Finally….A New Country!

We decided to stay an extra day in Mayaguana to get some rest as well as enjoy the spearfishing offered on the island.  Initially, we had planned to leave that night after a couple of hours of sleep and continue on to the Turks & Caicos, but after seeing the water quality (we dropped a quarter in 35 ft of water and were able to see it on the bottom from deck level), we couldn't resist exploring the reefs.  As well, our buddy boat, Sailboat Furminger has been having a bunch of mechanical problems lately, the most recent two being setting the engine room on fire while underway from Long Island to Crooked (a wire had shorted out and ignited their oil absorbent rag under the engine…see their site for more details), along with losing their throttle control cable also while underway from Crooked to Mayaguana, the day after the fire.  What had happened with the cable was that they had paid a marina back in Baltimore $4K for someone to install new control cables and a dual action control arm as their binnacle mounted controls had broken at that point.  Since they are new to the whole boating arena, they didn't notice that the mechanic had improperly routed the morse cables so that the throttle cable was sitting against their exhaust riser, which ended up melting and seizing the cable (you can't trust anyone!).  When Nico went to throttle back, he broke the control arm as well.  After they finally got anchored up later that evening, Frank was able to go over and jerry rig a simple system for them consisting of lines and pulleys so that they could again control their throttle from the helm.  The sea always manages to find the weaknesses in any system so it pays to be handy...

After a good night's rest, we spent the next morning hunting in some of the clearest waters we've seen so far.  Of course, the day's haul was stupendous, and we were able to spear some Slipper lobsters to boot.  Frank and I have been looking for these elusive Slippers now for many, many years (at this point, I'd say close to 10).  Ever since we've heard about these things, we have been hoping to spot one.  This time around, not only did we finally see them but we managed to catch 4, and they were absolutely delicious.  They are a lot like Spiny lobster in flavor and texture except a little sweeter.  They however don't hide in the same way Spiny lobsters do.  Normally when in search of Spiny lobster, we look under a rock or coral head, and they are usually just tucked up under there, sitting up, just staring at you, antennas waving around just waiting to be captured.  With Slipper lobsters we found that they usually cling on to the undersides of the rock/coral in a nook very well camouflaged, so when you're peaking into a hole, instead of looking down, you would look up and along the sides of the walls.  Though hunting them was slightly different than hunting Spiny lobster, preparing them was just as easy.  We simply steamed them and dipped it in melted butter.  In the same meal, we also prepared Stone crab, which were also just as delectable.  It was a real treat as crabs tend to be a little more rare.  I now know why they call them Stone crabs, as the shells on them are rock hard.  I lost one in a reef trying to spear it, with no luck as my spear wasn't strong enough to puncture the tough shell, and all it did was deflect off before the little critter ran away.  How frustrating!  Frank, with the better spear and skills, managed to spear one that Nico had spotted right between the eyes (as you can see from the photo). All in all, our brief stay in Mayaguana turned out to be very worthwhile, and I wish that our weather window wasn't so short so that we could've had more time to spend exploring this beautiful, remote island.  

They really look like slippers!

I love Mayaguana!!!

This poor crab didn't know what was coming….

After sharing our feast with our Nico and Lindsay, we took a nap and awoke at 11pm to continue on to the Turks.  With the winds at 10-15 knots on a close haul, we were able to have a beautiful night sail with a sky full of stars and a trail of phosphorescence in our wake.  Getting through Sandbore Channel proved only mildly challenging as the 10 miles of the shallow "channel" was sprinkled with coral heads, so visual piloting was absolutely necessary.  We are now anchored in Sapodilla Bay on Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos.  We will spend the next couple of days here awaiting another weather window to open up so that we can take our next passage safely.  I'm not sure what we're going to do in terms of fun activities as spearfishing is highly forbidden here and lobster season is over.  I'm sure we will find something…

Beach that we are anchored in front of….

Sunrise underway….

