As I shared in an earlier post, having Harmony in the water this year gave us an opportunity to test all the systems and gear that we had been able to install and get working. Since I pushed the re-launching to give me a bit of a break from the dreariness of the boat yard, we didn't have every bit of equipment or systems ready to test. However, we had enough to sort out.
The systems and pieces of gear that I found to either not work so well or at the very least needed improvement included (1) pressure fresh water system; (2) boat leaks; and (3) miscellaneous little things. The worst situation involved a complete replacement, while most issues entailed redesign and installation.
The most frustrating of the systems we were able to test was the pressure fresh water system. Now, let me first state very loudly, the electrical side of this system was flawlessly connected by Greg, The Boat Doctor. The issue was related solely to the hardware side of the equation.
Harmony has 3 sets of faucets plus a on-board shower mixer. For the faucets, I had selected typical domestic versions rather than the relatively over priced marine versions. For the head sinks, I installed 2 cheap vanity faucets priced at $10 each from Lowe's. For the galley sink I chose a Moen kitchen faucet with a pull-out spray head which is relatively ubiquitous in most houses kitchens. The shower mixer was the only marine fitting I installed and it was an Ambassador fitting.
When I pressurized the system, the $10 faucets worked flawlessly and the shower mixer worked fine with the exception of a small drip at the hose connection. I guess I didn't use enough Teflon tape. However, the Moen kitchen faucet leaked like Niagara Falls! Yes, "step by step, slowly I turn...." type of leak. The leak was internal to the mechanism, which indicated that the entire faucet was not fixable and was, therefore, absolute junk!
After much thought and consternation, I finally broke down and bought a marine unit that is actually sold as a pull-out shower faucet. This was the exact type of unit I removed during demolition, although abused by time. The connections were really easy to do, but getting this faucet to attach firmly to the galley count/sink was a huge challenge. I had to fabricate custom under sink fittings out of Starboard to get the assembly to attach tightly. However, once pressurized, walla, no leaks!
Now, a little note on water usage. Since this issue took several weeks to resolve, we had been using manual water pumps to get fresh water out of the tanks. Talk about miserly usage. When the tanks were drained for the winter, we still had over 100 gallons left of our 200 gallon supply. This was after almost 8 weeks or 25 days of use for cooking, washing, and drinking. I am sure the pressure water system would have sucked out a heck of a lot more!
Boat leaks! Even though I had spent copious amounts of time sealing all of the discovered sources of leaks, my efforts were not totally successful. We have leaks at each of 3 deck fill fittings (2 fresh water and 1 diesel fuel), and it became maddeningly obvious that our caprail/bulwark area still leaked, A LOT. These leak areas were the same spots that caused all of the interior rotting that I had to fix during restoration. SOB!
Our teak decks will need resealing, and the water coming in from the deck fills is caused by water traveling under the decking in those areas and finding the hole in the deck. I will remove the deck fills and fabricate a fiberglass dam around each hole to effect a true water tight situation. It will be a little more involved now that I have installed the interior, but not impossible.
Now, the caprail on the bulwarks is a different story. Leaks here are common on Westsails. Generally, the hull/deck connection at the bulwark is a very solid and strong situation. However, to attach the 4" teak caprail and other fittings, that lateral bulwark surface is pierced by screws and other fasteners. Over time, the bedding material around these fastener holes deteriorates and fails.
So, I will have to remove the caprails, fill the old screw holes, fiberglass over the surface, and then reattach the caprails. Technically not difficult, but time consuming. The Westsail Owner's Association has copious notes on this so all I need to do is to do it. More on this during a future posting.
Some miscellaneous items include redoing the companionway step design. It worked quite well, but what I had originally constructed showed itself to be a pain to disassemble to access the engine batteries stored there. Now that I have experienced how the galley/dinette cabinetry works with the steps, I have a better design I mind. I will do this over the winter.
Our aft cabin sleeping situation needs some tweaking now that we have christened it. The cushions are remarkably comfortable thanks to Judy at Nautilus Cushions, but the Admiral needs a bit of a head board on her side, as her pillows keep falling off and during the night her slumbering need for a headboard causes her feet to end up in my face. Not a pleasant thing for her feet, I assure you! Since I need to make some leeclothes, I will design and sew something to solve this.
Additionally, I will construct a better step-up system to get to the bunk. Since I had to raise the berth height about 6 inches to accommodate the autopilot, getting into the berth requires a bit of a climb. While I could hook up the bosun's chair on the mizzen halyard to get the Admiral into the berth, that process may just have a few issues! I will fabricate some nice teak steps to coordinate with the rest of the interior.
