Plastic Classic Forum

megalops

8.35 lbs, actually (I looked it up) so we were both right, or wrong, I guess. As far as emoticons go, I understand what you mean. I love the written word and how descriptive it can be with no embellishments, or even from leaving the right word out. The depth of Patrick O'Brien's dialogue always amaz...

megalops

Good ideas all. I carry 21 gallons in jerry jugs on the bow, plus 6 gallons of gas for the dinghy, I could shift those over there and then have someone stand next to them to see what happens. Also, I've been thinking on how much weight it will actually be. I doubt seriously that I will ever get 52 g...

megalops

Rigging birds is just not practical on a boat like mine. The cost of a rig that could handle them would be really high, especially when you consider that the cabin sides and possibly the deck would need reinforcement to handle the stresses placed on them by big chain plates and a deck stepped (?) ma...

megalops

Here is my boat. I realize y'all are sailors and this is a stinkpot, but try to keep your negative comments to a minimum...we love her anyway. :-) The floor in the locker is very strong, it is the same as the salon floor. In the main salon the basically just built a small fore and aft running bulkhe...

megalops

Interesting discussion as far as ballast goes, but my line of thinking is that I am trying to use a realitivly small amount of weight to correct an existing issue, not to stabilize the boat necessarily. In sailing terms I think of it more as filling a water ballast tank to reduce heeling. Aren't tho...

megalops

My boat has two issues (well, that is not true exactly, but let's just say two issues that can be covered in the scope of this post). First it has a very moderate list to stb. Not enough to be any huge thing, but enough to bug me. Second, as we spend long periods of time on the hook in the Bahamas, ...

megalops

The lights have always confused me as well. But since they have always worked just fine up to now, I have never worried too much about them. I guess I should do some digging.

Thanks for the tip on temporarily setting up a bank of 2 batteries. I will give that a try.

megalops

OK, Let me see if I can answer all these questions... 1. Is there a bad connection? This was my first thought as well. I built all new jumper for the bank when I bought it and then redid them a few months later just to make sure. possible, i guess, buy there is no visible corrosion anywhere. 2. Are ...

megalops

OK, thanks for the tips guys. I replaced the weak battery, then equalized, then gave them 48 hours on the charger. That bank will now get up to 13.2 Volts and hold it, whereas before I could never get it to take a charge over 12.2. I will check for voltage drop this week. My lights still dim signifi...

megalops

Ok, I replaced the weak battery, with not so good results. I still can only charge the bank to about 12.3 V, either using my Xantrex tru charge 40 or the alternator on the engine (100 amp). When I switch the main breaker from AC power to DC power the lights dim significantly and the charge drops bel...

megalops

I swapped out my old house bank last year, trading 2 lead acid 8D for four L. A. deep cylcle 6 volts, Interstate U200. I experienced an immediate decline in battery life, I struggled to keep a charge on them either from my engine and it's 100 amp alternator (with "dumb" internal regulator)...

megalops

Rudder post is bronze, not sure on the bearing. Calder states that some materials used in bearings can occasionally swell under water, causing the bearing to bind. But this seems strange that this would happen over a period of 5 years. Everything else I've seen says that when the bearing fails the r...

megalops

The hynautic steering on my 1973 gulfstar trawler has gotten very stiff (hard to turn either helm). When we disconnected the steering arm the rudders are really hard to turn by hand. It has bronze rudders and posts in bronze tubes. Here is the history: In 2005 my boat was badly damaged by hurricane ...

megalops

Finally got someone down to the boat late last week. It looks like maybe a bearing is binding at the rudder post. I've worked on straight commission virtually all my life. I have to admit to some bias against people that are unproffesional or just plain lazy. Makes it way easier for the rest of us t...

megalops

I agree, it has raised my skills to a huge degree, and for that I am thankful. But sometimes I just don't have the time to do the job. What makes it even more amazing is that in our part of Florida the coastal counties are seeing a huge economic downturn. There are tons of people out of work. But go...

megalops

Be really careful that the hot gasses from the exhaust didn't soften an exhaust hose somewhere. I did pretty much the same thing as you once and had this happen. 2 months later I had an exhuast leak, it has taken 3 years to get rid of all the soot in the engine room.

megalops

Also, I've heard badmitten raquets require a ton of upkeep.

megalops

Ha! Sometimes I'm tempted, but not too likely.

