What did you do to your boat today

Ian

I believe @rasbury marina costs are way more down there and so it might balance out depending what you have and how much you use it.

How’s the young lady doing now?

rasbury

Hey @Ian thanks for asking. This past July was 3 years since the accident...Oct 20 will be 3 years since she came home pretty much in a comma. She is now walking on a walker, no longer feeds through a tube and is trying/learning to talk. She is almost using the toilet full time also which will be the next big game changer in her new life. She still gets an enormous amount of all sorts of therapy. She has a county teacher that comes by a couple times a week- she always did very well in school and she has 100% of her memories. Her desire to "get her life back" is inspiring and I just find her amazing. She wants to go to school..get a job etc. which while a little heartbreaking, shows her determination. There is a local ranch that works with disabled kids and she actually rode a horse (with a lot of help). So the news continues to be good. Still on a lot of meds for stroke/ seizures but I think/hope as more time passes those fears diminish. So, in short, she is doing very well, just turned 17. I know so many families are going through the same, or worse- it's a very long road and the medical community gave us very little hooe we would get anywhere near where we are today. 

The only time I kept my boat at a marina it was 300 a month and that was at their transient rates, uncover with power- which I did not think to bad' I just did not get any use out of it so went back on the trailer. I think we are getting to the point we might be able to use it a little- Breanna is ready to go boating. I thought about selling it but all the tinkering/work on it has been my therapy and seeing where we are today I'm glad I did not!

PickleRick

After about an hour of cruising I have a solid alarm go off.   Before I kill the motor I double check my temp and oil gauges.  All good.  I open the side hatch and look at the oil reservoir, all good.  Keep in mind I am a non electronic diesel motor.

My only alarm left is for the glow plugs.  It keeps you from leaving the key on without the engine running.   The glow plugs work off of a relay built into the coolant sensor, it's a 4 prong.  My sender is not transferring the signal over that the glow plugs can cut off.  


Mercruiser no longer offers this part.  

So now I have to hook the motor up to the hose and run it to verify it's the sender not flipping the signal or if it's a faulty relay or even a faulty wire, I doubt it's the latter but let's hope. 

The relay can be found at most automotive suppliers.   

The automatic glow plug controller is also nice.   Worse case scenario I install a tractor style key and led bulb on the dash for glow plug activation.  Turn the key in the back position and it activates the glow plugs.   Once you've done this 10 seconds on 70 degree days or 30 seconds for colder days you then turn it over as usual.  The vm4.2 is a glorified tractor engine but then again so is the Cummins 4 and 6bt.   

Or a last ditch effort to email the European dealer market where the motor parts themselves are still very much in business and see if they sell anything like that sensor but being that it's used in marine/agriculture/automotive application in 4, 5 and 6 cylinder versions.   However usually the host company provides electronics. 

aero3113

I winterized the engines today. Just have to service the drives and she’s set for winter. I do have to replace an exhaust manifold gasket on the starboard engine right side. It’s has a leak that has progressively got worse at the end of the season. I’ll replace all the gaskets on that engine when I do it. I want to do water pump’s also but will most likely wait till spring. I also removed the garboard plug, I didn’t bother trying to remove the broken plug. I had an extra assembly laying around so didn’t bother. The new plug that I’m going to use is solid, not hollow like the old one. Something to look out for when you guys have your plug out. @YYZRC , what sealant are you going to use? 5200? I think that’s what I used when I installed this one and it wasn’t an issue to remove.

PickleRick

aero3113 said:

I winterized the engines today. Just have to service the drives and she’s set for winter. I do have to replace an exhaust manifold gasket on the starboard engine right side. It’s has a leak that has progressively got worse at the end of the season. I’ll replace all the gaskets on that engine when I do it. I want to do water pump’s also but will most likely wait till spring. I also removed the garboard plug, I didn’t bother trying to remove the broken plug. I had an extra assembly laying around so didn’t bother. The new plug that I’m going to use is solid, not hollow like the old one. Something to look out for when you guys have your plug out. @YYZRC , what sealant are you going to use? 5200? I think that’s what I used when I installed this one and it wasn’t an issue to remove.

4200 just in case you need to replace it again in the future. 5200 does damage on removal as it's supposed to be forever.   

YYZRC

I never use 5200. I will probably use 4200 or a Sika equivalent. 

As an aside, I actually stopped using 3M 4000 as it yellows and it collects dirt really bad. I am now using Sikaflex 295 UV and am very happy with the results. 

YYZRC

@aero3113 is the transom wood dry around the garbord? I’m going to let mine dry out over the winter. In the spring I will epoxy the **** out of the transom and sleeve the drain hole with PVC before reinstalling the garbord plug. 

aero3113

YYZRC said:

@aero3113 is the transom wood dry around the garbord? I’m going to let mine dry out over the winter. In the spring I will epoxy the **** out of the transom and sleeve the drain hole with PVC before reinstalling the garbord plug. 

Yes, mine seems dry.

aero3113

Had her wrapped today. Do you guys leave your cabin door open or closed throughout winter? I usually leave it closed but was curious.

