Californian Manuals Discussion

[FlyWright]

They can now be posted here, too, Larry. We used to have issues with pdf files. They now seem to work fine.

Thanks for the great manual, TG!

 

[bayview]

Didn't read all the posts but IMO what the boat maker installed doesn't matter. Boats get heavier and add windage as they age and stuff is added. You need to get a clean bottom and refurbished props by a propscan shop and work with them to get the correct pitch for the boats present condition. what some other guy has may not be meaningful vs your boat today.

Dont worry about some smoke for now. Dont add any new fuel just use up what you have then add small amounts of new fuel a few times to flush the system . Change filter as needed. Dont warm up the engines in the slip. Start and go at low speed until they warm. Diesels often wont warm up unless loaded.
After all that is done then ask about any smoking, if any.

 

[STB]

Quick Update

Hi everyone,

Recall that I have a 1977 42' Californian with the 185HP Perkins 6.354MGT engines. I'm burning what I think is decades old fuel, the engines start instantly, and have white smoke (but not steam) at the slip, which seemingly cleans up underway. Upon returning to the slip after a work-out, there is still some white smoke, but much diminished, all injectors show the same temperature from the outside with an IR thermometer, and the tachs seem to be reasonably consistent with a hand-held optical tach. I'm seeing 2050-2100 RPM WOT under load and 2800+ out of gear. The boat does move more than full-speed, 14+kn, WOT, but gets some grey in the smoke just as I get to WOT ROMs. (I know I shouldn't do that often. I just did it a bit to measure performance). The boat has 23x21x1-3/8" props, which according to the build sheet post here, is most likely how it was originally delivered.

My goal is to eliminate any graying of the smoke at WOT, get the boat to the spec'd RPMs, and hopefully let the white smoke clear up with eventual new fuel.

My mechanic told me that over-pitching props isn't uncommon because it lets them run at lower RPMs and therefore quieter. The prop shop said the same thing, except that some people do it to try to squeeze out a little better performance at higher speeds.

When I got the props hauled, they were too rotted to be worked, so they are being replaced with new ones. The yard advised against trying to find used ones and then tuning them.

Based upon what the prop shop tells me, I should go to 23x19x1-3/8" to get the spec'd RPMs into the correct range, which should improve fuel economy and engine life, and eliminate the grey smoke entirely. They said, if I'm unhappy with the new props and decide that I want to split the difference and go to 20" pitch, they'd discount repitching them to $150/prop.

I also need a strut replaced, so it'll be about 3-4 weeks before the part comes in and I have the boat back. I'll post an update then. But, in the meantime, did want to share what I learned, in case it is helpful to anyone.

Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[Baker]

Hi everyone,



Based upon what the prop shop tells me, I should go to 23x19x1-3/8" to get the spec'd RPMs into the correct range, which should improve fuel economy and engine life, and eliminate the grey smoke entirely. They said, if I'm unhappy with the new props and decide that I want to split the difference and go to 20" pitch, they'd discount repitching them to $150/prop.

I'd say take them up on their offer. I think it is good advice. There is a good chance that grey/black smoke is due to being overpropped and getting the right props on there will hopefully cure that. It also will add to engine life if you are going to operate in the upper range of the engines.

Get the new props...new fuel...and take it from there.

BTW, it is not at all uncommon to have white smoke on start up, especially in cold weather, as long as it clears up when at operating temperature. Mine smoke like crazy in the cold but clear up quite quickly and are totally smokeless at operating temps.

 

[STB]

Cleaned up "Californian" Owner's Manual

Hi all,

I took the Californian manual that was earlier very kindly posted here, converted it to an MS-Word .docx file, and cleaned it up so it prints neatly and is searchable. I also added the kit build sheet that was posted here to the back of it. I then converted it back to a searchable .pdf file.

Please find attached the .pdf file. I'd like to also upload the .docx file, but it isn't letting me do that, and a bunch of the formatting gets lost if I save it as a .doc file.

If anyone happens to have powers to add .docx to the legal extension list for uploads, that would be wonderful!

Cheers!
-Greg