Maintenance Log for Syzygy

The jib sheet runs aft to a turning block, turns 180, and leads to the winch.  The last sail we were close-hauled in decent wind and I noticed that the bracket on the port side was bending–starting to rotate forward under the force.  We pulled the brackets from the boat, I fabricated a couple of support struts from the spare sheet of 316 stainless we have, and then I welded them up down at the tech shop.  Jonny shined them up and we’ll put them back on after we paint the deck (hopefully in the next two weeks).

Possible Reasons for Reduced Capacity Engine Cooling, a list compiled from advice from members of the Valiant Owner’s Group:

1. prop fouled–try cleaning prop :: recently the diver checked our zincs and confirmed that our prop is not fouled
2. strainer outside boat clogged; remove hose from sea strainer and see how fast :: did that, sea comes in plenty fast the ocean comes into the boat (should be quite alarmingly fast)
3. sea strainer could be clogged beneath the basket even though it looks clear–take it off and run something through to check :: the test we performed for #2 should confirm that things are ok
4. the gasket on the cap of the sea strainer may not be air tight–we might be sucking in air as well as water
5. oil cooler could be partially plugged with impeller blades
6. even partial blockage in heat exchanger could cause the problem
7. cam in seawater pump may be worn out (difficult to tell by looking it it with amateur eye)
8. impeller might be sheered between hub and blades, even though it looks perfectly fine :: removed impeller to check–it’s ok
9. gauge might not be properly calibrated; get an infrared thermometer to check
10. fragments may be lodged in hoses or exit from raw water pump, or heat exchangers; remove hoses and sight down them to double check, try flushing with garden hose
11. clamps on raw water side might be loose; anything allowing air to be sucked in will mess up the cooling
12. back plate of raw water pump may be worn out–check to see if there is noticeable wear or grooves where the impeller has worn into the back plate :: checked–looks ok
13. cooling system may have an air-lock, especially with the hot water heater installation; try bleeding air from petcock on top of heat exchanger (is that high enough to take care of it?) :: removed our hot water heater setup and bled from the top of the heat exchanger (though the header tank is the highest point anyway)
14. thermostat could be the wrong temp, or not working properly  :: we replaced the thermostat (and checked both the new and old in a pot of boiling water beforehand)
15. heat exchanger, oil cooler, tranny oil cooler could be scaled up  :: we removed them and thoroughly cleaned them in a bath of muriatic acid)

The last time we went out (two weekends ago) the engine reached 180 on the gauge within 10 minutes, and was reading 230 around 20 minutes.  We were lightly motoring, barely above an idle.  Water was coming out of the engine exhaust (enough, I can’t tell).  I used the infrared thermometer on various spots of the engine.  The housing over the thermostat read ~190, the head next to the temperature sender read ~190, most all the spots on the head read ~190.  A spot next to the #1 fuel injector read 220.  I took this as a sign of overheating, though I’m not sure how to interpret the data.  The exhaust pipe (galvanized elbow) read 240.

I pulled off the seawater pump (again) to see if the back plate had any wear.  Doesn’t appear to.  Though it does look like the cam has some wear, and I found a salt deposit partially blocking one of the fittings.  So I ordered a new temp gauge, sender, cam for the seawater pump, and heat exchanger from Sherry at TA diesel.

The old propane locker was a fiberglass box mounted in the middle of the stern.  It protruded 5″ above the level of the seat, and was suspended in the enormous space of the lazarette, rendering the space unusable and the seat unseatable.

We decided to remove the old propane locker, build a new one tucked into the corner as much as possible, and put flush fitting hatches over the lazarette and propane locker.  The job ended up being the biggest so far undertaken on the boat, and isn’t yet finished.  Of the many unforeseen hurdles, we discovered that we needed to move and/or reroute all three of the scupper drains on the port side, to accomodate the new propane locker (not to mention close the old propane drain and install a new one).  So this job alone required 4 new through-hulls and two new scupper drains on deck.

Additionally, the deck just forward of the propane locker, especially around the rudder access hatch, was extensively delaminated (core was perceptibly soggy, damp, and black).  Jonny elected to dig out the core from the hatch and rudder post hole (i.e. without removing the top or bottom layer of fiberglass), and ended up removing the core to a distance of close to a foot in the space forward of the new lazarette hatch (there are some pictures of it).  Then he carefully measured and cut a few pieces of plywood that he buttered with epoxy and then shoved into the gap.  Afterwards there were some gaps left in the core where the plywood didn’t quite reach that I injected with resin, per the usual method (drill holes for the syringe, inject resin until it splooges out all over, let it cure, sand off the puddles of resin, quikfair the remaining divets, sand again).

We built the new propane locker and the hatches out of the leftover fiberglass-covered plywood that we had fabricated for the icebox. We used two layers of the plywood for each of the hatches (the plywood was super thin), as well as a couple extra layers of knytex for additional strength.

Jonny painstakingly glassed the box in place using strips of knytex–the box was odd shaped to accomodate the curves of the hull and the deck/coaming/toerail ceiling section.

We made the ledges on which the lids will rest out of 3/8″ thick prefab FRP from Mcmaster-carr.  The lip is about 1/2″ wide, and the strip that forms the lip extends ~1-1/2″ underneath the deck.  The strips are epoxied in place (jonny pre-drilled pilot holes and screwed the strips in place to properly position them while the epoxy cured).

Fairing and sanding the edges of everything was time consuming, as it always is.  It consisted of at least two rounds of Quikfairing, preceded by, separated by, and followed by tedious amounts of sanding.

I entirely replumbed the propane lines while we were at it.  Per jonny’s insistence we went with a hose to run from the stern to the stove, instead of copper tubing.  It was definitely the right choice.  It was slightly more expensive, but eliminated extra junctions required at the stove.  A hose is required at the stove to accommodate the gimballing, and this way the one 25′ hose runs straight to the back of the stove.  I purchased the new style qcc quick connector to be used for attaching to the propane tanks–the previous system required wrenches, and the apparatus that connected to the tank (which included the regulator and the pressure gauge) was awkward and unwieldy.  Now a single high pressure line is connected to the active tank, and the regulator, pressure gauge, and other connections are mounted to the propane locker wall.  I also added a T-junction and short additional hose with a valve inside the propane locker (in the low pressure side) to be used for a propane grill to be mounted on the rail (which we don’t yet own).

The resulting storage space gained in the stern is astounding.  I could lay down and take a nap in the space that we previously had no access to.

Turns out we left too much of a gap for the gasket, and the lids sink too low, so I created a wall of foil tape around the inside edge, and poured a mixture of slightly thickened epoxy into the gap.  After it cured I ground/sanded it down to the right depth for the gasket.

I figured out the hinge situation.  Then we painted the lids and the lips with two coats of the Primekote epoxy primer.  That’s as far as we’ve got so far.  Very close.

I’m not finished posting pictures yet, stay tuned for more.