Also, nobody likes a smart a**!

megalops

OK, I need to vent. I'm having an issue with my hynautic steering, both helms have gradually become more difficult to turn over time. I suspect leaking lines, probably something I could ix myself, but I am at the height of my busiest time work wise, which means my pockets are pretty full but I have ...

megalops

Boy, this subject always gets a ton of responses, no matter what forum it is posted on. As a trawler guy, I put a lot more hours on my engines than most of you I suspect, and I like clean fuel. But I'm going to respectfully go against the common fund of knowledge here. I run 2 microns as my primarys...

megalops

Yours starts a little quicker in that video than my 4-236s do. Is the engine cranking slower than usual? It could be a weaking starter or possibly some corrosion on the starter cables which is causing a little voltage drop. Also, on my 4-236 there is a small filter screen on the lift pump. Since thi...

megalops

No, the seams won't be exposed, they will be under the nonskid.

Sounds like I don't need to coat it with anything.

Thanks for your reply. Doug

megalops

Some months back I posted this topic, but I can no longer find it so I am going to start from scratch, now that I'm ready to make the repair. Parts of the decks on my boat were recored with some sort of foam before I bought it. There is a section on the aft deck, about 4 feet by 4 feet, where the to...

megalops

I'm doing some deck core repair and using thickend west epoxy resin to reattach the top skin to the new core. I'm going to grind a bevel into the cut edges of the top skin and lay a few layers of cloth over them to provide strength. After this I'm going to cover the whole repair with a product (see ...

megalops

OK, isn't it great when you stumble on a tool that makes a really hard job easier? That is what I did today. Nothing has helped with the adhesive, I tried the 3M adhesive remover, and it had no effect, even undiluted. I'm pretty sure now that the adhesive the PO used is Life Caulk, though in some ar...

megalops

Hey Guys, two words of caution on running an engine with the raw water seacock turned off. One, it will very quickly fry the impeller on the raw water pump. Two, though the engine would take a while to be damaged the soft exhaust hoses in a wet exhaust break down pretty darn quick if they don't have...

megalops

OK, I have the old treadmaster sheets off, they were secured to the deck with some sort of caulk type adhesive. The adhesive is still gooey and a little sticky, but in bad shape. I can get most of it off using a heat gun and a scraper but not all of it, it was quite labor intensive and I have a lot ...

megalops

Hey guys, I'm trying out cetol natural teak and high gloss on my teak toe rail. In the past with more traditional varnishes I have applied a second coat when the varnish is still just barely tacky. This allows me to put on two or three coats in a day, and lessens the number of times I needed to sand...

megalops

Good possibilty Rachel, as there is no sag on that side deck and when the boat was surveyed the surveyer sounded that area and found no evidence of rot. So you think the best thing to do would to be to grind a bevel into that crack and build it up with cloth? Then paint and put the new Sea Dek over ...

megalops

And the third.

megalops

Sorry for attachments, just learning how to post pics to this site. Here is another one.

megalops

OK, sorry for the long delay. Here are pics of the cracks that I want to repair. The one with my ugly foot in it is the worst one. The foot is to give perspective of size.

Thanks for any advice.

Doug

megalops

Hey all, At some point in her sort of recent life the decks on my 36' gulfstar trawler (insert powerboat insult here) were recored with some sort of foam, then covered in treadmaster. For the most part they have held up well, no evidence of rot, one place where the top sking has not ahered real well...

megalops

Oh, I know all about anchors. I've dragged pretty much all of them. :-)

megalops

Thanks for your reply popeye. I'm aware of the holisitc questions that my seemingly simple post brings up. Batteries and their charging/maintenence are almost like the anchor question it seems. My boat and its usage falls somewhere in between the two camps: cruising sailboat and typical powerboat, w...

megalops

popeye,

Both starter cables run from the engines to a single lug, then a 3/0 cable runs from the lug to the starter battery.

The house bank goes direct to the panel.

