Five days to launch!

LaReaLaRea Member Posts: 7,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
Hard to believe I'll be splashing this weekend!  After this crazy-cold winter, I thought the day would never come.

I'm launching two weeks earlier than normal so a local canvas shop can fit the boat with new canvas.  Yesterday, I scrubbed the engine room - a job that is much easier when the drain plug is out.  Debris tends to collect in the aft bilge between the engines where it's impossible to reach.  It occurred to me that I can use a flexible parts grabber to reach that stuff.  Worked great!  I also used a floor mop to scrub it with bilge cleaner.  



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Comments

  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,552 mod

    Looks fantastic LaRea!!!  I know you that know, but for others, when you see ends of clamps in the bilge (as LaRea's picture shows), this can only mean one thing.  Check all your hose clamps and start replacing them.  I've seen them fail when a boat is around 8 years old and just continue failing.  On my old 310, I had 4 hose clamps fail while cruising, all in a 2 year time frame (yes, I should've just replaced them all after the first incident).

    My date should be this Friday as well for dropping in, but we'll see.  It's possible I may wait another week mainly because my marina doesn't turn on the water until April. I hate not being able to have water to rinse the bow off.  The rest of the boat is nicely waxed, but the bow always has some dust/dirt on it that grinds in if I can't rinse it off immediately when I uncover. 

    New canvas will be awesome!!  I just got back one seat cushion that was redone, and I should be getting my rear swim platform seats back by end of March with all new material! :)

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018
    @:LaRea is that just a piece of debris I see on the bilge floor or is it a tiny crack? If it's a crack maybe some Sikaflex into it while it's clean and dry?
  • LaReaLaRea Member Posts: 7,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @Dream_Inn - you raise a good point about the hose clamps.  On some, the ends broke off from me bumping against them, but the fact is they are all ten years old.

    @Michael T - it's a gelcoat crack.  Also, at the aft end of the bilge pump mounting plate, there's a little ridge with a similar crack that probably looks worse than it is.  But there's no way I can reach them unless I remove an engine.  
  • LaReaLaRea Member Posts: 7,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Oh - and I got the new stereo up and running!  I'll say much more about that later.  I spent 20 hours on it this weekend.  I'm exhausted and sore, and my whole body is covered with bruises and little fiberglass cuts, but it sounds fantastic!  

    Unfortunately, the weather will be too cold this week for waxing.  That'll have to wait.  
  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @LaRea - re: the gel coat cracks. Could you tape/wire a painter's angled sash brush to a broom handle then coat the end of the brush with Sikaflex or similar product that will seal the gel coat cracks and stay flexible. I have done this in friends' boats many times with 100% results. On one job we used a mechanic's flexible extension. to reach under an engine. I do not like gel coat cracks in the bilge as I do not want to give rot a chance at the hull from the inside. I also fill and seal all old screw holes for the same reason.
  • reneechris14reneechris14 Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That spring loaded grabber thing is one of my favorite tools it is almost impossible to reach behind the bilge.
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
  • LaReaLaRea Member Posts: 7,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018
    MT, good suggestion.  Looks like I'll be stopping at West Marine tonight for a tube of Sikaflex.  (And I'll try to find a friend with monkey-long arms.)
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ok MT smartie pants, fix this bilge and dont talk to me about the crappy Rinker quality either!!!
  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That's caused by all of those diesel fumes in the engine room. The gel isn't used to those type of fumes.
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,552 mod
    Ok MT smartie pants, fix this bilge and dont talk to me about the crappy Rinker quality either!!!
    Wow, first off I can barely see any of the bilge!  As far as the chipping, well, they definitely didn't do something right when coating it.  I've seen a few bilges like that, not sure of the cause.  I have seen 2 bilges like that where they took everything out and completely redid it.  Talk about beautiful!!

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

  • LaReaLaRea Member Posts: 7,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wow.  The motor is a Thing of Beauty.  The gelcoat, not so much.
  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018
    Don't just pick on Rinker, gel coat cracking happens to all brands. Many boat makers are now using robotic gel coat spray arms. Pausing .5 of a second too long on a sweep or overlapping a sweep builds up nano  excess of gel coat which can crack. It is so hard to get right I'm surprised there isn't more cracking. 

    But when it does crack it should be addressed. Gel coat repairmen I respect have all said the same thing about cracks in gel coat in a bilge - cracks in the bilge worry them more that cracks on the exterior hull because the water penetrates, runs along the internal fiberglass layers feeding on the resins and is trapped there by the outer layer. 

    If you can get at it, do so.

    Steve, you win - hands down - that is one of the crappiest bilge areas I have seen on a boat that is not salvage in 50 years. First prize.  Are those areas actually areas of exposed mat? How did that engine bay get like that? Why weren't they cleaned and at least sprayed with epoxy? Geez, awful!
  • dalekdalek Member Posts: 258 ✭✭✭
    Ok MT smartie pants, fix this bilge and dont talk to me about the crappy Rinker quality either!!!
    Nasty gelcoat.
    Just out of curiosity, what is the electrical device on top of the drive end of the inlet manifold? My engine is identical apart from that. Boost pressure sender maybe? 

  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    dalek said:
    Ok MT smartie pants, fix this bilge and dont talk to me about the crappy Rinker quality either!!!
    Nasty gelcoat.
    Just out of curiosity, what is the electrical device on top of the drive end of the inlet manifold? My engine is identical apart from that. Boost pressure sender maybe? 

    I will find out for you
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Now, the answer to why my gelcoat is peeling was answered by Alswagg. He said that Rinker did not allow the hull to sit long enough prior to spraying the gelcoat. It is purely cosmetic and the missing gelcoat does not allow water to penetrate the fiberglass. That is ridicules MT. Besides, what water?? In order to fix the gelcoat that would be a massive expense that I am not willing to spend!
  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Steve you know what a mess that diesel fuel will make when your boat sinks due to its crappy bilge? Got Insurance?
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes I have insurance! Why will it sink MT?
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @Alswagg please chime in here
  • StodgeStodge Member Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭✭
    If I'm lucky I'll be able to cut shrink wrap in 9 days.  We have more snow on the way.  Grrrrrrrrr

    2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX

  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,318 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looks good @LaRea. Amazing what can be found in the bilge, I just fished out some cut zip ties too. Also just found this sitting next to the generator. 1/4" long. Not sure what it is, I had just removed the generator carb but I cant imagine that this goes in the carb and would be loose. Could be from anything and just rolled out. Going to hang on to it.


    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looks like a roller bearing.
    2008 330EC
  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,318 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What would a roller bearing go in to?
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I would think that the bearings on the exterior of the engine or generator would use sealed bearings. Not sure what it could be from.
    2008 330EC
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Possibly an alignment pin for the carb?
    2008 330EC
  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Is it hollow or solid?
  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,318 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Solid, very small pin point on one end
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

  • davidbrooksdavidbrooks Member Posts: 1,340 ✭✭✭✭
    it sounds like a needle that would go in a carburetor bowl under the float? Perhaps from the generator?  Havent pulled a carb apart in years though.  Could of gone the ways of a dinosaur. 
    It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere!
  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,318 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I just took the carb off of the engine, I did not open the bowl until I got home on the work bench, so if it fell out of the carb it would have had to fall out of one of the quarter size side openings 
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

  • reneechris14reneechris14 Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think your talking about #10 in the pic. Don't think in came from your carb liberty 
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think #10 would have rubber for the point?
    2008 330EC
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