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Old 12-10-2019, 11:36 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garmstro55 View Post
What's the depth there, Seneca is pretty deep!
In that area not far from the "Navy Research Barge" about 500 ft +/-
Deepest is about 625 ft a little farther south.
A little trivia many don't realize is that the bottom of Seneca is below sea level!
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Old 12-11-2019, 04:56 AM   #22
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Perfectly acceptable to paint Bennett Actuators, including the shaft out the bottom, won't hurt them a bit. Looks like that actuator may be a standard full stroke (2.5") vs the OEM specified (1.75") which should provide better performance.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Olebird View Post
I read about the trim tab mod - certainly will be looking into that.
Photo:
Last bottom job got carried way with the paint. (who paints hydraulic cylinders) Hope I can clean up the trim tabs.
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Old 12-11-2019, 02:38 PM   #23
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Thanks Steve, I've had Bennett trim tabs on other boats - just out of habit I have never painted them. (Got busted once for painting things that shouldn't be - when a very young engineer - what do EE's know about paint).

Never had any kind of failure - so I've never had to dig into how they work. From your comment I take it there is no seal on the lower shaft that could be damaged by a layer or two of paint.


I have no reason to think these are not OEM originals. I read the post elsewhere regarding the longer stroke versions - will put the tape to them to see what stroke they actually have.
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Old 12-12-2019, 04:59 AM   #24
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You are correct, the seal is on the piston (5) not the shaft, and there is no seal at the bottom, the bottom half of the actuator below the piston actually fills with water and houses the return spring.

Mainship specified reduced stroke actuators (1.75" instead of 2.5" travel) on most models, this was done by making the stop sleeve (8) longer.


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Old 12-12-2019, 08:48 AM   #25
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hi,

we have about 6 rod holders on our 34 pilot. we use for a) barbecue grill b) loop fenders over c) loop "temp" line when docking.
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Old 12-12-2019, 09:13 AM   #26
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We will be crossing your path this weekend....moving my new boat from Destin to Orange Beach. Congrats on the new boat. As you see in my Signature, I owned a 2004 Pilot...great boat!! Super simple and super efficient and easy to maintain. Have fun!!!
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Old 12-12-2019, 10:11 AM   #27
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i hit enter too fast. we have made up "billaying pins" out of pvc pipe with end caps. these fit in the rod holders and allow tying lines around.
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Old 12-12-2019, 10:20 AM   #28
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Good morning. John you better put on your long Johns, a little nippy out this weekend. Have a safe trip and good luck with your new boat. Starlite is on the hard in Pensacola, having her bottom attended to. Will likely not get her back in the water until after the first of the year. John thanks for the note on rod holders. Was wondering if the standard fixture can be used to provide more hand holds - which the MS Pilot II is short of in its native configuration.
Steve, thanks for the Bennett documentation - learned something - always a good day when that happens.
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Old 12-12-2019, 03:13 PM   #29
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On my boat I use down riggers commonly, so mounting the plate for the down rigger gives me a mounting point for rod holders as well. Also mounts the Brutus line hauler for shrimping, so it's a three in one mounting point with no hole through the cap rail. The down rigger holds the rods, and when removed a rod holder (heavy duty, halibut strength) mounts into the pivoting mount which mounts the rod high enough not to interfere with the cap rail (Scotty down rigger and rod holder).
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Old 12-12-2019, 03:22 PM   #30
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I also have a uhmw plastic fish cleaning table that drops onto my stern mount for the down riggers, and water wash down next to it. The small stern of the double ender had me mount a stainless steel plate off the cap rail, drilled and tapped for the down rigger mounts
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Old 12-12-2019, 04:49 PM   #31
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With a "ToDo" list like you have, when do you plan on enjoying the boat?

Seriously, my boat is larger and older than yours and probably in poorer condition but if I was to compile a list nearly as comprehensive as yours I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Mine is just an old plastic boat, basically a cousin to leisure suits and old bleach bottles. It will never be perfect but it sure does get used!

P.S. I know fiberglass is not akin to polyester or plastic but you get the idea..

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Old 12-12-2019, 04:53 PM   #32
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Thanks AKDoug, neat setup on your Willard - and some beautiful scenery to boot!


Really thinking about adding rod holders to support something like this

https://tinyurl.com/wu5bkum

from Amazon, to be used a hand hold or billaying pin (in lieu of a usefull cleat). Just don't know how much load a typical rod holder can handle.


Photo: Tennessee River Gorge https://www.trgt.org/


Alaska is not the only beauty queen in these United States. If you have time to cruise up the Tennessee while you're out "Doing the Loop" at the corner of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee you will pass thru the deepest river gorge east of the Mssy. Yesterday this was covered with a 4" blanket of snow - the sky was clear and vis unlimited!! Fantastic!!
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Old 12-12-2019, 05:09 PM   #33
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Hi Pete,


Actually that's Rgano's list, not mine. No telling how many man hours he has in his boat. I'm gonna cherry pick his projects for now!


