Momma said there'd be days like this...

...but I didn't know it could last for weeks!

I've been enjoying my boat for 10 years and about 6 months ago, felt I finally had the boat 'dialed in' for my style of cruising and fishing. Then about a month ago the failures started to stack up on me.

Here's a summary of my latest trials...

1. Port oil cooler leak - cooler bypassed to get home, then replaced.
2. Stbd fuel tank leak - inspection plate installed and tank sealed with aviation grade tank sealant. (caused by bottom tank growth with crevice corrosion)
3. New port oil cooler leak-failed bracket caused wear through cooler exterior, replaced again with new bracket

Then, just this past week...

4. New start fuse blown-new install, used wrong 50A fuse,,removed fuse and will replace with 200A
5. Head diverter valve handle broke-disassembled valve cover to turn valve with pliers, will replace
6. Port fuel shutoff solenoid spring broke (engine wouldn't start)-repaired with safety wire
7. Shower sump failed-replaced pump with same symptoms, hoses verified clear, suspect hose leak on suction side.
8. Port fuel shutoff solenoid failed (engine wouldn't shut down)- need to diagnose
9. Stbd shift cable broken-came home with stbd engine fwd only -replacement cable on order

So now I've got several days of work to get the boat back into proper working order. Thank God I'm retired and have the time to devote to supporting this vessel! I hate to imagine the costs if I had to hire out the parts and labor to a local boat yard to keep her shipshape.

Ain't trawlering grand?

Hey..... My motto is " buy a boat and have fun".

Too bad. Wish you the best.

As the broker said when he sold me mine, "it's a boat"!!!!

That's a big list Al . Glad you're retired also . Wish I was . At least you don't have to winterize. That's what we did today .
Good luck with the repairs .

Bummer Al - and none of those items on your list are the 'sparkly' things that can be seen . Wish I could come out and give you a hand - I might learn a few things also

Look at the positive side, doing this you get better knowledge of your boat, and there is a good chance that what you did will last years so checked out of your todo list

L

Thanks for the support, guys.

Winterize? I didn't think you'd have to do that in TN. Can't the boat stay in the water with an ER heater? We are blessed in Northern CA with the variety of destinations and no winters.

Yes, it's nice being able to do this myself and learn new skills...some I never even thought I'd need. FC, if you're ever looking for a weekend of 'skills enhancement', let me know. I'm sure we could come up with a few challenges.

Having never worked with cables and shifters before, I'm working through the process in my head. Tight working space under my console is an issue.

Maybe I'll post a new thread on the fuel tank repair so others might benefit. It was an interesting process and so far, great results. I believe wxx3/Richard on Dauntless did something similar a year or so ago. I even added a sight tube on the stbd tank during of the repair!

After 10 years of ownership. I'm approaching the point where I'll soon be replacing parts I replaced a decade ago when the boat was only 30 years old.

FlyWright said:

...After 10 years of ownership. I'm approaching the point where I'll soon be replacing parts I replaced a decade ago when the boat was only 30 years old.

Click to expand...

She’s got good bones and look at it this way, if you have to do it again, you’ve beat the actuarilty tables.

Before you pull the shifter cable housing out, tie a substantial string to it. I may be valuable when re-installing the new cable.

Al, there's nothing like knowing your own boat and all it's little tweaks.

Al, sorry that those repairs avalanched on you like that. Hang in there!

That tank repair sounds interesting. Please post details when you get a chance.

Thanks.

When replacing a fuel tank, there is nothing wrong with replacing one tank with two cross connected tanks approximating the volume of the single tank. The two tanks maybe easier to manipulate into the space. So now, you have 3 tanks approximating the volume of 2 tanks.

I have a two for one deal going on my boat.
For every one thing I fix, two more problems will appear within the hour.

FlyWright said:

..........


2. Stbd fuel tank leak - inspection plate installed and tank sealed with aviation grade tank sealant. (caused by bottom tank growth with crevice corrosion)
..........

Click to expand...

Al,

What sealant did you use?
I've used Flamemasters CS 3204 MIL-S-8802F (now AMS-8802). Works reasonably, but that was 12 years ago. And was for a rubber fuel bladder in a plane. There are other manufacturers of the same MIL-S-8802F products.

Perhaps there are better products out there now.

Would be an interesting narrative of how you made the repair.

Thx

"Before you pull the shifter cable housing out, tie a substantial string to it. I may be valuable when re-installing the new cable."

Plan B is simply to install a second cable at the same time.

Shift and throttle cables come in multiple grades , perhaps a step up?

FF said:

"Before you pull the shifter cable housing out, tie a substantial string to it. I may be valuable when re-installing the new cable."

Plan B is simply to install a second cable at the same time.

Shift and throttle cables come in multiple grades , perhaps a step up?

Click to expand...

Either plan might work.
I would still suggest dragging the string through too, for the future.

Sorry for your troubles, Al. At least you know you’re fixing everything that’s likely to break in one fell swoop. Yeah, right . . .

Seevee said:

Al,

What sealant did you use?
I've used Flamemasters CS 3204 MIL-S-8802F (now AMS-8802). Works reasonably, but that was 12 years ago. And was for a rubber fuel bladder in a plane. There are other manufacturers of the same MIL-S-8802F products.

Perhaps there are better products out there now.

Would be an interesting narrative of how you made the repair.

Thx

Click to expand...

The stuff we used to use for sealing metal aircraft tanks was called PR-1422. Its a two part sealant and we used it for things like windscreens as well. Outstanding as a sealant and from memory it came in different grades with different cure times.

If you were new at this I’d say “welcome to boating(!)” but as you are not, I would contemplate changing all your engine control cables now as they are all the same age and “while you’re in there...”

Yes, I used the Flamemaster CS 3204 tank sealant. It's nearly identical to a product called ProSeal which has been used in aviation fuel tanks for decades.

I'll start a dedicated thread for the fuel tank repair.

"9. Stbd shift cable broken-came home with stbd engine fwd only -replacement cable on order"

In a huge plug for twin engines, my shift cable broke at the first overnight anchorage on a solo 4 day fishing trip. I left the stbd engine in fwd and continued fishing, including changing locations and re-anchoring throughout the next 3 days. Then I came home on both engines and docked on the port engine only. If I needed stbd fwd, I could start the stbd engine in short bursts. As it turned out, it wasn't needed.

Back into the slip with a swish! Nothing but net.

Got my new 16 ft cable from Amazon yesterday for less than $50 and my 300A fuse arrives tomorrow, so I'll be heading back for repairs as ASAP. With any luck, we'll be fishing again in a week.

Oh, to be sooo good. re your port engine issue; had the same thing on Scooter. Turned out to be feedback thru the alternator keeping the solenoid circuit alive; bad diode. Have lots of fixing to do as well; won't be missing any boating for the next few months; guess that could be denial, or a positive spin on winter. Happy Holidays

FlyWright said:

Yes, I used the Flamemaster CS 3204 tank sealant. It's nearly identical to a product called ProSeal which has been used in aviation fuel tanks for decades.

I'll start a dedicated thread for the fuel tank repair.

Click to expand...

Yes please post. I too have been plagued by a leaky tank recently. Would the sealant work on a old steel tank ?
Thanks

Robvald said:

Yes please post. I too have been plagued by a leaky tank recently. Would the sealant work on a old steel tank ?
Thanks

Click to expand...

Here's a link to the fuel tank sealant repair thread.

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s32/diesel-fuel-tank-sealant-36019.html#post616576

It's important to mention that this product is for sealing the tank and not for restoring structural integrity to a structurally compromised tank.