Chalk Sound, Providenciales

Passing Gas

With our return from NY, it was time to get down to some of the periodic maintenance we had let go during our extended stay on the hard.  Now that we are back in the water and the weather is starting to warm up, we thought it would be nice to have our dinghy at our disposal.  When we first moved down here, we had kept up with making sure to start our outboard engine at least once a month to be sure that the carburetor wouldn't get gummed up from stale gas. (Gasoline degrades to shellac when left unused.)  A carburetor is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine and if its not working correctly you're dead in the water. When we got on the hard, that motivation faded fast, and the maintenance got put on the back burner.  Bad idea!  Frank has spent the past couple of days trying to get our outboard started and running correctly. Before this, he has had very limited  (i.e. zero) experience with small gas engines.  At this point, he has disassembled, cleaned, and re-assembled the carburetor and fuel lines at least 4 times, re-gapped the spark plugs, and checked the impeller nearly as many times as well.  It turned out that aside from the initial dirty carburetor, a simple 10-cent O-ring in the carb was causing the engine to run poorly.  

As far as we understand, carburetors tend to be the main culprit when an outboard either refuses to run or runs poorly. Frank was a bit apprehensive when he started taking apart the carburetor for the first time without any instructions, so he made it a point to chronicle his experience in case anyone else out there is in the same predicament.  Our outboard is a 4 stroke Nissan 9.8 and should be the same as the 8hp Nissan as well as the 8 and 9.8 Tohatsu, though I'm sure this is relevant to a lot of other small outboard carburetors as well.   

The first step is remove the carburetor from the engine.  To do that, first, you need to remove the throttle linkage from the carburetor body by loosening the set screw and sliding the connecting rod out.

Set screw for throttle connecting rod

Be careful not to lose the rod as there is nothing holding it in place on its other end.

Throttle connecting rod back end that easily falls off

Next, the choke connecting rod must be removed.  The small white plastic retaining clip rotates down freeing the rod.

Choke linkage

Remove the hose connected to the top of the air box from the engine side.

Air box hose

The fuel line must also be removed from the back side of the engine.  Some gas will most likely spill out as the line is removed, so have some paper towels handy.

Fule line

Now that its all freed up, its time to remove the carburetor (as well as the air box as it comes off with the carb) from the engine.  Loosen the 2 10mm bolts and the whole shebang should easily pull off.

One of the two 10mm screws attaching the carb/air box to the engine

At this point it's time to take the carburetor to a CLEAN work surface to continue disassembling it.  On the bottom of the carb bowl there are 4 phillips screws that need to be removed.  Once off place the screws in a small dish so that they don't get lost, and separate the bowl from the carburetor body.  There  will most likely still be some gas left inside, so its best to do this over a disposable plate to avoid making a mess.

Screws attaching the bowl to the body

Inside the float is visible, and can be removed by loosing the phillips retaining screw.

Removing the retaining screw that holds the float in place

Once freed up gently lift the float body straight up; careful not to lose the needle in the process.  Remove the needle as well as the hinge pin form the float and place them in a small container of carb cleaner (a shot glass works well for this).

Floate with the needle and roller pin still attached

 Now with a flat head screwdriver remove the two brass screws that are visible.

Larger of the two brass screws

They are easily stripped so be careful.  Once removed, place the screws into your small container of carb cleaner along with the needle and pin.

Removing the smaller screw that hides the jet

Under the smaller of the two screws lies the jet.  You will need a small flathead to get down in there and unscrew it.

The jet is visible in the lower hole

The jet is one of the most prone places on the carburetor to become clogged by small debris because of the tiny passages it contains.  A specialty carburetor jet cleaning tool is available, however, a piece of mono-filament fishing line will work if your cheap like me.  The idea is to clear out any debris or gummed up gas from the tiny hole down the center of the jet.  A soak in the carburetor cleaner will help loosen all the nasty stuff up.  

Jet

Next, flip the carburetor over and remove the SS plate from its top.  At this point the carb is as disassembled as it needs to be for the average cleaning.  Take the body outside along with the bowl that you removed earlier and blast it all with the carburetor cleaner.  Make sure to pay special attention to all of the small holes and passages through out the body, and use a liberal amount of cleaner (this is no place to skimp). 

SS plate on top of carb

When your sure that the carb body, bowl, jet, needle, pin, and brass screws are absolutely positively squeaky clean, you can begin to re-assemble everything.  This is a good time to check the gaskets and o-rings that you removed and replace any damaged ones.  When you have everything back together and mounted back on the engine the last thing you have to pay attention to is the adjustment on the throttle linkage.  With the throttle set to full on the handle, the throttle on the carburetor should hit its stop.  If it doesn't just loosen up the set screw and re-adjust until you have it right.

