new windless and mission creep

Unclematt · Sep 13, 2021

The original Vetrus windless had gotten so weak it could not pull the anchor over the roller. I researched the forum and decided on a Lofrans Tigres. I also wanted to replace the relay with the new one that came with it. I figured it should take 1-1/2 hrs to do the R & R. Well boat time must get measured like boat bucks. The Vetrus was two wire and the Tigres is three so new wire time. The wire fit in the chase but the chain had moved the chase enough that the 3 wire cable would not get through. Ok I pulled out 250 ft of chain to access the bottom of the chase. At this point why stop now so I opened up the hole under the chase enough to push the chase through a good inch to make sure it stays put then I epoxied it in place. Well the stopper block was to big and was wedged in the bottom of the locker and had some of the chain jammed under it. Time for a new proper size stopper block. A look at the deck switch wires showed multiple repairs so new wire there too. Tomorrow I will get it all hooked up and running if all goes well.

Comodave · Sep 14, 2021

I am glad that I am not the only one who’s projects take many times as long as I think they will. Sorry for your pain, hope it goes better.

lwarden · Sep 14, 2021

Don't even talk to me about "mission creep", I'm the Zen master of that phrase....

Current one is: let's get the salon AC to work off the generator.
- Might as well improve the ducting while I have it out and add an actual filter on the return.
- Oh wait, the wiring and breakers are all screwed up, got to fix that too.
- Wires are too short for the new location so have to make new wiring harness and extend 110AC.
- Drain line too short so need to extend that too.
- Hard start capacitor didn't cut it so now have to install a Micro Air soft start.

And to top if off it's located in the forward part of the flybridge which is a bit** to get at. Unfortunately, the blood on the deck is not from a fat tuna, but from a fat me after being cut up on unseen sharp thingies.

I'm beginning to think I hate myself....

Juliet 15 · Sep 14, 2021

What you experienced with your A/C unit is known as "Yak shaving".

It's Saturday morning and you have decided to mow the lawn this morning. As you enter the garage to get the mower you realize you loaned the mower to the neighbor. As you start across the street to ask for it back you realize you still have his cordless screwdriver. You turn around to go get the driver. As you enter the house again you remember your wife attempted to use the neighbors screw driver as a hammer with predictable results. Crap. You grab your wallet and keys to head for the Home Depot to buy a replacement cordless drill/screwdriver. While you're at Home Depot your daughter calls to ask what time she and her family should come over today to celebrate your wife's birthday. Crap. You play along as though you knew it was today and are eventually successful in wheedling out of your daughter what your wife really wants for her birthday - a really warm pair of slippers covered with Yak hair. You spend hours searching all over town looking for them only to find the one place that sells them is out. The clerk confides that the slippers are just regular Walmart slippers with Yak fur contact-cemented on. "Takes 10 minutes per slipper, it's easy!" he says. There's a Yak farm an hour south. You buy the slippers at Walmart and some contact cement at Home Depot, then head for the Yak farm.
It's 5 o'clock in the afternoon and you find yourself standing out in a field shaving a Yak, thinking to yourself, "All I wanted to do was mow the lawn."

Boat repair is just a form of Yak shaving.

Comodave · Sep 14, 2021

Juliet 15 said:
What you experienced with your A/C unit is known as "Yak shaving".

It's Saturday morning and you have decided to mow the lawn this morning. As you enter the garage to get the mower you realize you loaned the mower to the neighbor. As you start across the street to ask for it back you realize you still have his cordless screwdriver. You turn around to go get the driver. As you enter the house again you remember your wife attempted to use the neighbors screw driver as a hammer with predictable results. Crap. You grab your wallet and keys to head for the Home Depot to buy a replacement cordless drill/screwdriver. While you're at Home Depot your daughter calls to ask what time she and her family should come over today to celebrate your wife's birthday. Crap. You play along as though you knew it was today and are eventually successful in wheedling out of your daughter what your wife really wants for her birthday - a really warm pair of slippers covered with Yak hair. You spend hours searching all over town looking for them only to find the one place that sells them is out. The clerk confides that the slippers are just regular Walmart slippers with Yak fur contact-cemented on. "Takes 10 minutes per slipper, it's easy!" he says. There's a Yak farm an hour south. You buy the slippers at Walmart and some contact cement at Home Depot, then head for the Yak farm.
It's 5 o'clock in the afternoon and you find yourself standing out in a field shaving a Yak, thinking to yourself, "All I wanted to do was mow the lawn."

