New Owner of 1987 Island Gypsy 36

Vadim,how about pics of the 7 batts location and 2 extra fuel tanks across the ER.

Well, here is my post weekend report. It was total of 9 nine batteries on board in 4 four different locations. Port engine side has fiberglass batteries holding box had 2 parallel connected batteries, under the generator same size box had 2 batteries, one was connected to generator and the other one was parallel connection to stb side batteries bank of 2. But then there was another location of 3 golf cart type batteries parallel connected together (6 volt) and then in serious connected to stb bank of 3 parallel connected 12 volt batteries. Complete nonsense. All of them were removed. All jerry-rigged wiring as well were removed. Now I only have 3 batteries one per engine and one for generator. The result is a beautiful weekend on water. New xentrack truecharge 2 40amp 3 banks was installed with remote panel. Well I was not imagining such smooth start. Single turn of starter and both engines were running, two spins on generator and it was alive and happy. Honestly I think she likes me. I give her well needed bath and off we went for 3 hour ride. which was nothing but joy. She behaved very well. At first both engines produced allot of white smoke. 30-40 min on water and everything cleared. I opened throttle up to see how she would behave. Well she was trying to go on plane. I found out that the most comfortable rpm is arround 1600. She was doing 8.7 knots without any struggle and we'll leveled.
I have to correct myself about water tanks. There was total of 3 stainless steel tanks. One under each bed in the aft cabin and one in lazaret. Fuel tanks ( I was correct) all four of them are in the engine room. As I was told side port and stb tanks are called day tanks and two center tanks are storages. All I have left to figured out is the fuel system. I know for sure that there is no fuel transfer/polishing system between the tanks. And there is somewhat complicated fuel distribution valve system. That is the only thing left on my list.
I will update this thread as I go. I have to learn how to post pictures an videos here. Many thanks to all of you. I am sure I will have more questions.

Greetings,
Mr. V. Atta boy! Keep at it. 9 batteries? NINE ? Shocking!

Good progress Vadim. I suspect there is an interconnect/equalization between at least the 2 standard fuel tanks.
You seem to have taken the batts back to the likely original design and now have no dedicated house bank. What you had was a good idea in principle, if not execution, There is a reason they were there, other than ballast.
As you are now using the boat you will be using the refrigeration system? Eutectic? Otherwise it`s often the major demand on your battery system. The PO was using all those batts for something.

Any solar panels fitted?
Have the (probable) incandescent 25watt 12v house light bulbs been replaced with LEDs?If not, it`s an easy rewarding fix.

At least it doesn't look like this. Not mine BTW!!!

Cripes!

That could almost qualify for the Darwin Awards.

I can’t even joke about that picture

BruceK said:

Good progress Vadim. I suspect there is an interconnect/equalization between at least the 2 standard fuel tanks.
You seem to have taken the batts back to the likely original design and now have no dedicated house bank. What you had was a good idea in principle, if not execution, There is a reason they were there, other than ballast.
As you are now using the boat you will be using the refrigeration system? Eutectic? Otherwise it`s often the major demand on your battery system. The PO was using all those batts for something.

Any solar panels fitted?
Have the (probable) incandescent 25watt 12v house light bulbs been replaced with LEDs?If not, it`s an easy rewarding fix.

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BruceK would you be kind to drop the link to where I can buy the LED replacement bolbs.
No solar panels fitted.
As far as house battery and refrigerator. I noted that 3 zone AC, refrigerator and stove while running on generator do not produce significant load on 120 volt system. Generator fuel consumption is somewhere near 1 Gph. I am not planning to run generator all the time. Refrigerator is dual voltage. I also noted that alternators doing pretty good job charging batteries. I am planning to improve her, but first thing first. Gotta bring her home. It will be a great 2-3 week journey from Tennessee river to Chesapeake Bay.

Vadim said:

BruceK would you be kind to drop the link to where I can buy the LED replacement bolbs.
.

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http://marinebeam.com

Is a good high quality source for LED's

Since IG's seem to be semi custom made and you don't have a reliable PO to ask you will need to get with a knowledgeable friend and start from scratch. Make a drawing of all mechanical systems and every hose that goes to each component and the purpose of the hose. Label all of the hoses. Do the same with major wires. Seven batteries seems like overkill unless they are six volt golf cart batteries and are hooked in series. As a previous navy machinist mate this is the way each new crew member learned the engine room and fire room. No previous crew mate would answer any questions until you were finished mapping everything out. It was tough love, but it worked and it sounds like it may be your only option.
Are there any other similar size and age trawlers in your marina? Particularly Taiwan built boats. If so, get friendly with the owner, buy him a few beers and ask for some help with your drawing.
good luck
John

Vadim, I found LEDs on Ebay,years ago. From memory they are E27 but check,they are a screw fitting. All 6 at once use less than one of the bulbs replaced.
Jonma, IGs don`t start semi custom, though they may get that way after owners play with them.They were built by the Kong & Halvorsen partnership.Joseph Kong was ex GB and built a business with Halvorsen. Initial build was in mainland China from the late 1970s, the boats were completed in Hong Kong. The result is more GB than "Taiwanese Trawler".
The wiring is well executed, the battery set up is consistent but unusual;on twin engined IG36s, 2 8Ds serve start and house,plus a genset start batt. The Owners Manuals include wiring and plumbing diagrams. A shortcoming imo,is no dedicated house batts, which Vadim`s PO probably tried to remedy.

