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Aries Windvane electronic upgrade
My Aries Windvane now has a new shiny raymaine S1000 autopilot to steer it when there is no wind. This is an additional backup to my other 2 systems. You guessed it I hate hand steering.
Norglass 2 pack clear on my teak trim
Well it started in TINTIN's cockpit try preserve the Teak trim, teak oil was making it weaker, so we sanded, glued and 2 packed with clear gloss, really came up a treat.
Then the teak trim midship, including a large window hatch that has leaked for 3 years, always too busy to find and fix it, but I haver now spent several weeks chasing the leak and think a fine crack in the teak allowed the water to track down the windows from about 6ft away. IT now has 2 coats of 2 pack Norglass clear gloss looks great really hard-wearing. Tomorrow is a test day I will soak the timber one side then the other and see if we have some success.
Whilst doing that its time to refit the aries windvane and try fit a ray marine tiller pilot to the tuff old beast.
I also have the Neco autopilot in pieces and think we need a new Synchro Transmitter some relic from old military aircraft, which happen to be rarer than the electronic Synchro.
Modern mans shed his boat, hours of mind games fixing shit so you can find the next item to fix.
Another job on TINTIN is finding a leak
This leak has harassed me for three years but I think I might have found the source, a fine crack in a teak facia, so sand, glue, sand and now clear 2 pack to seal the teak, looks a lot more pretty than the oil but will be a shit job to redo in 3 years
Tomorrow is chase the NECO autopilot bugs
I have a checklist to work with just need a bit of cool weather to crawl into those tiny places to fault find the autopilot.
Pickup the Aries windvane from the shop
Well tried to get parts for my old Aries windvane, no joy so far so I resorted to having them made locally by an Engineering shop in Queensland. cost me $300 for specialty 2 bolts but it get that beast back to work. I will also give it a good scrub and oil to keep it going for another 50,ooonm.
My next project will be installing an electronic autopilot to the windvane so I can use it in light conditions.
Neco autopilot repairs
My old reliable Neco Autopilot that has help steer TINTIN around Australia finally died on the trip from PNG but more Townsville to Hervey Bay.
I started with 3 auto steering system, now I have one EVO 100 wheelpilot that I like for light condition and is my backup for the backup, even it is not quite right.
Good news I have found a guy in Italy helping die hards keep old Neco gear going, I like old reliable gear that you can fix and keep running, my Neco has steered us through 15m seas in the southern ocean for days on end. It is a beast I would like to see it live again.
Will write a artical if we have some success, but I have hope
Aries windvane repairs
Well its time to repair my old windvane that was ripped off returning from PNG.
Does not look as bad as I thought 2 broken retain bolts and lots of TLC, I managed to get the bolts out but the ends of the bolt as frozen into the body and will need to be drilled out and new parts engineered, but I also found a person in the UK still selling spares for the old UK manufactured ones
Another project in bits. will let you know how I go. Off the the local engineering firm tomorrow.
Serpentine Falls Closed - Brain Eating Bacteria
Swimming is banned at Serpintine Falls until further notice.
The Naegleria Fowleri amoeba was found in the area and lives in freshwater and damp soil. This is a potentially life threatening disease, and could endanger your children or you.
Its not worth the risk as with all outbreaks this will pass and government water testing will ensure the park is open when safe. Please monitor the official Serpentine Falls and park website and the Water Corporations for official information.
Looking for another great place for a picnic and a walk try Church mans Brook a 10 minute drive from the town of Armadale, Plenty of wheelchair friendly walks and BBq areas, good toilets and loads of parking.
Continue reading "Serpentine Falls Closed - Brain Eating Bacteria"
Plastic waste to Diesel fuel - I want one
Continue reading "Plastic waste to Diesel fuel - I want one"
bad weather research day - Plastic Recycling
OK so one of my pet projects I'm researching is building a plastics recycling station on the yacht to harvest the waste plastic we collect on out beach cleanups. Trying to workout how I can build small low power tools, the first being a plastics Shredder.
The last trip where I collected plastic from 26 beaches resulted in a massive amount of plastic collected, on one beach we collected over 250kg, there was no way to remove it so in the end we burnt it on the beach and removed a 10L bucket of plastic sludge after 5 hours of a ragging toxic fire.
It was the best of many bad choices, do you bury it, heap it and tell authorities, try cut it up with hand tools and bags it but we had everything from car fenders to discarded rubber tenders. Our solution worked but next time I hope to shred it and then use it on a recycling project.
