critters out and ports. Raymarine has assured me that they the steam went away. Sometimes the sim- do intend to publish a list of the PGNs plest things are the hardest to find if they handled by their displays and I have seen aren’t among the obvious causes. a preliminary list. Hopefully, this list will Chris Davies, Sea Mist, Olympia, Washington appear on the Raymarine website (www. raymarine.com). One other issue here is Needing NMEA PGNs that manufacturers may publish a PGN list but they don’t necessarily explain what Heavy duty, weather-resistant poly box attaches Regarding the article about the NMEA data each PGN contains. You can buy a full to the trailer frame with U-bolts. world written by Peter James, titled listing from NMEA at www.nmea.org but, “Building a Better Highway,” and published at $995, that may be pricey for the aver- Pat Kearns replies: I bought the box in DIY 2008-#2, you should publish an age recreational boater. The JackRabbit in the automotive section at a Wal-Mart article regarding just what data items the Marine website (jackrabbitmarine.com) Super Store for about $30. This box has various multi-function display manufac- publishes extracts from the full listing as been on my trailer for two years and is turers support in the way of displaying a free service to boaters. exposed to the hot Florida summer sun NMEA 2000 items. Generating devices without any degradation. There are no create a lot more data than what some of Saloon Wins metal parts to corrode except the hinge the displays have coding to present. The pins but they are encased in the plastic most glaring case being the Raymarine E- DIY received plenty of email from readers hinges and haven’t shown any damage. 80 series that can only display one data responding to the comments in DIY 2008- I regularly squirt a lube formula on the item even though these units have dis- #1 regarding the salon versus saloon deba- hinges to keep them free. Inside, I added plastic bins with snap lids to contain spe- cific items stored in the box and I keep a supply of freezer grade Ziploc bags in the main box to hold odds and ends. One surprise benefit of the box is that it has never leaked, even when the trailer is on the road in rain. I now keep my charts and cruising guides inside with confi- dence. Make sure that, when you install any box, you fit it so that you can open the lid fully. This may require a little ingenu- ity on small trailers. The bigger the trailer, the bigger the potential for box size. All this “bling” really makes trailering a boat much easier. Steam Situation

The diesel engine in my CHB 42 has always produced excessive steam and I checked everything to determine why, including using a laser pyrometer to read the cooling water temperatures at differ- ent points in the piping around the engine. sacha DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 2 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 currents

cle. The majority vote goes to “saloon,” and While I will agree that landlubbers and ational boats throughout the U.S. from as you’ll read below in three responses, all even some respected mariners have come the Clean Water Act federal and state-per- for myriad, defensible reasons. to use the word “salon” when referring to mitting system designed for commercial a vessel's accommodations, those of us ships and land-based industrial facilities, It’s actually saloon and comes from the who are nautically obsessed insist that like sewage treatment plants. days of Mississippi river boat steamers. a salon is where one gets their hair done “This is a fabulous victory for common In many of these vessels, the cabins were while, in a maritime sense, a “saloon” is a sense and it just goes to show what can named after states, the Texas room being common area aboard a vessel. Respected be done when the boating public, the one of the largest. The saloon was the nautical dictionaries, such as Overlooks marine industry and its representatives common space where everyone gathered Illustrated Dictionary of Nautical Terms, in Congress row together in a bipartisan and drinks were served. The term state- Encyclopedia of Nautical Knowledge, way,” said BoatU.S. President Nancy room comes from the naming of state- Sailors Word Book and International Michelman. rooms and saloon is the common space Maritime Dictionary, to name a few, all BoatU.S. has worked for more or, as it was then, the bar. agree and make no mention of “salon” than a year with the National Marine Roger Marshall, naval architect, author and having any nautical meaning. As editor, it Manufacturers Association and a coalition DIY columnist is your choice to use salon if you wish and, of stakeholders as well as a bi-partisan while I may cringe a bit and mutter under group of House and Senate legislators to While working for a broker, I also was my breadth about the lack of respect for resolve the problem before the permitting perplexed by the salon versus saloon tradition, I’ll get over it and I won’t take it deadline. dilemma. However, I consulted my personally. “The real success of this campaign Chapman Piloting & Seamanship, a Jack Hornor, NAMS-Certified Marine Surveyor, rests squarely on the shoulders of this respected nautical reference, for my Davidsonville, Maryland country’s millions of recreational boat- answer. Turns out, the correct word is ers and anglers,” said Margaret Podlich, saloon, and salon is a term used by the No Permit Required BoatU.S. vice president of Government modern day media. Affairs. “Without their loud collective Capt. George Sechrist, Oriental, The Clean Boating Act of 2008, signed voice, we would not have reached this North Carolina into law in mid-July, protects all recre- momentous event.” Q

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DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 3 ask the experts Rerigging an Alberg Wiring Doubts Q: I am refitting an Alberg 29 and Q: I’m looking for a wiring diagram for an alternator and starter so I can complete a installing a new aluminum toerail at project. I have a complete wiring diagram but I cannot find where one wire connects as the same time. The existing genoa track circled on the image (below). location is between the cabin side and Henry Rawlings, Pascagoula, Mississippi the old toerail. Since the new toerail fas- tens with bolts on 4" (101mm) centers, the same as on the existing genoa track, I’m considering placing the new genoa track over the toerail and bolting both at the same time. Is this feasible? Jean-Guy Friolet, Caraquet, New Brunswick

A: I presume you are removing the teak toerail that most Alberg 29s came with originally and that you are install- ing a typical L-shaped aluminum toerail with oval cutouts in the vertical part of the extrusion. The only technical prob- lem with relocating the inboard jib track on top of the toerail is having enough clearance between the vertical part of the new toerail and the edge of the old jib track to accommodate the car for the jib sheet block. Be sure to apply sealant between the track and the toerail at the bolt holes so water does not leak between the track and the toerail and down the fastener hole. Pat Kearns Wiring Balmar’s 60-Series alternator.

A: According to Balmar, the circled plug connects to the harness from the external regulator, if one was installed. If you only use the internal regulator, the blue wire is not used. The white wire connects to the engine tachometer. If you have an alternator-driven tach, connect the white wire to the orange wire in the original engine harness. Running Hot Q: When my boat’s twin 150 hp Volvo head gasket; loose hose connections sterndrives are in gear and running allowing air into the water flow; clogged around 2,500 rpm, the starboard engine or obstructed water inlets; sticking Pat Kearns overheats. This doesn’t happen with the thermostat; failed exhaust elbow gas- Single block attached to the toerail makes a engine in neutral, even at higher rpm. ket; sand build-up in cooling passages; acceptable and uncomplicated lead block for jib sheets. What’s the problem? seizing sterndrive unit from no oil in the Joe Tighe, Santa Barbara, California drive; and clogged heat exchanger (if An alternative and simpler approach freshwater cooled). is to leave the existing track in place A: Under normal operating conditions, — Steve Auger and just use the traditional snatch the symptoms you describe indicate a block attached to the toerail cutout as worn water pump impeller or an impel- Oil Loads your jib sheet lead block. This approach ler that has taken a set due to age hard- used to be the standard method until ening of the rubber vanes. Water pump Q: When I run straight weight 50 people (racers and sailmakers) began impellers should be inspected annually motor oil, my 1993 454 Mark 5 Gen to demand closer jib sheeting angles, or every 100 hours, whichever comes 4 Mercruiser runs better. Will this hurt which in turn required inboard tracks first. A service manual can guide you the engine? for the jib sheet lead block. As you pro- through the inspection process. Mark Cavanaugh, Hudson, Ohio pose, the jib track is redundant when If the impeller checks out okay, other mounted all the way outboard on top causes of engine overheating include: A: I'm not sure what you mean by of a toerail since the toerail itself can kinked or crushed water supply hose; “run better,” however, running a straight serve as a perfectly good place to over advanced ignition timing or stuck weight 50 motor oil only adversely mount a block. distributor advance weights; lean fuel affects engine operation during the — Nick Bailey mixture and faulty carburetor; failed warm-up period when the engine is

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3  (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 asK the exPerts

started cold. In areas where air and The hose was charred and, at the time water temperatures are normally high- of the incident, gave off a heavy smoke er than 80F/26.6C, the 50-weight oil that caused the crew to jump overboard. DIY Boat Owner™ would have minimal warm up time My mechanic says that such high heat The Marine Maintenance Magazine™ P.O. Box 22473 requirements. Areas with cold air and results in a blown head gasket and com- Alexandria, VA 22304 water require lighter engine oil to mini- promised rings. Is there any way I can mize engine wear during the warm-up regain confidence in this engine? Publisher: Michael G. Sciulla period. Your service manual has a chart Don Barlow, Pensacola, Florida Executive Editor: Elaine Dickinson that indicates the required grade of oil based on the air and water temperatures A: An engine overheat condition can Editor: Jan Mundy where you do your boating. cause a failed head gasket but often the — Steve Auger gasket is not damaged. To check for a Advertising Sales Manager: John Bratten failed head gasket, connect a cylinder 703/461-4389/ [email protected] Tranny Failure leakage tester to an air compressor. The Technical Editor: Patricia Kearns compressed air is delivered to each cyl- Q: I have a 31' (9.4m) 1973 Trojan F31 inder one at a time to test the sealing of Circulation: Susan Clark with twin 318 Chrysler engines and Borg the valves, piston rings and head gasket. Designer & Illustrator: Joe VanVeenen Warner transmissions and when backing Leakdown values higher than 30% indi- out of my slip, the starboard remote con- cates that the engine has been compro- Cover Photo by: Michel Istaphanous trol shift lever jammed and then broke. mised and needs repairs. Remove the The lever is easily fixed but I now have water intake hose at the thermostat Contributors: two problems: the engine runs normally housing and both exhaust elbows. This Bob Adriance, David and Zora Aiken, Steve Auger, Nick Bailey, Peter James, Garrett but the drive shaft rotates in the neutral opens the water inlet and outlet points. Lambert, Roger Marshall, John Payne, Randy position and the front belt pulley does If the air leaks out the exhaust then the Renn, Paul and Sheryl Shard. not turn, though the crankshaft pulley exhaust valve is damaged. If air leaks does rotate. AIso, I cannot tighten the out of the carburetor throttle body, the Director of Advertising: belt enough in order to rotate the water intake valve is damaged. If air leaks out Steve Kalman 888/658-BOAT (2628), ext. 2 pump and the alternator, which are both the dipstick tube, the piston rings are e-mail: [email protected] in proper working condition. stuck. If air leaks out the water inlet/out- Stuart Henderson, Toronto, Ontario let fitting, it’s likely that the head gasket REQUEST A MEDIA KIT is damaged. If leakdown numbers are www.diy-boat.com A: As for the drive shaft, it appears low, use an engine decarbonizer, such Subscription Inquiries: from your observations that the trans- as Quicksilver Power Tune, to try to Call 888/658-BOAT (2628) mission’s drive clutches and steel fric- loosen the piston rings, if stuck. [Ed: For weekdays 8am to 5pm EST or tion plates are either warped, stuck or details, refer to page 35 in this issue.] log onto DIY ONLINE: www.diy-boat.com damaged. To repair this, the transmis- Always change your water pump and all Subscription Rates: sion must be removed and the warped exhaust hoses after an overheat incident 1 year (4 issues) $25 plates replaced. Normally, warped discs and change engine oil and filter before Canadian residents add $5 Foreign residents add $25 are caused by overheated transmission putting the boat back in service. Most EZINE (web version) 1 year $15 oil, low oil pressure, low oil level or oper- engine manufacturers offer an audio Payable in U.S. Funds only ating the vessel without the transmis- alarm kit to warn the operator of engine sion fully in gear. The pulley doesn’t turn temperatures higher than 212F (100C). DIY Boat Owner #3 Fall Issue 2008; DIY Boat Owner, ISSN #1201-5598 is published quarterly by Boat Owners likely because the belt is either worn out It costs less than $200 and is installed Association of the United States, 880 S. Pickett Street, or the belt is too narrow in overall width with basic hand tools. Alexandria, VA 22304-4695. Periodical postage paid at or glazed and will not grip the pulleys. — Steve Auger Alexandria, VA and additional mailing offices. Remove the existing belt, jot down your POSTMASTER: Send change of address to DIY Boat Owner, PO Box 22473, Alexandria, VA 22304-2473 engine’s serial number and give both Case of a Missed DIY Boat Owner™ and The Marine Maintenance to a Crusader parts supplier in order to Connection Magazine™ are registered trademarks. obtain the correct replacement belt. Be ©No part of DIY Boat Owner magazine may be sure that no rust, oil or antifreeze is on Q: I have an older Carver with twin reprinted or used without the express written consent the pulleys as this accelerates belt wear. 220 Crusaders and dual helm stations. of the publisher. All materials contained herein are copyrighted and all rights reserved. DIY addressed this common problem in Both engines started and ran well until While all precautions have been taken to ensure the article titled, “Belt Scrutiny” in the I routed a new transducer cable from accuracy and safety in the execution of articles, plans 2008-#2 issue. the bilge to the flying bridge. Now, the and illustrations in this magazine, the publisher accepts — Steve Auger port engine does not start. I might have no responsibility for accidents, material losses or injuries resulting from the use of information supplied in these disturbed a wire from the lower helm articles, plans or illustrations. Checks After Overheat ignition key back to the engine, which is causing the starting problem. What Printed in USA Q: I removed the exhaust hose from my is the best way to troubleshoot the Volvo 260 engine after it reached tem- problem? Turning the key to “on” from peratures of more than 240F (115.5C). either helm station activates the helm

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 5 ask the experts lights but does not engage the starter. In Need of a Lift I bypassed the port engine starter relay Q: My 26' (7.9m) sailboat lacks a and ran a wire from the battery to the topping lift. There is a single becket, starter and it started. What is the color non-swiveling block, which takes 1/4" of the wire I’m looking for, which could (6mm) line, attached to the aft end of be broken or disconnected from the igni- the boom, but there is nothing at the top tion key? Also, how do I determine it’s of the mast. What type of block do you not a starter relay problem? recommend I attach to the top of the Bruce Bittenbender, Malvern, Pennsylvania mast and should it attach to the mast or masthead that holds the radio antenna, A: We contacted Crusader on Bruce’s Windex, etc? Is it better to mount a cleat Jan Mundy behalf and received the following: at the base of the mast or on the boom Small shackle attaches to the masthead for a “Since you seem to be getting power with the other end of the line fixed to a topping lift. A rope thimble would prevent chafe though this was rigged for 10 years without any at the dash, the culprit is most likely pad eye at the bottom of the mast? Do line chafe. in the starter circuit. There is a yel- you recommend disconnecting the top- low wire with a red tracer that leaves ping lift and attaching it to the pulpit neck and then 90 degrees down to a the ignition switch, travels through the when under sail or leaving it attached stand-up block (block held in an upright neutral safety switch (on transmission), to the boom at all times? position by a spring) on deck and then the starter relay and on to the starter Bob Griffiths, Parry Sound, Ontario aft to a small cam cleat by the cockpit. solenoid, wherein the problem will likely When you need to lower the mainsail be found. Trace this wire back, check- A: It sounds like you don’t have an or put in a reef, let out the mainsheet, ing connections and terminals along extra sheave at the masthead but, if you raise the boom by pulling on the top- the way. Check both the neutral safety have space at the masthead, you can ping lift, lower the sail and tighten the switch and relay for continuity, if no drill a hole for a small shackle to which mainsheet. Once all is set, place a mark problems are found in the wiring. Since is spliced a 3/6" (4.7mm) polyester on the topping lift line at the cam cleat you were able to crank the engine by braid line. Run the line down to a small so you know how much to pull in for the bypassing the relay, your starter solenoid block on the end of the boom, along the correct boom height. Another method is and starter are most likely okay.” boom to another block at the goose- to rig the line in reverse: ending at the

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DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628  asK the exPerts

DIY ON down to quarter turns of the mount them and then clean or replace. Second, fasteners and tightening nuts and this excessive fuel pressure, caused by a should be done with the boat in water. clogged fuel pressure regulator screen. This Check that the shaft coupling is tight increases the fuel pressure above specifica- CD-ROM on the shaft and does not move on the tion, which causes the engine to run rich. shaft. If it moves, replace the shaft. Third, a stuck open thermostat that results Do not reuse old couplings worn in the in an engine that runs below the required 1995 – 2007 bore. It’s impossible to match an off- 160F (71C) and causes it runs rich. An 52 Issues of DIY: the-shelf coupling to a shaft without out of range or failed EFI coolant tempera- the aid of a machine shop to ensure ture sensor also causes the engine to run A technical the shaft face and the shaft Euclidean rich. Last, your engine uses an MEFI fuel reference center are at true right angles. The injection computer. Any EFI engine fault library for transmission coupling must not move (trouble code) that is present causes that powerboat- at all. This means that the only toler- circuit to default to a rich running condi- ers and sailboaters. able movement is rotation. Any sound tion. Have the engine computer scanned The editorial that indicates other movement is a sure for faults. archives of indication of oncoming failure. In any — Steve Auger DIY from case, change the transmission fluid. 1995 to This is also a good time to service the Easy 5200 Removal 2007, shaft log, stuffing box and cutlass bear- Q: A leak around the steering pedestal is organized by year and issue from ing. You can replace the mounts in the dripping on the cushion in the aft berth. cover to cover. water but anything else along the drive The former owner had the same problem $99.95 train requires hauling out. and he sealed the inspection port with — Randy Renn 3M 5200 sealant. Now, I can't remove the port to search for the leak. Any ideas MRT BOX SET Merc Diagnostics how to remove it without damaging the 12 of the MRT Q: My 1999 Formula 34PC has twin gelcoat? Series in a 380 hp Mercruisers and there is a thin George Selkinghaus, Columbia, South Carolina custom vinyl sheen of fuel in the starboard exhaust case. Power water. Figuring that the problem was A: Smash, bash and brute force won’t version has unburned fuel making its way to the remove hardware that was properly Powerboat exhaust, I replaced the spark plug bonded with 3M 5200. When you need Rigging and Sail wires and spark plugs. The mechanic to remove hardware use Debond (www. version has Sailboat Rigging. checked compression, the electronic marineformula.com). Spray on a thin coat- $ diagnostics and talked directly with ing of Debond to the bond line around the 119.95 a Mercruiser representative who sug- inspection port. Wait 5 to 10 minutes and (Specify power or sail) gested checking for a pinhole in the then, using a sharp utility knife, cut along fuel pump. As the pump was rusted, it the bond line to agitate the sealant. Apply Electronics Connection was replaced. Still nothing has solved a second thin coating of Debond around Provides the the problem and I paid a lot of money the opening perimeter and wait a few information to have this problem fixed. The exhaust more minutes. If the port won’t unscrew, you need to consider when water also has a lot of tiny air bubbles. spray on additional applications as needed I’m now considering having the engine to penetrate the threads. A 4oz can costs NEW purchasing, installing, head removed and inspecting each fuel $19.95. operating, and injector. Since the engine runs fine it — Jan Mundy Q troubleshoot- makes it equally perplexing. Do you ing marine electronics for most any have any thoughts about what could be Normally hard- layout or equipment and budget in causing this problem? The port engine ware installed a step-by-step approach. has no such problem. with 3M 5200 is $ Paul Bollinger, Alexandria, Virginia not engineered to 19.95 be removed but, A: There are several conditions that can when it becomes cause the symptoms you describe. The fol- necessary, the only proven prod- lowing list is in order of probability. First, uct is Debond. a malfunctioning (flooding) fuel injector(s) due to reformulated gasoline deposits. TO ORDER Call Identify this by performing an injector bal- 1-888-658-BOaT ance test, which determines if the injectors are flowing the proper amount of fuel. If OR ShOp ONlINE aT the injectors do not pass the balance test,

www.DIY-BOaT.COM clean them without removal or remove Jan Mundy

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 8 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 Photo Courtesy Carolina Classic

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The Ultimate Marine Building Material tm scuttlebutt The Word on New Boat Warranties Boat builders are reaching out with warranties to comfort boat buyers seeking a no-hassle boating experience. Now is a good time for comparison shopping.