There were issues related to storage of items, but that is too minor to discuss here. Anyway, the plumbing issues and deck leaks provided the most concern. The plumbing problems have been addressed, but I will need to focus on the leaking concern this Winter and next Spring.
Fair Winds and Following Seas!
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Monday, December 1, 2014
Harmony 2.0 - Things that worked
Getting to use Harmony this past summer was wonderful for many reasons. However, the practical aspect of our time afloat in Harmony was the opportunity to test various gear, systems, and the live-aboard comfort. We also got to experience what didn't work so well or simple needed some tweaking. I am going to focus on the gear that we found to work well, but I will cover the less than great things in another post.
Before I get too far along, I need to recognize some folks for their stellar work, service, and/or friendship.
Composting Toilets: We installed 2 Nature's Head composting toilets on Harmony: we did this because we have 2 heads not because we needed to handle #1 and #2 separately! Doing so offered us the advantages of eliminating 4 through hulls, two large holding tanks, and a lot of annoying smells. Additionally, the composting toilets would be easier to use, to empty, and would provide us with a high degree of self-sufficiency.
At least the first two elimination advantages were solidly proven because I removed them personally. However, the last elimination advantage, the often experienced aromatic ambiance of a marine head system was something to be found out. WELL, both the Admiral and I can loudly proclaim that we experienced absolutely NO smell during our usage of the Nature's Head for over 8 weeks. Underscoring that, we had boat owning guests on-board who were pleasantly amazed that there was no head related odor.
OK, but did the composting toilet succeed in supplying all of the promised advantages? Honestly, you bet! Having used a traditional marine head for over 20 years, we are fairly well experienced in the routine. However, using the Nature's Head was easier. We chose to NOT put the toilet paper in the unit and I will comment on this below. By not adding the toilet paper we were able to extend the useful capacity of our unit by several weeks.
One can either put toilet paper into the base unit of the Nature's Head or dispose of it separately. While toilet paper will decompose, it does so more slowly than poop and it sharply reduces the time between empties. We wanted to extend the times between emptying, so we chose to dispose of the toilet paper in zip lock bags put into our main waste basket. By the way, this is the way most charter outfits take care of toilet paper in the BVI, as there are limited pump out stations there. Moreover, many boat owners due this in order to minimize the risk of clogging the head. While an extra step, it is an easy process.
The process of emptying the Nature's Head was relatively simple, took very little time, AND created no mess! It could also be done on our schedule. Emptying the urine container couldn't be easier. While at the mooring, I simply removed the container, put it into a zippered tote, and brought it ashore to empty in a public toilet. When I first emptied the base unit which contains the peat moss and poop, I had a bit of trepidation. However, it took me no more than 15 minutes from start to finish. However, the biggest surprise that left me really ecstatic what that the only smell I detected was the odor of dirt. Please note that the unit had just been used before I emptied it. Fabulous!
We have two Nature's Heads on Harmony, but we only used one this initial in water season. Next season will use both. We can solidly recommend the composting toilet option. Moreover, we can strongly recommend the Nature's Head as a great unit. It represents the best new equipment we added to Harmony during the restoration.
Yanmar Engine: When we purchased Harmony, the ubiquitous Perkins engine had been removed. While we had to clean out all of the related viscera and fluids from the engine room, our benefit was we had a broad choice on new power plants. As mentioned in a prior posting, we chose the Yanmar 4JH4-HTE, a 110 hp unit, as our engine. We could have gone with a lower hp unit, but at the advice of Barden's Boat Yard and Mack Boring, we went with the higher hp in order to give us more umph if needed.
We chose the Yanmar because we knew that Barden's is a certified service center and their mechanic, Peter, was known as an expert installer and mechanic. Another engine that was recommended was a Beta unit, but we not only received less than acceptable response from the dealer, we also realized that there were no certified service centers anywhere near where we were moored.
So, how did the Yanmar work? Holy Cow, it worked amazingly! In warm or cold temperatures it started instantly. For a big unit, it was surprisingly quiet: I haven't finished installing all of the Soundown insulation yet. However, the power transfer was incredible. The 110 HP certainly pushes Harmony's 32,000 plus pounds effortlessly. The benefit here is that we can motor Harmony at very efficient rpm's and still have a healthy reserve of power, if necessary.
All in, we are very happy with our choice of Yanmar. The engine starts and runs very well. Maintaining the fluids and servicing the engine will be easy given the room we have in Harmony's engine room and the well placed service points on the engine.
