Update on Russian Trawler#2

Hey All!

Hope you are having a great 2021!

I am checking in so you don't think we've given up, although not much has happened. We've been locked in the ice for the last two months.

With no power on board we have had to rely on the wood-burning furnace to keep us going. It works great, but as previously mentioned it goes through wood pretty quick. Fortunately, we've been able to feed all the parts we are discarding into the flames. The boat has been eating itself these past few months.

So, updates:

I took some significant time to get certified in MIG and stick welding. I have a few weeks to go to get TIG certified, but I may not bother. Russia is one of the few countries where you can actually buy a bottle instead of renting, but I don't think I want to haul around big bottles of CO2 or Argon. Stick works, but it's more of an art.

I put together an Arduino based water alarm and a Raspberry Pi based OpenCN plotter with an SDR AIS system. We are pretty far from needing a plotter, but on those days it was too cold to work I needed something to do. Will only use the OpenCN for a backup.

We pulled the floor, pulled all the ballast (in a 14 ton boat), used the grinder on the ballast and the bilges, then antirust, then two coats (at least) on both the ballast and bilges. Laid plastic down between the ballast and the floor of the bilge to make me feel better about everything. We now have the prettiest ballast in the entire Baltic. Prove me wrong

Broke down and bought a diesel generator. Air-cooled. It will go in the engine room. Hear me out and I would like your thoughts if you think it is incredibly dangerous for some reason. The PO had an air-cooled GAS generator in the engine room for 10 years. I figure switching to diesel is at least a little bit better? Anyway, I don't intend to run it often, but we need it right now and, here's the rub - a water-cooled marine generator would cost as much as the boat. I have a big engine room that is being insulated soon, so I think it will be ok. Not great. Exhaust is vented out the side.

I have engaged Pacific Yacht Systems to help with the electrical system. Yes, that PYS with Jeff Cote. They've been great and I am waiting for the final design to start the install. The electrical system will definitely cost as much as the boat, but there isn't a way around this for what I want to do.

Mainly, it's been a big rust-fest in the bilges, grinding away. Finished today, and we are starting to get our first temps above freezing. Hope progress will accelerate from here on out as we can work without waiting for everything to heat up/thaw out.

I know you don't care about all these words. You came for the pictures.

Here you go:

I fixed the orientation of a few images and added some more. Forgot to mention I also cut the awning off. I will build a new one and use solar panels as the roof. Eventually

That wrench in the bilge should be painted orange. You WILL be looking for it some day.

Solly said:

That wrench in the bilge should be painted orange. You WILL be looking for it some day.

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Lol. We kept that wrench in homage to the three bags of wrenches (about 25 in each bag) that were being used as ballast. I decided not to paint 75 wrenches, but kept one as a representative. We also have an old clothes iron in there and a about 100kg of the weights used by the old divers with the big brass helmets that hung on the chest. There is also a broken gear puller and a million other oddments of various description. If I hadn't had to grind, treat and paint each one, it would have been a lot more interesting.

The iron, the diver's weight and other nonsense...

The ballast is gorgeous . You'll probably spending lots of time down there just admiring it !!

chiropaul said:

The ballast is gorgeous . You'll probably spending lots of time down there just admiring it !!

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I honestly, from the bottom of my heart, hope to never see it again.

"The electrical system will definitely cost as much as the boat, but there isn't a way around this for what I want to do."


Please share , what do you want to do , that is so expensive?

Easy way to remove rust from iron is soak in diluted muriatic acid. Will look like new in short order.

Greetings,
Mr. b. I've found that vinegar (10% sol'n) sometimes known as "cleaning" vinegar does a good job of dissolving rust AND it's safer to use than muriatic (Hydrochloric-HCl) acid. I usually soak overnight (8 hours, or so).

About the only advantage I can see with using HCl is removal speed can be faster with increased concentrations. I'm still worried about the safety aspect of working with concentrated HCl unless you can buy it in a form that is already diluted BUT that surely would add to the cost.

FF said:

"The electrical system will definitely cost as much as the boat, but there isn't a way around this for what I want to do."


Please share , what do you want to do , that is so expensive?

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Its a complete rebuild and upgrade. 10 group 31 AGMs (2 for start, 8 house) is a big chunk. Victron Quattro inverter/charger and all the other Victron components, bus bars, etc. 24v, since my starter is 24 volts, but I will also need a DC to DC converter to get to 12v for lights, etc. Set up for alternator, generator and solar charging. Complete rewire.

And all of this is imported, so it is significantly more expensive here (sometimes as much as 1/3 more). When borders are open I can drive to Finland and buy everything there, but I can't wait that long because a lot of other things depend on the electrical system. Meh.

It’s been a bad winter for many around the world.
Even here in the mild PNW.
But you’ve definitely made a lot more “hay” this winter than I.
Love your thread and yes the pics but mostly the Russia content.

bayview said:

Easy way to remove rust from iron is soak in diluted muriatic acid. Will look like new in short order.

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Thanks to you and RT Firefly for the tips! This is great and I will definitely use this. But when I said antirust I actually meant rust converter. It is a different thing, no?