An ACR connects the to banks. Or I can set the batt switch to combine.

megalops

Both of my alts go to the starter batt. I rely on the acr to send the amps to the bank that needs it. My engines are small, perkins 4-236, 85 hp ea. They turn over quick and easy. I could probably start both of them with a group 31, but like to have the extra capacity of the 4d. In fact, my 36 year ...

megalops

OK, I find myself posed with a chance for new start. On my 36' Gulfstar trawler (insert nasty powerboater slurs here) I have recently, with the help of the forum, converted my battery setup. I now have 4 6V deep cell interstates (232 AH ea.) wired in series parallel to form a house bank and 1 4d as ...

megalops

My old navico autopilot isn't working well, the boat wanders under way, swinging 15 to 20 degrees in either direction, sometimes worse than others. Doesn't seem to have any relation to sea state. A few knowledgeable people have told me that my fluxgate compass is most likely malfunctioning. I have t...

megalops

Use aluminum foil to wrap around your hoses instead of masking them. It works great.

megalops

You can take your alternator to a starter/alternator shop and they can add a tach pick up if it doesn't have one. Pretty cheap.

The only disadvantage of picking up off the alternator is that you have to rev the engine up to make it work. Mine kick in about 1200 rpm.

megalops

Hi George, Loved your post and pics. We are headed back to the Abacos in April for a month or so, so it helped with my daydreaming. Not sure if it matters, or if you already knew, but that fish is not a tuna, it is a jack crevalle. A aggressive, great fighting fish that feeds in the shallows as you ...

megalops

I see I may have been a little confused in my terminology between series and parallel. The diagram in muchmsw's (scroll down about 1/2 way) post is the correct way to do this, right?

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f14 ... 559-2.html

thanks for your help.

megalops

yes, just jumpers, the other cabling exists and is in good condition. I'm going from two 8D to 6 6V for my house bank. This is on my 1973 36' gulfstar trawler.

The rest of my cables are mostly 3/0 which seems extreme (and expensive) for a 6" run.

megalops

Can you guys tell me what size cable I should use to paralell wire the 6 6V batteries in my new house bank?

I know I don't want any voltage drop, but the runs are really short, so I'm confused. 1/0 maybe?

Thanks

megalops

I've been quite happy with the capacity of my 2 8d deep cells, it satisfied our needs just fine until they got old (4 yrs) and have lost a lot of their ability to hold a charge. In typical cruising we could go 2 to 2 1/2 days on the hook and still be at >50% charge level. I'm thinking of the 6 volts...

megalops

I need to replace my house bank, which is currently 2 8ds @ 200 ah each. I'm thinking I'll most likely go with 6V but I have two questions. 1. Is it worth popping the extra $ for trojans? I'm looking at the T-105, or should I go with an equivilant? 2. T-105s are about 220 ah right? So four t-105s wo...

megalops

Doesn't most city water have a little chlorine added to it already? I know that ours does, though our little rural county doesn't add any flouride like Leon does, could be the source of all the missing teeth jokes about our county. But I digress. I think, based on my backpacking and post hurricane i...

megalops

I think the sound comes from the "pop" that the skin makes as it comes out of its flex. I may be making this sound worse than it is, the skin maybe moves 1/8".

megalops

Good Idea, but would be awkward as it is a pretty big open space. Not sure what I would put there. It gets a lot of traffic too.

Plastic Classic Forum

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Re: water tank installation

Re: water tank installation

Re: water tank installation

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water tank installation

Re: 6V Battery question

Re: 6V Battery question

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6V Battery question

Re: bound rudder post bearing?

bound rudder post bearing?

Re: Marine Mechanics: A general lament

Re: Marine Mechanics: A general lament

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Re: Marine Mechanics: A general lament

Marine Mechanics: A general lament

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Re: Perkins 4-108 starting issue

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Attaching a top skin

Porosity of epoxy

Re: Treadmaster, small cracks in deck

Re: Sudden end of Water Lift Muffler

Re: Treadmaster, small cracks in deck

Cetol dry time

Re: Treadmaster, small cracks in deck

Re: Treadmaster, small cracks in deck

Re: Treadmaster, small cracks in deck

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Treadmaster, small cracks in deck

Battery Monitoring

Fluxgate compass/autopilot

6 Volt batt wiring