Kato Marine Davits: We had a choice to make relative to carrying our dinghy. The options were to (1) to tow it behind the boat; (2) carry it on deck; or (3) put it in davits on the stern. Unless we are doing a very short hop, we do not like towing a dinghy behind the boat. One has to always be mindful of the tow line, and certain sea states create a too boisterous ride for the dinghy. Carrying the dinghy on deck is a very safe method for storing a dinghy during a passage, but given our length of dinghy we could not fit anywhere on deck: even in the deflated state.
We chose to add davits on the stern and to carry our dinghy there. As I discussed in a prior posting, this freed up deck space for moving about while under sail. After much research, we chose Kato Marine to make our davits. We found them very responsive and supportive, and their product is very well made. The Westsail 42 with its canoe stern does not provide an easy mounting platform. However, Kato Marine was very supportive and helped us every step of the way.
Kato Marine was also incredibly patient, as it took us over a year to get the install complete. However, once completed, the davits work really well. I can launch and retrieve the dinghy in about 15 minutes from start to finish. The dinghy rides securely and solidly. A great feature for us is the unit's ability to fold up for winter storage. I simply have to take off the stabilizer bar (a 10 minute effort) and fold the arms forward.
The Kato Marine davit system was a great decision. We recommend them highly!
Well, during our short period of breaking in our restored Harmony on the water gave us a bit of time to evaluate systems and equipment. While we were ecstatic to have Harmony in the water, we still have a ways to go before we will be comfortable leaving on a cruise. BUT, we are well on our way to that end.
Fair Winds and Following Seas!
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| Ah, finally floating at anchor in Marion! (photo courtesy of Nautilus Cushions) |
Before I get too far along, I need to recognize some folks for their stellar work, service, and/or friendship.
- The folks at Barden's Boat Yard in Marion did their usual wonderful job of getting us in and out of the water, as well as making us feel like valued customers - so much so that we often felt as is we were the only customers Hats off to Cheryl, Carol, Fred, Pete, Doug, Doug, Steve, Paul, and a host of others for making what has been 25 years of wonderful support.
- Judy Medeiros, at Nautilus Cushions in Marion created the most beautiful cabin and cockpit cushions for Harmony. As usual, her work was beyond compare. However, the fact that she and her husband delivered the cushions to the boat deserves special note. She even made a embroidered pillow for us that made the Admiral tear up. Heck, we almost want to ruin these cushions just to get Judy to do her magic again. OK, not really, but you get the point!
- Greg Flederman, The Boat Doctor, made herculean efforts to get us sufficiently wired to pass survey and to get out on the mooring. While he has a long list of things that need to be completed, his work to date has been stellar.
- Barbara Miele, the Manager of the West Marine in Woburn, provided some of the best service we have experienced ever. She supported us to the nines with every issue and purchase we made at West Marine, and we made a lot of them. She proved to be one of the best retail managers I have ever worked with, bar none. Huge Kudos!
Composting Toilets: We installed 2 Nature's Head composting toilets on Harmony: we did this because we have 2 heads not because we needed to handle #1 and #2 separately! Doing so offered us the advantages of eliminating 4 through hulls, two large holding tanks, and a lot of annoying smells. Additionally, the composting toilets would be easier to use, to empty, and would provide us with a high degree of self-sufficiency.
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| The Nature's Head installed in the forward head we used this unit while in the water in 2014 (Note - this unit is mounted in a fore/aft orientation so that we can use it more easily while sailing) |
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| This is the Nature's Head installed in the aft head (Note - this unit is mounted in an athwartship orientation and will be more easily used while at anchor) |
OK, but did the composting toilet succeed in supplying all of the promised advantages? Honestly, you bet! Having used a traditional marine head for over 20 years, we are fairly well experienced in the routine. However, using the Nature's Head was easier. We chose to NOT put the toilet paper in the unit and I will comment on this below. By not adding the toilet paper we were able to extend the useful capacity of our unit by several weeks.
One can either put toilet paper into the base unit of the Nature's Head or dispose of it separately. While toilet paper will decompose, it does so more slowly than poop and it sharply reduces the time between empties. We wanted to extend the times between emptying, so we chose to dispose of the toilet paper in zip lock bags put into our main waste basket. By the way, this is the way most charter outfits take care of toilet paper in the BVI, as there are limited pump out stations there. Moreover, many boat owners due this in order to minimize the risk of clogging the head. While an extra step, it is an easy process.
