The Engine Room - OMG, what a mess

When we purchased Harmony, she was missing her engine.  The old engine, an 85 hp Perkins 4-108, had been a finicky monster according to the Barden's Boat Yard mechanic, Peter. At some point before we came into the picture, the monster had been slayed.  However, what remained in the engine room was a gigantic mess!

Scattered all over the engine pan were various engine viscera and vital fluids.  Complimenting this slurry was a accumulation of rain water leaking from the ineffectively sealed cockpit sole. 

The engine pan and the slurry of engine viscera

As additional scenic embellishment, various engine room structures, hoses, cables, and sound insulation littered the space.

Assorted "junk" littering the engine room

Of course, the accumulated junk and pooling fluids added to the visual nightmare and the "old boat" aroma that was almost over powering.  However, Beth and I could see past this surface "blemish" and visualize what Harmony could become again.

Before, we could consider installing a new engine, we needed to clean the entire space up.  Harmony's engine room is really spacious, and we wanted to take advantage of that for mechanical systems, plumbing systems, and a potential work bench space. The first step was to remove the junk, old structures, cables, and wires. 

Next, came the elbow grease and a lot of cleaning solution.  Once I had removed the water, I needed to absorb the oil, diesel fuel, and other "stuff" that leaks out of an engine when its removed.  I also had to remove all of the steering cables as they had been cut and left to deteriorate in the water and grease.  Heck, it is just a few more boat dollars and a trip to Edson for new cables down the road!

I spent almost a full day with cleaning solution and rags, but I did get the engine pan to look almost new.  I also used a wire brush chucked into a drill to scrape as much of the chipping and flaking paint off of the surfaces.
 

The near spotless engine room pan

Well, it is amazing what a clean space can do for the spirits, not to mention the overall ambiance of the boat.  I could now walk around the engine room, which would allow me to plan how to organize systems, sound proofing, and seacocks and through-hulls.  What was once a gigantic mess is now a huge CLEAN blank canvas.  Nice!

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

Marine Head Project - I'm flush with ideas

The marine head is something that is definitively an example of multiple personalities.  On one hand it is a stalwart provider of relief, and it does so with cool countenance and stoic calm.  On the other hand it can give the most awful PITA ever:  think overhauling a clogged joker valve in a rough seaway!

OK, graphic imagery aside, the marine head and its related accessories is a vital piece of equipment on many a vessel.  In the days of faded memory, one only had to take care of business and one's business would be pumped overboard.  However, in these days of environmental responsibility, overboard sewage discharge is not only not necessary it is illegal.

Full disclosure is necessary, and here goes.  Before my career in business, I was in the environmental science field (e.g. marine biologist), and I monitored sewage pollution on the coast of Maine.  After walking many miles of the downeast coast, it was easy to see that estuarine pollution was primarily caused by run-off and faulty municipal sewage treatment.  The recreational vessel, while a contributor, was merely a rounding error in generation of fecal coliform scores.

OK, that may be true, but in order to effectively talk the talk, one has to walk the walk, which means we all have to pony up to the responsibility bar.  I don't relieve myself in my pool, so I should refrain from dumping my waste into the bays and harbors I either moor in or visit.  Good, but I don't like having to carry gallons of sewage in my vessel until I can get the holding tanks pumped out, or losing valuable storage space to poop!

On Harmony, we have opted to install composting heads.  These will eliminate the holding tanks AND the need to find a pump-out station every 4-5 days or so.  Not to mention the issues of head clogging and an ever present odor!  Even though the Marion Harbormaster will pump our holding tanks out on a weekly schedule for free, we hope to travel beyond our mooring.

While there exist modern plastic versions of the old wooden bucket, we looked at what we believe are the only two viable marine composting heads on the market today:  Airhead and Nature's Head.  Both operate very similarly by separating the liquids from the solids, which eliminates the unmentionable odor.  By desiccating the solids within in peat moss or a like material, the only aroma that should be detected is an earthly, dirt-like, smell.

The liquid container generally needs emptying every 3-4 days depending on usage, but the solids container can last 6-8 weeks.  Disposal is relatively easy, and, as a bonus, these units require no water.  Great!  On Harmony, that eliminates 4 seacocks and through-hull fittings!  Yes, that means 4 less holes in the bottom of the boat!

I will write in more detail about the installation and operation when we actually install the units in 2013.  However, we have chosen the Nature's Head unit after much consideration.  We like the larger seat and the better price.  That being said, I believe we would be well served by either unit.

While our sewage on Harmony, alone, may not impact the environment in a significant manner, everything we can do to act responsibly CAN make a difference.  Besides we can be an example for others, and, in the final analysis, our living conditions on Harmony will be enhanced.

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

I'm too old to be a gymnast!

Well, after spending a lot of time removing and plugging the leaky deck fills, putting new gaskets on the galley/dinette ports, and rebedding stanchions, I was confronted with the biggest offender in the leak department.  Cowardly hiding behind his lesser associates, the godfather of leaks was caught when he had nowhere to hide.

Yes, it was the failure of and/or complete lack of caulking between the caprail and the hull/deck joint on the bulwark.  Not that this wouldn't have been suspected after some 35 years of weather, but it was not as obvious as one would expect.  Anyway, the major culprit had been caught red handed during a rare visit of mine during a rain storm.

