Smokin' is bad for you...

[Hendo78]

Old mate that posted this has gone a bit quiet. You think he's sorta kinda wishin hopin he'd spoken up ? Lolololol. Ah well we all make mistakes. Lets hope that (not just him) but everyone knows that it's better to speak up and say something to stop damage that could be sorted quickly than just sit back and watch someone's dreams go to poo. IMHO.

[AusCan]

"Which begs the question, sea cocks - to leave open or not?"

I'd suggest - Close, but hang a "Do Not Operate" tag on your ignition/starter whenever it is in an unsafe condition to start.

[RickB]

Originally Posted by Hendo78

Old mate that posted this has gone a bit quiet. You think he's sorta kinda wishin hopin he'd spoken up ?

More likely wishing he had kept his fingers off the keyboard and not published his inaction.

[Hendo78]

Originally Posted by sunchaser

Which begs the question, sea cocks - to leave open or not?

Depends on the application. Seacocks feeding into or out of a closed system, like the engine cooling system, are almost always left open.

Seacocks connected to something open, such as a sink drain, can be opened up in port but probs best to be closed when at sea. The reason for this way of thinking is that when the boat is level, the drain or other opening will always be above the waterline, and so water will only flow out. At sea, when the boat rolls in the waves, the opening may sometimes be below the waterline so If the seacock is open water may flood the boat.

But in this case if its just sitting there why not leave it open?

[psneeld]

my preferred method is to close and red tag if away from the boat more than a short period of time

[Marin]

Originally Posted by Northern Spy

I wouldn't ask a cleaning lady to start my engine.

Nor would I own a Carver...

No argument with either statement. However I would have-- and have-- pointed out the lack of cooling water no matter who was on the boat. When we start our engines one of us goes back and watches the exhaust until we see a proper flow of water ( and also to look for signs of rust in the water). Then we start the second engine and do the same thing.

But if we were at the dock or moving through the marina and someone noticed that we didn't have a flow of cooling water coming out one or both of the exhausts I'd sure as hell want them to tell me about it even if their observation was wrong. Same with the generator exhaust.

If the cleaning ladies or whoever don't want to do anything about it that's their choice. But I believe they should at least be made aware of the situation.

[Marin]

Originally Posted by sunchaser

Which begs the question, sea cocks - to leave open or not?

We have eleven holes in the bottom of our boat and one in the side just below the waterline. All of them have seacocks all of which except the main engine intakes are kept closed at all times unless we will be using them in the course of using the boat. When we are done using the boat any that we've opened other than the main engine seacocks are closed again before we leave to go home.

[rwidman]

Here's the original post:

Sittin' on the sundeck enjoying 80 degree plus weather and an adult libation, when I noticed two cleanin' ladies board the 40' Carver sundeck behind me, start the engines and go below. I noticed no water comin' out the starboard exhaust. It started steamin' and then later, puttin' out some blue smoke. Finally, the engine started stumblin' and the cleanin' ladies cranked up both engines and shut 'em down (real good for the turbos.) I wonder if they'll tell the absentee owner anything or let him find out for himself?

Now he (we assume) never said how it was determined that they were "cleanin' ladies". Perhaps they were wearing uniforms or had mops and bucket in their hands.

Someone posted that it must be a charter boat to have cleaning ladies. Friends of mine at my marina had a cleaning service clean their 40' boat every two weeks. They were in rather poor physical shape because of illness and other medical conditions so they were unable to keep it as clean as they liked themselves. So - it didn't have to be a charter boat.

There is a company based at my marina that details boats and employes women as detailers. There's another female owned and operated boat detailing company that comes around from time to time to work on people's boats. Two females on a boat don't have to be "cleanin' ladies".

Many folks believe that boat engines should be run every week or two and that puts absentee owners in a position to have someone start and run their boats. Perhaps these ladies were instructed by the owner to start the engines. Perhaps someone else had been working on the boat and left the seacocks closed.

I think the OP was wrong for not at least warning these "cleanin' ladies" about the problem. Maybe the fact that he was enjoying an "adult libation" (or two or three) had something to do with it.

[ancora]

Let's say we are all in a private marina, owned, operated, and maintained by the membership. You have a member who takes advantage of all the amenities provided by the club but does nothing to help keep it running. Do you owe any loyalty to the parasite?