Nomad Willy said:

It’s been a bad winter for many around the world.
Even here in the mild PNW.
But you’ve definitely made a lot more “hay” this winter than I.
Love your thread and yes the pics but mostly the Russia content.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

Regarding Russian content, feel free to ask about anything you have a specific interest in. There's plenty to tell. From the boat purchase, registration, getting my skippers license, the welding classes, life in general. It's so different than what I expected and even though there are challenges, I am glad I am here. I really love the people/cultures here.

Regarding winter (and other inconveniences), I have adopted the Russian philosophy of "and what?".
"It's -23 outside. The boat is frozen in the ice. Everything is more difficult" "And what? It's winter. It isn't a surprise. Get on with it."

Is the ballast secured some way? If the boat should take a big roll, will the floor plates hold it in?

Greetings,
Mr. TAG. Yes, rust converter is a different animal. Vinegar and HCl will remove rust but not offer any protection for subsequent rust formation. As a matter of fact, the metal is so clean it re-rusts almost immediately. Used to know a bit about rust converters but that was 30 years ago. I'm sure technology has advanced since then.
POR15 is an excellent rust paint. https://www.por15.com/

Lepke said:

Is the ballast secured some way? If the boat should take a big roll, will the floor plates hold it in?

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Hi Lepke! Currently, no. I am thinking about that very thing. I want to wait until I have the bulk of the new things in place, as it will likely mean some shuffling in ballast placement. Then figure out how to secure it. Was thinking about stout floor plates or a steel wire mesh on the substructure. Would be very interested in your thoughts.

I did read the MVWeebles thread about securing ballast. Seems it isn't unique to this boat.

Hey RTF,

I can't access the site from here and this product doesn't seem to be available in Russia.

"since my starter is 24 volts, but I will also need a DC to DC converter to get to 12v for lights, etc."

Here in the US , many large trucks and buses have the same need.


The equalizers are very robust and last longer than the vehicles so are available in local wrecking yards.

Battery Equalizers - Vanner

vanner.com › battery-equalizers

My ballast is similar. But it is comprised of 10mm sockets

Hold off on buying batteries until you need them. They may be fresher plus you and your sweetie wont stumble over them.

Did she pick the colors for the ballast? A bit of abstract art?
How was the ballast secured before?

I wouldn't worry about the air cooled genny. Lots of the older two stroke diesel main engines were air cooled. They tend to be noisy and some will vibrate but use insulated rubber mounts and deal with the noise.

Good Luck to you.

pete

I agree w Pete,
Air cooling is definitely noisy .. all those fins buzzing and radiating noise.
Fuel efficiency will suffer too. Old air cooled VW’s never got over 25mpg mostly due to the air cooling. The fins are a heat sink (of course that’s their job) but these engines are heat engines and any heat lost .. is heat lost and efficiency too.

TheAtomicDog said:

Hey RTF,
I can't access the site from here and this product doesn't seem to be available in Russia.

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On my steel boat the ritual I used was: needle gun or blast off the rust;
phosphoric acid then water rinse, when that dries use 2-part epoxy paint.
I never liked that POR-15 was UV sensitive and sometimes formed a layer that could
peel away from the steel if it was not applied perfectly. 2-part epoxy was the answer.

Not to be nosy (which I'm now going to be), but what do you do in Russia? I think you stated earlier that you are a US citizen? Are you currently working, or a student or something? Are you planning on relocating to England as part of a job? Might make a difference in how much work you will want to do in Russia, if you will be relocating to England soon . . . . for instance with respect to the electrical upgrades.
Last time I was in St. Petersburg, it was still called Leningrad! . . . . There, I've just dated myself!

OldDan1943 said:

Did she pick the colors for the ballast? A bit of abstract art?
How was the ballast secured before?

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Yes, she picked the colors and does all the painting. I do all the dirty work.

The ballast was secured the same way it is currently secured...gravity

Pete Meisinger said:

I wouldn't worry about the air cooled genny. Lots of the older two stroke diesel main engines were air cooled. They tend to be noisy and some will vibrate but use insulated rubber mounts and deal with the noise.

Good Luck to you.

pete

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Thanks Pete and Eric! I have read multiple times on this forum about not having generators inside the boat and it is apparently not allowed in the US(?). This makes me feel a lot better. It is loud, but I don't intend to use it often or for very long. Time will tell.

@KnotYet

This is great advise. I intend to pay for the exterior paint. I assume your plan would also work on the interior? Right now I am grinding, rust converter, acetone, epoxy enamel paint (2 or 3 coats). There is no paint on the interior steel, so needlegun has been unnecessary so far. Rust is mostly superficial so I address with grinding.

slowgoesit said:

what do you do in Russia?

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I was CEO of an IT company (hired, so no sweet exit). Now I am a VP at a company that has offices here and scattered all over Europe, but based in Ft Lauderdale. They want me to move there eventually, but my plan is to move around Europe on the boat for a year or so first. My job is not really location based. Need borders to open soon.

Anyway, cutting my teeth in the Baltic, especially between here and Finland, may change my plans significantly

Edit: Suddenly reminded of the quote from Samuel Clemens, "The surest way to hear God laugh is to state your plans out loud" or words to that affect...

TheAtomicDog said:

Yes, she picked the colors and does all the painting. I do all the dirty work.

The ballast was secured the same way it is currently secured...gravity

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It is very colorful Thank her for me/us.

I guess the deck plate keep the ballast from jumping up and down and shifting too much?

What's next?