By Patricia Kearns

If warranty is about experience, expecta- problems is tions and exposure, how do you quantify not a practi- these essential safeguards in advance of cal alternative a new boat purchase? Extensive warranty on any level. coverages are part of the deal if you take “Warrant” the time to study and understand the is the act of value of what is at stake in a new boat making that warranty. In fact, once you’ve identified promise, e.g., “I promise to fix your the type of boat, your price range, engines, boat.” “Warrantee” is the person receiving keyboard to work for you and let performance factors, equipment and other the promise. Pretty basic concepts but not Google do the walking. A boat dealership personal preferences, the boat builder’s always fully appreciated until the warran- that has generations of operational experi- warranty should be at the top of your list tee wants to exercise his/her warranty. The ence and handles lines of popular boats of comparative points. quality of the warranty is often found in the will have a hard time ducking the aim of While I have yet to hear of an unlimited, entity that warrants the warranty. Make unhappy boat owners. Most enduring busi- lifetime warranty for a boat, the advances sure the boat you buy comes from a com- nesses have long since learned the value of in coverage and terms of boat warranties pany that keeps its promises, both the boat a happy customer, sometimes to the point are developing rapidly in much the same builder and the dealer. Duking it out with of stretching warranty coverage to main- way as boat builders embrace technical an obstructive boat dealer who is making tain good will. Dealing with the new kid on advances in the physical product. The it tough for you to put your warranty into the block does not preclude an excellent quality of product and a comprehensive action is not in the boating fun catalog. experience but you’ll have to be more vigi- warranty are combining to assure pro- The nuts and bolts of a written warranty lant about your rights and responsibilities spective new boat buyers of the plea- are pretty fundamental. Read the war- with a company that does not yet have an sures of ownership, truly approaching the ranty contract; ask the dealer questions or earned reputation for good service. “add water; have fun” that the industry’s check with the builder before the sale. This Good places to check are with the Discover Boating campaign wants to deliv- is not rocket science and few warranties BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Bureau er with every new boat. nowadays speak in legalese. The warranty (my.boatus.com/consumer/default.asp?WT. If you’ve been shopping for a new boat language for what’s covered and not cov- mc_id=400056) and the Consumer Q&A and I mean “new,” not just new to you, ered should be specific. What the warranty Messageboard at BoatUS.com. you have probably noticed that the eco- doesn’t promise is just as important as what nomic challenges in today’s economy have it does promise. For a timeless overview of Getting The Goods created a buyer’s market and builders warranty basics, read the BoatU.S. discus- Let’s look at the kind of warranty expe- and dealers are working hard to have you sion, Warranting A Closer Look, BoatU.S. rience most of us know and love. You’ve see the “Buy Me” sign on their brands. Magazine, July 2001 (http://my.boatus. bought a high-quality, new car from a deal- Evolving as one of the most attractive lures com/consumer/CloserLook.asp). er with an excellent reputation. When you are long-term, all-encompassing and reli- Less easy to assess is the willingness encounter a problem, you are confident able warranties, many even transferable of the dealer and/or builder to honor the that it will be resolved by the dealer under to future owners. This is a good time to warranty and do it in a timely fashion. the manufacturer’s warranty. Can you take get a big bang for your buck if you have Reputation is relatively easy to verify and the same confidence for granted when a the bucks. it’s definitely up to you to do it. Bad news problem arises on your new or almost new travels fast and you usually find it pretty boat? What’s in the Promise? readily. The Internet is a vast resource for It does not matter that the problem A warranty is a promise. This promise must information of this nature. In my research developed on your long planned for vaca- always be in writing. While oral promises for this article, I was able to read the tion, far from the boat dealer, and that you are enforceable under the law, going to the actual warranty commitment for at least are in a far-off boatyard with a warranty justice system with your boat warranty six major U.S. boatbuilders. Put your problem. Your new best friend in the yard

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 0 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 scuttlebutt

says he can fix it and you can get on your registration process and get some form of than an insurance policy that covers way but don’t be surprised if you get short confirmation that the warranty period is some or all previously warranted items. shrift from your boat dealer when you hand in effect. Carry a copy of your warranty The best extended warranty is one that The Word on him the bill for the emergency repair and onboard if you are planning to cruise out is offered by the original builder, engine you submit your claim for warranty cov- of your dealer’s territory. maker, etc. Misunderstanding this impor- erage as a fait accompli. Reimbursement Terms of warranty coverage vary within tant difference could put your assurance New Boat Warranties rates from builder to dealer for warranty the warranty agreement. In this context, of protection in jeopardy just when you work are set up in advance and using an “terms” refers to how long the boat, its need it. “outside” repairer who is charging different components and the builder-installed There is always good news and bad rates might leave you holding the bag. equipment are warranted and by whom. news. The good news is that new boat Stuff happens but the protocols for “Five year limited warranty” may stipu- warranties and extended warranties are enacting warranty coverage are sacro- late that only the hull is covered for five improving as experience parallels expec- sanct and pre-empting the warranty pro- years. Engines may be covered by a sepa- tations. The bad news is that even if a cess by your sense of urgency to continue rate warranty; builder installed hardware, breakdown is covered under warranty, your your cruise may have compromised the plumbing and other systems may be cov- cruising vacation may be interrupted. Drop dealer’s ability to provide covered repairs ered for less time. the hook or tie up in a slip, grab your cell under his dealership contract with the boat There are warranty extensions available phone and a cool drink and go confidently builder. Get the particulars on the proce- for boats and engines but there is a time- into the world of warranty, secure that your dures before you need them and know it sensitive period for enacting these cov- knowledge of the rules will pay off sooner before you go. erages. Miss the window of opportunity than later. A fundamental of warranty etiquette is and you may have lost your only chance taking the required action to register your to purchase a desired benefit. It’s not About the author: Patricia Kearns is a National boat in the warranty program. Opening the unusual for an extended warranty to be Association of Marine Surveyors certified warranty book on your new boat is pre- under the administration of a third party. marine surveyor (CMS) and she is DIY’s techni- scribed as the new boat owner’s respon- While the primary warranty is most often cal editor. She operates Recreational Marine sibility. Don’t ever presume that the boat the purview of the boat manufacturer, an Experts Group, a survey and consulting firm in dealer will register your warranty. Verify the extended warranty might be little more Naples, Florida.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628  Tech Tips Wrist saver: To prevent a holesaw from remove the tool and slip the hose on the low point and connect all to a valve. This binding and twisting your arm or wrist, hose barb before the hose can return to may require a “Y” connector, depending spray a mixture of dish detergent and its original diameter. You have to act fast on the number of hoses. To drain water water on the holesaw before inserting but it works perfectly and saves a lot of from hoses, simply open the valves. in the hole. It might burn but the soapy aggravation. Tim Nye, Sea Rose, Hamilton, Ontario water has a Gary Gerber, Bethesda, Maryland pleasant smell. rope care: At the end of the season, Once through, add to your toolbox: Keep a bottle take your sheets and lines home and let the drill stop of BoatLife Release Adhesive & Sealant wash them by hand in warm soapy water before pulling Remover in your toolbox to remove excess and let air dry. Check them carefully for the holesaw out caulking, tape residue or labels. This sol- chafing or herniations, places where the of the hole. vent-free inside core has erupted through the exte- Steve Auger, formula- rior cover. Jan Mundy Mercury Marine tion does not harm Functional but ugly: As a temporary Bag recycler: To make a simple, inex- gelcoat protector to prevent docklines from chafe, pensive and easily installed device that or wood wrap them holds plastic grocery bags, take a 12" surfaces with thick lay- (304mm) section of 1-1/2" a n d i s ers of electri- (38mm) schedule 40 PVC kinder to cal tape where pipe, wrap two mounting style your skin they pass over cable ties, the kind with a and lungs chocks or

screw hole in the end, around than sol- Jan Mundy cleats. each pipe end, orienting the vents. screw hole flush with the Although reader tips are accepted as submitted in good faith, DIY has not tested or proven those tips. DIY offers mounting surface then fasten Jan Mundy no guarantee or warranty as related to their fitness or the cable ends to a galley cabi- suitability for service or application as reported. net or locker. Stuff the top of Duped Voltage: When measuring volt- the tube with empty grocery age with a multimeter, in this case, while bags and pull bags out of the troubleshooting a non-functioning 12-volt TECh TIpS bottom end as needed. bilge pump, always place a load on the Michael J. Quigley, Sea Flourishes, Pacific device; otherwise, the meter may read 12 waNTED Palisades, California volts. You’ll think you have power but the device does not operate. Published tips receive a slick and Lasting: Rather than pour veg- Ron Polomski, Grand Portage, Minnesota BoatU.S. Grill Apron etable oil in a marine toilet, which gums up components and holding tanks, once Fruity Oil sock: For a less expensive Apron features a a week, I unscrew the pump top on the solution to off-the-shelf oil absorbing bilge detachable bottle Jabsco toilet and manually lubricate the socks, roll up two oil absorbent sheets opener, padded shaft and O-ring with grease. and stuff them oven mitt and inside an empty towel and hose spreader: To easily fit hoses over lemon or other multiple plumbing fittings, purchase a tail pipe citrus fruit bag. pockets for expander, available in a range of diam- Tom McCandless, storage eters, from an auto parts store for less KTQ, Georgetown including than $25, depending on the size. To use, Island, Maine an insulated adjustable pocket for keeping beverages cold. Plumbing aid: To save time when win- Includes a detachable neck strap and terizing water hoses, splice a tee and a side tie strings for comfortable wear- ball valve into the discharge hose from ing and is machine washable. sinks and even the water tank, then Just send us a description of your attach a hose that is routed to a common boat-tested tip or technique, along with a photo (if available), your name, boat name and homeport to: DIY TECH TIPs slip the expander into the hose, take an P.O.Box 22473, Alexandria, VA 22304 open end wrench and turn the hex shaft to or E-mail to: [email protected] expand the fitting, which forces the hose to stretch. Quickly reverse the wrench, sacha DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 2 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 PRo-sERIEs PATCHING PLUMBING HoLes After prep grinding, note the laminate layers exposed.

When a transducer or plumbing thru-hull below the waterline becomes redundant and begins to leak you have a choice of either installing a new fitting or repairing the weepy one. Follow these steps to seal the hole by the book.

Story and photos by Nick Bailey

A commonplace item on an older boat is tighten the clamping nut on an old cor- the long-abandoned vestigial remains of roded thru-hull (or cap nut on an aged ancient instrumentation. Those rows of plastic transducer) commonly results in a giant holes cut into the cabin bulkhead cracked fitting that leaks even worst. At for the analog meters are bad enough but this point, you have run out of options, Remove the redundant thru-hull, in this case, a deteriorating knotlog and depthsounder with a haul out required to remove the seacock thru-bolted in place. transducer thru-hulls can be a real source broken thru-hull. You can expect that of worry. The impossible-to-find rubber even a leaking thru-hull offers surprisingly or a hand maul on a softwood block laid gaskets and O-rings sealing the transduc- stiff resistance to removal. across the top of the fitting should break er cap gradually wither away enabling a the sealant bond. If you don’t care wheth- slow but steady leak. Then there are all Thru-hull Removal er the thru-hull breaks, you can forgo the the other circumstances where a thru-hull First, use a pipe wrench or channel wood block. becomes redundant. lock pliers to remove the valve and then Be careful before you get in there and A saltwater boat with an overboard attempt to unwind the securing nut. start wailing away with a mallet. Many head discharge might take up permanent Remember that counterclockwise, when thru-hulls are complete seacock assem- residence in freshwater. A water intake or viewed from above, is the “loosen” direc- blies and these combination valve and sink drain may become redundant due tion. If the threads are damaged or cor- thru-hull units are often securely bolted to equipment changes or a remodeled roded and the hull bond poor, the entire to the hull. The fasteners pass through to interior. What about all those old inboard thru-hull may start to turn. If you are the outside of the hull but the bolt heads gas sailboat engines, the OMC Saildrives, lucky, there may be a flattened spot to fit are recessed and buried in fairing putty. It Westerbeke Vire 7s and Atomic Twos, a wrench on the upper shank of the thru- is common to have to do some digging to long orphaned by their manufacturers? hull. If not, an assistant may be required find both ends of the fitting. Flush mount- Out of sheer brutal expedience many to hold the thru-hull from the outside. ed thru-hulls also may have a recessed have been replaced by a transom-mount- Most bronze thru-hulls have small tabs flange buried in fairing putty. In these ed outboard, leaving behind abandoned on either side of the outside flange, which cases, the inside securing nut(s) must be water intakes, shaft-logs and gaping sail- are designed to catch against a large flat- unscrewed and the outside fairing com- drive apertures. As long as the original blade screwdriver or a specially designed pound removed (a chisel or grinder does hardware remains leak free there is little thru-hull tool that fits into the mouth the job) before knocking the thru-bolts inducement for action but a neglected of the thru-hull to prevent it from mov- and/or the thru-hull out from the inside. and useless underwater fitting is always ing while the fitting is being tightened or a potential source of trouble. loosened. [Ed: For instructions, refer to Patching the Hole Following the downhill slide of entropy, page 17.] Often the backing nut comes During my 30 plus years in the boat leaks commonly develop at a thru-hull off okay but the thru-hull itself is well and repair business I have seen a lot of exam- as the wood backing block or bedding truly stuck to the hull. In this case, a few ples of badly done hole “repairs.” People sealant deteriorates. Attempting to over- modest whacks with a dead blow mallet get all fired up about using a “superior”

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 3 PRo-sERIEs

compressed air and then wipe the freshly ground surface with a clean lint-free rag dampened with acetone. An alternative prep method for the truly meticulous is to forego the grinder and instead use a router to precisely remove individual laminate layers in concentric rings around the hole. By increasing the depth of the router cut for each laminate depth, as you get closer to the hole, a “stepped” scarf is created. The overall Use a grinder and a 36-grit disc to carve a Note the rings visible inside this prepped scarf. scarf diameter is the same with either bevel into the hull laminate around the hole. They delineate each layer of glass in the hull technique. laminate. This hole was left by a lightning strike. Step 2: Dry Fit Ideally, the patch should have approxi- mately the same laminate schedule (num- ber and type of glass layers) as the hull but, in practice, since we are just patch- ing a thru-hull hole, good results can be achieved with a less than identical lay-up, provided the overall thickness is at least equal to the original hull. Examine the exposed laminates and identify the concentric rings that delineate each individual layer of glass in the hull The beginnings of a beveled scarf face Cut out patches of fiberglass, 1810 stitch lay-up. Cut out alternating layers of 1 oz around a thru-hull to prep it for a glass cap. mat in this case, of approximately the same to 1.5-oz chopped strand mat and 12-oz This one needs to be a bit larger to achieve a size and shape as the layers that were to 24-oz woven roving to match the size ground away. 12:1 ratio. and shape of each layer. The two outer cap layers should be 1808 or 1810 stitch resin and somehow end up thinking they scarf should have a high ratio to allow a mat, if available. A product that combines can plug holes below the waterline with large bonding surface. In other words, the 18 oz woven roving with .8-oz or 1-oz blobs of unadulterated goo. ratio of the scarf face width to the hull mat is a convenient all-purpose alterna- If there is any hope whatsoever of laminate thickness should be a minimum tive to traditional mat and roving. achieving a long term patch, the glass of 12:1 on a sailboat or around 20:1 or If the roving you are using has the laminate must be restored and “recon- more on a powerboat. For example, a fibers running predominately in one direc- nected” over the hole. This requires a little 1/2" (12mm) thick powerboat hull needs tion, orient the next roving patch at 90 prep work and planning as well as some a patch radius of at least 10" (254mm) degrees from the first. If the roving has basic skills for working with fiberglass. radius and a sailboat hull 0.375" (9mm) fibers in two directions at 90 degrees to Above the waterline, you can get away thick needs a 4.5" (114mm) patch radi- each other, orient the next patch at 45 with all kinds of slapdash repair shenani- us. The best hole repairs also include a degrees to the first. If you have tri-axial gans; below the waterline any weakness patch on the inside of the hull of a similar cloth (excellent material), any direction comes back to bite you. or larger diameter but a shallower scarf will do. depth. There is an ongoing discussion in the Step 1: Set up and Prep Now, suit up with a Tyvek hazmat suit professional trade publications as to Fifty percent of any glass repair is the and work gloves with cuffs taped for a whether the largest patch should go in quality of the surface preparation in the hermetic seal and don a respirator and first or the smallest. In practice it does not areas that are to receive the new patch- visor. Plug in the grinder with a fresh 36- make a huge difference in peel strength. ing laminates. Poor prep means a poor grit disc and wade right in. As you sweat The traditional tidy method is to put the bond and then the patch comes off and it out under the hot sun, blinkered and smallest patch in first so that the laminate the boat sinks. To achieve a good bond, oblivious to all around, you just remember patch edge lines up approximately with a fiberglass patch must adhere to a large that grinding is one of the “manly arts.” the edge of the hull laminate exposed at uncontaminated, chemically compatible To avoid the wrath of your fellow boaters the scarf edge. surface with just the right rough texture use a dustless sander or tent your work Set up a platform or worktable nearby to develop mechanical adhesion. area with a tarp to contain that nasty and cover it with heavy plastic sheeting. To achieve an adequate bonding sur- dust and carefully clean up afterwards. Of Lay out the cut glass patches in order on face requires grinding away the existing course, any grinding inside the boat also the table and reserve a space at the end laminate from the edges of the hole to requires maximum dust control measures. of the table for wetting out each piece. create a beveled or dish-shaped ramp all When the grinding is finished, remove the In most cases, it is preferable to do the around the hole to act as a scarf face. The dust from the repair area by vacuum or inside-the-hull phase of the repair first.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 4 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 PRo-sERIEs

with acetone and get ready to mix the laminating resin. Step 3: Lamination I don’t care what type laminating resin you use. Pick one that is familiar and stick (no pun intended) with it. The hulls of 99.9% of older glass boats are made of polyester resin so in 99.9% of cases polyester or vinyl-ester or epoxy will work just fine if used correctly with glass. Wetting out glass cloth with resin. The glass layers are pre-wetted with resin and Using a disposable container, mix applied, smallest to largest, over the hole. If the resin strictly in accordance with the working with polyester resin, a fast curing “hot mix” is necessary when working overhead. manufacturer’s instructions. Use a small Epoxy resin is a fixed resin-to-catalyst ratio so a paintbrush or roller to apply resin to wet vacuum bag works best to clamp the new lay- out the surface of the repair. Pour a few up in place. ounces onto the worktable and drop the first laminate patch onto the puddle. If so, be prepared to set up a workspace Over-roll it with a bubble-buster glass inside as each complete lay-up phase roller (or any roller you have) until it is (inner and outer) is done in one shot. You thoroughly wetted out. don’t want to be running up and down a Slide a broad putty knife under the wet ladder to wet out and place each piece. glass piece and transfer it to the wait- Blank off the other side of the hole with ing repair. Roll it with the bubble buster masking tape and cardboard to provide and/or poke with a brush or smooth Alternatively, a low-tech “tape & masonite” a backing for the lay-up and to prevent with a squeegee to remove trapped air clamping mechanism can be used if a vacuum resin from leaking through and running and repeat the procedure with the next kit is not available. wild on the other side. Do a final wipe pieces. In most cases, you can continue

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Photo: Hugh Horton

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DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 5 PRo-sERIEs

A solid glass and resin plug fills the void between the skins and bulges out of the repair access hole.

Any hole repair should be an (top) inside and (top) The cured fairing putty is block-sanded (bottom) outside repair, although only a layer or flush with the hull with 80-grit paper to (bot- two of glass suffices for the patch on the inside tom) yield a smooth, level surface for the patch A 1,500-rpm sander with a flex pad and 80 of the hull. that is paint ready. grit disc is used to flatten and recess the bulg- ing plug.

the lay-up until all the laminate pieces are in place. Generally, if the first resin batch begins to kick off before you have finished the lay-up, it may be possible to continue with a new batch immediately. Pressing ahead may depend on how lumpy the surface of the patch is and the likelihood of the lumps messing up the next layer. If in doubt, it is better to return when things have hardened and Bottom paint application is the final step. This buzz the surface quickly with a grinder may or may not include epoxy barrier coat to flatten it. primers prior to antifouling. After the inside cures to the point where you can peel away the masking tape plug, repeat the lay-up procedure Step 4: Finishing on the outside. If you are interrupted and When you’re finished with the lay-up, must finish the lay-up at a later date, the outside surface of the repair will not be prepared to thoroughly prep-sand be particularly smooth and it probably the cured bonding surface with 60-grit protrudes a bit above the surrounding or coarser paper before continuing the hull surface. lay-up. Use an 8" (203mm) polisher with a If you have to return to a fully cured foam disc and 80-grit paper to quickly but unfinished lay-up using epoxy resin bring the biggest lumps close to the in a cool damp environment, be sure to (top) After a quick grind to level the new glass hull surface. Follow by block sanding first scrub the surface with soap, water surface, a fairing putty is mixed and applied with 60 grit to eliminate any remaining and a scouring pad to remove the waxy (bottom) with a trowel over the glass patch. high spots. Prep sand any hollows by amine blush and then do a thorough hand or with a corner sander and then prep sanding. Amine blush is the bug- “green” or “no-sand” overcoat time win- clean off the dust and (assuming we are bear and dirty little secret of most epoxy dow. How sneaky is that? It has caused working below the waterline) prime the resins. It is a self-generated release coat me much grief but also generated a lot surface with an epoxy primer suited for that occurs naturally on the surface of of repair revenue when fixing some other underwater use, such as Awlgrip 545, cured epoxy when it is just outside the poor fellow’s mess. Interprotect 2000 or straight epoxy

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 6 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 PRo-sERIEs

simple seacock Removal resin. Two coats are the minimum. Mix and apply a good epoxy filler. Once cured, block sand with 60 grit to fair. into the thru-hull with a really big whack Refill and sand again if needed. of the hammer. Ensure it is tight. You are Seal the raw filler and exposed area making a relatively watertight seal of the with a minimum of two coats; five thru-hull fitting. coats of an epoxy primer or barrier coat 6. From inside the boat, pour boiling water works best. If the surface is still porous, When you have to remove an old seacock or into the open top of the seacock. I find it squeegee a fine epoxy filler (mayonnaise thru-hull fitting and you’re not looking forward best to take a thermos bottle below decks consistency) or even a small amount of to the task follow these simple steps below instead of a coffee cup or saucepan. mixed barrier coat, thickened slightly provide by John Cly of Groco (www.groco.net). 7. Wait 60 to 75 seconds. with a bit of colloidal silica, into the His method uses hot water to break the caulk- 8. If there is an assistant outside, observ- pinholes. Allow it to come to full cure ing bond rather than power tools to cut off the ing the thru-hull, tell him/her to get out of and prep sand with 120-grit green coat thru-hull fitting or other heat sources (torch or the way. paper then apply antifouling within the heat gun) that may damage the hull. 9. Using a wooden dowel and hammer, drive primer manufacturer’s specified time the tapered plug out of the seacock. The window. 1. Haul the boat. water and plug fall to the ground below. Paint the inside repair with an air-dry 2. Purchase Groco’s THT-530 thru-hull instal- 10. From outside the boat, insert the THT- (waxed) polyester gelcoat or an epoxy lation tool. This fits 1/2" (12mm) through 3" 530 thru-hull tool into the thru-hull opening primer. (76mm) thru-hulls. and turn. With luck the hot water will have The glass repair approach takes a bit 3. Remove the hose attached to the affected softened the bedding compound to a point of work but is the best solution if you seacock and any angled hose barb or elbow where it is easy to turn. really must lose those extra holes in the fittings. 11. Remove the thru-hull. hull. Q 4. Open the seacock. 12. Remove the bolts, nuts and screws 5. From outside the boat, drive a tapered anchoring the seacock to the hull. About the author: Nick Bailey is a boat repair wooden plug sized to fit the thru-hull 13. Clean and prep the area. professional with 32 years experience.