Boat repair is just a form of Yak shaving.

Good one.

ofer · Sep 14, 2021

you all are killing me with laughter.

certainly i can relate.

Simi 60 · Sep 14, 2021

Unclematt said:
The original Vetrus windless had gotten so weak it could not pull the anchor over the roller. I researched the forum and decided on a Lofrans Tigres.

Why wouldn't you fix it?
It was working fine once.
Possibly something simple.

twistedtree · Sep 14, 2021

Simi 60 said:
Why wouldn't you fix it?
It was working fine once.
Possibly something simple.

But that would take less than three days...

Yesterday I spent the whole morning fishing a wire three feet.

lwarden · Sep 14, 2021

I think we have discovered a common symptom of the disease.
Yak shaving, I won't forget that one!

rwidman · Sep 14, 2021

Yes, boat projects often take far longer than planned. I installed a two wire terminal post the other day to correct a temporary repair I had made several years ago. I had used two bolts and nuts to reconnect the wires to the windlass I had to replace while cruising. I couldn't get them undone with a wrench and pliers, I had to crawl out from where I was and go to the tool box and get a socket set. Then I had to go back to the tool box for wire cutters to cut the wire ties I had used to secure the connections so they couldn't touch each other.

Then I dropped one of the screws for the terminal block down into the bedding so I had to lift the mattress up and root around for it.

When I went to tighten the nuts on the new terminal block, they were metric so I had to crawl out and go to the tool box and get my metric sockets.

Once I was finished and closed the door to the anchor locker (which holds the TV), the windlass worked, but the TV didn't. I had accidentally disconnected the antenna connection when I moved it.

BTW, it's a "windlass", not a "windless"

rwidman · Sep 14, 2021

Simi 60 said:
Why wouldn't you fix it?
It was working fine once.
Possibly something simple.

Yes, if it used to work, it should have ben repairable.

And it's always easier to replace a failed part with an identical new one if possible.

GoneDiving · Sep 14, 2021

Ii was having problems with paint adhesion to many, many layers of old paint. Just blast it off so that we can paint direct on to bare metal, I thought.... Let's not discuss all the sins that were hidden under those layers ?

SteveK · Sep 14, 2021

rwidman said:
............

BTW, it's a "windlass", not a "windless"

Are you sure, I think it is windless when it is struggling to get the anchor over the roller.

rgano · Sep 14, 2021

lwarden said:
Don't even talk to me about "mission creep", I'm the Zen master of that phrase....

- Hard start capacitor didn't cut it so now have to install a Micro Air soft start.

Yup, the hard start capacitor route is a far cry from the function performed by the micro-processor based Easy Start and the competing Smart Start.

Unclematt · Sep 14, 2021

The Tigres is working only at the deck switches right now. What is left, well I need to wire in the helm switch. secure the wires and clean up before Dock Girl (That is what I call my wife) sees the mess.

jclays · Sep 25, 2021

ITS A BOAT!!! it will always take longer and you will have to do a parts run.

Andy G · Sep 25, 2021

Simi 60 said:
Why wouldn't you fix it?
It was working fine once.
Possibly something simple.

Not always the best option though.We spent $450 having the old Lofran Tigres repaired. It has never worked satisfactorily since. The housing won't seat properly, leaking oil etc. Good money after bad.

The new Tigres is still boxed up in the forward cabin waiting for us to be allowed out from lockdown to do the install. One good thing though the new Tigres winch's are quite a bit more powerful than the old models. So hopefully that should help to get the Rocna over the bow roller which the old winch started to struggle to do.

While were are at it we are going to replace the metal bow rollers with quieter nylon rollers.

lwarden · Sep 26, 2021

rgano said:
Yup, the hard start capacitor route is a far cry from the function performed by the micro-processor based Easy Start and the competing Smart Start.

So the Yak shaving is done and I have to say I'm really impressed with the Easy Start I put in. The AC used to peg the current meter at 50 amps but now it doesn't go past 10 when starting up. It was expensive but at least it works well and I can now run the AC off the generator no problem.

Just in time for winter

rgano · Sep 26, 2021

lwarden said:
So the Yak shaving is done and I have to say I'm really impressed with the Easy Start I put in. The AC used to peg the current meter at 50 amps but now it doesn't go past 10 when starting up. It was expensive but at least it works well and I can now run the AC off the generator no problem.

Just in time for winter

If you are running a reverse cycle machine, you will continue to enjoy that Easy Start.

new windless and mission creep

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