So, what to do?  I mulled over several options:  (1) remove all of the caprails and glass over the joint and re-install the caprail; (2) inject epoxy resin between the caprail and hull/deck joint and let the epoxy naturally flow to the holes and seal them; (3) inject epoxy caulking into the gap between the caprail and the hull/deck joint.  After rejecting (1) outright, I consulting both West Systems and System3 technical support to get some expert advice.

Both companies rejected option (2) because the fluid epoxy wouldn't flow enough before it cured, or, if it did, the dripping uncured epoxy would be more of a mess than a solution.  So, option (3) was the best method.  System3 offered the best response and their support folks were more than helpful.  I ordered their relatively new epoxy caulk and gave it a go.

The Caprail runs down both sides of the boat

I spent a couple of days scraping and vacuuming out whatever old caulking was present.  I chose a nice dry and sunny day to attack the caprail.  I washed the area with acetone and got started.  I had both inboard and outboard sides of the caprail to caulk:  roughly 4 x 45 feet of a caulk seam.  I should be done by lunch!  Hmmm, we'll see.

Outboard side of caprail on port side

The outboard side was relatively easy since all I had to do was move the ladder after each pass.  I did about 12 to 18 inches at a time:  inject caulk, smooth out the bead, wipe up any excess, move on.  My thought of being done by lunch was blown away as the outboard seam took until 1:00.

Inboard side of caprail at the stern

The inboard seam would not require moving the ladder, but it presented other challenges!  The caulking gun and caulk tube was about 20 inches long which made getting the tip into the seam a gymnastic event.  I had to contort my old body in ways I didn't think I could.  Imagine caulking 25 bathtubs while standing on your head and you'll be close!

Inboard side of caprail near cockpit where the bulwark changes height

Well, I finished at about 6:00 pm.  It was a long day filled with exercises I would regret for a few days!  However, the entire caprail was now caulked and sealed.  After a 24 hour cure period, it looked great.  The System3 product worked great!  It rained a few days later and we had a leak free vessel!  I guess even as an old gymnast, I stuck the landing!

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

Spousal Collusion or Collision

One of the sources of water leaks appeared to be worn out bedding under the stanchion bases near the port and starboard galley/dinette areas.  Solution?  You bet!  Beth and I could tackle the simple task of unbolting, rebedding, and rebolting the 4 stanchions. 

It should be so easy with me on the inside with a wrench and Beth on the outside with a wrench.  After 26 plus years of marriage, we have certainly learned to communicate effectively:  right! 

OK, let's not remember when we were building our first boat and we partnered in the sewing of foam sheets onto the mold of the hull with a big needle and mono filament line:  me on the inside and she on the outside.  No, also don't remember that our efforts degenerated into back and forth screams of "OUCH" as we stuck each other with the needle on every stitch.  We certainly communicated clearly to each other then, right?  Yeah, real loud and clear!

No problem!  We were using wrenches which are not sharp and we just loosening and tightening 3/8 inch bolts:  4 stanchions; 3 bolts each; 12 total bolts/nuts.  Oh, yeah, add in a bit of gooey bedding compound.  Ha, we should be done in an hour, maybe two.

We stopped at 2 Stanchions.  Why?  Well, it proved too hilarious to keep shouting at each other:  "Which way?"; "Right!"  "NO, LEFT!"; "WHAT!!" Anyone listening would never understand what was going on.  While we did get the stanchions done on the Starboard side, it was obvious the effort was far too much for the results!

So, it is always wonderful to have your spouse collude with you on a project or endeavor, and Beth has been an inseparable and valuable partner in all of our adventures.  However, if not properly handled, that spousal collusion becomes spousal collision right quick.  We survived of course, but our collusion efforts on Harmony may well be limited to those situations in which we are in the same space/time continuum!

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

Getting Electical Advice - A Shocking Experience

When one takes on a project like restoring a boat as big as Harmony, there will be many areas of expertise that will either have to be learned or farmed out to experts.  Well, I am not afraid of learning something new, but there is a limit to the time I have.

So, without much consideration, I decided to outsource the electrical work to someone who actually knew what s/he were doing.  Beyond that I wanted some expert counsel on what choices to make with respect to equipment, ways to do things, and a host of alternative energy sources (i.e. solar and wind).

This seemed like a no brainer of an activity.  Beth and I went to the Newport Boat Show in September 2011 and the Boston Boat show in February 2012 to find our marine electrical expert.  Sadly, there are not that many of these so-called experts that have booths at boat shows.

However, through the boat shows and our trusted boat yard, Barden's Boat Yard, we found two promising sources of help.  Both electricians were located very near Harmony which was great.  However, after numerous emails and phone calls over several months, we received no response from either individual.  Perhaps business was so good they don't have to respond to potential customers.

Anyway, I reached out to an old friend, John Proctor, from Lawson Yachts to hopefully give me some help.  John, gave me the name of Greg Flederman, The Boat Doctor.  I called Greg, and he answered on the 2nd ring.  Hot Damn!

Greg, The Boat Doctor, was just what the nurse ordered!  He is a ABYC Master Technician, and I wanted Harmony to rigorously adherent to the ABYC code.  He agreed to meet with me on Harmony to get an idea of the project.  We shook hands and I finally had the counsel and electrician I needed.  More on this later.

Lesson learned?  Well, just because one has a fairly extensive project not every service company may be interested in it no matter what the economic conditions suggest.  Keep asking around, and you'll finally find a frog that turns into that prince!

Fair Winds and Following Seas!