Tag: maintenance

A Busy maintenance Weekend

Posted on by luken7

When we last left off, the fridge compressor died. Got a recommendation for a local guy named Darrell Foster. I highly, highly, highly recommend him. Got him on short notice as he was inthe area. Checked out the system, discussed it, spent some time online with me looking at various systems and discussed them. Ordered a new system, basically the same one, direct shipped it to him and he got it installed right away. Great guy, professional and easy to work with.

Have to say, this unit just sips power unlike the previous one. The freezer got down to zero and the fridge at 35 degrees, awesome. Also, had it set to full and left the battery charger off for two days. Still had about ~70% battery house bank capacity. So I figure when I get the solar panels on, I can stay out on the hook at Cape Lookout for a week 😉

She’s Dead Jim…

Posted on by luken7

Well, this was a weekend of ups and downs.

First, the start battery on bank one has gone to that big electroplate heaven in the sky. Turn off the battery charger and bank two, flip on a load and it drops to nine volts. Damn. Well, battery replacement was simple enough, just awkward putting it in. Anything over twenty pounds that needs to be placed somewhere in a boat crevice ends up being awkward. So out with the old Interstate Group27 start battery, in with the new Duracell…Duracell? Yeah, had a 10% off coupon from Batteries Plus, got it at the Oriental Boat show.

 

Then there’s “She’s Dead Jim…Part Deux”

We’re not done because it’s a boat. Did  you think I was getting off that easy? That cheap? Not! What else could possibly happen? Well, how about the fridge going kaput. You know, the thing that holds the beer and unused salsa and bean dip. Yup, the compressor failed and while I have my suspicions, stupid is as stupid does. I’ll leave it htere. Hint, DC electric motors do like low voltage. So this failure falls within the proper range of boat failures. Cost? A boat buck. Of course you can’t just order a compressor motor, Nope, gotta get the unit. Cool thing is I won’t be needed a new evaporator will just have it evacuated and there’s an adapter fitting for the new connection. So with Amex in hand (or on file), quickly went to Defender to offer my tithe to the patron saint of boat repairs  with another boat buck.

 

But there’s a lighter side. As I’m planing on doing more anchoring out and discovering this year, along with being a temporary resident of Ocracoke by accumulating a month on the island this year, I felt I needed a better dingly. So….(drumroll), kind of fell into a new AB 9.5AL. This thing is sweet. Aluminum floor, hypalon, high bow. Will keep me dry in the chop. Much nicer than my other two inflatable floor dinghys (which are for sale btw). This thing can take up to a 15hp outboard and it’s just begging for more than my current 6hp Tohatsu. Besides, I need something to zip me back and forth from Ocracoke to Portsmith Island. Tohatsu 9.8 with the optional external battery start is in my eye. I’m also interested in teh Lehr 9.9hp propane outboard, just still a bit concerned about getting the talk filled wherever I’m at, also concerned about having that big cylinder tank in the dinghy.

 

And did still get on water though we didn’t go too far 😉

Hemispheres Splashed

Posted on by luken7

Hemispheres is back in the water. Almost ready, just a few more things and taking her back to Pecan Grove via South River on Wednesday. Then a whole lot of interior cleaning as you know it needs to be detailed inside.

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Hemispheres is Hauled Out, I’m Sad

Posted on by luken7

Well, Hemispheres is hauled out, needing some work done. So of course, I had to throughly clean the interior before dropping her off. You know how your mom used to say, always have clean underwear on in case you have to go to the hospital. Guess that stuck with me in an odd way.

 

Going to have the bottom done as she’s having a problem keeping the paint on in certain spots, seems to be the same areas too. That big chunk of paint missing on the keel looks like she sustained a plasma blast from a disrupter beam. Oh, and then there’s the propellor. Electrolysis is hitting it bad and here’s the mystery, the zinc is still there so everyone is scratching their heads. I need to get with the diver, maybe he just put a new one on through the shaft zinc much have gone. Well, it’s an excuse to get a new MaxProp feathering prop, the current one is old and seems to need rebuilding anyway. So what to do for the next couple of weeks while she’s on the hard? I guess it’s now kayak season 😉

 

New Air then Great Sail

Posted on by luken7

Great weekend. Started late Friday afternoon (god knows why) with removing the old AC system and putting in the new one. I really should have waited till Saturday morning but I was determined to get it done. So, with the cabin hovering in the upper 90’s, I went for it. Got eh old system out and the new one in. Spent around three hours as I was slowing down due to the heat. Thanks to Pat and Skip for lending hands lugging the systems out and in.

Saturday was a great day and well deserved. Went with friends on a Cape Dory 30, what a fantastic sailing boat. There was a major storm passing through, enough for the Coast Guard to issue a warning. As it was moving fast going going north-northeast, we took the route of staying out and headed to South River to wait it out. It worked out well. I think most of the boats that decided to race back to Oriental probably got hammered with what went through.

And With One Click…Hemispheres Stays

Posted on by luken7

Well, the battle and inner turbulence of either keeping Hemispheres or upgrading to a new boat is over. For the last couple of years, as she is now 15 years old adn reaching that point where major upgrades happen, I’ve been struggling between a newer boar vs. doing upgrades. Well this week, I guess I made that decision with the purchase of the MarinAire 16BTU Heat-A/C. After reading many reviews on their support, ease of installation, and pricing, decided to give them a try. Currently Hemispheres has a Curisair SX16 which is not as efficient, is an amps hog and loud, did I say loud? I looked at the newer Cruisair turbo series, but wow, comments were not friendly.

The MarinAir comes with a sound suppressor for the compressor, which CruisAir charges almost $500 additionally for it. that sealed the deal. So Hemispheres gets a new lease on life, not that she was anywhere end of life. Also helping the decision was not finding a 40 footer in the configuration I’m looking for (see previous posts). So for the rest of the year, new sails, new water heater, new plotter and possibly a below deck autopilot over the existing wheel pilot. Need something stronger for quartering seas.

I’ll post some more photos of pre and post installation later this weekend after we’re done. These are the stock photos.

Work on the iron jenny is done and ready

Posted on by luken7

Did my seasonal maintenance on the power plant. Oil and oil filter change, fuel filters, belt tensioning done. Oh, and topped off the Dilithium crystals chamber. Also, I need to make some adjustments to the center engine nacelle as readings are a bit high coming from the anti-matter containment field (soundproofing).