Since the last couple posts have been topical to plumbing and head systems I asked Bob if I could copy over a writeup from his blog from where he replaced the plumbing on the head on Eolian. If I were replacing the plumbing rather than taking it out forever then I would most likely follow in his footsteps. I think his solution is much cheaper and vastly more durable than the standard marine hoses and fittings. So enjoy. 🙂 Scott Carle
By Bob Salnick When we took possession of Eolian, the PVC and rubber head hoses had been permeated by the ‘contents’ of those hoses, making a bad smell everywhere down below. We replaced all of those hoses early on with good hose. In 2006, about 7 years later, those hoses had again been penetrated. My research (oh sure, NOW do the research…) showed that even the highest grade hose (which costs in excess of $10/ft) permeates in 10 years. The cheaper grades are supposed to last only 5 years. I guess that means that we did better than most.
The same research showed that solid PVC pipe (like that used in houses) will NEVER permeate. So, OK – out with the hose, and in with solid PVC pipe. First problem: most plumbing supply houses stock only ABS for sanitary fittings (long sweep elbows, sanitary tees, etc… Things can get hung up in regular sharp-cornered elbows, and sewer snakes can’t be made to go around sharp corners.) But we have found a couple of stores close by that stock PVC fittings, and in ALL the weird angles we will need to use to run pipe in a boat. Also, some short lengths of hose are still needed to make connections at the ends of the pipe runs – stuff moves […]
Last week we got a lot done on the boat but also ran into some issues with the plumbing which led to engine issues that led to anchoring issues. See http://downeasteryachts.com/archives/1366 for all the details.
Today I worked up my courage and headed back to the boat to deal once and for all with the malodorous mess that Valkyr’s head system had become. The first thing on was the respirator (this respirator worked great. No odor got through it and when I got to the clorox phase it totally filtered the chlorine out also). After the respirator came the industrial rubber chemical gloves and a dozen 3 mil contractor garbage bags. The next three tools that I used to remove everything were one largish flat bladed screwdriver, one set of vise grips and a pair of straight edged shears. The screw driver for hose clamps and prying, the vise grips for holding the nuts on the screws that the pump was mounted with while I unscrewed them, and the shears for cutting through hoses if needed.
I promised pictures in my last post but we forgot the cameras when we went to the boat today and I wasn’t willing to put the job off now that I had nerved myself up to actually doing it so I’m afraid there will be no nasty disgusting before pictures. However I should be able to graphically paint a really disgusting picture of it in your minds, so listen up and read on.
First let me paint the picture again of what we found last week. In the small bilge space just aft of the v-berth area that the holding tank lies in was where most of the plumbing for the holding tank system came together. To port up through the closet and into […]
You know all the shit that accumulates in the corners of a boat? This story isn’t about that kind of shit. This story is about the kind that leaks through the ruptured diaphragm in a pump on a hose that terminates in a holding tank.
If that opening doesn’t grab attention, I’m not sure what will. Let me backtrack just a bit.
We actually spent three days working on the boat this week. The teak on deck is now at about 90% and in some area’s even has three coats of Tequa. We are really liking the Tequa, it goes on thin and penetrates on try teak for the first couple of coats and on the third coat gives the teak a soft luster that is just beautiful. So far we have used about one and a quarter quarts and it has covered 90% of the boat in two coats and some parts of the boat in three coats. I think we will stop at three coats and then see what durability is over time. Pictures of all this will be forthcoming in the next week or so.
Another little project that looks very promising is my bung replacement method I came up with for all the missing teak bungs in the screw holes of the cap rail. Many of the holes are now not deep enough to put new teak bungs in. I found some brown silicone at Lowes in a standard size caulking tube that I have experimented on. If you tape over the holes and then cut out the outline of the hole in the tape with a razor you then have a perfectly masked hole. You squeeze in some silicone, lightly squeegee the excess off and immediately pull up the tape. It leaves a very nice […]
We left Windsong in Stuart on its mooring ball for a week before I was able to get back there and begin the fourth leg with my Dad. I was concerned while it was there because the stuffing box was leaking worse than it ever had, and I couldn’t get it to stop dripping before we left. I did my best to stem the flow by tying some torn up towels around it, but knew that would help little. The bilge pump could keep up with the flow, and would run a few times a day I think. However, I didn’t know how long my batteries would last with the pump running frequently. Luckily I remembered to change the battery switch to the house batteries rather than its default setting of house + starter batteries. I realized I left it like that when Windsong was in Ft. Myers, and made a mental note to never leave the switch on both when not charging or motoring.
The plan was to motor up the ICW to Harbortown Marina in Merritt Island. We arrived in Stuart on Thursday evening (April 1st) a few hours before dark. First order of business was to dinghy all of our gear out to the boat, which wasn’t nearly as exciting as the nighttime ordeal we faced in Ft. Myers. After the gear was loaded (only took one trip) we enjoyed a beer then paddled back to shore to get some dinner at the marina restaurant. After dinner we had to paddle back in the dark and crashed quickly soon after. As usual I didn’t get any sleep, mind racing about what the next couple of days would hold.
The first day’s ride would be 2/3 of the trip, making progress all the way up to south Melbourne. […]
The weekend of March 20 I was finally able to get some friends to help crew for me as we crossed Florida via the Okeechobee Waterway:
At 6.5 knots cruising speed, it takes about two days of long motoring to cross the state with a stop in Clewiston. Mark and Robbie both took Monday off so we would be able to make it north a bit on the East coast as well. The plan was to go from Ft. Myers to Clewiston on Saturday; cross the lake and make it to Stuart on Sunday; then Stuart to Vero Beach up the Intercoastal Waterway on Monday.
Friday night we were dropped off in Ft. Myers where Windsong was moored for about a week and a half. It was dark when we arrived, and we had to paddle my old dinghy about a half mile to the boat. The rubber dinghy does not have hard floors, so we couldn’t load too much weight. This made us have to take two trips back and forth to collect all cargo along with all three of us. We didn’t get any good pictures of the dinghy rides to the boat, but it was a lot of fun crossing the river in the dark of night, only city lights for illumination. I knew where the boat was in reference to the bridge and island surrounding it, but we couldn’t actually see it until very close.
We loaded up Windsong, had a few beers and settled in for the night. None of us slept well at all, I was nervous about how the engine would perform on its first real endurance test. We would be motoring about 8-10 hours a day for three days straight. I knew the fuel was clean now, so it was whatever […]
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