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Neil

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Posts posted by Neil

    Plumbing

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    It took a while to work it out but finally, I know what fittings these are. These are Dux Pro-Fit Quicktite fittings and are "Export only, not available in NZ":

     

    http://www.dux.co.nz/product-category/hot-and-cold/pro-fit-qicktite/

     

    However, a message to their FB page and a quickly returned phone call from Ross at Dux and a bag of all the bits I need are on their way to me. An impressively friendly and helpful response from Dux for probably the smallest cash sale they'll do this week (or even this year)  :-)

    Furler fail...

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    Thanks for the help all.

     

    I spoke to Kevin at Reef-rite and he was very helpful. Sent him the pics so he could see the problem and exactly which track it is and he's sending me some correct sized monel rivets. He also said to check the clearance up top once the sail is back on to make sure I'm not pulling the track apart with halyard tension. Fingers crossed should be a simple-ish fix, I hope.

    Plumbing

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    Anyone know where I can get fittings like the ones in the attached pics? These are freshwater pipes and used throughout the boat but many of the joints have splits in them (age, over tightening?). These don't seem to be off the shelf fittings at the big chandleries so wonder where best to go? 

    20180403_094859.jpg

    20180403_094932.jpg

    20180403_094943.jpg

    Furler fail...

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    Over the weekend I noticed a problem with our furler in that the track has parted from the top of the section that swings out to allow sail changes (see pic). It looks like a simple rivet failure and thus a simple fix. However a few questions: 

     

    1) Is it a simple rivet job? If so are ordinary pop rivets suitable? I'm mostly thinking in terms of potential corrosion issues.

     

    2) Why did it pull out like this? I noticed that once I eased halyard tension that it slid back into the correct position under gravity. So is there another issue? Is the luff of the sail too long and once I add halyard to tension the track comes under too much stress? The shackles connecting the head and tack are quite long and could be replaced with shorter ones giving a slightly shorter overall luff length from shackle end to shackle end if you see what I mean. Is that a good idea? 

     

    Questions, questions... thoughts anyone? 

     

     

    20180403_094433.jpg

    20180403_094444.jpg

    20180403_094510.jpg

    20180403_094602.jpg

    Air in diesel lines

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    Update. Wheels and John B were on the money. I removed the tank and cleaned it, plenty of crap in there which must have been causing a restriction in the flow and then downstream causing the problems with air getting in the system. New inspection hatches added so I will be able to see and sort any further problems without removing the tank. I'm going to be super tuned in to any changes in the engine sound for a while but -touch wood - she hasn't missed a beat since we did this.

     

    Now for the next set of issues to sort :-)

    Air in diesel lines

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    Thanks for the replies. This group has some great knowledge out there and I've got some more avenues to investigate now :-)

     

    I had an hour to spare this morning so went to the boat to check the breather on the tank. I managed to get the breather pipe off the tank easily enough and gave it a blow and suck. It did seem a little restricted at first but after a couple of puffs it did take air in and out pretty easily. I may have imagined it but it's possible I did dislodge something partially blocking the pipe. It would take more time and effort than I had to spare this morning to investigate further as the breather pipe run to the through-hull is incredibly awkward to get to. Just to access the inside of the hull fitting I'd have to remove the autopilot ram and the large bracket it's mounted on just to be able to get far enough inside the lazarette to reach it - but what did I expect, it's a boat.

     

    ***warning - breathing in and out through a breather tube can give you one hell of a diesel headache***

     

    Anyway, over the weekend I'll go down and do some more investigations and tests. If I have cleared the breather I'll see if that makes a difference. I'll report next week. 

    Air in diesel lines

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    If you track from injectors to pump and pump to filters/tank is there any wetness or smell of diesel? When was the pump last serviced? is tank above pump height or below? if below I would suspect pump.

     

    Thanks. No obvious signs of diesel (other than when a squirt it everywhere when bleeding). No idea when the pump was last serviced. Pump around about the same level as the top of the tank so diesel is definitely having to be pumped uphill. Is the lift pump itself a possible source of the air? Is there any simple way I can test the pump itself? 

    Air in diesel lines

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    Maybe a little out of box thinking, but is your breather into the tank blocked?  I've had that happen and it gives you some weird symptoms.

     

    Thanks, I'll check that out. Should be simple check to make sure that's ok (or not)

    Air in diesel lines

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    Over the Christmas period, I've been having a few problems with our Volvo-Penta 2003T (43hp turbo) with air in the fuel lines. It's a bit of a long story and I'd thought I'd got it fixed twice, but no. I think my question here is am I missing something? Is there some other reason for this problem?

     

    Anyway here's the timeline: 

     

    May 2017 – November 2017: No issues with engine including during engine test/check during pre-purchase checks

    November 2017: Serviced - filters and oil changed.

    December 2017: Used for two weekends away no issues (including one long motor)

    January 6th 2018: Motored to Kawau (no wind). For 4 hours no issue but in last half an hour slight hunting on revs. Throttled back and all good into Kawau.

    January 7th 2018: Motor to Gt Barrier from Kawau (still no wind). Again, all good until last hour or so with same issue, slight hunting on revs. Throttled back and then all good.

    January 8th 2018: Motoring around FitzRoy, all good.

    January 9th 2018: Motored to Kawau from Gt Barrier (still no bloody wind!) all good, didn’t miss a beat.