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Come to our website to see what sizes will fi t your boat. Call (888) 437-5512 or Email: [email protected]

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 7 DIEsEl Good VIBrATIoNso Adding a flexible coupling can be part of a greater drivetrain inspection.

By Randy Renn

A properly installed “flex” coupling can be marine engine drivetrains, it was a matter ing, a large investment and hull additions. a silent, nearly maintenance-free, positive of taking this technology and adapting it The middle ground is held by a type of flex amendment to your boating experience. to a boat propeller shaft, with the goal to coupling that involves reinforced “rubber” Rarely installed in older boats and not direct the imbalances of several rotation- inserts or plugs in a metal housing, such seen often in new production craft, flexible ally affected items to a positive end. as the Vetus Bullflex and Uniflex types. couplings for propeller shafts are mostly If your propeller shaft is fixed, meaning Prices range from $100 for the plastic ring aftermarket installations. that it has a bearing at each end, namely types. The Vetus units start at $550 and Flexible couplings are unions between the strut and a rigid stuffing box, and the Aquadrive systems takes you closer propeller shafts and transmissions that the engine is on flexible motor mounts, to $1,000 or more. As in many things, absorb some shaft and engine movement then the transmission needs a true flex- the investment versus return balance is a in order to reduce wear and mechani- ible coupling. If so equipped, add one point to ponder. Further, the performance cally borne vibration. Some flexible sys- to compensate for engine movement. expectation of flex couplings varies rather tems actually eliminate thrust against Should you have a system that uses U- greatly, closely paralleling initial costs. the transmission by transferring it to the joints and metal truck-type drive shafts, hull thereby removing rear force upon it is time to consider changing to “rubber” Installation Considerations the engine altogether. Flex couplings, in type couplings that require very little care The plastic ring type and Vetus flex cou- general, are not a single panacea for the and are much less likely to fail. The flex- plings should be within the scope of the myriad of propulsion issues that lead to a ible coupling manufacturer or dealer can average weekend mechanic’s skills. The vessel’s sound levels but their installation tell you what size and style coupling you Drivesaver and R&D require the most basic can greatly improve motoring conditions. need according to engine horsepower and of hand tools and the Vetus units, while shaft size. It is a good bet that your boat’s perhaps requiring some light machine shop Workings shaft has a non-rigid stuffing box and flex- work, can be installed by most anyone who How does a flex coupling work? You may ible mounts, which is the most common can operate a hand drill. All are ideal for not know it but you probably already own installation. installation on older boats. The Aquadrive several flex couplings in your car’s drive requires some real skills, heavy tools and train and steering. Certainly, if it is front- Selection good drive knowledge; a fair amount of sci- wheel drive, there are four flex couplings, Choices of flexible couplings run from a ence if not a lot of art. called constant velocity joints, on the front very simple hard plastic ring, such as the Your first consideration is to determine axles. You may have rubber flex joints in Drivesaver or the R&D flexible coupling if there is enough space to install the flex the transfer case of your four-wheel drive that need little more than hand tools and coupling. Some flex couplings are con- or plastic waffle plates on the rear sus- a ratchet to install, to an Aquadrive sys- siderably larger than the steel couplings pension of your commuter car. Relative to tem that requires some serious engineer- they replace so measure twice and have

(left) Large Vetus Bullflex couplings. Note the split coupling on the shaft end to allow “clamping” Vetus Type 6 coupling showing the bushings the coupling on the shaft when installing. (right) Vetus Bullflex unit showing the heavy flexible inside the unit. This coupling works with fixed “doughnut” between metal plates that attaches to the shaft and transmission. or flexible stuffing boxes and a special conical clamping hub saves installation time. DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 8 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 DIEsEl

Vetus Uniflex coupling permits a shaft misalign- ment of up to 2 VIBrATIoNs degrees.

Made of hard but flexible plastic, the Drivesaver The durable polyurethane R&D flexible coupling bolts between the propeller shaft and transmis- helps to reduce vibration, compensate for some sion couplings. This unit absorbs some flex misalignment, isolate the shaft and absorb and minor misalignment. Advantages are ease transmission shock loads caused by the propel- of installation using only hand tools and space ler and high speed gear changes. requirements of possibly less than 1” (25mm).

no regrets. Also be certain that the flex Next, look at the motor mounts, the unit will not move the shaft aft too far fastenings and adjustment nuts. My col- to be outside ABYC P-6 Standard recom- umn discussed this in the DIY 2007-#3 mendations. As part of your flex coupling issue. Motor mounts wear out, get soft installation it is important to consider or fail so plan on mount replacement as that ABYC, P-6, 6.5.5.4 states: “The part of the flex coupling install, espe- distance between the forward end of cially if they are original equipment. If Aquadrive thrust plate absorbs the push from the propeller hub and the aft end of the engine mounts are aged, consider the the propeller shaft directly to the vessel and last strut bearing shall be limited to one value of proactively replacing all of them not to the transmission. Two constant velocity shaft diameter.” As an aside, if your ves- for a fresh start and a good result. Often joints, visible ahead of the thrust plate, trans- sel has been or is being repowered, be overlooked are the motor mount mount- fer engine rotation to the propeller shaft. The very careful that the shaft material is of ing frames, those plates that bolt to the arrangement allows a more flexibly mounted the proper type and has a yield strength engine and to which the mounts attach. engine and greatly reduces real and perceived great enough to withstand any power If the motor mount mounting holes are engine sounds and vibrations. changes. worn or wallowed out, replace the frames In most installations, the shaft is sup- as the new mounts will loosen quickly the risk of impact damage to the power ported at one end by the transmission and it will be impossible to maintain cor- plant minimized. coupling and at the other end by the cut- rect engine alignment. Replacing just a Greater comfort should be easily recog- lass bearing. Cutless bearing wear is very coupling may be the cure for any prob- nized even with the simple, easily installed common and bearings should be replaced lems or the resolution of any alignment hard plastic type units. The more flexible as part of a flex coupling installation. dilemma; in fact, poorly prepped, a flex type, Vetus couplings immediately result in While looking at the cutlass bearing, coupling could make matters worse. a more quiet drivetrain and the Aquadrive you may notice a 1/2" (12mm) shiny Engine alignment is required as part of system completely changes the vessel’s band on the shaft on the propeller side your flex coupling installation and must feel as all propeller thrust is applied to the of the strut. This indicates how much the be performed in the water. It is often hull and not to the transmission, tremen- engine moves fore and aft in the hull as assumed that, with flex couplings, engine dously reducing hull vibration. One caveat it bounces around on the motor mounts. alignment is not required and, because is that, because the system is now quite It is difficult to imagine the engine actu- the flexible nature of the coupling causes a bit heavier and, therefore, has consider- ally moving that much but the visual it to be self-aligning. An initial alignment ably more inertial mass as well as more evidence is undeniable. If the engine must be made to position the engine as defined reciprocating cycles and shock is moving that much fore and aft, how closely as possible to best alignment. loading, the transmission sizing may be a much it is moving side to side? It’s fair consideration in marginal installations. to presume that action as well. These Benefits All flex coupling styles and types can movements result in a range of vibration Because flex couplings are absorbing produce pleasant and, in some ways, sur- felt by the hull and its supporting struc- shock and loading, you can expect, bar- prising results. A flex coupling is some- tures to annoying rattling at locker doors ring defective mounts, worn rudder bear- thing that is often not missed until you and other fittings that you can hope to ings, nicked, bent or out of balance pro- experience having one. Q reduce with a flex coupling. peller blades, a bent shaft, misaligned Take the time now to service the stuffing box, flexing engine stringers, worn About the author: James R. (Randy) Renn is a USCG licensed operator, avid sailor, sport stuffing box, hose and clamps while the cutlass bearing, poor engine alignment or fisherman and one of a few marine surveyors shaft is out of the boat. This is also the reduced engine vibration along with its who is also accredited as an engine surveyor. time for a close look at the transmis- accompanying noise level. Shifting may be He operates Marine Forensic Technicians in sion coupling. smoother, transmission wear lowered and Stevensville, Maryland.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 9 ElECTRICAl DC Wiring

TooLs Jan Mundy The key problem in doing a wiring refit is selecting the correct wire size and circuit protection device for the job. Here’s a review of two free programs that do all the number crunching for you.

By John Payne When wiring a new boat or rewiring an Both programs run on Windows operat- ing additional loads to circuits; wiring old boat, there often are many calcula- ing systems only. errors, loose connections or poor crimps; tions to make as you check each circuit heated terminations from motor terminals, and calculate the wire size accordingly. DC Circuit Wizard heating appliances or lighting fixtures; data Even seasoned professionals find this input errors from enter- hard work and time consuming. ing wrong values into There are three basic questions that the calculator; unusual must be asked and answered when per- environmental heat forming circuit calculations. How long is sources; inadequate or the wire route? How much current does defective wire insula- the circuit carry to the connected equip- tion; software defects ment? What is the allowable voltage and/or malfunctions of drop? Based on the answers, you select a web browser or server the correct cable size. computer. As you can There are three methods of deter- see, it means users of mining cable size. The first is using old the online calculator fashioned basic math, taking the circuit must be aware that it’s details and calculating the cable size only a tool with limi- using the formula specified in the ABYC tations and it doesn’t E-11 Standard, AC and DC Electrical allow for everything. Systems on Boats. The second method is It also states that the the use of ABYC tables that allow quick calculator is not a sub- selection. The third method is the use of Be very aware that the DC Circuit Wizard stitute for the expertise of a marine elec- online and downloadable programs that software from Blue Sea Systems is a Beta trical professional and that the calculator do all the number crunching for you. version and this means it’s a prototype that not be used as the sole basis for selecting The fundamental information you may contain errors or may not give exact wire size or circuit protection and that any need to know is the electrical load value or proper results and that it should not be wire size or circuit protection tentatively in amps. If this is in watts, you need to considered authoritative. The following dis- selected with this tool should be reviewed calculate the current value (basic Ohm’s claimer also states that: “The final decision for adequacy, before installation, by a pro- Law). The second value to determine is on wire and circuit protection should come fessional applying the applicable industry the length of cable of the circuit. It is after a review based on additional sources, standards. It is important to consider the important that you either measure or such as the ABYC standards or one of the calculator as a tool and a good method be very sure that you have the correct many books in the field.” It also states of checking your more critical circuits and length. In a DC circuit, the value must that the calculator is partly based on the circuit calculations. include both the distance to the equip- ABYC E-11 Standard and that it does not So, having accepted all of those dis- ment and the distance back to the power replace calculations within these standards claimers and limitations, let us look at the source. It is also important to allow for or other industry standards. calculator. When you open up the page, bends and other cable run areas as they Another important fact to understand you are presented with a simple and easy can add a lot to the length. and accept when making either computer to view data entry form. I did like the Help If, like me, you are not keen on doing or manually based calculations is that the function that opens pop-up windows with lots of calculations, you can use one of calculator does not account for all the pos- explanations as you move the cursor over the calculation tools that are available sible variables and factors relevant to the different entry boxes. free on the Internet: DC Circuit Wizard selection of wire size and circuit protec- Beta version (http://beta.circuitwizard. tion. These variables, stated in a software 1. Enter the circuit voltage. Usually, this bluesea.com) and WireSizer (www.jack- caution note, are such things as overloads, is either 12 volts or sometimes 24 volts. I rabbitmarine.com/Detail.bok?no=3337). including changing light bulb sizes or add- entered “12 volts” for the test.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 20 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 ElECTRICAl

2. Enter the load current value in amps. I 8. The next value entry boxes are labeled devices and ratings, color-coded for opti- entered partial values, such as 0.5 amps, “Additional Derating Factors.” The dura- mum use or those rated below or above 2.5 amps and 5 amps to test things. A tion box in minutes means the estimated suggested use. useful option would have the capability of time the equipment will operate. The next entering watts to calculate the current. To box asks the question “Terminated on a WireSizer 3.0 find the current in amps when you only Fuse?” The explanation in the Help box have the power in watts, divide the power can be confusing and in watts by the voltage, i.e. 12 volts, to not that useful. I found get the current. I entered “6.5 amps.” this question a bit vague TooLs and not explained at all. 3. Enter the length of the conductor. This The next question is “In measurement is the length to and from the Conduit or Sheath?” load device in a DC circuit; if it’s 10' (3m) The final one is “Extra to a pump, you need to enter 20' (6m). Thermal Insulation?” Again, a useful option would have been a To answer these ques- simple distance to device and automatic tions only marine elec- calculation as I find so many people get trical professionals with this basic point wrong. I entered “30'.” detailed ABYC knowl- edge know how they 4. Enter allowable voltage drop percentage affect the calculation value. While you have options at 5% and outcome. None were 10% I have always recommended you opt selected for the test. for 5% for all circuits no matter what the standards recommend. I entered “5%.” 9. With a simple click the calculation is made. The recommend- When entering the Jack Rabbit Marine 5. Enter the type of load, which can be ed AWG size is 14 AWG (ABYC standards site to download the WireSizer, you will either fixed or variable. In my opinion, only) and 20 amps capacity. The result find two versions and the latest WireSizer this is only valid for things such as an also gives 18 AWG ampacity only. 3.0 is dated March 2008. Developed by anchor windlass or deck winch loads Alden Trull, this is a Beta version share- where duty factors apply in calcula- This detailed calculator is, for most ware program. The page gives the follow- tions. The help box language can be a people, probably too complicated for basic ing information along with a disclaimer little confusing for non-professionals. The needs, even if all the considered factors that it has not validated the calculations duration box and information window on are correct. As an ABYC analysis tool, it’s contained in the shareware, that you duration explain this more. For this exer- very useful and the disclaimer at the start install and use the program at your own cise, I entered “Fixed.” is probably appropriate. risk and also to always cross-check the The calculator also includes a DC results of this software with other sources. 6. Enter the wire insulation temperature Circuit Protection Selector and, given I would have thought the developer would rating in degrees Celsius. Given so many that Blue Sea also sells many circuit have performed some validation so that people better understand the Fahrenheit protection devices, this may be a use- was disappointing if true. scale, perhaps a usual option would be ful aid for device selection. It uses just The site page also explains that the both. The calculator states correctly that battery CCA, which is fine for perhaps ampacity of a wire is the maximum cur- the engine room space is assumed to trailerable boats and other small boats, rent in amps that a wire of that gauge is have a higher ambient temperature of however, most larger sailing and power designed to support without overheating up to 50C while all other spaces are vessels use ampere-hour-based deep- (independent of the circuit length and volt- assumed to have ambient temperatures cycle batteries so you need to determine age). When sizing a fuse, the fuse rating of 30C. In a higher ambient temperature the correct value to enter here. Perhaps should always be less than the ampacity environment, such as an engine room, this part of the calculator should open to of the wire in which it is installed. This there is less temperature range between a dedicated circuit protection page and statement starts to look at circuit protec- ambient and wire insulation temperature explained more. tion, which is the next issue after con- rating. Therefore, the higher temperature When I selected 500 CCA and branch ductor selection. It makes a somewhat of an engine room limits the capacity of circuit for my trial circuit, the calculator vague statement about rating fuses less wires and components. This explanation specified a minimum 6-amp and a 10- than wire ampacity and doesn’t expand is basically correct; however, it merges amp rating for protective devices for 20- further as what that might be in terms of two different issues and one is the insu- amp wire capacity. The maximum protec- factors and values. It also doesn’t men- lation temperature value and the other is tive device is 20 amps, which equals the tion circuit breakers, which are the most the effect of heat on a copper conductor. maximum current rating of the conduc- common protective device these days so I selected “60C.” tor. The calculator also gives a minimum this perhaps should be left out or inserted ampere interrupt capacity (AIC) rating for into a protection-based section to avoid 7. The next is a tick box to click on for “In a protective device used in this circuit, in confusing calculator users. Engine Room.” This applies a temperature this case, 750 amps. Below this screen You are asked to click on a link to derating factor. This I did not select. is a very impressive table of protection download a zip file containing the pro-

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 2 ElECTRICAl

gram. I did and initially on the comput- 2. Enter insulation temperature in degrees in this case, listed 12 AWG and 16 AWG er I was using I had all sorts of troubles Celsius and this gives options. Again, as with the revised values. This is a very use- and had to switch computers as there North America uses Fahrenheit, a select ful feature. was some glitch in being able to down- option would be better. load. Once downloaded on another Summary computer, I opened the zip file and 3. Enter ambient temperature 30C or clicked on the setup file to download 50C. I chose “30C.” I trialed both calculators on a variety of and, after a few confusing messages, I circuit lengths, currents and voltage, along was able to load the file. 4. Enter the number of energized wires in with varying other selectable issues. They The calculator data entry page is a bundle. I selected “1 or 2.” came up with the same answers, which simple and user friendly, with a pull- was reassuring. Besides differing in being down menu for ampacity but unfortu- 5. Enter the AWG calculation parameters online or downloadable, they had varying nately, the Help file doesn’t really give of voltage, current and conductor distance data input information and both differed any help at all. As a note, the AWG in feet. This is in very good user-friendly- considerably in the range of variables ampacity table is for the American sized window with larger numerals. I used and parameters being calculated. The Yacht Design Council and not ABYC “12 volts, 6.5 amps and 50'.” WireSizer 3.0 had greater novice user so that’s going to confuse users just a functionally and overall ease of use. Both little. However, it quotes the basis for 6. Click the calculate button and the programs are useful to the novice and calculator calculation values, including results come up in three boxes. professional. As the disclaimers state, use insulation and ambient temperatures them with caution and they will be a good and cable bundling factors. In the “Wire Size AWG and Listed check against calculated values. Q Ampacity” box, the value was 14 AWG 1. Enter voltage drop percentage. Pull- and can carry 20 amps. The “Calculated About the author: John Payne, DIY's electri- down options are 3%, 10% or user Voltage Drop” box listed 4.25% using 14 cal consultant, is author of numerous marine electrical and electronics books and recently definable (small window opens to enter AWG. The actual voltage drop value of .51 added two books to the “Understanding” series: defined values). I think this would have volts was useful to know. There is also a Understanding Boat Plumbing and Water been best at a simple 3%, 5% and “Calculate” box that allows a smaller or Systems and Understanding Boat AC Power 10%. I chose “5%.” larger manual change of the wire size and Systems. (Sheridan House).

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DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 22 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 Vetus FuelSafe 8/10/08 11:24 AM Page 1

STOP FUEL THEFT! Fuel prices have risen to such a level that siphoning the fuel from your boat is now an attractive proposition for thieves. With many boats holding hundreds of gallons of fuel, this is a lucrative activity.

Vetus introduces a simple device to prevent a siphon hose from being inserted into your deck filler and down into the tank. With little reduction in fuel flow when filling the tank.