Here is what i do not get it. How does it work? Any help appreciated.

What is interesting about this fuel system setup is that it clearly shows returns to 4 tanks. The supply on the other hand is some what a puzzle. Any of you seasoned captains may have any idea about it. It is very sad that the PO does not have any idea about it. He never used the boat more than few hours a year.

Hi Vadim,

Welcome to the Trawler forum. Our vessel is a Halvorsen / Island Gypsy/ Kong , 57, I believe a similar design and Build? We have 6 Fuel tanks carrying 6,500 litres and our fuel Manifold is similar.

Return is very simple, just open the valves on the tanks you would like the fuel returned to. In most cases it will be the nominated tanks you are running from or if you want to change trim you can distribute the Fuel / weight back to say one of the other tanks.

On the Fuel supply side can you get a better photo or sketch which pipes go to which valves, as the photo is not clear, i.e. the bottom valve appears to have a feed from either side and I am guessing it is not connected to the other side valves, but only the top valve? If you can clarify this I may be able to assist ?

Regards Chris D Liberty.

Hi Vadim,

forgot to ask , do the tanks themselves have a on/ off valve at the tanks on the supply line ? We have these also , which I assume where put in as a safety factor in case of a fuel loss event in the manifold, filters, etc.

regards Chris D Liberty

Thank you Liberty2015. I finally got it. For some reason or the other all my four tanks are connected together. Out of each tank the outlet with valve come to a T which is looping the entire fuel system. actually it is kind of convenient because you do not have to closely monitor your small day tanks.
Well we start our move from Tennessee to Maryland.
First leg we manage to go to Savannah, GA. 1756 miles, 2 weeks.

It is now September...... What happened ? Where is the rest of the story? Ugh!!!!

We made it home safe and sound. 3 weeks and 2600 nautical miles trip. Learn everything that it is to learn about my new boat. Great times.

That's awesome!! I am going to look at an island gypsy 36 next week. How is yours on fuel? Waves? Following seas? ECT.... Thanks, jay

Vadim said:

Hello everyone,

I just bought my dream boat. She is 1987 Island Gypsy 36 with twin Super 225 Lehmans and 6.0 Westerbeak generator. I am just getting acquainted with all schematics and controls. If anyone has one of her sister boats and can help me with a few questions that I have, I would mega appreciate. I would like to understand her fuel system which is four giant tanks. Electrical system. Basically any info will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

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Congratulations - I have an IG 36 classic.

What is she equipped with?

Slow Motion said:

That's awesome!! I am going to look at an island gypsy 36 next week. How is yours on fuel? Waves? Following seas? ECT.... Thanks, jay

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We went through several storms on our way home. I wouldn't say that we were 100% comfortable. But we made it. 2600 nautical miles in exactly 3 weeks.

I can tell you one thing she can take more than I can. Boat that is. everything is what 36 feet trawler was built for, she Is doing and doing well. Fuel consumption overall is 5-5.5 gph. Running both engines and occasionally generator. Speed overall about 9-9.5 knots @ about 1400-1450 rpm.

Now one thing to say on my boat I have monster power engines Lehman Super 225 combined 450 hp's. Why, I do not get it. I did try once to run her @ 2000 rpm. She was trying to get out on plane and the wake OMG. She was producing tsunami. It was fun. It was in in Florida when we were running late for the last lock before the lake Okeechobee.

Great trawler, I like it. Comfortable and stable. Definitely different and slower than any cruisers I owned before. But that is exactly what I was looking for.

Yes, the hull design & length at 36' seems to indicate that the 225hp engines were an indulgence, or perhaps Halvorsen bought a job lot, & used them on the later IG's. The usual 120-135hp FL seem better suited to the boat, simpler engines, more economical.

Still, in some situations the extra grunt may be good to have.

Vadim, that's one hell of a shake down cruise, 2,600 miles in three weeks.That would take me a year or two to clock up those miles.

Well done.

Some later IG36s had Volvos,one even has 250hp Volvos. Another was advertised with 200hp Volvos and trim tabs. As Vadim has a pair of 225hp Lehmans,trim tabs might be the way to exit tsunami mode and get it on the plane.
But,a planing IG36 just seems all wrong to me. Plodding yes, planing no.