The process of emptying the Nature's Head was relatively simple, took very little time, AND created no mess! It could also be done on our schedule. Emptying the urine container couldn't be easier. While at the mooring, I simply removed the container, put it into a zippered tote, and brought it ashore to empty in a public toilet. When I first emptied the base unit which contains the peat moss and poop, I had a bit of trepidation. However, it took me no more than 15 minutes from start to finish. However, the biggest surprise that left me really ecstatic what that the only smell I detected was the odor of dirt. Please note that the unit had just been used before I emptied it. Fabulous!
We have two Nature's Heads on Harmony, but we only used one this initial in water season. Next season will use both. We can solidly recommend the composting toilet option. Moreover, we can strongly recommend the Nature's Head as a great unit. It represents the best new equipment we added to Harmony during the restoration.
Yanmar Engine: When we purchased Harmony, the ubiquitous Perkins engine had been removed. While we had to clean out all of the related viscera and fluids from the engine room, our benefit was we had a broad choice on new power plants. As mentioned in a prior posting, we chose the Yanmar 4JH4-HTE, a 110 hp unit, as our engine. We could have gone with a lower hp unit, but at the advice of Barden's Boat Yard and Mack Boring, we went with the higher hp in order to give us more umph if needed.
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| View from starboard side before the connection to sea water and exhaust completed |
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| View from port side before seawater and exhaust connections |
So, how did the Yanmar work? Holy Cow, it worked amazingly! In warm or cold temperatures it started instantly. For a big unit, it was surprisingly quiet: I haven't finished installing all of the Soundown insulation yet. However, the power transfer was incredible. The 110 HP certainly pushes Harmony's 32,000 plus pounds effortlessly. The benefit here is that we can motor Harmony at very efficient rpm's and still have a healthy reserve of power, if necessary.
All in, we are very happy with our choice of Yanmar. The engine starts and runs very well. Maintaining the fluids and servicing the engine will be easy given the room we have in Harmony's engine room and the well placed service points on the engine.
Kato Marine Davits: We had a choice to make relative to carrying our dinghy. The options were to (1) to tow it behind the boat; (2) carry it on deck; or (3) put it in davits on the stern. Unless we are doing a very short hop, we do not like towing a dinghy behind the boat. One has to always be mindful of the tow line, and certain sea states create a too boisterous ride for the dinghy. Carrying the dinghy on deck is a very safe method for storing a dinghy during a passage, but given our length of dinghy we could not fit anywhere on deck: even in the deflated state.
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| The Kato Marine davits fully installed on Harmony's stern |
Kato Marine was also incredibly patient, as it took us over a year to get the install complete. However, once completed, the davits work really well. I can launch and retrieve the dinghy in about 15 minutes from start to finish. The dinghy rides securely and solidly. A great feature for us is the unit's ability to fold up for winter storage. I simply have to take off the stabilizer bar (a 10 minute effort) and fold the arms forward.
 |
| Kato Marine davits shown in the folded condition (Note: this shows the davits early in the restoration process) |
Well, during our short period of breaking in our restored Harmony on the water gave us a bit of time to evaluate systems and equipment. While we were ecstatic to have Harmony in the water, we still have a ways to go before we will be comfortable leaving on a cruise. BUT, we are well on our way to that end.
Fair Winds and Following Seas!
Monday, November 24, 2014
Harmony Sails Again - Launching a New Beginning
Well, it is now the back half of November 2014 and Harmony has been hauled onto the hard and has been wrapped in her winter cocoon of canvas. It is always a bittersweet time of the year when your boat is hauled. It is somewhat sad when a trip out to the boat to sail is no longer in the immediate offing. However, it is comforting that one's floating vessel of dreams yet to fulfill is relatively safe from the ravages of winter on the Northeast coast.
Anyway, we have been through this for many years now, and the pragmatist in us realizes that this is a beneficial cycle of renewal. While this season of renewal is different from that which live-a-boards and cruising sailors generally experience, it is still a valuable period. It is a time to stoke the winter's fires with copious lists of boat projects, exciting itineraries of voyages to make, and, most of all, wistful recounting of the great moments during the past sailing season.
That being said, we have plenty of items in all three categories. Future posts will cover many of these items, but today I want to summarize our 2014 sailing season. Our 2014 sailing season was less about sailing passages, and more about beginning our water-borne relationship with this vessel of our dreams. With the restoration nearly complete, I pushed forward with a launching to test systems and to get out of the boatyard after 3 years on the hard.
Quite frankly, I needed a break! I wanted to see water over the side rather than the gravel of the Benson Brook Marine Park. I needed to test the new motor, to get a feel for what was needed to sail the boat properly, and to see if the systems I installed on the boat would work for us.