The Vetus Fuel Safe is supplied with a plastic tube, designed to be inserted quickly and easily into the fuel filler hose. There is no need to dismantle anything and the clever design ensures that it cannot be removed by potential fuel thieves.

Made from synthetic material, the Vetus Fuel Safe was designed to resist deterioration. Suitable for diesel or gasoline outfitted yachts.

1 Fits fill hoses of both 38MM (1 ⁄2") & 51MM (2") internal diameter.

Please contact Vetus America to place an order.

410.712.0740 www.vetus.com

Vetus America | 7251 National Drive | Hanover, Maryland 21076 HAulouT Barrier Coat Help for do-it-yourselfersBLUesBLU who are outside their comfort zone and working against gravity when mixing and applying exotic formulas to a hull bottom. Interlux

By Rory Harley

Bottom jobs are a bit like root canals. At First, a note on safety. Epoxies, their gelcoat stress cracks that crisscrossed the first sign of trouble you go into deni- thinners and cleaners, are idiosyncratic the bottom. al that there is any problem and, when and have to be treated with respect. While my experiences maybe typical conditions deteriorate, it gets relegated to Read and reread all of the information of many bottom failures, this article does a wait and see mode. Bottom jobs also in the online manuals and on the can not address the repair of larger blisters share another ugly trait with root canals. labels. Get to know which chemicals that have permeated the fiberglass lami- They fail. I did a bottom job on my previ- have strong solvents and require eye and nate. These gelcoat cracks seldom pen- ous boat about 20 years ago with VC Tar, a carbon cartridge or respirator protec- etrated the glass and I was able to grind two-part epoxy primer and, in a few years, tion. Applying a barrier coat is physical, and fill with Epiglass HT9000 resin and when I saw telltale wee blisters forming repetitive and uncomfortable work. It is fast hardener mixed with HT450 light- again, my heart sank at the prospect of the easy to make a mistake. On one occa- weight filler powder. For larger blisters, work that lay ahead. sion, while transiting from my worktable I suggest using Interlux Watertight epoxy When my first epoxy job failed, I initially to my crouch position under my boat, I filler. Conversely, if I was just covering a tried the Interlux 1000 clear epoxy base, forgot my goggles and got solvent in my pristine bottom as an additional insur- followed by the more easily applied, high- eye. That was not the time to be reading ance policy, I’d probably be satisfied with er-build InterProtect 2000. Interlux has the tiny first aid information printed on 2000E. made some improvements since then. The the can’s label. recommendation now is to apply a “soak- The appeal of doing your own bottom Timeline: Fall and Bottom er” coat of Epiglass epoxy resin, which has job is not that it’s fun or provides self-satis- Removal a lower viscosity than the old 1000, to wet faction. A DIYer does a bottom job because Some 20 years ago, I suited up in head out and fill the tiny surface voids in the it is within almost everyone’s skill set and to toe protective clothing, a respirator gelcoat or fiberglass laminate. The newer to avoid the astronomical invoices that and goggles to remove the antifouling InterProtect 2000E now comes in grey boat repair professionals have to charge paint on my old boat. However, I’ve since and white, which means it’s a lot easier for the grunt work manual labor that is concluded that this filthy job of removing to apply successive coats, alternating color involved. Don’t forget some yards prefer a paint that is purposefully formulated to to ensure uniform coverage. This product not to do this work. kill things is not good for my health and now has a maximum time of six months I decided that sand or soda blasting or between coats, which gives more flexibility Bottom Assessment peeling by a pro is the preferred method for application time. While the myriad of Although my current boat was blister for removing old bottom paints. epoxy brands may work perfectly well, this free at the time of purchase, I reluctantly Check with your yard first as some seemed to me the best solution. undertook another bottom job to repair have designated areas for hull blasting

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 24 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 HAulouT nick Bailey Jan Mundy Close up of peeled bottom exposes blisters and BLUes delaminated fiberglass. nick Bailey The only simple, nondestructive moisture detec- tion method is a moisture meter. Readings on fiberglass and core materials just under the

outer skin will be relative readings or qualitative, nick Bailey which means they cover a range of wet here, dry Consider your neighbors and take the time to over there, for example. For simple diagnostic build a makeshift tent around the hull to con- Hull gets a thorough power wash after peeling. work you don’t require an expensive unit. tain dust and debris before doing a bottom job.

or peeling and some forbid any blasting ed paraphernalia: brushes, rollers, paint Timeline: Spring at Last due to environmental issues. You’ll need trays, stir sticks, cans and plastic con- I was chomping at the bit to get started to attend the procedure to move cradle tainers, coveralls, etc. You’ll also need a in early spring but became frustrated by pads as needed and provide direction lot of white cotton rags, as the solvents abysmally low temperatures. While wait- whether just the bottom paint is to tend to make colored rags run and leave ing on weather I moved on to confirm be removed or partially or completely marks on the hull, and gloves. I bought that the hull had dried out sufficiently. removed to expose the bare glass. I a box of extra heavy latex gloves called I followed the instructions described elected to go the middle road to open Thicksters at an automotive body sup- in the West System’s Gelcoat Blisters: up any unseen blisters. ply shop. Diagnosis, Repair and Prevention book, Before any blasting, it’s also a good Working under your boat and hold- which involve taping clear plastic tent- idea to seek the expert assessment ing up a sander, brushes or rollers for ing to the hull from the waterline down. from a qualified marine surveyor or hours at a time demands that you con- The winter in northern climes is pretty boat repairer on the condition of the sider the access and seating arrange- dry and after a five-month haulout I had hull bottom laminate to determine the ments. Working on gravel is tough on no sign of moisture collecting under the best approach to the planned repair. the knees and hands and you may want plastic. I epoxied my cast iron keel soon after to scrounge or buy some plywood to put The first task is to remove any residue treatment and applied a couple of addi- under the hull. I found a large pallet at oils or solvents on the hull by applying tional coats the following day. All other the boat yard and purchased a couple of Fiberglass 202 Solvent Wash. Interlux surfaces must wait until the laminate plastic sawhorses to improvise a work- recommends that all contaminants that dries out, and in northern climates, this bench. A bottom job creates a lot of might impair the ability of the epoxy to means spring. I did grind the gelcoat trash so get a large trash can and have bond have been removed when water cracks, which resulted in gouges about lots of plastic liners on hand. doesn’t bead on the surface. I was able 1/8" (3mm) deep and wide. If you don’t regularly work with epoxy, to establish a “beading” benchmark it’s a good idea to get the feel of the when I found some trace contaminates Timeline: Winter Prep stuff well before you get to the boat. around the sink drains. I also found the Take advantage of the off-season to Learn how to prime the pumps and mix 202 melted my latex gloves and it was a research the task at hand and assemble the resin with the filler powder to the pain to fold the cleaning rags to expose all the equipment you’ll need. Interlux various consistencies. Make sure you do a clean surface every 4 to 6 sq. ft. as guides provide the approximate epoxy this in a workspace that is well venti- recommended so as not to spread con- volumes required to do the job. I found lated as the vapors from these materials taminants. In the end, I ran out of rags it a challenge to assemble all the need- are volatile. and used paper towels for the repetitive

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 25 HAulouT

Valley’s (www.leevalley.com) package of 30 natural brushes at $13.95 filled my brush requirement for the entire job. Epoxies become more viscous (thicker) with lower temperatures and I had bet- ter results if I kept it warm. Epiglass, like many epoxies, leaves an amine wax on cured surfaces that the manufacturers euphemistically call “blush.” Unfortunately, it has to be com- pletely removed or its presence may hamper the adhesion of the succeeding 2000E. Industry specialists recommend using a 3M Scotch-Brite pad to scuff the surface with a soapy water solution to remove the amine. Maybe this approach works right-side-up on a horizontal sur- face but I found that working against

Jan Mundy gravity reduces the forces of scuffing and When refinishing bottoms, always lay a ground tarp to collect debris, runoff and paint spills. the water runs down your arm, making this approach impractical. To compli- wipe-on and wipe-off process. It was the Timeline: Resin 101 cate matters, the blush and the resin 202 that I managed to get in my eye so After taping, I was ready to apply the are both clear so you can’t really tell be sure to wear eye protection. The 202 Epiglass. I started by using small rollers when the amine is completely removed. is also volatile, so wear a carbon car- to apply the Epiglass but gave up, as Ultimately, I opted for a combination tridge respirator. I used a spray bottle as they seemed to shred and leave fuzzy of scuffing as recommended and then the water source for “bead” testing and remnants in the epoxy. I switched to dis- sanding the stuff off, which smoothes as a standby emergency eyewash. posable brushes to finish the job. Lee and mechanically roughens the surface.

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DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 26 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 HAulouT

ing debris and effectively eliminated the tendency of the amine to clog the sandpa- per and the problem of sanding dust set- tling on my goggles. On the downside, the howling racket necessitated wearing good hearing protection. My hull only required one coat of resin and once it was sanded and wiped down again with 202, I mixed up Epiglass with the 450 powder to a mayonnaise nick Bailey consistency and filled in the grinding (above) Peeling removes a consistent amount of gouges. The very light 450 powder material and leaves a surface that doesn’t usu- tends to blow away if not covered so I ally require much fairing. Costs of a basic gel- coat peel for a 34' (10.3m) boat averages $30 created a temporary, partially enclosed per linear foot plus the technician’s travel costs. mixing station using a cardboard box A deeper peel into the laminate requires a with the closed end of its top pointed second pass at double the price. (across) After towards the prevailing wind direction to peeling, there is usually detail grinding needed block the breeze. around thru-hulls, along the waterline and at The mixture was best applied with cradle pads but the minimal fairing required a variety of 1" to 4" (25mm to 10mm) really cuts down the man hours and cost in metal putty knives being dragged longi- relation to an inconsistent blasted surface. Jan Mundy tudinally along the cracks. It took about three applications of this mixture to fill [Ed: Vinegar removes the amine blush able orbital sander I could find: a Dewalt in the cracks and get a smooth surface. with much less effort.] 3 Amp 5" (127mm) with hook and loop Eventually, I developed a technique of In anticipation of holding a sander paper exchange for $100 at Home Depot. applying additional batches to the still upside down for hours at a time, I pur- The suction hose from a Shop Vac taped to tacky filler. (Ed: This is known as “green chased the lightest and most comfort- the sander’s outlet sucked away the sand- on green” in the trade.) This avoided the

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(below) InterProtect 2000E is available in two colors so an optional method of application is to paint each coat an alternate color to ensure complete coverage and application of the correct paint amount. (left) Interlux recently announced that InterProtect 2000E now has a six month overcoat window, which means you can prep the hull, apply the primer and proceed with the work

nick Bailey as time allows. nick Bailey Filler applied after peeling before application of InterProtect.

coat time is 5 hours at 50F (10C) as related to the substrate temperature. Although Interlux doesn’t state the ratio- nale for the minimum overcoat time in repetitive process of letting the epoxy the requisite 3 cups of base, which gave its literature, I understand it’s to allow harden, washing and sanding off the me about 20 minutes of rolling time. The the solvent to evaporate and prevent its amine blush, then giving a 202 wipe handle on the mixing cup enabled me to entrapment inside the epoxy. While this down. I found the repeated applications dip the cup into the gallon base can and may not be a problem in Florida, there of 202 to be the most disagreeable part brush the excess back into the container. are significant hull temperature gradi- of a bottom epoxy job. When the hull Be careful not to cross contaminate the ents on a northern spring day. Even if the was sufficiently faired, I sanded it again, two unmixed products. I replaced the air temperature rises to a comfortable gave it another 202 wipe down and I cover on the base can and used plastic daytime temp during the day, the cold was ready to apply the 2000E. wrap over the container of mixed 2000E ground, cold air in the bilge and thermal to limit solvent evaporation. I also found inertia of the keel keep the vessel’s under- Timeline: 2000E that storing the 2000E cans upside down belly much cooler than the sun-drenched Application and then turning them right side up before topsides and deck. I purchased a laser 2000E is quite different than Epiglass in use helped to reduce the hand mixing pyrometer for $35 at a discount auto its application technique. Although it looks once the can was opened. store and used it to measure the various fairly benign, it is easier to mix and apply Interlux provides a work schedule on hull and keel temperatures. Unless it was but contains a powerful solvent so wear a the packaging where the 2000E can be a really warm day with minimal night- cartridge respirator and eye protection. applied coat over coat in rapid succession time cool down, I was only able to apply The 2000E also has a required induc- to give the entire job four coats in just two 1 coat per day to be within the specified tion time where the mixed reactor and days. In practice, however, there are a minimum overcoat time. base need to sit for 20 minutes before couple of constraints that get in the way Interlux recommends applying 2000E applying to the hull. I used two standard of a speedy application. with a 5/16" or 3/8" nap, solvent-resis- plastic household mixing cups to mea- While 2000E has a six month maxi- tant roller. I found that the thicker the sure the volumes of 1 cup of activator to mum overcoat time, the minimum over- roller nap, the rougher the orange peel

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 28 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 HAulouT

The minimum allowable thickness brushes and other paraphernalia added for 2000E is .010" and Interlux recom- about another $400. mends .012" to .014" thickness for opti- This job took upwards of two weeks. It mum protection. I set up a test panel was a lot of work and, given that neither with a strip of tape down the middle. I nor others will see much of the bottom, Each time I applied a coat of 2000E on it doesn’t sit high on the self-gratification the hull, I’d also lay a coat on the panel. scale. As I cleaned up my workstation, I When I got to about the third coat, I’d was able to take small pleasure tossing pull off the tape and start checking the the epoxy encrusted goggles and cover- epoxy thickness with automotive feeler alls into the trash. I now know my boat gauges and stop when I reached the better and after grinding those stress recommended .014" thickness. Next cracks, I know where the hull needs time, I’d stockpile and test the rollers more internal stiffening. I also have the in advance. Frankly, I would have gladly comfort that the job was done well and paid a premium at my chandlery for a the bottom is reasonably protected for brand name roller to reduce the hassles years to come. I just hope I never have I encountered. to do another bottom job. Q Eventually, the day arrives when you apply the antifouling paint. I choose About the author: Rory Harley’s current proj- Jan Mundy Interlux Micron CSC, mainly because ect boat is a Tanzer 10.5 pilothouse with a Before applying a primer or paint, take a read- it gave me the flexibility to go into salt swing keel. ing of hull surfaces to ensure you are within or freshwater and its ablative makeup the recommended working temperatures, which are typically 50F to 70F (10C to 21C). meant relatively easy removal. [Ed: For ADDITIonAl READInG details on selecting the proper antifoul- ing paint refer to Bottom Line: Selecting stipple on the epoxy. To complicate mat- Antifouling Paint in DIY 2008-#1 ters, most thick rollers are fuzzy affairs issue.] and as the solvent evaporates, the epoxy You now have up to six months to becomes tacky, which leads to even more apply the antifouling. If you’re in a hurry, stipple and pullout of the roller hair or Interlux recommends the thumb print foam from its backing tube. Although test to determine when the paint film is it was a bit messy and cumbersome, I ready to overcoat with bottom paint. If found that if I placed a plastic shopping the primer feels tacky and you can leave bag over the paint tray when applying the a thumbprint without getting traces on DIY’s Fiberglass Boat Repair CD-ROM shows 2000E it minimized solvent evaporation your thumb it’s ripe for the antifouling you how to professionally survey and repair and facilitated a smoother application. paint. Do this test one hour after apply- cosmetic and structural damage in fiberglass In the end, I used 1/8" yellow foam ing the final primer coat and then every hulls, decks, transoms and cabin interiors. rollers and applied 7 coats to get the 15 minutes until it reaches the ready- Includes the step-by-step rebuilding of delami- required buildup. When finished, I did to-overcoat stage. This works with most nated and blistered hulls and decks, rudders a very light sanding to knock off the antifoulings except the vinyl types. and stringers; replacing wet foam flotation; high points from the final 2000E coat. the installation of thru-hulls and hardware in In doing the job again, I would probably Summary cored decks; moisture meter usage; filling and begin with a thick roller and reduce the Costs for the Epiglass and 2000E were fairing and more! To order, call 888-658-BOAT nap thickness before the final coats. about $700 and all the solvents, rollers, (2628) or log onto www.diy-boat.com.

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DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 29 HAulouT Lesssons Learned in BoBoTTooMM PAINTING tom paint and all of the fairing compound. The blasting took six hours per side and required 1.5 tons of grit material. The old bottom paint came off easily. There was no sign of the fairing material being loose from the metal; in fact, the sandblasting technician had to expend extra effort to remove it. No areas of rust were found under the fairing compound or original epoxy primer. The sandblasting did reveal a few places where integral fuel tank welds had become porous, conditions not yet evident under fairing compound or paint. These were repaired before the final epoxy primer was applied. Immediately after sandblasting, the bare steel was sprayed with a two-part epoxy, When selecting a boatyard to paint your boat’s bottom, it is very “blast primer.” The ultrasonic test was important that the yard be qualified to do a proper job, especially performed over this primer; it revealed when working on metal hulls. no areas of plate thickness deterioration. The sandblasting, removal of blast resi- The author’s Ted Brewer-designed aluminum and steel yacht undergoing bottom repairs. due from the boatyard, off-site disposal of the waste and the application of one coat By Priscilla Travis of blast primer paint cost $2,400. The When Nomad, my 42' (12.8m) sailing The company policy was to require this ultrasonic test itself was approximately yacht, a steel hull with aluminum decks testing below the waterline on metal boats $500. and superstructure, was professionally over 15 years old. Non-destructive ultra- The sandblasting process created built in 1989, the steel was sandblasted sonic test equipment is used to gauge the uneven edges in the original fairing com- to white metal, sprayed with epoxy primer thickness of metal plate. By comparing pound 6" (152mm) below the bottom of and faired with epoxy fairing compound the original plate thickness to the current the boot top. These edges were faired above and below the waterline. The bottom plate thickness, a technician can deter- with an epoxy compound to even out was then painted with antifouling primer mine plate wastage due to corrosion and, the irregularity and were tapered down- and two coats of Interlux bottom paint. thereby, estimate the boat's remaining ward another10" (254mm) and sanded. For 10 seasons, the staff at a boatyard, service life. Any bare metal exposed by sanding was 1,300 miles (2,092km) from my home, The ultrasound technician inspected immediately spot primed. Because of the handled the bottom painting. The boat the hull prior to scheduling the test and cost, I chose not to have the rest of the was launched and lifted in my absence. determined that all paint and fairing com- underwater areas re-faired. The antifouling was apparently applied pound would have to be removed. To do with very little consideration to surface a proper test, the bottom paint must be in Painting preparation, judging by the appearance good condition, firm and not too thick or The boat was moved into a painting of the bottom paint when I was able to uneven, and there cannot be much, if any, shed. The application of the epoxy primer inspect the hull out of the water after 10 fairing material on the metal. Therefore required climate control, with tempera- years. The yard probably used several sandblasting was necessary. The work tures preferably near 68F (20C). In the different brands of paint and that raised described below was done in Scotland in shed, the hull was warmed with a large compatibility concerns. Coincidentally, May, where it is often wet and cool. construction heater and work lights before following a move to a different boatyard, and during the application of each coat of where I had intended to remove all the old Sandblasting primer. Temperatures of the metal surface antifouling and do a proper job, my marine Starting 6" (152mm) below the bottom of and the ambient air were monitored. insurance company decided that, prior to the boot top, the hull and keel were sand- Primer was Hempel Hempadur, a renewing my coverage, they wanted an blasted with a particulate or mix of ground polyamide adduct-cured epoxy, applied ultrasonic metal hull thickness test. glass and coarse sand, removing both bot- according to the manufacturer’s specifi-