Continue reading "bad weather research day - Plastic Recycling"
New Project fix the Injector Pump
Well today in Hervey Bay we have some wild weather and storms, so its time for an inside job. The injector pump I first noticed leaking in PNG about Aug last year. not really the place to pull down the pump so I just put a container under the leak and captured about 10L a day as we motored back to Australia. We had 5 days of zero wind glassy seas and every drop was needed, as it turned out I only had about 10L of diesel when I landed in Townsville. Found this fantastic video on how to repair the CAV rotary injector pump after several quotes for $2500 for a recon one, this kit is only $50AU
Diving in PNG, Rabaul and Kokopoo
Rianne Who sailed to PNG has just started to upload all her videos on diving in PNG, diving in Simpson Harbour on WW2 US warplanes and Japanese ships.
She also has some amazing video of Japanese Tanks sitting on the bottom as a result of sunken ships on the North Coast of New Britain PNG
Varnish or oil the teak trim
I decided when I purchased TINTIN to strip the varnish and only oil any teak trim, I dont have much but the toe rails and cockpit trim still needed to be oiled twice a year, I pressure clean the dirt and then new oil.
Now I find the oil has created a problem the cockpit trim is cracking where people step or sit. The oil has made it weaker were the varnish was stronger. So I have decided to go one up and use a clear 2 pack polyurethane.
I have got one coat on but so far it is a huge improvement, I also spent a day re-gluing the trim with an epoxy glue, sanding and prepping. Last night after the rain I got some 600 grit wet and dry and gave it a light rub getting ready for some more good weather, it needs about 5 hours to set and I need another 2 coats.
Boat jobs always take twice as long and cost more than you expect.
Hervey Bay Marina shallow entrance
I find myself acutely aware of the tide in Hervey Bay as I am now moored near to the entrance of the marina.
I find marinas an interesting place to visit, you get good, bad and just plain dangerous. In my opinion all marinas should be navigable on low tide. Sadly this is rarely the case, most are impacted by silt or mud.
Hervey Bay had been good but recently the entrance to the marina is getting silted up and this impacts all keel boats on low tide.
I would advise any keel yacht visiting Hervey Bay to check your tide they can be 3-4 meters an also very swift across the entrance to the marina. You need to plan for the high part of the tide I came in 2 days ago and I had 2.3m under my 2m keel at high tide. At low tide I can see the mud, cats drawing only 1m still manage to sneak thru.
On the up side I find the Great Sandy Straights Marina run by Deb and Bob a really well run, clean, friendly and well priced place to stop for a few days or longer. Decent people running a good sound business focused on the boats and clients staying with them. They could teach a lot of marina managers about managing a marina.
A real engineering firm still taking pride
Well I have searched high and low for an engineering firm that can make anchor winch parts and it now appears only a short drive up the there is a firm that has been in business for a very long time still doing exactly that creating, fixing and repairing boats and industry.
Well Mary borough has been building boat since WW2 infact used to build small coastal fighting craft.
Well I have been advised by Rob to bring as many parts with me as I can and photos and come have a chat before I rip the winch out. Love that have a chat, old school means they know their shit and makes me comfortable hearing.
If this works I will do a story on these guys, they also have a prop shop. love supporting skilled people.
Continue reading "A real engineering firm still taking pride"
Yacht Mast Inspection using my Drone
OK so another bloody horrible job I need to do is retrieve my main Genoa halyard.
The shackle snapped on the top of the furler in the middle of a 35 knot gale as I was beating back to Townsville from PNG. Easy roll the sail even though is was baggy, continue on with the staysail until the wind eases and I can drop the Genoa and raise with my spare halyard. Initially I though the Halyard snapped but no just a shackle which is now stuck at the top of the mast.
So before climbing the mast in this insane heat I decided my drone might do the job. yes it did just fine, simple to recover. Check out just one image, I took video and every angle in 2 mins job done. Now the climb, but its 38 degrees c hot and humid.
Anchor Winch Repairs
Owning an older boat always means improvising, owning an older from another country adds to the challenge.
What do you do when you cannot buy spare parts for your anchor winch, I own a Forward Aust anchor winch and can not even find it on google search, the winch is strong and dependable but started slipping in PNG as the brass clutch is getting worn and the chain gypsy will not lock correctly.
The common answer when ringing repair shops is you need a new winch mate. What happened to built for life, lazy pricks, so now I'm shopping around for an engineering shop whos still does engineering not just bullshit buy and swap repairs. I need a new brass clutch made old school measured turned on a lathe and fitted. I will let you know when a find a craftsman still taking pride in his craft.
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My Aries Windvane now has a new shiny raymaine S1000 autopilot to steer it when there is no wind. This is an additional backup to my other 2 systems. You guessed it I hate hand steering. -
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