We launched with a working engine, 1 bilge pump, and interior lighting and exterior navigational lights working. The bare minimum. The survey required by our insurance company pronounced Harmony extremely fit for service, although finish work was still needed. However, the insurance company place a monetary value on Harmony that was more than I projected, and that was extremely satisfying.
At the dock, we bent on the sails, filled the water and fuel tanks, and readied the composting heads. We also brought on-board Harmony's new cushions expertly made by Judy at Nautilus Cushions. So, once confident that we were ready for the mooring, we gingerly pulled away from the dock with deft encouragement from Fred and Boston of Barden's Boat Yard.
You know it is a wonderful thing to have such supportive friends at Barden's Boat Yard! We've enjoyed the support of many at the yard for sure. Boston, Fred, Carol, Cheryl, both Doug's, Little and Big Pete, and Paul among others all provided huge help during this project, if not during our 25 year relationship with Barden's. We are certainly blessed!
Dang, we made it to the mooring without taking out half the harbor, running aground, or wrapping the prop with everyone's mooring lines! What ensued was a wonderful seven weeks of learning what a wonderful platform Harmony will be for our cruising plans. All of the equipment and systems that were hooked up worked well. We even took her out for a sail: more on that in a future post! Moreover, we realized a partial payback for all of our work over the past 3 years.
Yes, we still have much to do, but we are on the cusp of realizing our dream of cruising. Over the winter, I will work to complete the remaining projects that will allow us to confidently leave the mooring for an extend cruise. We will also plan the details of our first cruise to Maine in August of 2015.
Another by-product of our initial use of the restored Harmony, is a change in the direction of this blog. I had started this blog to document and share the considerations and activities we had during the restoration. While these experiences most likely appealed to very few people, it did give me a way to record of some of the efforts.
All along my purpose here was to build a foundation for a larger, and, hopefully, more interesting dialog. Going forward, my posts will focus on a few projects that may hopefully provide interesting reference, but most of my commentary will share our planning efforts, sailing passages, and living aboard experiences.
We had a great water-borne season on Harmony in 2014, and we are overflowing with anticipation of passages to come. Yes, Harmony sails again!
Fair Winds and Following Seas!
Anyway, we have been through this for many years now, and the pragmatist in us realizes that this is a beneficial cycle of renewal. While this season of renewal is different from that which live-a-boards and cruising sailors generally experience, it is still a valuable period. It is a time to stoke the winter's fires with copious lists of boat projects, exciting itineraries of voyages to make, and, most of all, wistful recounting of the great moments during the past sailing season.
That being said, we have plenty of items in all three categories. Future posts will cover many of these items, but today I want to summarize our 2014 sailing season. Our 2014 sailing season was less about sailing passages, and more about beginning our water-borne relationship with this vessel of our dreams. With the restoration nearly complete, I pushed forward with a launching to test systems and to get out of the boatyard after 3 years on the hard.
 |
| Harmony all ready for her launch sitting in the Benson Brook Marine Park- note our little pickup for scale |
Quite frankly, I needed a break! I wanted to see water over the side rather than the gravel of the Benson Brook Marine Park. I needed to test the new motor, to get a feel for what was needed to sail the boat properly, and to see if the systems I installed on the boat would work for us.
 |
| Harmony float at the dock just after launch (photo courtesy of Jeffrey P. Gonsalves, AMS) |
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| Harmony resplendent at the dock (photo courtesy of Jeffrey P. Gonsalves, AMS) |
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| Harmony proudly showing her Name and hailing port (photo courtesy of Jeffrey P. Gonsalves, AMS) |
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| Harmony's spacious cockpits with the new instrument pod and classic teak wheel (photo courtesy of Jeffrey P. Gonsalves, AMS) |
At the dock, we bent on the sails, filled the water and fuel tanks, and readied the composting heads. We also brought on-board Harmony's new cushions expertly made by Judy at Nautilus Cushions. So, once confident that we were ready for the mooring, we gingerly pulled away from the dock with deft encouragement from Fred and Boston of Barden's Boat Yard.
You know it is a wonderful thing to have such supportive friends at Barden's Boat Yard! We've enjoyed the support of many at the yard for sure. Boston, Fred, Carol, Cheryl, both Doug's, Little and Big Pete, and Paul among others all provided huge help during this project, if not during our 25 year relationship with Barden's. We are certainly blessed!
Dang, we made it to the mooring without taking out half the harbor, running aground, or wrapping the prop with everyone's mooring lines! What ensued was a wonderful seven weeks of learning what a wonderful platform Harmony will be for our cruising plans. All of the equipment and systems that were hooked up worked well. We even took her out for a sail: more on that in a future post! Moreover, we realized a partial payback for all of our work over the past 3 years.