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 30 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 HAulouT

cations. Applied by roller, six coats give approximately 0.75 mil overall dry film thickness. The expected service life of this primer is at least 10 years. A coat Build A of antifouling primer, similar to Interlux Primocon Silver, was applied by roller before the final two antifouling coats. I bought the bottom paint and did the job BoTToM PAINTING myself. BACkyArd The cost for moving the boat, fairing below the boot top and application of the primers, labor and materials included, was $8,200. The yacht was moved three times: away from other boats in the boat- yard for sandblasting and then into and BoATsHed out of the painting shed. Total cost for the professional services and materials required for the project was $11,100. It is obvious that all boat owners, espe- cially those with metal boats, should rou- tinely pay attention to the proper bottom paint application and follow the manufac- turer’s instructions to the letter. In some boatyards, DIY work is prohibited and the owner is not welcome to supervise the yard workers. This restriction may become increasingly common as strin- gent environmental regulations and con- trols are applied to exterior work done at marine facilities. When selecting a boatyard to paint your boat’s bottom, make an effort to determine the qualifications of the paint- ers, the level of supervision of untrained personnel, the yard’s standards for sur- face preparation and the selection and A few ideas to consider when you need a simple, inexpensive application of bottom paint. If a boat- work or storage “shop” for your boat. yard manager will not discuss these details to your satisfaction or will not Story and photos by Roger Marshall allow you to oversee and influence the quality of the work, you should consider You’ve hauled your boat at the end of repaired it with duct tape but this shed’s another yard. the season and put it in your backyard. life was terminated lest the neighbors In some areas of the world, however, You want to work on it during the winter start to complain about the eyesore. there are limited boatyard choices and but you must remove the protective tarp Last year, I needed a place to work circumstances may force you into an and get organized before you can accom- on two boats during the winter. I found undesirable situation where you have lit- plish anything. This added hassle tends myself back in the market for another tle control over the work. A one-time poor to put you off the task. There is also the temporary boat shed. Below are a few application of bottom paint may not be a weather to consider. Cold and snow are simple and inexpensive sheds for the major problem but, if the yacht is painted real hindrances to working on a boat. As DIYer to build. at the same yard over several years or if a result, the chances of getting the work major paint removal and repainting is to done are diminished even further as the Hoop House be undertaken, then it is very important weather offers all the excuses you need A hoop house shed is easy to make for that the yard be qualified to do a proper to defer the work. There is a solution to working on a small runabout and is job. Metal boat owners should check this dilemma: build a boat shed. strong enough in all but the heaviest with their insurance companies to deter- A few years ago, I built a backyard snowfall. First, mark out the area where mine if or when ultrasonic testing may be boat shed for about $100. It worked you intend to build your shed. Let's say required and plan accordingly. Q well enough to keep the expected snow- it measures 21' long by 14' wide and fall off the deck and the boat dry but a you need about 6' of height (6.4m by About the author: Priscilla Travis has owned and maintained metal cruising yachts since raging winter gale (with winds over 60 4.26m by 1.82m). Buy five 10' (3m) 1978. She is currently enjoying summers sail- mph/96 km-h) destroyed the industrial- lengths of 1/2" (12mm) concrete rein- ing the coastal waters of England and Ireland. grade polyethylene cover. I temporarily forcing bar (rebar) and cut each into

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 3 HAulouT Joe VanVeenen

(top) Sample grid assembled and ready for cov- ering with polyethylene sheeting. (left) Author’s plastic hoop-style shed.

shed and by the door header at the door end. You can purchase polyethylene in rolls 20' (6m) wide and 100' (30.4m) long for about $75 or you can buy shrink- wrap cut to suit the length you need from Dr. Shrink (www.dr-shrink.com). The polyethylene gives you enough material to cover the structure about three times. First, cover the tubular framework. At the sides and back bring the plas- tic down to the ground and nail it to the 2 by 8s using pieces of furring strip. three pieces with a hacksaw. Hammer Place 2" (50mm) wide lumber, in 6' At the front, add a door; I used an old the pieces of bar into the ground at 3' or 8' lengths (1.82m or 2.43m) against storm door. With the sheeting on and (914mm) intervals along the two sides the plastic piping on the outside ground the door in place you have your winter of your hoop house, leaving about 12" perimeter and use conduit clips or pipe boat shed. (30mm) of bar showing. clamps to screw the wood to each pipe. When you go out to work on your Next buy sixteen 10' (3m) lengths of This gives you something to secure the boat, you'll find that the shed heats 3/4" or 1" (19mm or 25mm) schedule plastic covering to the framework. If you up quickly on a warm, sunny day and 40 plastic pipe and eight high-pressure don't want to spend the extra money for requires no other heat source. On cool, straight joining sections (high-pressure the wood, simply place rocks on the overcast days, a small heater gives sections are slightly longer than nor- plastic to hold it down. you some warmth in which to work. It mal sections). You'll also need a can of Frame a door in one end and put 1" should be adequate, except in the cold- multi-purpose pipe cement. Glue two by 2" (25mm by 50mm) furring strips est of overcast weather. If it snows, sim- 10' (3m) lengths of pipe together using or other inexpensive wood about half ply go into the shed and bang the plastic the joiner piece. Place a 20' (6m) length way up the pipes from front to back. If from inside to dislodge the snow. of pipe on each of the rebar pieces and in a heavy snow area, you’ll need a 4" bend it over to fit the other end on the by 6" (101mm by 152mm) center sup- Conduit Frame Boatshed opposite piece of rebar. Now you have port down the middle of the structure. If you can bend electrical conduit or a framework that looks like the familiar You can laminate this center support metal water pipe, you can easily make corrugated metal Quonset hut. With a out of four 1" by 6" by 12' (25mm by a substantial hoop-style shed. Bend 14' (4.26m) width, the hoops stand just 152mm by 3.65m) to get a clear span each piece of 10' (3m) long tubing into about 6' (1.82m) high, so you should for the length of the shed. The span is a quarter circle. Using two pieces at the have plenty of headroom. supported on 2 by 4s at one end of the top, each in the shape of a cross, and

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 32 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 HAulouT a tee piece at each end, make a com- supports; 10, 16' (4.87m) long 2 Each wall was constructed on the plete metal pipe framework, by placing 3' by 4s for the headers and footers; 4, ground and then raised to the vertical (914mm) long sections of pipe between 16' (4.87m), 8, 10' (3m), and 4, 8' before being slid into place. I did the each hoop at the top and at the bottom. (2.43m) 2 by 4s for the rafters. I also majority of this work on my own but an The “frames” cross the “ridge pole” at the used several additional 16' by 1" by 2" extra person really helps to support the top of the shed and are joined with the (4.87m by 25mm by 50mm) furring wall structure and keep it from falling cross-shaped pieces. With this method strips to brace the structure. Because on your boat. you can construct a much more solid I had a tree in the way, I didn’t use With the four walls in place, the next hoop house than the plastic pipe version; a rafter at one end but instead added job is to set the rafters. These were however, it will also cost a little more, four braces using 10' (3m) 2 by 4s. constructed on the ground, using a 16' around $250. Again, you need wooden Since the structure would be covered (4.87m) 2 by 4 with a 4' (1.2m) 2 by baseboards to secure the cover and the with shrinkwrap, the supports could be 4 piece nailed in the middle to make a structure will need a door. An alternative 4' (1.2m) apart but they would need a tee. Additional 2 by 4s were then cut to is to buy a hoop style greenhouse that cross brace. fit the slope of the roof. I found it easi- sells for somewhere between $500 to Alternatively, you can make the wall est to nail a short block exactly 3-1/2" $2,000, depending on size and height. supports 3' (914mm) apart or build (89mm) in from the end of the rafter. them as in a regular stud wall with 16" This ensured that the rafter sat on top of Covering a Larger Boat (406mm) spacing. the wall without sliding off. By mount- For a larger boat you might want to build Another aid for bracing the shed is ing one end of each rafter at a time and a more substantial framework. For cov- to buy the least expensive plywood you then raising the other end, I was able to ering my boats, I built a shed measuring can find and place it around the base of set the rafters on my own. Again, it is 32' long by 16' wide by 16' high (9.7m the structure. Nailing it to the supports easier to have a helper to hold the raf- by 4.87m by 4.87m). The extra height gives additional strength to the struc- ters upright while you set the ends. was to allow me to walk around on the ture. This plywood also serves another Fitting the ridgepole was interesting in deck of my J/22 and to store the J/22 purpose. It keeps animals out and, that it was way higher than any ladder I rig in the rafters. when it snows, the snow that slides off owned. I managed to reach the end rafter This shed was made of: 28, 12' the roof and piles along the side does by standing on the top of a 10' (3m) (3.65m) long 2 by 4s for vertical not stretch the shrinkwrap. stepladder but this is not recommended,

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DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 33 HAulouT

Shrinkwrap shed under construction.

especially when you are working alone. entire frame, it was fairly easy to unfold midifier. If you use both a heater and The ridgepole was nailed in place but it to cover from one end to the other. a dehumidifier, you’ll have a shed that the second rafter jammed and would not Do this job on a windless day, otherwise can handle most of what the weather slide into its slot. Unfortunately, it was you could end up with your expensive can throw at it. way beyond my reach. I could reach the shrinkwrap acting like a huge spinnaker The final job was to install an old other rafters by standing on the decks and dragging your entire boat shed (or storm door for access into the build- of the boats. Finally, I was able to get parts of it) down the street. To secure ing. This was relatively easy in that I the jammed rafter in place by standing the shrinkwrap, I nailed 1" by 2" (25mm had already made the opening and only on the deck of a boat and whacking the by 50mm) strips to the bottom boards. needed to cut through the wrap, fold it timber with a 2 by 4. The whole under- By tightening the wrap and nailing both back on itself and heat it to fuse it to the taking made for an interesting Sunday sides, I was able to get a fairly smooth adjacent shrinkwrap. afternoon. With the ridgepole in place, cover over the entire wooden structure. So far, the building has been tested the ends were braced. Some of the With shrinkwrap, you simply heat the by three major storms, with winds to sidewalls needed a little more bracing, plastic and it shrinks to form a nice tight 50 mph, and all that has happened is which was easily accomplished. surface. As I didn’t have the proper tool, that one of the sloped reinforcing brac- If you’ve ever tried to lift a 200' (61m) the local boatyard sent an experienced es popped off the post it was nailed to. roll of shrinkwrap, you know that you workman with a propane-fueled heat Larger nails solved that problem. We’ll should call a friend to help. The roll is gun to do the job. He demonstrated how see what next winter brings but so far as slippery as an eel and does all man- easy it is to blow a hole in shrinkwrap I’m happy with the results. Q ner of funny things to your back when if you do not know what you are doing. you lift it alone. The roll I had was 40' Also, if the wrap is wet, the wet portions About the author: Roger Marshall is a veteran (12m) wide, so it easily covered the do not shrink as fast as the neighboring writer, sailor and general boat repairer. He is entire shed. dry portions and a hole can result. You’ll currently working with his sons to restore a Getting it over the structure was inter- need a roll of 6" (152mm) wide special 1979 J/24 to full racing condition. esting. I unrolled it on a soft patch of heat- shrink tape to repair any holes. We ground and pulled the folded part of the did the actual shrinking of the plastic on roll over the wall of the wooden frame. a damp day and created a fog inside Gradually, I worked the folded part over the structure as the heat gun warmed the entire structure. This was not easy the outside. when the ridgepole was 16' (4.87m) Once the material is shrunk around high and my highest stepladder is 10' the frame, it acts like a drum and holds To subscribe call (3m). By putting the ladder on the deck the structure together as well as keeping of the sailboat, I was able to get high out snow and rain. However, the mate- 1-888-658-BOAT (2628) enough to reach over the ridgepole. rial retains moisture inside the structure, diy-boat.com With the folded part of the roll over the so you might want to install a dehu-

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 34 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 EnGInEs Decarbonize?WHyWHy Understanding the causes, effects and removal of carbon build-up in your engine helps to improve fuel efficiency and engine performance.

Story and photos by Steve Auger (exceptions noted)

With the price of fuel and oil skyrock- likely to accumulate large amounts of eting on a daily basis, the investment carbon deposits compared to a modern Jan Mundy in maintaining peak fuel efficiency and direct fuel injected, two-cycle outboard To decarbonize a two-cycle engine, spray performance far offsets the costs of with thermostatically controlled engine Quicksilver Power Tune in the carburetors fol- operating an engine that is down on operating temperatures and a fuel-to-oil lowing instructions on the can. This photo shows an early ‘80s 9.9hp Mariner receiving power and performance. As the engine ratio as low as 100 parts fuel to 1 part a treatment. Mercury recommends doing this performance deteriorates, so does the oil. once a year as preventative medicine. engine’s fuel efficiency until it becomes All gasoline engines accumulate car- a “gas hog.” bon in small amounts and this is not Carbon is a by-product of the com- usually detrimental to engine perfor- bustion process that takes place in the mance. However, the continuous use of engine’s cylinder head area. All engines low-grade fuel and oil accelerates this produce carbon but, by design, some process to the point of affecting engine engines produce more carbon than oth- performance. ers. Carbon build up is often referred to as “engine deposits.” This carbon build- Performance Problems up is mostly comprised of additives in Excessive carbon build up can cause a the gasoline and engine oil that are number of performance problems, such left over after the combustion process. as lack of power, excessive fuel con- Several factors contribute to excessive sumption, engine run-on (dieseling) and carbon build up: engine tune, engine poor idle quality. and combustion chamber operating tem- Excessive amounts of carbon cause perature and the quality of the engine oil piston rings to become stuck or seized and gasoline. into the piston ring groove, resulting in horsepower and torque loss in two and Oil and Fuel Sources four-cycle engines. This “stuck rings” Quicksilver Power Tune breaks down carbon There are many types and quality ranges condition reduces the available power deposits that build up over time in two-cycle of engine oil (both two- and four-cycle) the engine can produce resulting in a engines. Always perform this process in a test tank or on land with a flushing device and a and fuel. Although purchasing lower reduction in performance and increased collection mat to ensure the Power Tune and grade fuel and oil saves money initial- fuel consumption due to improper seal- engine deposits (a black goo) do not end up in ly, these products tend to be the main ing of the piston rings between the pis- our waterways. culprits in higher than normal buildup ton and cylinder walls. This condition of carbon and engine deposits. Proper is called cylinder leakage and can be engine maintenance and the regular use measured with a tool called a cylinder of quality fuel and oil is the number one leakage tester. A basic cylinder leakage way to reduce carbon build up and is tester can be purchased from most auto- cheaper in the long run especially with motive stores for around $100. today’s fuel prices. Cylinder leakage values below 15% For instance, the two-cycle outboard are deemed acceptable and represent engine that was produced in the 1960s a minimal reduction in engine perfor- used a fuel-to-oil ratio of 24 parts gaso- mance. Cylinder leakage values above line to one part oil but it did not incorpo- 15% may indicate problems with the rate a thermostat to control engine oper- piston rings sealing, which is corrected ating temperature and had a low spark by using an aerosol additive (a form of Location of thermostat on a current model voltage. These engines are much more engine carbon remover), often referred outboard.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 35 EnGInEs

Cylinder leakage tester

turns into a black gum that accumulates in the exhaust passages of the engine. This accumulation of black gum restricts the flow of exhaust gasses out of the engine and dramatically reduces the engine’s ability to perform up to speci- fication. Most modern, two-cycle marine engines can be upgraded to thermostat- controlled coolant temperature with a thermostat kit, which greatly reduces the build up in exhaust passages. Using a quality, TC-W3 marine two-cycle engine oil produces less carbon/engine deposit build up than “bargain” brands. Engine run on (or dieseling) is a char- acteristic of a carbureted four-cycle engine that has accumulated carbon build up in the cylinder head area that becomes so hot during engine operation that the glowing carbon deposits allow the combustion process to continue after the engine has been shut down and electrical ignition events stopped. The glowing carbon deposits act just like a spark plug (or a glow plug in a diesel, hence the term “dieseling”) and (top) Carbon deposits on a four-cycle engine piston. (bottom) Clean piston without carbon. ignite the combustible mixture provided by the carburetor, causing the engine to to as engine cleaner. Cylinder leakage leakage tester operating instructions for continue to run, albeit poorly, because past the piston rings is easily identified in depth details of how to accurately the ignition is not timed correctly, but it as the air leaking past the piston rings, determine the results of cylinder leak- continues to cycle or “diesel.” which results in the escaping air pres- age tests. Use of a decarbonizing product surizing the crankcase. This air exits the Gasoline engines used in marine removes much of the carbon build up. crankcase through either the dipstick or applications perform best with a cool- Use of a slightly lower temperature valve cover vent or positive crankcase ant temperature between 120F (48.8C) thermostat, e.g., replacing a 160F with ventilation valve. and 160F (71.1C). However, older out- a 140F unit and higher grades of fuel Note that high cylinder leakage values boards of all sizes rarely incorporated also helps to reduce the possibility of (over 15%) are not always the result of the use of cooling system thermostats. run on. stuck piston rings. Poor seating of the Typically, only the small modern, low Carbon and other engine deposits intake or exhaust valves due to carbon horsepower engines lack a thermostat. accumulate in the small air passages build up or wear, failed head gaskets This means that the operating tempera- that are used to provide idle speed and cracked cylinder heads or cylinder ture of these engines is uncontrolled air and fuel to a four-cycle engine. liners also produce high cylinder leak- and operating temperatures are based Removing the carburetor and having it age numbers but the point where the on water temperature and load. When professionally cleaned can often rectify air exits the engine is different than for these engines are run in cold water with a poor idle condition that is due to a stuck piston rings. Consult the cylinder light loads, any unburned fuel and oil plugged idle orifice.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 36 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 EnGInEs

tos on page 35) can remove much of this engine deposit build up and help to restore engine performance. Injecting Power Tune once a year should be often enough to ensure a clean engine. I only need to use Power Tune in my two-cycle engine every three to four years because I use only Mercury TC-W3, two-cycle outboard oil. Also, adding the appropri- ate quantity of fuel stabilizer with every fill up keeps the fuel octane rating from deteriorating as quickly. Mercury also has a product called Quickleen, which can be added to the fuel to keep engine deposits to a minimum. When using products, such as engine cleaners and additives, always do everything possible to ensure that these products don’t end up in our lakes and rivers. Follow manufacturer’s use Carbon deposits on a cylinder head guidelines and always wear the correct protective gear, such as safety glasses Finally, electronic fuel injection In summary, keeping your engine and gloves. Q engines use an idle air control valve to tuned by using quality oil and fuel keeps control idle speed. Removing and clean- carbon build up to a minimum. About the author: Mercury Mercruiser master technician and DIY’s engine technical advisor, ing the idle air control valve on electroni- On engines where carbon build up is Steve Auger, has more than 35 years experi- cally fuel-injected models often restores a fact of life, products like Quicksilver ence in marine retail, manufacturing and train- idle quality to these model engines. Power Tune Engine Cleaner (see pho- ing, mostly with Mercury Marine.

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A prism brings a pleasant light into the aft cabin A LIGHT that is sufficient for reading on most days. ToUCH A few simple modifications will capture natural light to brighten otherwise dim interiors. By David and Zora Aiken

It’s common knowledge that light or, more with silicone caulking and screw the win- Establish the size and location for a noticeably, the lack of it, can significantly dow to the outside surface of the board. Lexan or Plexiglas panel. To avoid inviting affect a person’s mood. The trawler’s To keep the board’s surface flush, use a excess heat along with the light, choose wheelhouse and the motor yacht’s saloon router to create a recess to accommodate tinted plastic. Cut a square or rectangular are greatly enhanced by the light invited the thickness of the plastic. opening. If the hard top is too thin for the inside by their large windows. Replacing Another alternative for a companion- use of suitably sized screws, cut narrow small portlights with big windows is not a way hatch precludes the need to stow teak strips (about 1/2"/12mm thick) and practical solution when such a modifica- hatch boards. Replace the boards with epoxy a frame around the opening on the tion could jeopardize the strength of the permanent hinged doors but leave the top surface to create a more substantial cabin structure or compromise the secu- original hatch board tracks intact. When base for attaching the plastic. rity of a companionway but there are other the weather’s chilly, the doors are left If the hard top is constructed with an ways to bring more natural light into your open and a plastic panel is inserted in the inner liner, it may be necessary to frame boat’s interior. tracks to brighten the interior and hold the side edges and underside of the cut- heat inside. out, similar to house window framing. Main Entry: Hatch Boards Use 1" (25mm) strips of wood, about 1/4" The main entryway of a boat can be the Main Entry: Door (6mm) thick, to box in all sides. These can U-shaped sailboat’s companionway or the A solid wood door leads from our cen- be varnished or painted to complement standard rectangular doorway of a large ter cockpit/wheelhouse into the forward the surrounding surfaces. When framing powerboat with variations between those cabin. Though not a standard-size door, it is complete, cut the plastic about a 1/2" two basic configurations. Typically, the is large enough to have a small cutout in (12mm) larger than the cutout all around. sailboat entry (companionway) is closed the upper section, originally for a screen. Caulk the edges where the plastic touches with hatch boards that slide into vertical A separate piece of wood (half the thick- the hardtop surface or the added frame tracks on both sides of the hatch open- ness of the door) connects to the door by (use silicone caulking specifically for acrylic ing. Horizontal edges of the boards may a hinge at the bottom. With the wood or polycarbonate) and screw the panel in be slanted or shaped with a slight overlap “flap” hinged down, air circulates through place. to suit the angle of their placement and to the screen. With the flap up and held in If it is occasionally desirable to block the keep out rain. with turnbuttons the door can be closed light from the skylight, it can be done with It’s easy to change solid hatch boards securely. Since the entire wheelhouse is a fabric cover held up with hook and loop into light-gatherers. Simply replace the screened, the screen insert is no longer strips or a lightweight wood panel held in wooden boards with clear or tinted acrylic necessary so, in its place, we added a place with turnbuttons. (e.g., Lexan or Plexiglas) panels. With a light option. When it’s cold outside, a two or three-board closure, you can replace thin 1/8" (3mm) Plexiglas panel covers Overhead Light and Hatch all or just one of the boards, depending on the door cutout to retain heat as it brings The original forward hatch on our boat the volume of light you seek. in much-appreciated light on a dreary was an unusual aluminum design that Another possibility is to cut a small February day. seemed more suited to a military vessel opening into the center of one or more than a sailboat. Worse, it didn’t admit of the wood boards and inset a piece of Overhead Light any light inside. The original hatch clear, tinted or opaque plastic. Cut the Though not part of the boat’s original was replaced early on with an open- hole (most likely a rectangle to follow design, a permanent hardtop now covers ing hatch framed with teak and topped the shape of the board). Cut a piece of the center cockpit of our boat. With such with etched Lexan. (For instructions on plastic to overlap the hole by about 1/2" a top, sailors need a sail-watching window making this hatch, refer to DIY’s Better (12mm), round the top edge slightly and but anyone could benefit from the light of Boats CD-ROM, available at www.diy- then caulk the 1/2" (12mm) border area a DIY skylight. boat.com). The new hatch is a great

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 38 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 REFIT

A window in the forward cabin door lets in light The etched Lexan hatch brightens the forward cabin. when the door must be closed.

