Greeting to you all

[Tootles]

My wife and I are new boaters taking it up after we retired. We searched high and low for a NT 26 but could not find one we liked so we at a weak moment had one built! We take her to Florida in winter and then back to Canada in the summer on Lake Erie. We have never towed anything before either! Talk about leaning curves! Last Oct we joined some other NT s and motored from Rock Hall MD to Faro Blanco in Marathon in the Keys a wonderful trip. We then went up the west coast to Punta Gorda where we have a small home with a small slip but our Tootles fits in easily. Wishing I had found you before all the advise here would have been gratefully received.
We have a Onan 5KW GE set that eats impellers and I am finding it very frustrating. Speedseal does not make a cover fit the Hypro pump fitted to the Kubota engine in the Onan does anyone have any ideas?
Once again Hi to everyone what a great forum to hear and see all the experiences that everyone has. Jan and Jim

 

[Steve]

Congratulations on the NT . How long, operating hours, are the impellers lasting before being "eaten up".

 

[Tootles]

Thank you so very much for your interest! I am now on number4 and it is a 2015 model. Maybe 50 hours so far on generator , l cannot find the hour meter! We have 500 now on the engine and no problem. Jim

 

[gaston]

Welcome


Love the idea of towing a boat that size around Australia out of interest what dose that rig weigh

 

[Tootles]

Tootles weighs 11600 almost empty and the trailer is 2000 lbs. Quite the load to start out with but getting used and comfortable with it all. J

 

[FlyWright]

Welcome to TF! I wonder if your genset impeller is running dry after a haulout/relaunch and is frying the impeller.

I changed out my bronze phillips head screws on my Jabsco water pumps with SS knurled head allen wrench heads. It's much simpler to loosen and tighten with the combo allen wrench/fingertips. No worries about corrosion as they are very close on the noble metals chart and they stay dry during pump operation.

It's no SpeedSeal, but you can't beat the price.

 

[Off Duty]

Welcome and enjoy the site.

It looks like a great setup!

Trailered Trawlers have gained mine and my wife's attention recently, and we hope in the next few years to own one. We are sort of leaning toward the OB's vice IB's, but if the price and build are right, hey I'm ok with it.

That trip from Md. to the Key's sounds awesome!
How long did it take you and what path?

 

[Tootles]

Trip was down the ICW all the way inside as we were not troubled with the bridges or shallow water. We had a few 2 night stays and anchored out a lot as Canadians our dollar is taking a severe beating. Took 36 days that part but we spent 53 consecutive nights on her and we both and I mean that were very sorry when we got to our slip in Punta Gorda

 

[Tootles]

This is Tootles at Wrightsville NC

 

[markpierce]

Toot, toot, tootsie, good night.

 

[Tootles]

Thank you FlyWright. I was looking for the idea of the Teflon bushing on the cover plate which is supposed to allow the impeller to run dry for a longer time. Any idea as what to do on the re launch as I have had that comment before. I open the strainers after the seacocks and they seem to be full.??

 

[mbevins]

You might consider plumbing in a priming pump to prefill the main before starting after a relaunch.

 

[Tootles]

Hi mbevins Thank you for your interest. The engine has had no problems but only the generator. I was hoping for a simpler solution rather than cutting into the brass fitting to and from the strainer!

 

[Peter B]

Tootles weighs 11600 almost empty and the trailer is 2000 lbs. Quite the load to start out with but getting used and comfortable with it all. J

That's 11600 + 2000 divided by 2.2 = kg, Gaston. The North Americans are still back in Imperial units. So 6,181 kg = 6.181 metric tonnes = very heavy..!

The 26 ft yacht I used to tow all over NZ's North Island was about 2 tonne (4,400lb) all up. Wow..! You wouldn't tow that rig around a hilly country, for sure.

 

[Tootles]

I agree one know it is there even on my F 250 6.7 Diesel long base Supercab. We try and stay on the interstates as much as we can. Getting into hotels can be a challenge and fuelling is now just at truck travel centres![emoji28]

 

[BruceK]

The typical USA pick up puts the humble top selling Toyota Hilux ute (still the choice of insurgent fighters everywhere) to shame. The Dodge Ram is now being sold here, it`s a massive "ute" approaching what we call a "prime mover"(the loud part of a semi trailer rig).

 

[LaBomba]

Welcome Tootles, my home town is Harrow and spent many a day and some nights in Leamington and Kingsville in my younger years. Welcome to the forum and hope you sort out the genny issues. Great boat!

 

[O C Diver]

Welcome to the forum! I'm a big believer in spare parts. My spares are new or rebuilt. My recommendation on your water pump issue would be to buy a spare and install it. Sooner or later you would need to replace the original one from a bearing failure or being worn out. See if the new pump has the same issue. I would have a spare impeller for the original pump, but wouldn't install it until you need to use it. No point having the impeller blades all bent up for years before you use it.

Ted

 

[Tootles]

Thank you BruceK, LaBomba and O C . Your comments are well received and noted. I tried to get Onan to help with finding a pump that Speedseal could fit a cover but they were not interested in helping with that one!!

 

[O C Diver]

I have an 8KW Onan with the Kubota motor. Being in a sound shield, found it much easier to pull the pump (2 hoses, 2 bolts) to work on it. Would replace the screws with cap head (hex drive) stainless steel for easy removal. Pulling the pump when changing the impeller, allows me to check the bearings and seals for smooth operation as I can turn the shaft. Also easier to visually inspect the wear surfaces on the inside of the pump.

Ted

 

[Tootles]

OC thank you again. I have yet to do this myself but getting better! Mine seems to be the same setup pull 2 bolts and then the pump is exposed. One while leaving the hoses on! Are you saying to get the cap heads for the bolts or the cover?

 

[mbevins]

Welcome Tootles, my home town is Harrow and spent many a day and some nights in Leamington and Kingsville in my younger years. Welcome to the forum and hope you sort out the genny issues. Great boat!

It's a small world no matter where you are. I've lived in Windsor my entire life with family living in Kingsville for some 45 years as well.

 

[MurrayM]

Welcome aboard from the western edge

 

[O C Diver]

OC thank you again. I have yet to do this myself but getting better! Mine seems to be the same setup pull 2 bolts and then the pump is exposed. One while leaving the hoses on! Are you saying to get the cap heads for the bolts or the cover?

Not really a big advantage over the bolts as a ratchet with extension works fine on the bolts. For me, I see a big advantage on the cover. Just went and checked my new spare pump. It has cover bolts. The original spare had screws that I changed. If you have bolts in the cover, don't bother changing them to cap head screws.

Ted

 

[Tootles]

Again thank you so much mbevins for your kind thoughts. As you say what a small world

 

[Tootles]

Wow MurrayM good to see you even from that distance !

 

[Lou_tribal]

That's 11600 + 2000 divided by 2.2 = kg, Gaston. The North Americans are still back in Imperial units. So 6,181 kg = 6.181 metric tonnes = very heavy..!

The 26 ft yacht I used to tow all over NZ's North Island was about 2 tonne (4,400lb) all up. Wow..! You wouldn't tow that rig around a hilly country, for sure.

My 30 feet boat is weighting 6 tons (empty). With 150 gal of water, around 500L of diesel, all our stuff and my fat ass I guess it is around 7 to 8 tons, the heaviest being the wine bottles we need to stay alive during our cruises

L.

 

[Tootles]

Well one has to secure an adequate supply of the better things of live!!

 

[Art]

Welcome Tootles - You have great plan of action. Enjoy!!!

 

[mbevins]

Did I see your tug at St. Clair Marine by chance ?