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| Harmony's Admiral and crew! (photo courtesy of Nautilus Cushions) |
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| After three years on the hard, this is a nice perspective of Harmony restored to her floating glory (photo courtesy of Nautilus Cushions) |
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| Harmony's comfortable salon note the wonderful cushions made by Nautilus Cushions) |
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| Harmony's Admiral reigning supreme over the dinette table (note the fabulous curtains she made) |
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| Harmony's well shaped stern with her new tender safely in the Kato Marine davits (photo courtesy of Nautilus Cushions) |
Another by-product of our initial use of the restored Harmony, is a change in the direction of this blog. I had started this blog to document and share the considerations and activities we had during the restoration. While these experiences most likely appealed to very few people, it did give me a way to record of some of the efforts.
All along my purpose here was to build a foundation for a larger, and, hopefully, more interesting dialog. Going forward, my posts will focus on a few projects that may hopefully provide interesting reference, but most of my commentary will share our planning efforts, sailing passages, and living aboard experiences.
 |
| Harmony comfortably afloat in Marion harbor (photo courtesy of Nautilus Cushions) |
Fair Winds and Following Seas!
Friday, October 10, 2014
Water Maker Install - A Fluid Process
In a prior post, I examined why we wanted to install a water maker on board Harmony. To review, the decision to have a water maker on board was made primarily to maximize our self-sufficiency AND to avoid experiencing funky water from some questionable municipal supply. We also wanted to avoid draconian rationing measures unless absolutely necessary.
Now, our water maker journey was not without challenges. There are several options on the market for quality water making systems, but we wanted a componentized system. We chose a water maker system from a small company that offered what on a lengthy inspection at both a boat show and extensive conversations looked to be a well designed and effective system.
Little did we know that this company and its owners were highly disreputable people who sold not only us, but many others systems that were incomplete, unworkable, and, in many cases, unsafe. I am not at liberty to identify them by name, but they are well known to the cruising community, and out of business. While we lost thousands as a result of their fraud, we were saved by one remarkable company: Cruise RO.
In short, Rich Boren at Cruise RO rescued us and provided me with the necessary components to make a workable system. Rich is extraordinary, and his patient support and stellar integrity restored my shaken faith in people. What follows is a summary of our installation process for a 20 gallon per hour Cruise RO water maker.
We decided to install most of the water making components in the engine room on Harmony, as the Westsail 42 offers a cavernous engine room. I had gutted the engine room to provide for a new engine and this opened up enough area for the components.
The critical components include (1) pre-filters and a boost pump, (2) a high pressure pump, (3) 2 high pressure housings for the RO membranes, and (4) a control panel. The only component not installed in the engine room was the control panel which was installed in the galley.
Installing the system was involved, but not complicated because the Cruise RO manual is so well written. However, consideration must be given to the specific space constraints of one's vessel, engine room, or other appropriate spaces. I chose to install the components in places that were easily reachable for operation and maintenance. I am lucky to have copious access and room within Harmony's engine room, but I still need to be able to change filters, operate valves, and pickle the system easily.
On the starboard side of the engine room there is an access door that gives me easy, if not a little gymnastic, access to the entire engine room. Just inside of the door is where the original vessel design had placed the engine batteries, but I moved those batteries to an easier access point so that I could mount the HP pump on that existing platform.
The first step involved installing the HP pump so that it was accessible and within an appropriate distance from the membrane vessels and the connections to the boat's electrical system. I also had to provide sufficient clearance for cooling air. Secondly, I installed all of the pre-filtering components on the aft bulkhead.
Once those two important items were installed, I needed to deal with the mounting of the RO membrane pressure vessels. These were the only items salvaged from my original defective system, and thank goodness they were sourced from a quality outfit. However, I must be honest in saying that mounting these membrane vessels intimidated the heck out of me. My trepidation revolved around not wanting to compromise or ruin the membranes.
Rich gave me tremendous encouragement which I have to say I got by true osmosis since Rich is in California and I am in New Hampshire! After manning myself up, I attacked vessel installation. True to Rich's advice, it was far more easy than I had made it out to be.
After assembling the membrane tubes, the real key was filling them with enough pickling solution to preserve the membranes. With these particular vessels, which are not the standard Cruise RO units, I needed to inject the pickling solution with a large syringe: a turkey baster with a small aperture could have been used. The injection process had to be used because any solution in the vessels would have drained out before the necessary hose connections were made.