Before installing a non-opening, Plexiglas port, A Lexan panel is set into the hardtop covering paint a border of white on the inside perimeter the center cockpit. of the plastic where it touches the bulkhead. The white border looks neater than the caulking that the deck or cabin. Again, if installing would otherwise be visible through the plastic. one in a walkway, rout an indent so the plate can be installed level with the If you install one in a protected place deck. Caulking is obviously most impor- (where crew is unlikely to stub a toe on a tant on deck, so use the right stuff, the raised edge), just cut the hole, caulk well best you can get, lots of it and check it and screw the prism in place. If the prism often. is to be placed in an area that serves as a Our boat has a round deck plate walkway, it’s best to rout an edge for the installed in the cockpit directly over frame so it sits flush with the deck. This the place where the shaft connects to is most easily done on a wooden boat or a the engine. This one is not intended to deck with plywood core; after routing and light anything. A narrow white stripe is before installing the prism, seal the wood painted on the shaft lengthwise to mark (top) Hinged doors replaced the original hatch with epoxy resin. With other types of deck the shaft position that aligns the two- boards. (bottom) A Plexiglas panel slides into cores, you will need to remove a section bladed prop vertically. When the helms- the original hatch board tracks. of the core from the area where the prism man looks through the deck plate and is to be installed and then refill the void sees the stripe at top center, the shaft improvement toward lighting the inte- with thickened epoxy, just as you would can be stopped at the best place for the rior, which originally depended on four do with any thru-deck fitting. Caulk well least propeller induced drag. small portlights. and screw the prism in place. One sailing Any way that you can bring more light friend (who coincidentally built the entire into the boat should be a good thing, Versatile Prism boat) placed prisms to direct light into despite the occasional times you may The idea of a flush-decked, no-side-ports certain lockers, not because he wanted to choose to block it out. You’ll save on sailboat might conjure a dark and claus- view the contents, but rather to discourage light bulbs as well as the power required trophobic cabin but the reality can be the the growth of mildew. It worked. to use them but, perhaps more impor- complete opposite with the addition of a tant, the crew can forget about light- number of prisms. Available in rectangu- Other Possibilities deprivation and focus on fun. Q lar or round shapes and set into the deck Other light sources include the addi- at strategic locations, prisms guarantee a tion of small non-opening ports (use About the authors: David and Zora Aiken have constant stream of gently dispersed light Lexan for strength) or round deck plates been liveaboards for more than 20 years and below deck. (sometimes called deadlights) set into are consummate DIYers.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 39 GEAR AnD GADGETs WeATHerWIse Weather constantly changes and often without warning so it’s wise to monitor your local weather conditions from the comfort of your nav station or cockpit.

Story and photos by Garrett Lambert

Calm sunny weather makes for great racing sailors.) As your boat and/or true cruising; stormy seas not so much. Thus, wind change speed and direction, so does for safety and comfort, it’s important to the effect of apparent wind. monitor official VHF radio weather chan- On land, the typical wind vane and nels. Unfortunately, however, their fore- anemometer are mounted in a fixed loca- casts are updated only at specific times, tion so that a mark on the base points cover fairly large regions and cannot be north. It always reports true wind direc- specific about micro-climates within tion and speed. On a boat, the vane those regions. An onboard weather sta- and anemometer are mounted so that a tion enables a crew to make short-term mark on the base points to the bow. The predictions of deteriorating conditions wind speed it reports is always apparent in the immediate area and to take any wind. However, the reported direction necessary action quickly. It lets you of apparent wind is correct only when predict weather fronts by checking the boat is headed due north. For all wind speed and direction, monitor tem- Davis Weather Wizard II in the pilothouse of other vessel headings, determining the peratures and barometric pressure before the 2001 boat the author purchased a couple correct apparent wind direction requires leaving the dock. Or to facilitate docking of years ago. Newer instruments measure and that you calculate the difference between display considerably more information. in high winds you can obtain a readout of the display and North. To know true wind the true wind. direction and speed, several factors must As a weather-wary cruiser, I was the boat moves, what we feel is apparent be both known and taken into account. pleased to see a Davis Weather Wizard wind because part of the effect (some- (Refer to “Calculating Apparent Wind” on II in the pilothouse of the 2001 boat times all) is generated by the boat’s move- page 43 for an example.) Since the math I purchased a couple of years ago. The ment alone. Apparent wind direction and is so complex, in practice we’re stuck with Weather Wizard displayed inside and out- speed are different, at times dramatically making very rough approximations. side temperatures as well as wind speed so, from true wind. Fortunately, there is a product, available and direction whose measurements are If no wind is blowing, true wind speed in two iterations, designed expressly for provided by an anemometer (whirling is zero. A boat moving at 10 knots gener- boaters. The Ultrasonic WeatherStation cups) and a wind vane. ates a “breeze” of 10 knots from exactly Instrument from Airmar Technology An important caveat is that most weath- the same direction as your compass head- Corporation generates the necessary infor- er monitoring systems employ a technol- ing no matter what direction you travel. mation, does the math and much more. ogy designed for land-based installations That “breeze” is apparent wind. Measuring and unless a manual correction is applied apparent wind is a combination of true Ultrasonic Functions to the direction shown on a boat’s display, wind and movement. If a true wind of 10 Airmar’s PB100 and PB200 both amaze the information is worse than meaning- knots is blowing from due west and your and confuse. Amaze because each is the less, it’s misleading. boat is making 10 knots due west, the size of a clenched fist, about 4" high by Two quite different kinds of wind are effect on the boat or apparent wind is a 2-1/2" (101mm by 63mm) diameter. usually in play for boaters. With a motion- 20 knot westerly. However, if you were Confuse because there are no moving less boat, the wind direction and speed driving east, the apparent wind is obvi- parts and there is no obvious means of we feel are known as true wind. When ously zero. (This concept is well known to operation.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 40 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 GEAR AnD GADGETs

the receiver. Whenever the wind is blowing in that direction, the pulse arrives sooner than if the air is still. Similarly, whenever the wind is blowing in the opposite direc- tion, the pulse arrives later than if the air is still. The four transducers take rapid WeATHerWIse turns sending and receiving pulses to cover all eventualities of wind direction. A microprocessor within the WeatherStation then combines the measurements from all four transducers to calculate the resultant wind speed and direction. Throughout this PB100’s four ultrasonic transducers are visible Included in the PB100 kit is a converter process, the sensor monitors the air tem- through the four holes in the top of the sensor’s (shown on the right) that transfers the NMEA perature to compensate for the fact that wind channel. 0183 output to a video signal suitable for a PC the speed of sound in air changes with via a USB port. temperature. Is this all too good to be true? No, but VHF antenna TX whip the specifications on Airmar’s website or Rx MF/HF antenna (www.airmartechnology.com) do indicate whip antenna Loop (MF/HF) antenna that, while measurement tolerances are Not within more than acceptable for boaters, they INMARSAT would not be for NASA. That said, none Antenna of the other weather station products web- sites even mentions tolerances. In addition to the PB100, the kit also contains the black power/data cord, a INMARSAT Airmar Min. 3m Antenna weather short mount with standard VHF antenna station Min. 5m thread and a converter that transfers the NMEA 0183 output to a video signal suit- able for a PC via a USB port. A CD with Min. 1m WeatherCaster software is in the package Min. 1.5m Min. 1m Min. 4m and Airmar’s website provides free soft- Radar Not within ware updates. radar beam NMEA 0183 data can be sent directly Long-wire to other NMEA devices, such as a chart- Tx MF/HF antenna Min. 1m plotter, but Airmar also offers an optional Furuno combiner to enable simultaneous Min. 4m displays on PCs and NMEA devices. This

airmar/Joe VanVeenen means that sailors can use a daylight-vis- Installing the PB100 demands careful attention to antenna placement. This chart from the manual ible, waterproof chartplotter display in the shows the minimum offset distances. cockpit and older units that do this job nicely are available relatively inexpensively I installed the PB100. The tiny two- In addition, the PB100 measures and dis- from several sources including eBay. level PB100 package contains: a micro- plays vessel pitch and roll, vessel speed Installing this weather station is processor; two-axis compass; GPS; set of over ground (SOG) and vessel course over straightforward once you’ve found a loca- four transducers; negative temperature ground (COG). A couple of optional com- tion with clear air and away from emitting coefficient thermistor; temperature-com- ponents also measure water depth and antennae. This was by far the most chal- pensated silicon piezoresistive pressure temperature. Native compass and GPS lenging requirement for me because my sensor and a capacitive cell humidity sen- outputs are also displayed and can be topsides are festooned with a flying bridge sor. The just-released PB200 substitutes a sent to other onboard devices, such as a and bimini plus eight separate antennae. three-axis solid-state compass, accelerom- chart plotter. I finally found a mounting space atop a 4' eter, adds a WAAS GPS, a yaw rate gyro The WeatherStation contains four ultra- (1.2m) antenna mast extension. That also and outputs both NMEA 0183 and NMEA sonic transducers (Airmar’s specialization). permitted me to run the cable to its con- 2000 data simultaneously. These transducers operate in pairs. One of verter at the helm via a readily accessible Geek-speak to most of us, these solid- them injects a pulse into the air. The pulse cable raceway. That done, I ran the USB state components work together to mea- bounces off the shiny blue metal plate at lead from the converter to the laptop. sure and display time of day, direction, the bottom of the wind channel and is Electrical connections are simple once both true and apparent wind speeds and carried by the wind to be “heard” by the you find a power point. Insert a fast-blow, directions, humidity, barometric pressure, opposing transducer a short time later. 1-amp mini fuse and holder, the only outside air temperature, relative dew point When there is no wind, the pulse travels item not supplied in the kit, in the con- temperature and wind chill temperature. at the speed of sound from the sender to verter cable’s positive lead and connect

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 4 GEAR AnD GADGETs

The main screen in blue background before setup. The second screen shows a mix of analog and Third screen shows the weather information as The orange icons on the left permit display cus- digital information. Wind chill does not display well as pitch and roll. Through this display, I tomization including color, units of measure, time, unless air temperature is below 42F (5.5C) learned that my PB100 mount had a lean of 7 direction, etc. There are three display screens and degrees toward the bow, now corrected. a choice of two background colors and night mode.

it to power. Connect the negative lead and outdoor temperatures and relative to ground. Connect the PB100 cable to humidity. the converter and the USB cable to the The La Crosse and similar kits require computer. Install the WeatherCaster soft- three different exterior components mount- ware. Done. By the way, I resurrected a ed separately, two of which are connected 10-year-old laptop from the closet that to the third by wire. Moreover, the small, has minimal everything but it handles the cylindrical Thermo Hygro component to task perfectly. which the others report has to be mounted The PB100 is $800 worth of unique, under an overhang of some sort. While rel- state-of-the art technology; the PB200 atively simple at a house, it’s a little more 50% more. challenging on a boat. Despite many brand names, however, it Lesser Options seems there are only a few manufacturers If accurate wind direction is not important of weather stations that combine electron- to you, there are less expensive options, ics with traditional wind vanes, anemom- some ridiculously cheap. Last autumn, I eters and self-emptying rain buckets: Davis realized just how long seven years is in Instruments (www.davisnet.com), which electronic evolution when I happened upon has been manufacturing in the U.S. since a La Crosse wireless weather station in a 1963; and nameless Chinese producers big box store for $69.95. The kit is quite who private label essentially similar kits sophisticated and representative of a lot of with a few cosmetic variations. All com- brands. With variations, the less expensive bine traditional technology with modern units provide an array of useful informa- electronics. tion that can include wind direction and Davis has replaced the Weather Wizard Due to the data collection components, the La speed (remember the caveats mentioned II with the III, which adds wind chill and is Crosse works best for a home-based weather monitoring station. above); several temperatures (inside, out- priced at $195. Davis also offers the new side, wind chill, dew point); barometric Vantage Pro 2 that, depending on configu- pressure charts; humidity; accumulated ration, is priced from $495 to $1,195. I rather brashly asked the Davis rep rainfall; date, time, and alarm; phases of Unlike its cheaper competitors, the how the Weather Wizard III and Vantage the moon; times for sunrise and sunset Vantage Pro has an integrated bracket for Pro can compete given prices that are so and more. mounting on a small diameter post, the much higher than the Chinese kits. His On impulse, I bought the La Crosse exterior components are combined in a response was: “I'll give you the answer (www.lacrossetechnology.com) from the single waterproof package and it’s powered that consumers give us. Lots of consum- big box store and installed it at home. by solar energy rather than batteries. It’s ers upgrade from lower-priced weather The display presents a remarkable array actually easier to install than the Chinese equipment to the Vantage Pro 2 for three of information: time and date; inside and kits and thereafter requires no further reasons: quality, accuracy and durabil- outside temperatures including wind chill; attention. It also offers some interesting ity.” Another important factor, of course, wind direction and speed; accumulated features and measurements, such as solar is that California-based Davis repairs rainfall; humidity; barometric pressures as radiation, not available from anyone else. and refurbishes what it sells. both current and 24 hour histogram and It displays highs and lows (and/or totals or As to durability, my home is located a short term tendency forecast. The box averages) for virtually all weather variables about 1,000 yards (914m) from the sea also contains a small bonus monitor for a for the past 24 days, months or years and and the La Crosse continues to operate second location that shows time, indoor your own local forecast, all without a PC. flawlessly after a particularly miserable

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 42 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 GEAR AnD GADGETs

Calculating Apparent Wind

15 knots COG

21.2 knots apparent wind

15 knots true wind Garrett Lambert/Joe VanVeenen On a vessel proceeding at 15 knots with a true As the boxes demonstrate, the well-made Davis Vantage Pro (left) is physically more than three wind of 15 knots blowing from the side, a pas- times the size of the Chinese kit (right). senger would feel an apparent wind of 21.2 knots blowing from an angle 45 degrees off the bow. In order to calculate the true wind speed and direction when onboard a moving vessel, it is necessary to know the apparent wind speed and direction, the speed and course over ground of the vessel, the compass heading and the local magnetic variation. Note that heading and course are not the same: heading is the direc- tion the vessel’s bow is pointing, while course is the direction the vessel is traveling. Heading and course may differ due to the effects of wind and current. (Adapted from Airmar’s website at www.airmartechnology.com.)

“wireless” refers only to the transmission of data from the exterior collection and sending unit to the interior display(s). As noted above, the exterior components communicate with each other via wires (telephone cords and jacks) included in the packages. However, if you’re willing to forego wind measurement altogether, there are even more remarkable bargains out there. While in yet another outlet chain, I came A $20 bargain, the Weather Genius measures across the Weather Genius. and displays all weather output except wind. Also a product of China, it measures and displays everything noted above only by the feature sets, some of which except wind. In addition, it also shows (top) The all-in-one Davis Vantage Pro 2 mea- include such extras as atomic clocks. local phases of the moon and times of sures barometric pressure, humidity, rainfall, The wireless Chinese systems use AA sunrise and sunset. Wire-free altogether, temperature, wind speed and direction using batteries to power the exterior sending the exterior module runs on two AA bat- wireless stations. (bottom) The Vantage Pro Monitor (data not connected). units and monitors. All user settings are teries, the interior on three batteries. Cost lost and must be reset when batteries is just $19.95. Of course, I bought one, are removed, so keep the manuals! All too. northwest Pacific winter including sev- these stations use non-backlit, mono- I now know everything about the local eral 80-mph (128 km/h) windstorms chrome LCD displays with a combination weather and its tendency. Too bad I still and heavy rain. of numeric and graphical presentation. can’t do anything to change it. Q Oregon Scientific (www.oregonscien- Quite legible during the day or under arti- About the author: After three decades cruising tific.com) offers several kits priced from ficial light, the display is of no use in a the world as a diplomat, Garrett Lambert now $180 to $420 including some labeled darkened cabin on a night crossing. (The cruises the Pacific Northwest where navigation for John Deere. They look remarkably Davis Vantage Pro monitor, on the other and weather challenges play nicely into his like the La Crosse and are differentiated hand, is backlit.) Important to note is that interest in technological innovations.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 43 Storm Lines Critical Factors So why are some anchor lines and boats Why do some nylon anchor lines hold and others break in more likely than others to be counted a storm? Why is the anchor line you’ve been using for years among a storm’s survivors? Consider these likely to fail? There are five critical factors that predict how five critical factors that predict how rope rope fares in a storm. will fare in a storm. 1. Breaking strength is determined by wrapping new rope around two large diameter capstans and slowly tensioning the line until it breaks. All things being equal, a braid-on-braid line has the most breaking strength fol- lowed by plait and then three strand (Figure 1). You might think that breaking strength (tensile strength) is the ultimate criteria for selecting an anchor line. After all, the line that’s the strongest has the best chances of surviving the tremen- dous forces in a storm. Alas, the forces on a rope in a hurricane are not applied slowly on large diameter drums; it takes more than breaking strength for a rope to survive something as violent as a hur- ricane. Breaking strength is only one of five factors. By Bob Adriance 2. Stretch. While breaking strength is As sometimes happens in early spring, Hurricane Cat Team members, however, clearly important, stretch (elasticity) is a line of dark clouds suddenly appeared is that the same nylon rodes that are fine also essential to act as a shock absorb- on the horizon and Dan Arsenault got for everyday use have proven to be woe- er to absorb the tremendous amounts caught in an especially violent April thun- fully inadequate in a violent storm. In of energy. There are two ways that a derstorm. He had been bringing his 37' the past Florida hurricanes, hundreds of rope absorbs energy: the material itself (11.2m) sailboat from its winter storage boats were driven ashore because their stretches and the weave of the mate- yard to its summer home near Saginaw nylon anchor rodes, usually more than rial expands and contracts mechani- Bay, Michigan, when the wind built to one, had parted. cally. Before the fiber itself stretches, near hurricane force (74 knots) and seas When a boat winds up on the beach the lay of the rope untwists and absorbs grew to 9' (2.7m). It was cold, bitterly after a storm, it’s easy to look at the frayed energy. cold. remains of the anchor line and announce Nylon stretches more than polyester Dan’s boat passed through a narrow that it had chafed. The solution has typi- and a three-strand twist line stretches channel and was bounced off the bottom cally been to recommend more and bet- more (and absorbs more energy) than a several times, damaging the rudder. After ter chafe protection. The fact is that the braid-on-braid line. A plaited line (simi- a brief attempt to work his way into the ”chafed” line could have broken, even lar to three strand but softer and with marina, Dan crawled up to the bow, set exploded, under the tremendous load a square profile) stretches more than the anchor and went below to wait for the because it lacked strength or failed sud- either three strand or braid-on-braid. wind to subside. Moments later, amid the denly because it lacked elasticity or failed Without something that stretches to horrific noise of the storm, he heard a loud internally, actually melted, by the tremen- act as a shock absorber, the intense “explosion.” The anchor line had parted. dous heat generated by friction or it failed gusts and surging waves are much more In less trying conditions, nylon’s abil- for a combination of these reasons. likely to yank an anchor out of the bot- ity to stretch makes it an almost perfect While there are plenty of examples of tom. The greater its ability to absorb the choice for an anchor line. The stretch nylon anchor lines that failed, there have sudden and violent stresses, the less absorbs shock, which means less strain been at least as many examples of anchor likely an anchor line will fail. on the anchor, less jerking and a more lines that survived, despite being tested comfortable night’s sleep. One of the for many hours by the same high winds 3. Chafe and cleat location. All of this most frequent complaints from BoatU.S. and seas. stretching back and forth across a chock

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 44 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 Yale cordage

