Underway Today

One of the easiest Albemarle crossings I have ever done. The key is don't be out there in the afternoon. They Wright brothers knew what they were doing!

Taken by a friend today who I last saw in Maine. A typical chance meeting on the waterway. Also had a Grand Banks go by and compliment my minimal bow wake, cool!

Reminds me. I just saw on marinetraffic.com someone I don't know took a picture of us and added it to the vessel pics! Very neat!

What's a trawler?

Heaven on earth.

where are you at! so cool!

Beaufort, NC. Check out this beauty!

Thanks for all the photos. We are really enjoying them. Are you heading out this morning?

Transmission cooler failed!! Running on one now. Time to start flushing that tranny I guess!

Bummer!

I guess it's time to start flushing with new fluid. Any other stuff I should run through there first?

Thanks for the Beaufort pictures. We like Beaufort so much, that's what we named the dog. Good luck on the transmission cooler. I can only imagine with your boating experience and that massive DeFever engine room, you probably have a reasonable spares inventory. ADC is pretty fast when they ship in any event. Good luck.

Unfortunately no spare coolers on board. Good thing is we were starting a nine day period stationary so four new coolers are on the way. I figure if one went it's time to replace them all. I did learn it's a good idea to have plugs for the hoses so the coolers can be bypassed for short periods. Because I don't have plugs I'm not able to flush it because I need to start the engine a few more times today for close maneuvers.

What engines/gears? Usually takes about 4 flushes to clean them out. Need to run under a load right before an oil change to get the stuff mixed up.

Often you can take one oil hose and just jump across gear. So one hose loops from gear oil out fitting to gear oil in fitting. No extra fittings needed.

I had that happen on a run from San Diego to LA, about a 90 mile run. It took forever to get the milky crap out and I had to replace the front seal also. Salt water doesn't lubricate seals very well.

Ski in NC said:

What engines/gears? Usually takes about 4 flushes to clean them out. Need to run under a load right before an oil change to get the stuff mixed up.

Often you can take one oil hose and just jump across gear. So one hose loops from gear oil out fitting to gear oil in fitting. No extra fittings needed.

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Good tip. I have done both, bypassed coolers because water flow issues and oil/water issues.

American diesel was emphatic about not eliminating either cooler, but bypassing and light load travelling to get to repair facilities shouldn't be a big issue.

I plugged the cooler and looped the tranny. Now I need a gallon or two of fluid to flush.

I bought a case of the quart plastic bottles and it wasn't enough.

Daddyo said:

I plugged the cooler and looped the tranny. Now I need a gallon or two of fluid to flush.

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Velvet Drives? (Mine with my ADC engine) Anything unique to these that I (selfishly thinking) should look for?

Thanks.

Yes VD. There isn't any warning. You should replace them at 1200-1500 hours. I didn't!

Marine traffic has you stuck in one spot for over 24 hours while saying you are going 0.58 kts/159 degrees.

Daddyo said:

Yes VD. There isn't any warning. You should replace them at 1200-1500 hours. I didn't!

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i had 4000 hrs on mine no problem??

Daddyo said:

Yes VD. There isn't any warning. You should replace them at 1200-1500 hours. I didn't!

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The key to long life is a pencil zinc. If they came without one, but have a 1/8" or 1/4" drain plug, the plug can be replaced with a zinc. If no drain hole, most have a flat spot on one or both of the end caps that can be drilled and tapped 1/8" fpt. With a zinc, the life should be similar to your heat exchanger. I replace the zinc annually as there less than $10.

Ted

Daddyo said:

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When are you headed South again so that we can continue to cyber-stalk your adventure?

Headed back to the boat Sunday and underway Monday. Come tag along.

Wrightsville Beach parade 30 feet of the stern. Staying at a friends dock who's hotel was the host for the event!