    January 10th 2018: Motored out of Kawau, engine behaving erratically, hunting revs all over the place and stalling at idle. Diverted to Gulf Harbour to get sorted. Engineers diagnosed sucking air in fuel (no surprises there) due to deteriorating fuel line from primary filter to lift pump. Suspect fuel line and copper washers on banjo connectors replaced.

    January 13th 2018: Returned boat to Westpark from Gulf Harbour. Sailed at last! Motor out of Gulf Harbour and motor into Westpark up channel no problems – yea, she’s fixed.

    January 19th 2018: PCC’s R&R Friday night race. All good until returning to Westpark when same old story, hunting revs etc. Stopped and bled air from fuel line (lots of manual pumps before done). Restarted and motored up channel to marina just fine.

    January 21st 2018: Scratching head and wondered maybe the primary filter? So did the following:

    ·         Bled air from fuel line

    ·         Ran engine under load (pulling the marina hoping my lines were strong enough) for 10mins

    ·         Stopped and re-bled lines – about 20 pumps.

    ·         Replaced primary filter with spare and also the 5 o-rings in the assembly

    ·         Re-ran engine under load for 10 mins

    ·         Only 2 pumps required to squirt out diesel from bled screw. So maybe fixed?

    January 26th 2018: Headed to Mahurangi from Westpark (no bloody wind again!). For 4 hours+ ran sweet then would you believe it the same again. Just about to enter Mahurangi and hunting revs again! Bled lines of air and motored into Mahurangi just sweet.  

    January 27th 2018: Motored from Sullivan’s Bay to Scott’s landing. Rebled lines afterwards needing about 20 pumps.

    January 28th 2018: Sailed Home, great breeze! Bled air from system just before motoring up channel to marina – about 10 pumps.

     

    Ok, now the questions:

    1)      In a normal engine, how many manual pumps of the lift pump would you expect to do before diesel squirted out of the breed screw on the secondary filter? One, two, ten, what is normal?

    2)      The air must be coming in somewhere between the tank and the lift pump right?

    3)      Why would it work just fine for hours at a time then be a problem? Seems odd to me.

     

    I guess my next option is to replace the line from the tank to the primary filter and also the shut-off valve on the tank. Once I’ve done that then the whole line from tank to primary filter to lift pump to the secondary filter will have been changed.

     

    Am I missing something? Is there any other reason air could be getting in?

     

    Any ideas? 

    Speeding fines on the water

    in MarineTalk

    Posted

    Boats sailing under the RRS are specifically exempted. But only for each other - the colregs still apply for any vessel not racing...

     

    Makes sense.

     

    Hence the need to indicate you are racing with a division flag and to be under the control of an organising affiliated yacht club, presumably?

    Speeding fines on the water

    in MarineTalk

    Posted

    Dumb (or maybe not so dumb) question. How does the 5kts within 50mts of a boat work within a racing fleet? Unless you're in very small or slow boats you'll often be doing more than 5knots a lot closer than 50meters from your competitors. Are we breaking the rules or somehow "opting out" of this one? It's often occurred to me and I don't know the answer. 

    Hot water cylinder to hot

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    On our boat, if the engine is run for an extended period not only do you get hot water from the hot tap but also for a short time out of the cold tap too. I've been putting this down to some sort of backflow from the hot water tank into the feeding cold water pipes due to pressure or expansion. The previous boat didn't have the luxury of hot water so have not been sure if this normal. Should I be worried that the hot water tank is not venting pressure elsewhere? 

    2017 Rum Race

    in RaceTalk

    Posted

    The Placido cockpit cam: 

     

     

    A great reach down the harbour, a bit conservative starting under reefed main but was glad we had it in by Rough Rock. I might not have seen the gust coming at 0.59 but I didn't spill my beer :-). The mainsheet decided to jam approaching rough rock leading to our less than elegant "shake the rig" gybe going around the mark and we had a few sub-optimal tacks but the boat seemed to relish the conditions once we got set up right. I had intended to take down the bimini but never quite got around to it but at least I know it stays together in a breeze. My daughter Charlotte still claims to have loved it even though she did spend the second half of the race hanging on to the companionway steps. 

     

    Great fun, and awesome evening and a big thank you to the organisers. 

    • Upvote 1

    Mystery Boat

    in MarineTalk

    Posted

    A couple of times a week I find myself driving to St Heliers along Tamaki Drive and as usual, find myself looking out to sea and wondering why I'm in the car and not out on the water. Anyway, for some time (months) I've noticed a large ketch (although both masts are the same size so probably not technically a ketch) sitting at anchor off St Helliers beach. I don't think there is a mooring out there and I'm not sure I'd want to be anchored there in one of our big NE-ers but it does seem to be there every time I pass that way.

     

    Does anyone know the story? Is someone living at anchor off the eastern beaches? 

     

    No issue or axe to grind from me just genuine boat-y curiosity?

     

     

    How many boats...

    in MarineTalk

    Posted

    Farr 1220 plus 

    an old rigid dinghy upside down outside slowly becoming part of the garden,

    a falling apart old 2.6m RIB I'm not sure what to do with sitting in the carport where my car should be and 

    a 2.6m rollup in good condition - the one we use.

     

    Only a boat and an eclectic collection of tenders in different states of disrepair. Mmmm, reading you guys I think I need to expand the fleet somewhat to keep up.

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