Comparison of 150' (45.7m) of three-strand nylon line (left) to the same length of Yale eight- Cleat considerations: If the chock isn’t smooth and well-rounded, the line quickly chafes through as strand nylon Brait (right). When loaded, this line it moves back and forth in a storm. Also, when a line is being compressed at the chock under storm elongates, apparently absorbing up to 75% more loads, it can lose half of its strength. Lastly, all of the stretching back and forth under tremendous pres- energy compared to other anchor rodes, thus sure in a storm generates enough heat at the chock to melt the nylon fibers. Doesn’t it make sense to increasing the rode’s holding power and reducing eliminate the chock altogether by locating the cleat directly on the rail as shown in the photo right? the shock loading on deck hardware. has the potential to chafe the line, espe- dirt, which, over time, abrades the fibers which helps to reduce heat. As noted ear- cially if it is secured to a cleat that is up and weakens the line. Salt crystals, while lier, excessive heat can severely weaken to 2' (609mm) away from the chock; the not as destructive as dirt, also abrade nylon line. increased distance gives it more room fibers. Two obvious indications that the line to stretch. If the chock isn’t baby-butt Unfortunately, dirt and salt are found is shot are stiffness and, when it’s under smooth, all this rubbing under pressure in abundance on the sea bottom, which load, “squeaking.” But what about a well- quickly leads to external chafe. Note, how- means that an older line, even one that used nylon line that is still supple and ever, that the potential for external chafe is healthy looking and supple, may have looks healthy? With industrial applica- is only one of several ways a line can fail already begun to weaken significantly. tions, rope is often retired at pre-deter- at a chock. When the line is bent sharply Fibers are also weakened by sunlight and mined intervals, typically after two to down to the water, only about half the exposure to certain chemicals, including three years of everyday use, to prevent ropes’ fibers are taking the load. Because acids and alkalis. catastrophic failures. Nobody knows how of compression, the remaining fibers are There are other ways that nylon rope long an anchor line should be considered ineffective. is affected by age. Repeatedly expanding dependable but any line that is used hard Stretching and rubbing at a sharp angle and contracting weakens the fibers; the and often is likely significantly weaker also creates heat, a lot of heat. Nylon more times the line is used and heavily than a new line. line starts to deteriorate at 300F (148C) stressed, the more likely it is weakened. and at 350F (176C) it has lost half its Again, damage and loss of strength may 5. Line quality. As noted, better quality strength. There have been many instances occur without any discernable signs of line is pre-shrunk and has lubricant added at a chock where lines have melted and weakness. to the fibers. The way a line is woven is failed internally. Some types of damage are apparent. As also important. Look for three-strand twist they get older, nylon lines become stiff as with a medium lay construction. This 4. Age. The boating magazine Practical they shrink and fibers lose lubricant. Better has more twist (“mechanical twist”) and Sailor tested some older dock lines and quality nylon line is pre-shrunk but it’s not absorbs energy more readily than rope found that the various lines had lost possible to eliminate all shrinkage; some made with soft-lay construction. While between 49% and 75% of their original is inevitable. The lubricant, also found on easier and cheaper to manufacture, soft- strength. That shouldn’t be a surprise. better nylon line, minimizes shrinkage by lay rope is much more prone to failure. If The nylon fibers that are woven together keeping water from penetrating the fibers. it’s easy to separate the strands, the line is to make a rope are thinner than a human Lubricant has the considerable added probably soft lay. Braid-on-braid rope can hair and have proven to be vulnerable to benefit of reducing yarn-on-yarn friction, also be made with a soft-lay construction but it “herniates” readily and is far less FIGuRE  common. Comparable Average Breaking Strengths Possible Solutions For Different Rope Sizes and Types* The question for boat owners is what type of line or lines will stand the best chance of surviving a storm? diameter braid-on-braid three Strand Plait First, the obvious: the boat’s chances 1/2"/12mm 8,300lb/3,765kg 6,100lb/2,767kg 6,300lb/2,858kg of surviving a storm can be improved 5/8"/16mm 17,000lb/7,711kg 9,350lb/4,241kg 10,400lb/4,717kg significantly by using more and larger 3/4"/19mm 21,000lb/9,525kg N/A 16,200lb/7,348kg lines. All things being equal, a 3/4" (19mm) line outlasts a 1/2" (12mm) * Source: Yale Cordage line and two 3/4" (19mm) lines outlast

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 45 a single 3/4" (19mm) line. The size of looped eye-to-eye to avoid having a knot the line is likely determined by the size in the line. (Knots weaken a line by as of the cleat(s). much as 50%.) Polyester would be used Another obvious choice: A rode (and from the cleat through the chock, where storm anchor) that is used purely for the rode is most likely to be stressed, with anchoring the boat in a storm should be the remainder of the rode being nylon. made up before the start of hurricane Polyester is much tougher and far season. The boat’s everyday working more resistant to chafe, both internal rode should not be relied on; it probably and external. Nylon is more comfortable isn’t big enough and, if used routinely, in the under 25% range of its breaking much of its resiliency and breaking strength but, beyond that, it begins to strength has been compromised. quickly fatigue. Polyester has the capabil- ity of going to 50% to 60% of its break- More than a Rode ing strength without fatiguing, at least not Using larger and healthier lines is a good quickly. Even when wet, polyester line Jan Mundy start but there are more choices yet to retains full strength; nylon loses strength, Ideal for anchor rodes and docklines where chaf- be made. For starters, what type of line although water is necessary to cool the ing through a line could cost you the boat, Secure works best? After Dan Arsenault’s har- stressed fibers. Chafe Guards ($28.99) from Davis Instruments rowing experience (the boat survived, There are other alternatives to conven- measure 16" (406mm) in length and are made of albeit with a bent rudder shaft and two tional nylon anchor lines. Yale Cordage tough nylon with a Velcro fastener that adjusts to badly shaken crew), he replaced his makes a braid-on-braid mooring pen- fit lines from 3/8" to 1" (9mm to 25mm) thick. failed nylon braid-on-braid rode with nant that has a nylon core for stretch and nylon three-strand. The reason, he said, shock absorption and a polyester outer was that the three-strand line has greater core to resist chafe. The outer core is and not screws to secure the cleat and elasticity (more stretch) to absorb the vio- woven to produce stretch (mechanical) mount with a wood, fiberglass laminate lent loads. The bow of his boat had been that is comparable to stretch in the nylon or metal backing plate to distribute the thrown high into the air by waves in the core. The line is sold in shorter lengths load (washers are not adequate). open water and the lack of elasticity in with eyes for use as mooring pennants. If the cleat can’t be moved, the choice the anchor rode (and perhaps its age) led Yale sells the line in spools for other mar- of chafe protection is critical. Various to the failure. Would three strand or plait kets but it can be special ordered by a types of hoses, such as PVC, garden have survived? It’s hard to say. marine chandler. hoses and even fire hose, have the poten- The obvious question is how much of a Another choice is plait. The main selling tial to reduce compression at the chock trade off in breaking strength do you want point of plait has been that it is soft and as well as protect the line against exter- to make for additional energy absorption? pliable, takes up less space in an anchor nal chafe, which is good. On the down Once again, the answer is that nobody locker than conventional rodes and can side, such hose allows heat to build up knows. It could be (with no studies to be twisted without hockling. Plaited rope and prevents cooling water from reach- back it up) that using three-strand nylon is also more elastic and has more break- ing the fibers. The best way to reduce or plait to maximize energy absorption is ing strength than three strand, although the chances of the line failing at a chock more critical in an exposed anchorage not as strong as braid-on-braid. It is also is to use something like polyester chafe where the bow could be thrown high into worth noting that plait is easily spliced. protectors, which let heat out and allow the air by large waves. Loads are applied water in. suddenly and violently and the line has to Chafe Protection Don’t forget that rodes chafe under- absorb a tremendous amount of energy if Cleat location is a significant weak spot water as well. Use chain between the it has any chance of surviving. In a shel- that is often overlooked when preparing anchor and anchor line to prevent chafe tered harbor, waves (and their resultant a boat for a storm. A cleat located on the on the sea bottom. If a lot of chain is sudden shock loads) should be signifi- rail is ideal because it avoids heat build used, at least a third of the rode should cantly reduced. Wind would then become up, loss of strength and chafe caused be nylon line to absorb shock. Make sure the primary force acting on the boat and by stretching rope across the chock at the thimble splice is snug; loose or bro- opting for increased breaking strength a sharp angle down to the water. The ken thimbles have been the downfall of (braid-on-braid or even polyester) might line is not compressed as tightly, it won’t more than one anchor line in a storm. Q be a better choice. generate as much heat and it is far more A few words about polyester are in likely to weather the storm intact. About the author: Bob Adriance is the editor of Seaworthy, the quarterly loss-prevention order. One rope manufacturer’s expert, On boats where the cleat is located news journal of the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance who also happens to own a boat, said back from a chock, it may be possible to program. Those not insured with BoatU.S. can he would consider using a combination of move the cleat. Note, however, that the subscribe to Seaworthy for $10 per year by three-strand polyester rode with a nylon cleat must be installed properly or the calling 703-823-9550, ext. 3276 or at www. rode in a hurricane. The two could be whole effort will be for naught. Use bolts BoatUS.com/Seaworthy.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 46 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 sAFETY Stowing for sAfeTy Peggy Bjarno. Aftermath: Just one piece of the destruction wrought by a lack of planning in battening down the hatches. Now, “museum” putty keeps the bookends in place on the shelf above the settee and new hardware keeps locker doors secure.

framework attached to the overhead. Place a table lamp on its side on a bunk, Despite fair-weather planning, there will be times surrounded by blankets and covered with when conditions take an unexpected turn. a pillow. If waves get bigger, move break- Jim roberts ables to the cabin sole and cushion with The 1986 Albin 43' (13.1m) trawler Aqua Vitae in a 35-knot wind with wind-driven waves hitting soft goods. If the teapot or other pans are squarely on the port side. “It was a terrible trip, most of which I spent gripping a waste bin between usually left on the stove, use the stove’s my knees and the dog under my arm in order to keep her in one place,” said Peggy Bjarno. pot keepers or rails to keep them there By David and Zora Aiken during the shake, rattle and roll. For boating on mostly good days, those Sailors expect to travel on a tilt. With the Carry-Ons basics are probably enough but the smart right sails set to the proper trim, the sail- Experienced boaters have a routine for boat owner will continue to plan for the boat can move along smoothly, heeled stowing the loose stuff that comes aboard unusual to avoid unpleasant surprises. first to starboard, then to port as it tacks. each weekend, whether expensive break- What items could get loose if a locker door Knowing the likely travel circumstances ables or general mess-makers. Cameras were to open unexpectedly while the boat ahead of time, sailors stow gear to prevent and binoculars are kept in their protective was underway? That leads to the next unsecured flying objects from becoming a cases until needed. Ideally, their carrying question. What, exactly, holds all those danger to the crew or just making a mess straps could loop over or through a fitting locker doors closed? Unless the boat is of things. Even so, a line of nasty thunder- in the cockpit so the items stay handy but an exception to the rule for a production storms can challenge the effort to make can’t fall. Coolers are wedged between boat, this will be neither a quick look nor things stay put. seats, strapped into a galley corner or tied a quick fix. Powerboats don’t heel but an exagger- onto a custom-built bracket. Though the ated version of “tilt” can still become part obvious safety factor of plastic beverage Lockers of their motion. Despite fair-weather plan- containers makes sense on a boat not Some locker doors are fitted with hard- ning, there will be times when conditions every product offers the choice. When ware that is not up to the job of keeping take an unexpected turn or the boat takes glass items must come aboard, keep them the locker contents from freeing them- the turn, putting it on the wrong course in the cooler or a closed locker or tuck selves in rough weather motion. Almost relative to wind or waves, compromising them in the galley sink amidst the plastic any type of latch works in calm condi- a comfortable motion. Powerboats often bottles. tions but, once a boat starts to roll or roll, sometimes violently, straining both pitch, the constant motion adds unusual boat and crew. Leave-Ons stresses. Doors shift slightly with each All boat owners should look at their Some loose gear stays on the boat all roll, tugging repeatedly against the clos- boats with an eye toward the bad day season. Snugly hold the countertop water ing mechanism or the screws that attach and think about ways to ensure the pitcher in a corner of the galley with a it. The older the boat, the greater the crew’s safety and comfort on such a day. shock cord stretched between two small chance for some weakness to develop Offshore cruisers naturally have much cleats. Tie hanging kerosene lanterns from into a problem. If heavy items are not more to consider than weekend boaters the bottom to limit the swinging arc of the properly secured inside a locker, they can but anyone who has experienced the bad lantern and prevent glass breakage or hit the door with battering-ram efficiency, day firsthand will understand the need for lamp oil leakage. On larger yachts, wine damaging the door and forcing it to open, sensible stowage. glasses often hang upside down from a thus releasing the locker’s contents. In

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 47 sAFETY

Hanging lanterns must be secured at the bot- Turnbuttons are neat and strong and easy to Where heavy items are stored, a locking slide tom to limit the swinging that could cause the install. bolt may be the best choice to make sure the glass to break or the lamp oil to leak. door stays closed.

Prevent sliding doors from sliding unexpectedly Shelves should have fiddle rails to help restrain Open bookshelves need a fiddle rail and an by using a small “door stop.” items stored inside lockers. added restraint about mid-height.

one worst-case example, an entire closet latch. Where heavy items are stored (like made for rough water coincidentally keep door tore away, damaging both the door a galley locker with stacked pots and things quiet when the boat’s at anchor. and its frame. The lesson is obvious; bet- pans), an even better choice is a heavier- ter hold-downs, better hardware. Here duty stainless-steel locking slide bolt. Fiddles you have a choice of turnbuttons, snap- If the shelves in closed lockers have no in brackets or slide bolts. Slide Control fiddles (rails, sometimes decorative, at Turnbuttons are neat and strong and Sliding doors are convenient, except edges of tables and/or counters, shelves, easy to install on any type of door. If the when a sliding section opens uninten- etc.) or the existing ones are small, install door is inset (door and frame on the same tionally. There are two ways to control new ones. The fiddles should be high level), the two elements of the turnbutton this. Place a small-diameter dowel enough to help restrain the objects stored attach directly to the two surfaces. If the rod into the open section of the track inside but not so high as to make it dif- door overlaps the frame, add a spacer to grooves to block the panel from slid- ficult to get things in and out. the frame so both sections of the turn- ing or drill a hole into one of the sliding An open storage area like a bookshelf button are on the same level. Full-sized panels near the center where the doors needs a fiddle and an additional restraint doors with either a spring-type closing meet and insert a short length of a small (shock cord or dowel rod) about mid- or a standard knob or handle can still dowel into the hole. This limits sliding height. Use shock cord with hooks placed bounce open on a rough day; a turnbut- to about a 1/2" (12mm); not enough into eye fittings at the sides of the shelf or ton adds insurance. for objects inside to escape. Attach the permanently attach the cord at one end Small cabinets can probably use a dowel to the panel frame with a small and cleat it at the other. To use a dowel snap-in latch safely, particularly if orien- screw and some twine, so it’s handy rod, drill a hole into the bulkhead at one tation is athwartships. The best design of when you need it. end of the shelf. Attach a U-shaped brack- this type has a rectangular-shaped clos- In all lockers, a shelf liner of textured et to the bulkhead at the other end. Insert ing component, which holds more firmly nonskid mat dampens the effects of the one end of the rod into the hole, and drop than the older-style bayonet. shifting that occurs as the boat moves. the other end into the bracket. It’s possible to find decorative cabinet Also, place small pieces of this material hardware with slide closings. With these, between dishes and stacked pans. As a Permanent Attachments it’s easy to see that the latch is complete- side benefit, this prevents much of the The safest way to hang framed photos or ly closed, instead of simply trusting the clunking noise that otherwise accom- paintings is to screw the frames directly holding power of a snap-in or spring-type panies such shifting, so the precautions onto the bulkhead. The neatest way is to

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 48 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 sAFETY

be secured with a Velcro tab. Velcro can hold the DVD remote onto the side of the television set and small stereo speakers stay atop bulkhead brackets with the aid of more hook and loop tabs. Another handy holder for small stuff is “museum” putty, a thick, white, sticky substance that works surprisingly well. It keeps things in place on vertical or hori- zontal surfaces and is removed fairly easily without damage to adhering surfaces. With a determined twist-off effort, it pulls away without leaving any messy residue. Buy A hook and loop tab holds the DVD remote Custom-built boxes keep small items from get- the putty at a store that sells craft materi- onto the side of the TV. ting misplaced or broken. als or office supplies. do it from the back side of the bulkhead, treasures. A larger box (formerly known Finally, when everything is stowed with if it’s accessible. If that’s not possible, as a magazine rack) keeps magazines precaution in mind, consider a few related attach the frame from the front. Always or guidebooks confined. Not because items. Count the handholds inside your predrill the screw holes to avoid crack- they’d break but, if one happened to fall boat and check their placement. If the ing the frame. Flat-screen TVs should be on the cabin sole, a crewmember step- boat doesn’t have enough, install more. permanently attached. ping on it could suffer a back-wrenching Be sure the cabin sole has some kind of For small things that are easily mis- slip and fall. nonskid in the finish. Don’t be tempted to placed or are prone to falling and break- use any loose rug mats that can launch an ing, build custom-sized brackets or Temporary Attachments unsuspecting crewmember airborne. Q boxes. Attach the holders in accessible A hook and loop fastener (e.g., Velcro) About the authors: David and Zora Aiken have locations and keep the small stuff in its holds small decorative items on bulk- been liveaboards for more than 20 years and place. This works for the cell phone, heads or small items on countertops. A are authors of Good Boatkeeping and Cruising: PDA, TV remote, iPod and other tiny clock, framed photo or a small plant can The Basics.

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DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 49 DIY PRojECTs BLISTER FACTOR InDICATES THE DEgREE OF DIFFICuLTy WITH 10 BEIng THE HARDEST AnD 1 BEIng THE EASIEST. 9 Curved Window makeover

While this project was done on the owner’s pilothouse sloop, the lessons windows (bomon.com). I bought enough here are helpful to any boat owner wanting to replace plastic windows or for the circumference of all windows. convert a fixed window to one that opens. Prep Work Window removal begins by pulling out the rubber gaskets with help from a suit- able hooked pulling tool made from a piece of bent coat hanger. Once all the gasketing was removed, the window pushed out relatively easily. It took a day to remove the old silicone caulking from the sides and channels of the aluminum window frame. This is an important and tedious job that takes patience and a variety of cutting tools, including chisels, knives and several hook tools to clean out the channels and many Before: Original pilothouse window design. After: All new Plexiglas windows and a cus- groves in the frame that grasp the restrain- tom opening center section. ing ridges in the rubber gasket. None of the chemical silicone removers seem to Story and photos by Rory Harley remove the stuff as well as grunt mechani- The plastic windows in the raised pilot- ring may not remove easily. In my case, cal work. house on my newly purchased Tanzer some of the stainless-steel screws had One has the choice of removing the 10.5 sloop were original equipment. frozen in place and required drilling out entire window frame or just the window. They leaked and were badly crazed. I to remove them. I tried both ways. While it might seem had little choice but to replace them. If the leak is around the aluminum easier to clean the channels in one’s This boat has three gently curved win- frame, caulk the gap between the win- basement, I found it easier to leave the dows, two on the coach roof sides and a dow frame and cabin side. If the leak frames attached to the boat rather than large center forward window. There are is seeping in between the rubber and completely remove, load, unload, clean also two 90-degree curved plastic win- the glazing, first try putting some cya- and then take them back to the boat and dows, one in front of the galley on the noacrylate adhesive (Crazy Glue) around remount. port side and at the inside steering sta- the glazing or use crack filler. Such The slightly curved side windows were tion on the starboard side. The windows glues have a narrow tip, are fast dry- the most straightforward as the plastic are framed with an aluminum extrusion ing and their low viscosity might enable was easily bent to match the gentle curve that holds the 1/4" (6mm) plastic sheets the glue to flow into the tiny passages. of the cabin side. You can buy a piece of in place with solid rubber gasket strips Alternatively, you could try Gorilla Glue, oversize plastic and cut it with a jigsaw or compressed into matching groves in the a polyurethane adhesive that cures from have a plastics shop cut to size, which is frame. The frame is held against the moisture and expands. This stuff bonds nicely done with a router. I did the latter cabin sides by caulking and an internal metal and plastics, which might make and found it easier and faster. aluminum trim ring screwed into the future removal of the window difficult or Its best to first do a dry install. First, frame from inside the boat. preempt reusing the rubber glazing. check to make sure the new plastic win- If an aluminum frame/rubber gasket Replacing windows involves remov- dow fits snugly in the frame, allowing window leaks the first instinct is to pull ing the gasket and cleaning the frames enough space for thermal expansion. In out the caulking gun and try to seal in preparation for the new window. The order to protect the plastic from scratch- them on the exterior. This had been large pilothouse windows allow for great ing during installation, I removed the pro- tried on my boat and resulted in layers visibility but also allow a lot of solar tective backing paper only from around of hard and soft compounds that cov- gain, which heats the interior. As I was the window perimeter where it contacts ered the original windows and gaskets. replacing all windows, I decided to find the aluminum frame and on the outside There are only two paths for water to a solution to convert the large central beneath the rubber glazing (see “Caulking enter: either between the window frame fixed window into an opening one. Choices” on page 51). and cabin side or through the rubber The first step in my project was to find Next I carefully cut the rubber gasket channel holding the plastic. To track the replacement rubber gaskets. The old to length then pushed the gasket material source of a leak with this type of win- material was tired and had lost some of into place and made sure I was satisfied dow construction, remove the internal its flexibility. The original window manu- with the fit before getting out my caulking trim ring during a rainstorm (or spray facturer had long since disappeared but gun. with water from a garden hose) and I was able to purchase new glazing from During the installation, I applied a gen- see where the leak originates. The trim Bomon, a manufacturer of custom boat erous amount of caulking in the channels