YYZRC

Closed here

TonyG13

Around here most leave it closed in case a critter gets aboard. Less easy access.

We actually had one of our dock neighbors bring a racoon back with them this spring. Didn't even know it was on the boat until they got to the dock. A bit surprised to say the least. The harbor put out a trap and got him the next day.

Ian

Closed also whether inside or under wrap. With damp rid buckets, empty and closed and a box of bounce scattered around helps with critters and dampness.

Dream_Inn

Definitely keep it closed for me!

Liberty44140

If I was wrapped outside I’d leave cabin door closed and I’d have 4-8 damp rid buckets down below.

aero3113

Liberty44140 said:

If I was wrapped outside I’d leave cabin door closed and I’d have 4-8 damp rid buckets down below.

Yea, I usually keep a bunch of damp-rids in the cabin. It’s amazing how much moisture they absorb.

Liberty44140

We are lucky and our indoor cold storage site is dry, I put two small buckets down there for the winter and get maybe 1/2” of water in each bucket. But were we bought the boat was indoor cold with a gravel floor and was terribly wet. There were 10 damp rid buckets and bags in the cabin when we looked at the boat and they were almost all full. Glad they had so many. 

We came out Monday and I winterized the mains on Tuesday. All closed up until February. 

TonyG13

@Liberty44140 - Is the neighbor on your rear overlapping your swim platform?

It's always been a pet peeve of mine when the storage facility puts the bow of one boat over the stern of another. They usually figure storage on square footage and in my mind if I'm paying for that space, I should not have any obstructions over my "airspace."

The place i am now does not do that - and it's appreciated.

Liberty44140

Yep he is overlapping. Maybe halfway in to my platform, still room to lift the engine hatch and the rear locker. I don’t love it but I have a ton of room all the way around so it’s fine. Many places here stack the boats so the stern is low and the bow is high meaning the anchor pulpit is often 5-8 feet in the boat hanging over the cockpit. Insane. The last two years I’ve been backed against a wall so no overhang but the pattern was full against the wall this year. Next year I am going to heated and no overlap in heated. 

Ian

Today she ended up on the trailer ready to winterize and store. Fenders, lines, MarineMat all bought home and washed, try and mostly away. After winterized and away, down comes the canvas and on goes the cover and bow tarps.

rasbury

Tis a sad time...but most of you have winter entertainment....ski, snowmobiles...some scenery besides a beach! Plus and minuses I guess...

earl1z19

Liberty44140 said:

Yep he is overlapping. Maybe halfway in to my platform, still room to lift the engine hatch and the rear locker. I don’t love it but I have a ton of room all the way around so it’s fine. Many places here stack the boats so the stern is low and the bow is high meaning the anchor pulpit is often 5-8 feet in the boat hanging over the cockpit. Insane. The last two years I’ve been backed against a wall so no overhang but the pattern was full against the wall this year. Next year I am going to heated and no overlap in heated. 

I am in in heated and they still overlap a bit in heated. Having a bit of an overlap on the stern is a small price to pay for being able to get  around the sides and do work. Your current situation looks like the give you a bit of room to get around. I try to request being up against an outside wall as it limits my exposure to someone flinging compound all over at least 1 side as well as people going past with things in their hands that may rub against the side.

PickleRick

My step brother has an nice big home with matching nice big pool in a very nice neighborhood. 


I'm always tempted to to take my stained fenders/lines and toss them into his pool for a good soaking for a few days so the chlorine and sunlight will bleach them. 


They don't allow swim wear that has been worn at the lake to be used in their pool.  You can tell it's lake wear because all the whites will be stained orange from our red clay.  

aero3113

I changed out the gear oil in the drives today. I happened to look at the back of one of the bottles and noticed it says shake before use. I don’t think I ever noticed that.

Dream_Inn

@aero3113 I noticed the same thing this year when I changed mine out.  It was only after I already pumped in the new gear lube.  I don't think it needed shaken though.

I completed my winterization yesterday.  Boat is covered and waxed as well. This is the earliest that I have done it, but I'm glad it's done.  Seems like each weekend right now has been rain.  After the last two, I was done.  Now waiting for first week of March!  Oh well, I'll play a little on my son's boat if it gets nice out.

Liberty44140

They may mean for you to shake, not the bottle. 

aero3113

Liberty44140 said:

They may mean for you to shake, not the bottle. 

You’re probably right @Liberty44140

PickleRick

I purchased 2.5 gallons of Mercury (not quicksilver but I'll use either) because Walmart had it on the shelf back when I first got my rinker.  This has been some 4 or 5 years ago.  It was maybe 50 bucks.  At the end of every other season my dad would borrow it fill his alpha.  I've done mine at the end of every season as well. 
 

Last year I used it up finally.   2.5 gallons goes a long way .  I went to order another 2.5 gallons last night... I think you have to shake it to keep the gold flakes from being stuck at the bottom of the bucket.

Rich_

It’s actually unicorn tears. Extremely hard to come by 😛

TonyG13

Sunrise trip to bring the boat out for the season. Couldn't have asked for a better day! Until next year...

captkevin

Nice pics tony