Throttle hitting its stop on the carb body when the handle is set to full throttle

And Bob's Your Uncle

We have been waiting for the past 2 weeks to finally splash the boat.  It's looking like we have another week to go before a slip is going to open up.  Hurry up and wait!  We have decided to stay at the docks at this marina for a little while longer once we get back in simply because of the price for living aboard here.  We still have a list of projects to do once we are in, but it's looking like we are finished with our "on-the-hard projects".  Hallelujah!   Here's a quick run down of things that have kept us busy for the past few years.  I think I may have missed some, but you get the point:

Installed new 3 burner Dickenson stove

Installed new propane line from locker to stove

Installed new propane solenoid and Fireboy propane detector in galley

Built new teak propane locker

Installed new propane regulator and 10lb aluminum tank

Installed red light in refrigerator

Repaired and rewired refrigerator

Installed dividers in silverware draws

Replaced 110 outlet in galley with new GFI outlet

Removed old microwave and installed new

Removed old steering quadrant

Cut out rudder bearing

Installed new SS rudder bearing on custom bearing plate

Installed new rudder stuffing box

Install new Edson radial-drive and steering cables

Re-welded throttle and shifter lever cams

Installed new Morse cables for throttle and shift

Built new rudder stops

Built new battery box

Stripped and re-glassed cabin top teak pads

Installed new teak panels on cabin top (7)

Re-caulked cockpit teak

Removed delaminated glass on side decks

Re-glassed side decks with 1508 biaxial cloth in West Systems epoxy

Fabricated risers for deck fills (6)

Faired side decks and bulwarks

Primed and applied Awlgrip to side decks and bulwarks

Marked out and applied kiwi-grip non-skid

Re-bedded all stanchions

Re-welded 2 stanchions

Welded new stanchion braces for bimmini

Fabricated stainless steel mounting bracket for windless

Built new bowsprit using mahogany and treated all holes with wood preservative

Removed wind vane self steering gear, serviced, and reinstalled with new bronze bolts

Re-glassed self steering vane paddle

Made new mounting block for wind vane rudder

Installed new wind vane rudder with custom zinc

Installed new binnacle compass

Fabricated instrument pod for chart plotter

Made and installed cup holder

Made new cockpit table

Rebuilt cockpit winches

Fabricate new cockpit drains

Ran new wiring for running lights

Installed new port and starboard running lights

Replaced bow roller pin

Replaced Sampson post/bowsprit bolt

Marked and installed new spade anchor and 300 ft 3/8 chain

Replaced all bolts on bow pulpit

Repaired eye on bow pulpit for life line

Repainted anchor locker

Remove and reinstall windless foot controls

Re-bedded all port lights

Replaced port light seals

Removed butterfly hatch main beam and re-bedded

Fabricated new screens for hatches (5)

Removed all chain plates including whisker plates and cutwater and replaced with custom plates and custom bolts (12 plates) (42 bolts) re-bedded all

Cut open mast step and replaced coring with GRP plates (re-glassed over, faired, and painted with Awlgrip

Stripped and refinished external teak with Cetol + maintenance coats every 6 months

Removed and re-bedded granny bars

Repaired lazaret hatch faired and painted with Awlgrip

Installed SSB back stay antenna

Installed Furuno wind and depth displays

Replaced mast step bolts with new custom bolts

Re-welded and repaired mast step plate

Stripped all hardware from mast, boom, and spreaders

Sanded all failing paint, alumaprepped, zinc chromate, primed and painted with Awlgrip top coat

Replaced vhf antenna with new

Replaced wind instruments with new

Replaces Windex with new

Replaced tricolor with new aqua signal led

Replaced spreader lights with new Dr LED

Installed new steaming light

Replaced radar reflector with new

Ran all new wire through mast as well as vhf coax

Reinstalled radar

Reinstalled all mast and boom headwear

Rebuilt winches on mast and boom (5)