Another consideration for us involved how to get the newly made water to our water tanks. Harmony has 3 water tanks: a central 100 gallon and two 50 gallon wing tanks to port and starboard. The center and starboard tanks are filled via a starboard deck fill, while the port tank has its own deck fill. I had already connected the water maker output lines to each deck fill hose.
However, I needed a mechanism to select which tank to fill during the water making process. Rich at Cruise RO provided a nifty 3 way valve and all I needed to do was figure out where to mount it and how to connect everything together. Given the very clear and relatively simple directions provided in the Cruise RO manual, it all came together easily.
What remains to done at this juncture is to hook up the system to the electrical circuits on the boat. As the overall project on Harmony has been a complete restoration, the final electrical system hook-ups are taking a bit of time to complete. Anyway, the engine room now looks quite nice with the complete Cruise RO water making system having been installed.
In the end our water maker project was logical to conceive and simple to install. Had we not encountered outright fraud in our first purchase attempt, this project would have been even easier. Rich Boren and Cruise RO deserve tremendous credit and kudos for being a great company with impeccable integrity. Their only weakness from what I can see is that they may not be a global household name, YET. However, they are rapidly gaining stardom. Sadly, I did not really learn of Cruise RO until just after I had made my first purchase early in our Harmony project. Had I known of Rich and his company or at least done a little more research, it would have been a no brainer to purchase their products.
As with any project, the thrill of progress/completion is only trumped by the gratification of the lessons learned. However, this water maker project provided an even greater benefit. Our faith in people, while not needing to be completely restored, was given a huge boost by the actions, support, and encouragement of Rich Boren and Cruise RO.
Our original rationale for investing in reverse osmosis for Harmony remains entirely viable. Now that we have "graduated" from the schooling we endured, we can honestly and heartily recommend the addition of a water making system to vessels whose sailing activity includes more than just weekend jaunts. Moreover, we strongly encourage the consideration, if not outright purchase, of a Cruise RO system.
Fair Winds and Following Seas!
Now, our water maker journey was not without challenges. There are several options on the market for quality water making systems, but we wanted a componentized system. We chose a water maker system from a small company that offered what on a lengthy inspection at both a boat show and extensive conversations looked to be a well designed and effective system.
Little did we know that this company and its owners were highly disreputable people who sold not only us, but many others systems that were incomplete, unworkable, and, in many cases, unsafe. I am not at liberty to identify them by name, but they are well known to the cruising community, and out of business. While we lost thousands as a result of their fraud, we were saved by one remarkable company: Cruise RO.
In short, Rich Boren at Cruise RO rescued us and provided me with the necessary components to make a workable system. Rich is extraordinary, and his patient support and stellar integrity restored my shaken faith in people. What follows is a summary of our installation process for a 20 gallon per hour Cruise RO water maker.
We decided to install most of the water making components in the engine room on Harmony, as the Westsail 42 offers a cavernous engine room. I had gutted the engine room to provide for a new engine and this opened up enough area for the components.
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| Starboard Panel for HP Vessels for RO Membranes |
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| Aft bulkhead for mounting pre-filters |
The critical components include (1) pre-filters and a boost pump, (2) a high pressure pump, (3) 2 high pressure housings for the RO membranes, and (4) a control panel. The only component not installed in the engine room was the control panel which was installed in the galley.
Installing the system was involved, but not complicated because the Cruise RO manual is so well written. However, consideration must be given to the specific space constraints of one's vessel, engine room, or other appropriate spaces. I chose to install the components in places that were easily reachable for operation and maintenance. I am lucky to have copious access and room within Harmony's engine room, but I still need to be able to change filters, operate valves, and pickle the system easily.
On the starboard side of the engine room there is an access door that gives me easy, if not a little gymnastic, access to the entire engine room. Just inside of the door is where the original vessel design had placed the engine batteries, but I moved those batteries to an easier access point so that I could mount the HP pump on that existing platform.
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| Original battery platform where the HP pump would be installed (note the brand new engine!) |
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| HP Pump mounted to starboard and outboard of engine |
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| Pre-filtering components including boost pump mounted on aft bulkhead: carbon filter on left; 5/20 micron filters on right |
Once those two important items were installed, I needed to deal with the mounting of the RO membrane pressure vessels. These were the only items salvaged from my original defective system, and thank goodness they were sourced from a quality outfit. However, I must be honest in saying that mounting these membrane vessels intimidated the heck out of me. My trepidation revolved around not wanting to compromise or ruin the membranes.
Rich gave me tremendous encouragement which I have to say I got by true osmosis since Rich is in California and I am in New Hampshire! After manning myself up, I attacked vessel installation. True to Rich's advice, it was far more easy than I had made it out to be.