Bye the bye, I suspect your plastic boat is closer to "polyester" than you might realize!!
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Old 12-12-2019, 11:06 PM   #34
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Most rod holders aren't designed to take the kind of load you are likely to put on a lever that long. I would look for a design that mounted in more than one contact point (rail and bulkhead) if I were going to put any weight on it. JMO
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Old 12-13-2019, 08:25 AM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete Meisinger View Post
With a "ToDo" list like you have, when do you plan on enjoying the boat?

Seriously, my boat is larger and older than yours and probably in poorer condition but if I was to compile a list nearly as comprehensive as yours I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Mine is just an old plastic boat, basically a cousin to leisure suits and old bleach bottles. It will never be perfect but it sure does get used!

P.S. I know fiberglass is not akin to polyester or plastic but you get the idea..

pete
Yo Pete, my list daunts even me when I look at it now, but you have to understand that just two weeks before I bought this Pilot in July 2015 I had just sold a GB42 I had spent 29 years getting squared away. When I picked this boat up after its lift had been installed here at home, the batteries were dead, and there was only the one bank of two Group 34s. The boat had never been upgraded nor updated from the production craft that Mainship threw out the door in 2005, and we all know that boats off the factory floor are seldom set up optimally. It was a barn-kept boat in like new condition, but unreliable from several points of view. This being an unacceptable situation, I immediately began a reliability improvement program which included rip out of the Micro-Commander shifter and replacement with Morse system, the diode-based isolater, installation of a house bank and ACR with major rewiring, and new battery charger before I ever got the boat underway a second time after arriving home with it. All the other projects took place over the last four years and have tapered off to about zero now. Plenty of enjoyment of the boat, both as a "messing about" hobby as well as underway has been had in the meanwhile. Being retired with no other hobby and with a boat just hanging there out my back door, whatdaya expect me to do?

I have two empty slips beside the lifted Pilot, and since it no longer needs any improvement................ Maybe you should drop by with your boat so we can spend some of your money messing about with it.
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Old 12-13-2019, 11:33 AM   #36
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Doug, agree completely. Just wondered if anyone on here had tried it. Surprised to see that big handle on Amazon.

On to plan "B".


Rich - "Mess'in About & Spending $$" - Should be forum topic - all its own!
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Old 12-13-2019, 12:11 PM   #37
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Hi Rich, Thats an offer I can't refuse, I'll be there Tuesday. Clear your schedule for the next four months. We should have my boat looking great by Spring.

Just kidding, my boat is on the hard about 2,000 river miles from you and covered and surrounded by about 3 feet of snow. But I could start a list from home...

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Old 12-13-2019, 03:55 PM   #38
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Mainship Pilot 30 II upgrades

I purchased my 2001 Mainship (292 hours on engine) in August 3 years ago. The first thing I did was make a new rudder that was airfoil shaped with a 5:1 leading edge ratio and 1-1/2 times the surface area of the original spade rudder . I had very limited steerage under 5 knots with the spade rudder, even with using the bow thruster. The 2nd upgrade was a fresh water flush system for both the main engine and generator. This extends the life of the heat exchangers on the engine tremendously, and gives you extended life on the engine zincs. Cosmetically, I built a new mahogany swim platform and added mahogany trim on the cabin sides that is fastened on with Velcro. I just pull it off in the fall at haulout and I have the whole winter to put a maintenance coat of varnish on it in the warm shop. I have done many other upgrades too numerous to mention, which hopefully has added some value to the boat. I have numerous pictures of all my upgrades however being new to this forum I am not sure how to attach them.
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Old 12-13-2019, 06:58 PM   #39
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Hi Charlie, good to meet another MS Pilot Owner. I'm learning more & more about these little boats every day here on the Trawler Forum. Really want to know more about the mods and improvements you've made to your boat and certainly welcome your contribution. Tremendous amount of knowledge and experience on the forum with MS and a wide array of other power and sail boats. I think I have the photo thing figured out. Be happy to help you with that - if I can.
Very interested in your rudder mod.
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Old 12-24-2019, 08:39 PM   #40
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Update and Happy Holidays to all.

Thanks to all who took the time to offer suggestions and information on my Mainship Pilot project - STARLITE. The "to do" list is long enough to keep me busy till Spring and beyond. The bottom job has taken a little longer than normal due to cold and wet weather in Pensacola. As it stands today most of the yard work will finish up this week. Should be back in the water shortly after the first of the year. First order of business will be troubleshooting & repair or the windlass and ground tackle, thorough inspection of the Engine spaces (can't call it an engine room), and overhaul of the Nav/Com systems.

Cruise plan for the new year includes a few day trips and overnights between Apalachicola and Biloxi, a run up the Tenn-Tom to our home port of Guntersville, ending the season with Fall Color cruises on the upper Tennessee.

Thanks again, hoping for a great 2020 boating season for all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the crew of STARLITE.
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