Ex Machina
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Posts posted by Ex Machina
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On 26/01/2025 at 9:41 PM, ianz said:
Looks amazing. Looks a lot like the Stornoway 12 by Paul Fisher. Dad and I built one a few years ago the Stornoway also has multiple chines. We did a stitch and glue, your shiplap finish looks fabulous.
Any pics of viva zapata from last summer ?
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3 hours ago, aardvarkash10 said:
Got a product name for that?
Sodium percarbonate . I get the cheapest one I can find with no fragrance which is usually living earth in a cardboard box .
Side note , I tried the pak n save brand benzalkonium chloride on our mouldy mainsail and stack pack it worked a treat . $6 bucks for a litre whereas wet and forget is $99 per 4 litres
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On 24/01/2025 at 9:49 AM, Frank said:
We recently went through a somewhat disgusting de-blocking of the Head discharge plumbing with the usual accretion of "salts" being the culprit. So we are Keen to prevent or slow the buildup as we dont want to do it again ever ! (Ok that might be a slightly unrealistic)
There is an interesting article in the link below that cast doubt on the use of vinegar as a solution but suggests the use of a product called Sew Clean which is made by the same company that markets Barnacle Buster.
So two questions
1. Whats the feedback on using vinegar as a preventative to slow or stop the buildup of salts (You would need to precharge the plumbing when the boat is not in use, ie at the end of the voyage) and
2. If the plumbing is blocked has anyone tried overnight soaking the of system with something like Barnacle Buster, Sew Clean or Drain Cleaner (Hydrochloric acid ? ) thereby hopefully dissolving the salts without having to pull apart the plumbing.
chrs.
(Disclosure, I have no association with Ovlov Marine who sell the above mentioned products but a few years back we did use Barnacle Buster to de-scale the engine heat exchanger, it worked well but is pricey)
https://fetchinketch.net/2017/12/26/a-crappy-problem-with-a-solution/
I recommend this book for head maintenance ….the woman knows her sh*t 😂 she worked for Raritan who make sewclean and marine heads . Our boat no longer smells like a porta loo at a concert with undertones of diesel . She recommends a product called Noflex digestor to breakdown solids (not crystallised uric acid ) and reduce sulphur dioxide stink in the holding tank . Noflex is basically Oxygen bleach so I’ve been oxygen bleach at a fraction of the price and it works .
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I used this after a particularly unpleasant bulkhead holding tank blockage , the upstand inside the tank was blocked with crystallised Uric acid . I half filled the toilet with fresh water and added about a cup of acid to the water . The idea is to pump it through the system slowly . I did two to three pumps of the handle every 5 minutes so the solution had time to sit and dissolve the crystals . I did this twice then thumped the hose with a hammer handle to dislodge what was left followed by a good rinse with fresh then salt water . Don’t do this if you have any PVC in your system ! It’s safe to use with sanitation hose and Hansen/true design type fitings . Use PPE and don’t inhale the fumes and do not store it on your boat !
cost was $45 for 4 litres
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You can’t beat the RNZYS youth program for bang for buck . It has churned out a shed load of pro and semi pro sailors that usually go on to work in the marine industry and race locally or overseas . It lifts everyone’s game and NZ’s standing as a maritime nation par excellence .
Kudos too to those that take the Olympic path , that’s some dedication for sure .
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1 hour ago, BMW56 said:
Trying to remove the prop shaft to replace the cutlas bearing. Engine is out for overhaul. Attached is a photo of the thrust bearing/seal. Is anyone familiar with this sort and what is the best way to pull the shaft? There doesn't appear to be any obvious way to uncouple the shaft but maybe I need to remove the bearing first? Any pointers?
Did mine about a month ago . A bit different to what you have but similar concept . I had to unbolt the flanges or bearing carriers on either side of the bulkhead . The bearing then needed to be persuaded off the splined shaft on the aft side of the bulkhead with moderate whacks with a hammer , very much like removing a trailer bearing off a stub axle . The splined part of my drive shaft had a clamp and grub screw holding it onto the main shaft , this also needed hammering to remove from the shaft . Once that’s off you can pull the shaft out of the boat . Wouldn’t be a bad idea to replace the bearing while you can . Saeco will have one and you will have peace of mind knowing it’s good for yonks .
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3 hours ago, waikiore said:
Its an old S & S 24 with the de Joux cabin, I wonder where his outboards came from......
The main engine looks like an R2AK peddle power job
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10 minutes ago, Timberwolfy said:
kia ora! curious about people's opinions on bulkhead plaques...
most clubs are only printing them if skippers say they want them nowadays. when offered, do you accept them?
do you mount them on your boat or store them elsewhere?
do you keep them when you sell the boat? (asking for a friend... 😜)
There was a R66 one waiting for you at RYC a couple weeks ago when I picked mine up.
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You have to log in to YNZ site to access the cat3 registration . I wasted 30 mins going round in circles until I realised that important step. Otherwise it was straightforward if a tad more expensive than in the past .