After assembling the membrane tubes, the real key was filling them with enough pickling solution to preserve the membranes. With these particular vessels, which are not the standard Cruise RO units, I needed to inject the pickling solution with a large syringe: a turkey baster with a small aperture could have been used. The injection process had to be used because any solution in the vessels would have drained out before the necessary hose connections were made.
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| Membrane vessels mounted outboard and above the HP Pump |
The next and last step included connecting the system to the control panel that I had mounted in the galley. The galley set-up of the Westsail 42 provides a panel right by the sink onto which I could mount the panel along with other important system control elements (propane and tank monitors) Originally, this area housed the circuit panel board, but I moved it to the nav station in order to get it out of a potentially wet environment.
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| Cruise RO control panel mounted within easy reach in the galley. |
However, I needed a mechanism to select which tank to fill during the water making process. Rich at Cruise RO provided a nifty 3 way valve and all I needed to do was figure out where to mount it and how to connect everything together. Given the very clear and relatively simple directions provided in the Cruise RO manual, it all came together easily.
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| Tank selector switch up close - lever up directs to center/starboard tanks and lever down directs to port tank (note: finish wood work still needs to be installed) |
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| Tank selector switch - located right near to galley sink and Cruise RO control panel |
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| Complete system installed in the engine room! Just inside of the access door is where the bucket of pickling solution is placed when in use |
As with any project, the thrill of progress/completion is only trumped by the gratification of the lessons learned. However, this water maker project provided an even greater benefit. Our faith in people, while not needing to be completely restored, was given a huge boost by the actions, support, and encouragement of Rich Boren and Cruise RO.
Our original rationale for investing in reverse osmosis for Harmony remains entirely viable. Now that we have "graduated" from the schooling we endured, we can honestly and heartily recommend the addition of a water making system to vessels whose sailing activity includes more than just weekend jaunts. Moreover, we strongly encourage the consideration, if not outright purchase, of a Cruise RO system.
Fair Winds and Following Seas!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
How to Guage Progress - New Engine Controls
Harmony needed a new engine. To solve that issue we purchased a new Yanmar 4JH4-HTE diesel. This engine will give us 110 HP, but I don't think we'll do any tubing or wakeboarding once we get underway! However, we should have ample power to get through tough currents or opposing seas.
So, with the new engine comes a new control panel. This control panel needs to be mounted in the cockpit so that rpm's, water temperature, and charging current can be monitored. More than that we need to be able to start the engine! The new engine comes with a lovely looking control panel. However, it has a different shape and different dimensions than the old Perkins panel.
After some consideration, I decided to dress up the control panel housing and to provide some 12v outlets for use in the cockpit. Having a 12v outlet in the cockpit comes in real handy when one needs to use a spotlight or needs to run a hand held GPS. West Marine sells a convenient double outlet 12v receptacle which fit very nicely into the my panel housing design.
So, with the new engine comes a new control panel. This control panel needs to be mounted in the cockpit so that rpm's, water temperature, and charging current can be monitored. More than that we need to be able to start the engine! The new engine comes with a lovely looking control panel. However, it has a different shape and different dimensions than the old Perkins panel.
After some consideration, I decided to dress up the control panel housing and to provide some 12v outlets for use in the cockpit. Having a 12v outlet in the cockpit comes in real handy when one needs to use a spotlight or needs to run a hand held GPS. West Marine sells a convenient double outlet 12v receptacle which fit very nicely into the my panel housing design.
Well, now that I had the new housing designed, I needed to make it. I chose to make the mounting face out of Merranti plywood because it was waterproof and would be able to withstand the rigors of cockpit life. I chose teak to frame the housing in order to match the cockpit, which was sheathed in teak.
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| Our new engine control panel and 12v receptacles which will be mounted in the cockpit |
Once the panel is permanently installed, I will either purchase or construct a lexan/polycarbonate cover to protect the Yanmar panel from splashes and UV damage. I have spoken to Seaworthy Goods (www.seaworthygoods.com) which manufactures a product called "ProductVisors" for Yanmar engine panels. However, our panel is so new that they have yet to design the exact a cover for it yet. We are scheduled to revisit the situation in a few months.
Next I went to work removing the old cockpit engine controls. The old Perkins had 1200+ hours on it before it or the tachometer died. After cutting a few wires and removing a few screws, I had all of the last vestiges of the old engine removed.
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| The empty hole in which the old Perkins control panel was housed |
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| The mounting lines and cut-out marks for the new Yanmar control panel |
Fair Winds and Following Seas!
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