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 50 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 DIY Projects

Figure 1 windows was pretty much the same as Caulking Choices the cabin side windows. As most boat windows or window Replacing boat windows is a very frames will be removed at some time, messy operation. Tape down some card- avoid using adhesive-type permanent board, big enough to hold both you and sealants, such as 3M 5200, and never your caulking gun, on the area in front of use polysulphide caulk as it attacks the window you’re working on and tape plastics. This leaves two choices of cardboard in the cabin underneath the caulking compounds for bedding win- window to catch excess caulking drips. dows: a marine silicone or a polyure- Wear coveralls, as you will probably dec- thane/silicone blend. While both can be orate yourself with a coating of caulking. applied in cool temperatures, I found It is also best to tape off an adjacent that neither seemed to adhere well to deck area to remove your coveralls and the smooth plastic surface. Therefore, change your shoes. If operating under I used a sharp knife to carefully remove a tarp, make sure you can exit without the protective paper around the edges passing through the work area. on the inside where it covered the trim ring and on the exterior where it covered Plastics 101 the rubber gasket and roughened these Plastic boat windows are usually made surfaces with 80-grit sandpaper. of either a polycarbonate (Lexan) or acrylic (Plexiglas). Polycarbonate is Opening Window much stronger and more expensive but Construction (top) Plywood and particle board mold con- is reportedly not as resistant to scratch- Initially, I considered purchasing a struction. (bottom) Photo shows the outline ing or UV degradation. Both plastics manufactured hatch or hatches that of the port and starboard front wraparound come in clear and a variety of increas- somehow fit into the existing trapezoi- windows. ingly darker tints. dal-shaped center opening but soon dis- The plastics shop asked which mate- covered there were complications with and where the window sits on the alumi- rial I wanted and I elected to try the this approach. I wanted to maximize the num frame and some on the plastic under polycarbonate due to its extra strength. opening size and had difficulty finding the rubber glazing. This helped to lubricate After I finished installing one thermo- commercial hatches that neatly fit the the glazing being pushed into the restrain- formed curved window, I peeled back area. Large hatch sizes are also very ing channels. Excess silicone squeezed the protective paper to take some sat- expensive and custom hatches made and oozed out of the interior screw holes isfaction on the completed job. To my to specific sizes even more so. Frankly, that held in the trim ring. horror, I discovered a couple of barely I would have paid the price but every The two 90-degree curved front side noticeable 1-1/2" (38mm) wide, bub- hatch I discovered was built to install windows required a different approach ble-like mound deformations in the only on flat surfaces. This still left me as it was impossible to manually bend plastic. When I looked from inside the with the problem of how to attach the plastic to this shape. Plastics are bent to pilothouse through the window’s sloped hatch to the cabin front curved sur- match large curves by a thermoforming angle, the deformations caused optical face. process, where the plastic is heated then distortion, as in seeing double. As this There were also some other consid- bent over a mold. Unfortunately, original would be completely disorientating in a erations. The boom vang sweeps just in plastic windows cannot be used as molds pitching boat, I reluctantly removed the front of the pilothouse and I wanted to as the material distorts when the heated window, which was still surrounded with minimize the risk of catching it on the new window is applied over it. a near full tube of uncured black caulk- hatch. I also wanted a sufficient hatch I decided to make the mold but get ing. The boat and I were covered in the overhang to allow leaving the window a plastics shop to do the thermoform- messy stuff by the time the window was open during light rain so water drops ing. I first obtained a sheet of 1/4" extricated. would fall on the outside coaming. I (6mm) bendable plywood and cut it to The plastics shop confessed that concluded that wood was the best mate- size. I then cut two supports from par- polycarbonate is more difficult to ther- rial for building a custom hatch. ticle board to hold the basic curvature moform than acrylics, which caused the After removing the rubber gasket, of the removed plastic window (Figure bubble. However, Plexiglas comes in a plastic window and interior trim ring, it 1). The windows had different radii at high impact version and that’s what I took about another day to cut away the the top and bottom and in order to get then purchased for the curved win- caulking and carefully remove the alumi- an exact match to the window, I placed dows. In hindsight, it is best to check num window frame to avoid bending it. I cedar shims between the ply and par- any thermoformed window for imperfec- then scribed the upper and lower cabin ticle board. Both windows were made tions before installation by pulling back front curvatures on cardboard. The sides from the same mold with only minor the protective paper then press it back of the cabin were straight. adjustments made with cedar shims. I down for the installation process. I have All hatches are made of two com- left a lip on the mold edge as the shop also heard of a ruined installation where ponents. In my case, the interior ver- staff use clamps to bend the hot plastic an owner left the paper on the window, tical piece or coaming was glued and onto the mold. Installation of these front which was then baked on by the sun. screwed onto a 1/4" (6mm) piece of ply-

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 51 DIY Projects

Figure 2 Figure 5

Hatch lip was extra wide to make a base for the Vetus hatch locking handles. Note wooden bungs that cover the screw heads.

Figure 6

(top) Wood jig to hold window frame. Jig must be strong enough to hold the frame curvature, as plywood tends to flatten it when bent. (bottom) Plywood cut accurately on the outside dimension and secured into aluminum frame with rubber gasket. Interior cut was made with a router using a laminate trimming bit after hatch lip was laminated.

Figure 3 Figure 4 Finished lip and coaming.

curvature on the cabin sides. All wood strips were glued together. In order to compensate for plywood’s bounceback, I slightly exaggerated the curvature in the top and bottom coam- ings, using tongue depressor shims dur- ing the gluing process. I clamped the coaming strips on the ply without the The combination lip and coaming placement Closeup of finger joint construction joining the shims to confirm the curvature match was done to maximize window size. top and side pieces. of the window frame and jig and then I routed out the interior opening space to wood inserted into the aluminum frame lip and the upper gasket on top of the accurately match the coaming. in lieu of the original plastic. The hatch coaming, 1-1/4" (31mm) above the ply The hatch frame is fabricated in frame then attached to the plastic with to keep the hatch profile as low as pos- the same basic manner as the coam- caulking and wood. The frame fits over sible (Figure 3). My main constraints ing. Bounce back from the 1/4" (6mm) the coaming and attaches with remov- on maximizing window size were the plastic insert was negligible and didn’t able clevis pin hinges. hinges and the spacing to allow room require any exaggeration in the hatch Using these two curvatures I made a for the rubber gasket material before strip material. Care must be taken to jig to hold the window frame (Figure 2) it is pushed into place in the window ensure that, after fastening the hatch and then I cut a piece of 1/4" (6mm) frame’s aluminum channels. Once the with the hinges, it does not fit so snugly marine mahogany plywood to match general lip and coaming placement was over the coaming that it binds when it the footprint of the removed plastic. determined, the approximate window rotates. Again, I used tongue depressors Plywood is more easily bent 90 degrees opening space was cut out. as spacers to ensure a non-binding fit. inline with the wood grain on the outside The lip and coaming were made of Note that due to the curvature of the surfaces. Thus, the easier construction 1/4" (6mm) strips cut on my table saw hatch, the hinges were placed well to method would have the outside grain from 3/4" (19mm) thick mahogany the outside of the hatch to allow it to running vertically in the cabin. plank. I laminated the strips together, rotate clear of the coaming. In order to minimize the possibil- alternating lengths to render a finger During the construction I left a larger ity of cabin leaks, I elected to have a joint at the ends (Figure 4). The two 1/4" (6mm) lip around the periphery double gasket system with the lower coaming and hatch sidepieces were of the hatch as a base for the plastic gasket placed on a 1/4" (6mm) elevated cut from solid mahogany as there is no window insert (Figure 5). I glued on a

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 52 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 DIY PRojECTs rounded 1/4" (6mm) strip to surround a master wood worker and made sure screws instead of countersinking the the yet to be inserted window to give a judicious amount of epoxy flowed in screw heads. I carefully drilled the holes it a countersunk effect and to have the and around my less-than-perfect fin- for the hatch handles through the plastic smoothest edge possible to avoid being ger joints. Once cured, the hatch and and the interior wood supporting lip to snagged by a rope. I drilled and dow- coaming received four coats of two-part match a piece of aluminum angle mate- eled all corners. I also extended the side polyurethane varnish (Figure 6). I now rial on the coaming. pieces of the hatch as low as possible reattached all the hardware. To install the unit, I removed the to avoid a small diameter rope being I purchased an oversize 1/4" (6mm) hatch frame by removing the clevis pins caught under the hatch edge. plastic polycarbonate sheet and cut it to and dry fitted the glued and screwed I dry fitted two Vetus hatch handles size. Polycarbonate is the better choice coaming and plywood combination and purchased two hatch holdups that as, apart from being stronger, it is less and made sure the entire assembly fit provided the maximum opening. My ini- prone to cracking than acrylic when well on the boat. I then brought the tial thought was that the hatch would drilled. I slightly over drilled the hole unit home and completed caulking the not be opened beyond the horizontal sizes in the plastic for all the screws wood coaming plywood to the alumi- position but I later determined that a around the circumference and the thru- num frame. When the caulking cured, larger opening would encourage a much bolts for hatch stay supports. (Ed: Rule I took the unit to the boat and caulked better cooling ram air effect. of thumb when drilling holes in plastic the aluminum frame in place and com- After removing all fittings, I removed is to increase the hole size by 1/16" for pleted the installation by installing the the wood from the frame and applied every 1' of surface length and never trim ring with stainless-steel self-tap- three coats of West System 207/105 countersink for fastener heads.) ping screws. Installing the hinge clevis clear coat epoxy to all surfaces. I took I removed the interior protective pins, hinge pins and hatch support care to coat the plywood end grain well paper from the edge of the plastic that stays was all that remained to do. to ensure no water absorption in case of would be under the lip, sanded the now During the construction of the open- a leak around the gasket. I also counter- exposed areas and coated the matching ing window, it dawned on me that these sunk screw holes in the plywood around plastic and hatch lip with Life-Seal sili- modifications might affect the seawor- the coaming perimeter and strength- cone/polyurethane caulking and attached thiness of my vessel. I found that ABYC ened the bond with wood screws, their them together with brass screws. In has published Standard H-3 for hatches heads hidden by wood bungs. I am not a “do over,” I would use round head and windows. I ordered it online and

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Vertical support bar was added after deflection View of hatch from cabin interior. Support bar tests suggest a potential weakness. hides the radio wires.

when cleaning. I’ll also be fastidious .500 about covering the windows when not required and making sure solvents, chemicals or even bug spray, which can cause crazing, do not touch the plastic. I’ll also be sure all visitors are aware of

.437 the sensitivity of plastics to chemicals. .500R

.500R Bottom Line .265 .203 Windows were replaced for about $1,000 plus $400 for rubber glazing

.093 and $100 for hatch locking handles. My boat’s icemaker died and since it .375 .343 Price fluctuations from the same plas- most often served as a beverage ice-

10˚ tics shop for thermoforming varied at box that delivered messy soft ice, costly .093 .093 around $300 during the year period that repairs were out of the question and 25˚ I did this project. While plastic sheet is replacement was $600. readily available at most plastics shops, I found an economical, home-grown

.468 .235±.005 .062 thermoforming is quite specialized and solution at a sporting goods store. For

Bomon/Joe VanVeenen it may help to nail down material and $50 I purchased a 12-volt powered Diagram of glazing rubber. labor charges before starting such a Coleman Road Trip that plugged into project. Q a standard 12-volt outlet to chill or conducted the tests specified in the warm its interior. It has a small fan and standard. My hatch passed all the tests. About the author: Rory Harley is a retired compressor and can operate in a verti- One test required a loading of 300lb mechanical engineer living in Ottawa, Ontario. cal or horizontal position. The Road (136kg) anywhere on the hatch and, Trip fit nicely into the space occupied while my hatch took the load with two by the broken icemaker if I cut almost people standing on it, I didn’t like the 3/4" (19mm) to widen the opening. It amount it deflected. My fix was to add is almost 3" (76mm) shorter than the a 2" by 2" (50mm by 50mm) support icemaker so there was airspace for the bar between the coaming, which was pROJECTS compressor. I mounted a 12-volt outlet in dowelled and epoxied in place (visible the back of the drink bar cabinet, which in Figure 7). This brace also serves to is wired off the DC distribution panel; a hold the conduit carrying the wires to waNTED breaker turns the unit on and off. the ship’s VHF radio (Figure 8). I would If you would like to share one of your own The Road Trip has molded recessed encourage anyone undertaking a project boat-tested projects, send your articles to handles in the ends. A small piece of that may effect your boat’s integrity to DIY PROJECTS via mail or e-mail. Include a wood attached by screws to the cabi- brief explanation and photos and/or sketches engage an accredited marine surveyor (don’t worry, we’ll redraw the art). Also, please net bottom keeps the cooler in position. familiar with ABYC standards to consult include your mailing address and a daytime The top is held by a molded plastic on these matters. phone number or email address. If we publish louvered vent through which air circu- This project completely changed the your project, we’ll send you between $50 and lates around the fan and compressor. $300, depending on the published length. interior feeling of the boat. The hatch Just an hour or so of work resulted in does not leak and it makes the cabin a compact refrigerator. Any ice is now very light and airy. made in the freezer compartment or I’ll be sure never to use any polish purchased. Q or cleaner on these windows unless PRojECTs it is specified for plastics and use P.O. Box 22473, Alexandria, VA 22304 — Bob Trenholm’s ongoing project of 10 only scratch-free microfiber towels or E-mail: [email protected] years is an 1988 11 Meter Trojan.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 54 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 DIY PRojECTs Dinghy ID 3

To deter theft and increase the chances of recovery, consider leaving your brand on your dinghy and its accessories.

By David and Zora Aiken

Dinghy logo stenciled on oars, PFD, throw cushion and transom.

Use artist’s acrylic paint with a stencil to put logo onto fabric of PFD.

The traditional way to mark a yacht tender tanks, water bottles. Then decide how you is the simple “Tender to YachtName” but, want to apply the logo. in certain places, this identification may If you have a fairly steady hand and have a serious drawback. It advertises an the design isn’t too intricate, paint it on. opportunity for criminal activity. Tied to Artist’s acrylic paint is easy to work with the town dock, a dinghy so marked tells on fabrics, plastic and wood and it cleans everyone within viewing distance that the up with water. dinghy has carried at least some of the Stenciling is easy and you can buy plas- crew away from an anchored yacht. If all tic stencil sheets with a variety of images at crewmembers have gone to town, dis- a craft store. Use an Xacto knife to cut the reputable persons might choose to board design. If you have no experience with this the yacht without permission for devious versatile tool, buy the holder and a pack reasons. of #11 blades and practice cutting lines Still, it’s a good idea to have a clear and curves until you’re relatively comfort- identifier for the dinghy and its acces- able with it. Be very careful, as the blades (top ) Adhesive-backed vinyl cutout placed on sories in addition to recording all hull ID are very sharp. Initially, you’ll probably cut the propane tank and (bottom) on the dinghy’s numbers and serial numbers and keeping lines twice; eventually, you’ll judge the right outboard motor . them in a safe place. You could choose amount of pressure. Change blades often a “go-together” name for the dink (Snow for the cleanest cuts. Poster board works You could also use either the stencil Goose and Gosling, Martini and Olive) or well for making a custom stencil. process (with more two-sided tape) or the your initials but, in the spirit of do-it-your- To color, use a roller and block-print ink stick-on vinyl for a “negative” result by self pride, consider a logo. (also sold at craft stores) or a stiff brush coloring a background panel and leaving Some boat names conjure up an imme- with acrylic paint (dab the paint on as you the shape revealed as an unpainted por- diate image: Osprey, Dolphin, Seal. Others hold the stencil down) or spray paint. To tion. If you choose initials, buy stick-on don’t lend themselves to simplified artwork avoid spraying your hand, hold the stencil letters used for boat registration or small- but, since you’re looking for a consistent in place using small pieces of two-sided er sizes found in hardware stores for DIY marking, any design that pleases you tape. Taping provides a cleaner edge with sign making. Or find a nice, fairly simple will do. Ask an artist friend to provide an any of the paint application methods. font on the computer, print the initials to artistic silhouette. Photocopy or scan the Sign makers use an adhesive-backed appropriate sizes and cut out the letters, artwork to as many sizes as you’ll need for vinyl material and you can likely obtain either stencil or stick-on. Q the dinghy transom and whatever items small scraps from a local sign shop. About the authors: David and Zora Aiken have go to shore regularly: PFDs, throw cush- Cut out your design and stick the cut- been liveaboards for more than 20 years and ion, oars, outboard, gasoline or propane outs in place. are consummate DIYers.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628 55 DIY Tool Essentials Often “less is more” when it comes to your onboard tool kit. By Roger Marshall

Most boat owners have an For purely electrical work, onboard collection of tools I include several Ancor tools. onboard but how well thought Ancor crimping pliers allow out is the assortment? Do you you to crimp only to the right really need all of them? Are pressure, after which they some very useful tools miss- open up, and its wire strip- ing? Often the tool “kit” is per creates the perfect length a hodgepodge of tools that of stripped end every time. has evolved without much Ancor also makes a small thought. There are duplicate butane-powered heat gun that wrench sets, half a dozen I use to heat-shrink electrical rusting pliers of various con- terminals and tubing and to figurations and several screw- cut synthetic rope using the drivers with a mishmash of knife blade. This tool has sev- head types. Some people eral small end pieces so store rationalize that tool redun- them in a Ziploc bag (prefer- dancy guards against those ably the “freezer” grade) to accidental losses that happen keep from losing them. to everyone. You approach a To my mind, the items job on deck, slip and – oops! just listed make up the mini- – the tool ends up in the great mum for the tool kit you tool morgue on the seabed. keep aboard your boat. You Even taking these occasional should also assemble an losses into account, most boat auxiliary kit that is carried owners could carry fewer tools to the boat when needed. than they actually do and also In this kit I include: a Ryobi have a tool kit that is much 18-volt portable drill with better designed for their several batteries and its bat- needs. tery charger; outdoor type, Over the years, I’ve com- heavy duty extension cord; piled a set of tools that I think more wrenches in sizes not should be aboard a boat. often needed; larger hammer; Mine are all stainless or nick- 100' (30m) measuring tape roger Marshall el-plated steel tools that resist which is handy for checking rust. Note that I didn’t call them rustproof Screwdrivers are another important mast tune; spare fuel tank cap key(and because most tools will eventually rust in part of my tool kit. I have a set of Wera a threaded cap); multimeter and a wire a marine environment. I carry these tools stainless-steel screwdrivers. These brush. Other tools are added for a specific in a rollup tool bag so that they can be prime-quality tools are specially made job on an as-needed basis. easily identified and removed for mainte- for stainless-steel screw heads (no car- I make no particular provision for storing nance and replacement of worn or broken bon steel contamination from the screw the tools I bring onboard. I keep the tool items. Also in the rollup are several bags driver tip) so they are perfect for use kit in the lower drawer of the navigation of silica gel and a can of Corrosion Block onboard a boat. area and have learned through experience that I spray on tools to retard rust. My tool bag also contains the fol- to hold onto the tools when I go on deck What tools will you find in my tool bag? lowing items: a 1 lb (.45kg) hammer; with them. If I go aloft, I prefer to take My list begins with a set of wrenches, ClampTite to make wire clamps; Swiss tools in a zippered pouch or in a bosun’s both box wrenches and open ended ones Army knife with pliers; Maglite flashlight chair pocket to ensure that I don’t acci- carefully checked to fit the nuts and bolts (you can now upgrade these flashlights dentally drop them over the side or onto onboard my boat. There’s not much point with bright LED bulbs.); 25' (7.6m) tape the deck. People on deck tend to get very in buying a metric set of wrenches when measure; small metal saw with spare upset when they are showered with tools none of the nuts or bolts on the boat are blades and a knife with a sharp, car- from a great height. metric. I also carry a couple of adjustable bon steel blade, which keeps a better About the author: Roger Marshall is the author wrenches for use when my other wrench- edge but rusts faster, so I coat it with of 12 books and is currently completing his lat- es don’t fit. Corrosion Block. est book, Fiberglass Repair Illustrated.

DIY Boat Owner 2008-3 56 (www.diy-boat.com) 1-888-658-2628

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