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16 minutes ago, Psyche said:
Most people just ignore the gas issue until they need to deal with it for insurance etc. Gas is a lot safer than people suggest, how many houses have gas appliances that rely on an install way back in the dark ages? On boats its all about confined spaces and leaks, the typical explosion is waking up and putting the kettle on and boom. For small Kiwi yachts a sensible DIY job that follows good practice is safe, most (all!) of us haven't blown ourselves up and there is no way most of the installations would pass current regulations. The portable camping gas stoves are probably more dangerous but still we have to abide by the rules and the marine gasfitting business seems to be very guilty of boat owner = lets charge whatever we like since they have no alternative.
Larger complex boats with furniture that cannot be removed or provide access to inspect gas lines and joints are another story,
We have a fixed solid line that disappears behind linings and fixtures over about 8 meters and that’s the bit I don’t trust . Until that’s replaced the gas gets turned off at the bottle .
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1 hour ago, K4309 said:
Yes, it goes bottle, solenoid, regulator.
BUT, technically (legally) you aren't able to replace the solenoid yourself. You need to get a certified gas fitter to do it, and pay the $1,000 to re-issue the gas certificate.
It is questionable if you require a solenoid for safety purposes. Some gas fitters say you don't, some say you do. That is with respect to having two gas sniffers interlinked with a solenoid. Of course if you want want so you don't have to physically go to the gas locker to turn the gas off, then knock yourself out.
Oh, and if any other part of your system isn't complaint with the current regs, a gas fitter will make you change the whole lot so that he can re-install your solenoid. That includes replacing your stove if it doesn't have auto-flame out on all elements. And replacing any flexible hose that are older than 7 years.
Have a solenoid and don’t trust it , you can only blow up once . We always turn it off at the bottle
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3 hours ago, waikiore said:
This was forecast apparently, anyone want a rather second hand Wally 100 (wally love)?
Bugger , saw that boat up close in the Lerins islands a few years ago . Not my type of boat but still a head turner for sure .
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18 hours ago, aardvarkash10 said:
were there cones?😁
No cones needed , fatigue and the ports of Auckland light show did a fine job of putting us in a muddle .
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Many thanks to Neil for talking us across the finish line . We were knackered and couldn’t see it from 100 meters away and mistook the strobe for a roadworks truck on tamaki drive .
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12 hours ago, aardvarkash10 said:
For the multihull aficionado
8.5 litre class ?
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I have surfed nearby at great exhibition bay and north side of Nth Cape . Did the crown prosecutors bother sending someone out there during a swell to see what the wave behaviour is and where it breaks ? The chart shows a possible good big wave break there so I hunted for some pics and found these. Swell is less than 1M by my reckoning . I’ve not experienced a rogue wave but definitely rogue “sets” of waves one is always bigger and usually the 2nd or 3rd in a 3-4 wave set .
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Fervently hoping one or more inspectors stay on in northland for raceboat inspections , hell any of the regions outside of Auckland for that matter .
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12 hours ago, brendong said:
If Auckland then there's where's the course? ...........Up and down the habour (Westhaven to Orarkei)? Whilst it's a convenient Wednesday night course it's still a crap course on what we have to offer further out in the Gulf,
Manakau harbour with the finish line at Mangere bridge/Onehunga wharf . No dolphins or ferries or even muppets on the water . Might need some dredging though
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Whales
in MarineTalk
sh*t ! No more telly on watch
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11 hours ago, Black Panther said:
When an electric boat sinks? Can you get electrocuted?
My first thought is no,
The battery will short between the terminals in salt water, fizz bang pop no battery.
Experts?
I assume you saw this ?
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14 minutes ago, CarpeDiem said:
OGO.
Same , very happy with it .
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40 minutes ago, CarpeDiem said:
Or leave enough loads running overnight, like the fridge and freezer.
It's not a weakness of lfp it's a weakness of the charging solution.
Most solar chargers will start again each morning, If your lfp has no loads this will eventually lead to over charging.
If you have no permanent house loads then disable charging.
On CD we disable all charging including the alternator and shorepower. We can do about 6 winter races before the charging gets enabled again. We have a composting toilet that's continually running a fan but the draw is incidental and is far from enough to avoid solar overcharge.
It's just a different mindset, when we step on the boat, we ask, do we have enough Wh for today's activity. If the answer is yes we go racing/cruising and worry about it next time. If no, we enable charging and motor out of the marina, 30 minutes later the battery has enough charge for the day and we hoist the sails.
NB if you are leaving the boat for a months and months then you might need to consider a more detailed shutdown procedure because the BMS is a sacrificial load and will eventually drop the LFP to low levels before shutting down.
What loo do you have ? I’m relieved we aren’t the only freaks out there with a composter 😂
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7 hours ago, Black Panther said:
What is their life expectancy? Painted or unpainted?
Get two and paint em black .
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New fouling rules
in MarineTalk
Posted
Anyone else seen this ? https://www.marinepests.nz/news/whats-your-level
At this time of year our boat easily reaches level 2 in about 3 weeks . It would be more helpful if the councils mentioned the article would lobby the EPA to approve several new paints that have been languishing in their system . One application by Altex has probably passed the two year mark now .