BruceK said:

Some later IG36s had Volvos,one even has 250hp Volvos. Another was advertised with 200hp Volvos and trim tabs. As Vadim has a pair of 225hp Lehmans,trim tabs might be the way to exit tsunami mode and get it on the plane.
But,a planing IG36 just seems all wrong to me. Plodding yes, planing no.

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She is equipped with rather large trim tabs and surprisingly they work. I did not feel any help other than kipping nose down. I will upgrade the controller to an automatic one, but I do not know if it will help me in any way. She is a little to short and wide for this engines set. I am thinking to maybe recalculate props going from 3 blade to 4. But I was told that will not help me in any way. But I love this boat and she is a kipper.

Andy G said:

Yes, the hull design & length at 36' seems to indicate that the 225hp engines were an indulgence, or perhaps Halvorsen bought a job lot, & used them on the later IG's. The usual 120-135hp FL seem better suited to the boat, simpler engines, more economical.

Still, in some situations the extra grunt may be good to have.

Vadim, that's one hell of a shake down cruise, 2,600 miles in three weeks.That would take me a year or two to clock up those miles.

Well done.

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American Diesel engineer that I spoke with suggested to bypass intercooler this will bring the horse power down to about 180 hp per engine which is well more than this boat need.
As far as 2600 mile trip. Well here is the short story. When I went to Tennessee for the first time to see her, I was not thinking about how am I gonna move her to Maryland. Only when the deal was made and money exchange hands only then I realized that she is too big to travel by land. Living her in Tennessee was one option, but it was a 510 mile one way trip. Getting captain and lose all the fun, was one option, or moving her by myself get acquainted with her and have fun. Hoped that she was seaworthy and mechanically sound to make this trip. Well she is in Maryland. We had small moment resolution of which was the fuel filters change. I do believe we got bad fuel in Florida. And that is it.
One sad thing, I was thinking to video this trip but it kind of went ...
We made few photos of locks, rivers, dolphins, ICW. I will post them later.

Vadim said:

We made it home safe and sound. 3 weeks and 2600 nautical miles trip. Learn everything that it is to learn about my new boat. Great times.

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Hi, sorry I didn’t see thread earlier but have been in my 36’ IG Europa (purchased last August) since the first week in June. Left NH then and headed for Hudson River, then up Hudson to Erie and Oswego canals. Then Thousand Islands to Kingston Ontario and Rideau Canal. From Rideau to Ottawa and on to Montreal. Then to Chambly Canal to Lake Champlain and down Champlain Canal and back to Hudson. Down Hudson to Atlantic and south to Cape May, NJ. Up Delaware Bay to C&D and on to northern Chesapeake Bay where she sits today. Left her there and came home to NH to wait out Florence. Heading back to her on 10/1 and on to ICW to FL.

My boat has 1 8D for starting the single 315hp Cummins 6BTA. 1 group 31 for 6KW Westerbeke, 1 each 8D for bow and stern thrusters, and 2 8Ds for House, all AGMs. I have a Magnavolt 2.5KW inverter/charger. I have 2 250w solar panels.

Boat has 2 227 gal fuel tanks (outboard on each side) and 2 95 gal water tanks (1 in lazerette and 1 under forward berth). During trip I ran engine at 1500 rpm 8 knots and averaged about 2.5 gph. I have trim tabs (God only knows why) but never used them.

This was my first trip with her and everything ran great. Got into some snotty weather coming down N.J. coast and she did fine. Never used any oil, changed it and transmission oil after 200 hours and oil analyses came back great.

She’s been a great boat, absolute pleasure to run and live on. Now looking forward to rest of trip and winter in FL (west coast).

I have original manuals for everything including the IG manual. If I can be of any help just ask.

I apologize for this stupid question, but just need to know. Why people paint prop shafts and props? Is it must, just because or mistake? I haul my boat out for the winter and start prepping her for some cosmetics repairs, major cleaning and bottom job. Well first thing that I notice is that props and shafts are both painted. I clean them using wire brush power tool. It was painful due to an extremely thick coat or more of paint and some kind of primer coat. I would like to hear your opinion.

Some of my pictures from the trip and haul out.

This is somewhat location dependent... I use to keep my props raw (no coatings), but would dive under 3-4 times of year and scrub them clean. Now I have Petit coating sprayed on and it keeps the running gear clean from growth.

Vadim said:

I apologize for this stupid question, but just need to know. Why people paint prop shafts and props? Is it must, just because or mistake? I haul my boat out for the winter and start prepping her for some cosmetics repairs, major cleaning and bottom job. Well first thing that I notice is that props and shafts are both painted. I clean them using wire brush power tool. It was painful due to an extremely thick coat or more of paint and some kind of primer coat. I would like to hear your opinion.

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