[LarryBud49]

Originally Posted by ancora

Let's say we are all in a private marina, owned, operated, and maintained by the membership. You have a member who takes advantage of all the amenities provided by the club but does nothing to help keep it running. Do you owe any loyalty to the parasite?

Why is he/she a parasite? Are the dues paid? Assuming they are, then are there any rules being broken? Does the private marina require participation, or have expectations of a minimun number of voluteer hours? If not, then aside from keeping your own slip area presentable and not doing anything to harm or infringe or your neighbors, what's the problem? Some people don't have the time, capabilities, personality, or inclination to participate in group activities. Even if there are known, even written expectations, even if the dues are overdue, even if the guy is an butthead, I would still say something to save the boat. Two wrongs still don't make a right.

[Moonfish]

Indefensible.

[AusCan]

ancora - If I were you I'd just lie low for a while and hope this thread drifts into the back pages.
It would be nice if you reflect on what has been said and you realize that most people are fairly decent human beings who look out for one another; but somehow I doubt it.

[FF]

The very concept , ideling the engines at no load frequently , is a DISASTER !


Doesn't matter who does this foolishness , the engines will not live long and prosper.

The owner needs to be informed of more than just a overheated engine!

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by ancora

Let's say we are all in a private marina, owned, operated, and maintained by the membership. You have a member who takes advantage of all the amenities provided by the club but does nothing to help keep it running. Do you owe any loyalty to the parasite?

How is this related to the topic?

[Hendo78]

Originally Posted by rwidman

How is this related to the topic?

I think the only parasite here is ancora

[JD]

Originally Posted by ancora

Let's say we are all in a private marina, owned, operated, and maintained by the membership. You have a member who takes advantage of all the amenities provided by the club but does nothing to help keep it running. Do you owe any loyalty to the parasite?

So let's say you are correct in your evaluation of this member. What is being done to get rid of the member if he is such a bad member?

1. The BOD writes to the member and confronts him.

2. Fire bomb his boat.

3. The BOD votes the member out or buys him out.

4. Fire bomb his boat.

5. Let his maid service destroy his engine and then the boat can't be moved. That will make him leave.

6. Fire bomb his boat.

Childish behavior at best. Although I'm sure you like 2-4-6 boats near to the boat on fire are subject to loss as well. You might keep that in mind.

[ancora]

Let's get back to the owner, who cares so little for the welfare of his boat engines that he is willing to let the cleaning ladies(yes, they were the cleaning ladies) run up his engines every two weeks, for months on end. If he doesn't care, why should anyone else? Some of the responses got me thinkin' I hit a nerve here. How many forum members also trust their boats to cleanin' ladies and dock rats?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by ancora

Let's get back to the owner, who cares so little for the welfare of his boat engines that he is willing to let the cleaning ladies(yes, they were the cleaning ladies) run up his engines every two weeks, for months on end. If he doesn't care, why should anyone else? Some of the responses got me thinkin' I hit a nerve here. How many forum members also trust their boats to cleanin' ladies and dock rats?

You would have done better by letting the thread die on its own.

[JAT]

Originally Posted by Moonfish

Indefensible.

I agree 100%!!

There is no way that I could sit and watch something go wrong that would result in damages to someones boat or property without giving a warning or at least trying.

If my engine(s) were not pushing water out of the exhausts when they are running, and I don't catch it....I can only hope that someone will yell, point, jump up and down...whatever... And I would be very grateful for the heads up.

Its a question or matter of "human decency"......

[Underway]

....a few years ago there's a nasty three day blow on Lake Michigan. The marina came alive with four foot rollers pouring in through the shipping channel and bouncing off the other end of the harbor. Total chaos in the anchorage and at the marina. Boats (40-50 footers) are smashing against their docks, lines parting, cleats ripping out of hulls.

We're the only live aboards in the marina, so my spouse and I are out in the middle of the night trying to secure other people's boats (absentee seasonal slip owners). One trawler is rolling insanely and smashing against the finger pier. I notice the wood trimmed hand rail on the starboard side is beginning to bang and chafe against a dock piling. The sawing action was headed for the hull once it finished with the railing. At risk to life and limb I leap aboard during one of the violent slams against the finger pier and haul in windward bow and stern lines to get the boat away from the dock. The following week the owner shows up and complains that I should have taken action sooner as a piddly piece of teak trim was beat up. Given his attitude, I have trouble picturing myself taking a risk for that particular boat owner in the future.