First night on new (old) boat.... LOW BATTERY!

[Bigfish]

Ok, it's 5:30 am, first night on 42' Formosa Double Cabin after two weeks in the yard getting the bottom painted and a few other odds and ends. Prior to that was the sea trial and the survey where almost everything worked.

First, I connected my shore power, everything looked ok on the panel. Turned on Batter Charger, then fridge. Fridge went on ok, then tried airco... Went on but no water came out the side as it had two weeks ago so I shut it off. Very warm in here tonight, so I went and bought a fan. Turned on the AC in the salon and plugged it in, fan works, computer and phone are charging, galley lights work but salon lights don't. I go to bed with the fan running, fridge running. 4:30 AM I wake up to "Low Battery" beep and voice, but I can't tell where it's coming from. It happens about every 5 minutes. I check the panel and i turn off everything but the battery charger and it's still going off. Would that warning be for my main batteries? If so does that mean my charger is bad or batteries? or both? Or could it be a Carbon Monoxide warning thing? I've just got a funky flashlight so I haven't pulled up the floorboards as I wouldn't know what I was looking for anyway. PO is coming over in a few hours but I'm up and it's annoying..

 

[Anode]

Get some coffee and wait for the PO.

 

[Bigfish]

Found the culprit... Carbon Monoxide Detector "hidden".. Battery terminals corroded. I knew this was going to be fun!

 

[windmist]

The "fun" is just beginning. It will take awhile before you become familar with all the systems and how they work. Just be patient and try to not get frustrated. You are lucky that the PO is close by and willing to help.

Ron

 

[healhustler]

You're going to be in a state of overwhelm for some time to come. Having to fix things is how you will learn, and eventually, the boat will be "yours" in a much different way. Welcome to boating.

 

[Art]

"Don't Worry... Be Happy!" You are now an official Pleasure Boater!!

Enjoy Your Boating Daze... things will eventually get easier!

Probably, that is - LOL

 

[rochepoint]

Welcome and enjoy!
Like life everyday is a new day, we have had our boat 18 years and this old dog still learns new tricks.............

 

[Bigfish]

Thanks all. I knew what I was getting into but I was kind of hoping for a better start. Maybe someone can help me with this new mystery.. My broker said the airco not spitting water was probably an airlock as it's been in the boat yard for two weeks. He explained how to get it going again but I haven't gotten to it yet.
Two weeks ago the boat was very clean for the survey and sea trial. Last night after the Boat Yard owner delivered it to my slip while I was out of town after it's new bottom paint, new zincs, and a new bolt on the swim step support, I came in and it looked like something had "exploded," in the galley. Spray pattern like an active bottle of champagne... Centered around the sink. Chunky white stuff in the mix felt like salt, like it was very salty salt water that had sprayed around then dried. On the walls, floor, counter, and ceiling... Forward head is the same way but worse! Aft head is worse still!

 

[Conrad]

It certainly looks to me like you've been vandalized, if the mess extends through a number of cabins. I'd get the police involved.

 

[RT Firefly]

???.....

 

[Ebaugh]

Assuming nothing was wet, my only guess is they were sandblasting a boat next to you with the hatches and ports open. But it's a low confidence guess.

 

[jeffnick]

Looks like the drains exploded up into the cabins.

 

[Anode]

Years back I had some kids break into my boat and set off the fire extinguisher. Made a real mess. Looks similar.

 

[Art]

Looks like the drains exploded up into the cabins.

In reference to jeffnick's keen observation of possible upward drain explosions... did the launching yard's lift drop your boat by mistake into the water from some unusual height, which depending on certain items may have placed extreme back pressure on some hose portions. Hope you have ins!

If this is the case - water egress could also have pushed water into your engines via exhaust, depending on factors.

Best Luck! Boat Buddy!!

 

[Nimble1]

Did they use a pressure cleaner to clean the bottom?

 

[motion30]

Did they use a pressure cleaner to clean the bottom?

That is my.guess

 

[Art]

Originally Posted by Nimble1
Did they use a pressure cleaner to clean the bottom?

That is my.guess

Then they shoved the pressure washer's wand into sink drain scuppers... well above boot strap??

 

[Anode]

Did they use a pressure cleaner to clean the bottom?

I think you're on the right track!

 

[Moonstruck]

Soda blasting maybe? Either on your boat or close to it?

 

[Nsail]

Odd. I don't see any of the white stuff in the sinks themselves. If it came through the drains, wouldn't you expect to see at least a little bit there also (unless it was so slippery it drained back out again)?

Did you clean them out before you took the pictures?

 

[Bigfish]

In reference to jeffnick's keen observation of possible upward drain explosions... did the launching yard's lift drop your boat by mistake into the water from some unusual height, which depending on certain items may have placed extreme back pressure on some hose portions. Hope you have ins!

If this is the case - water egress could also have pushed water into your engines via exhaust, depending on factors.

Best Luck! Boat Buddy!!

I had that same thought but for seawater to come in wouldn't it have to come in through the drains for grey water? Not sure yet but wouldn't those be on the side of the hull above the waterline?

 

[Bigfish]

Soda blasting maybe? Either on your boat or close to it?

I think this is the best guess. Or it's sandblast crap! There are portholes right above all the sinks. They probably left them open and didn't even notice it. I won't ever use this yard for anything again. They took a week longer than they promised and didn't even do half the things they said they were going to do. I told them to skip those things so I could get the boat back in the water where I'll do most of it myself.

They painted the bottom with two coats of some new "moderately priced" black Interlux, they supposedly re-bedded the secondary strut on one shaft that had a minor leak, and they replaced one bolt on the swim step support that was leaking and the total came to $4000.... As such, the whole in the water has opened and the draining has begun! It's the one drain that always flows freely.

 

[Bigfish]

Oh yeah, they replaced most of the zincs too.

 

[CPseudonym]

Welcome to boating Bigfish

 

[Bigfish]

Thanks Craig... Ok, now. I have the airconditioner guy coming over Monday morning to help me get my airco's working... One has an airlock that I can probably fix myself, unless they DID drop the boat from the hoist... The other one wouldn't work during the survey and both are 10 years old.. So, I'm pricing new air conditioners. Also, during the survey, the Raymarine r80? on the flybridge and the r70 at the lower helm both worked and the radar worked but the GPS would show position but not speed... 120 antenna?? So I'm thinking all electronics have come a long way in the last 10 years and these things may be dinosaurs.. I found out I'd need to do some "adapting," to use a new 130 antenna with my rn300.. So I'm thinking of upgrading to reliable without all the bells and whistles. Something I can plot with and something that show's me where I am and where I'm going. I haven't looked into my depth finder yet but that's probably another thing I should at least have a backup for.
Couldn't I hobble together a pretty decent system with a new laptop, a GPS antenna that works with it (USB3?) and a decent software package? What am I missing? Radar.. I do have radar that works with the old Raymarine displays so I'd rather not replace that just yet. Any ideas?????

 

[Conrad]

I'd still call the police...

 

[Art]

I had that same thought but for seawater to come in wouldn't it have to come in through the drains for grey water? Not sure yet but wouldn't those be on the side of the hull above the waterline?

Bigfish - Correcto peel... re grey water drains being above waterline (at least they had better be that way on a standard basis)!

But... what might occur if boat was "dropped" into water from too high is that the gray water drain holes just may become submerged for seconds due to boat hull plopping too deeply into water. The reverse pressure into the drains could blow water up and through into sinks; thus splattering crap that had lay dormant in the pipes.

I'm just conjecturing on this... but that might be the case???

Again, Good Luck!

 

[CaptTom]

BigFish, we're very close to the same stage as you with our boat; finding and fixing things.

Garmin has discounted the 740s chartplotter/MFD. Matched with their 18HD radome the whole package comes out under $2 BU. Apparently they're poised to release a new model and want these off the shelves. It's a good middle-of-the-road MFD, easy to use, and I think with a few extra components it should be portable between upper and lower helm. It'll work as a nice fish finder with the right transducer too, if you need that.

(BU, or Boating Unit, comes from the acronym BOAT: Break Out Another Thousand.)

The mess from the open port lights (or whatever) is the yard's responsibility. If nothing else, I'd get an estimate for the clean-up and send them a bill, preferably on your attorney's letterhead. And I'd never let the boat near that yard again.

 

[swampu]

BigFish, I would be mad as hell. I would guess that the drains were not working and someone dumped some chemicals down the drain to un plug the drain and then everything when boom. I've seen professional strength liquid plumber explode to cover the entire bathroom with funk. Check your holding and lines for rupture. Something bad happened. Good luck

 

[Art]

BF - My heart and mind break for you regarding this untenable mess ... especially with this happening to you as a "new" boat owner.

Having read everyone's hypothesis as to why/how this mess may have occurred, and having my own conjecture... I'll chime in with those who mentioned Get A Lawyer - and I add... on this pronto with lawyer letterhead sent to the yard holding them accountable.

Be sure to chronologically document all that happened regarding this circumstance as well as all other items that occurred with that yard. Also, having worked in yards for years in my teens and early 20's, I know how scuttle butt gets around fast in a yard when something unusual occurs. I would go to the yard on a quiet stroll through the yard and simply discuss with the general “yard hands” what they may have seen happen to your boat. Talking with boaters that may be on their own boats in the vicinity where your boat was on the hard, where it was put into water, and the slip/dock the yard kept it at soon as it was in the water might give you and your lawyer some leverage to work with.

Appears to me you need to go on a fact finding mission to uncover the truth.

Best Luck!