Added bus bars at base of compression post for mast wiring

Installed new boom bails’s and backing plates

Installed new Profurl on forestay

Repaired and reinstalled Profurl on staysail stay

Replaced all mast tangs with new including bolts

Replaced all standing rigging with new

Repaired outhaul

Replaced all shieve pins on mast and boom

Installed new custom bobstay

Uninstalled old depth and wind instruments

Repaired drip-less shaft seal and added new spare seals on shaft

Removed prop shaft and had straightened

Glass over old speed log through hull

Replaced through hulls (11)

Replaced cutlass bearings (2)

Removed old strut to have new one cast

Re-bedded new strut

Lapped and installed new Campbell Sailor prop

Sandblast prop, shaft, and strut

Applied 2 coats of Interlux 2000 to prop, shaft, and strut

Applied 3 coats Trinidad hard antifouling to prop, shaft, and strut

Installed new zincs on rudder skeg and prop shaft

Stripped bottom to bare fiberglass

Applied 4 coats of Interlux 2000 to bottom

Applied 3 coats international Interspeed 640 antifouling to bottom

Bonded all under water metals (sea cocks, sea strainers, strut)

Repainted boot-stripe black

Had hull compound polished and waxed

Fabricated engine access hatch in settee seat back

Adjusted valves on Nanni

Pressure tested Nanni

Removed old Nanni engine

Reorganized wiring in engine compartment

Degreased and painted bilge area under engine

Installed new custom water lift muffler

Installed new larger sea strainer

Replaced all fuel hose and fuel hose fittings on tanks

Installed new fuel selector manifold

Installed new Racore fuel filter with vacuum gauge

Installed speed seal for engine impeller

Installed sound proofing insulation in engine compartment

Installed coolant reservoir

Filled engine with oil, trains oil, and coolant

Bled all fuel lines as well as engine

Installed switch for Balmar external regulator

Installed engine instrument panel and wiring harness

Installed new exhaust hose

Installed new exhaust outlet

Wired engine

Had fuel tanks cleaned

Removed generator and sold

Clean up generator area and install new floor

Removed all cold freshwater plumbing and installed new PEX tubing

Added water selector manifold

Installed 2 manual foot pumps for fresh and salt water

Installed new water filter

Replaced fresh water pump

Installed new hot water heater hose from engine

Installed water monitor with remote display

Repaired water tank inspection port

Installed new automatic bilge pump with new hose and vented loop

Replaced hose on manual bilge pump and back up auto bilge pump

Removed repaired and reinstalled water tank under engine

Installed keel cooler for new refrigerator

Fabricated new sink drain

Sealed around both sinks with 5200

Installed new macerator pump and hose

Installed new shower sump pump, hose, vented loop, and custom teak cover for vented loop

Fabricated holding tank discharge elbow

Installed new shower faucet

Replaced valves on head faucet

Removed old head and head hoses

Installed Lavac head and all new head hoses, y valve, and vented loops

Replaced drain hose for head sink

Replaced freshwater fill hose

Replaced air conditioner water pump and sea-strainer

Cleaned water tanks

Cetoled shower seat

Repainted trim in galley and above chart table

Rebuilt instrument turtle above hatch

Installed socket holders in work room

Removed old engine instrument panel and built shelf in its place

Removed old diesel heater and fabricated new shelf and installed tell-tale compass

Installed new light above work table

Built new chart table seat and reinforced seat arm base

Installed new barometer

Installed new locking handles on floorboards (6)

Installed custom cut glass mirror in head

Installed curtains for Pullman birth

Installed lee-cloth on Pullman

Installed CO2 alarm

Installed various coat hangers, hooks, and shelf’s

Polished bronze and applied protective coating on all

Installed new air-conditioned control panel

Installed WIFI booster antenna with wireless bridge

Installed new stereo and 2 speakers

Installed new breaker panel

Installed new Vesper marine AIS

Installed backup Garmin chart plotter at Nav table with separate antenna 

Removed and re-organized wires throughout boat
And Bob's your uncle….(in Frank's case, that really is the name of his uncle and grandfather!)

Here are some random before and afters we have laying around.  Forgive me if some of these are repeats from past posts:

We lived like this for months

We found this in our old exhaust.  It was used to
make up the difference between 2 different sized
exhaust hoses.

This came off our old stove while I was cooking

Clustf*$k!  We couldn't figure out where half this
stuff went to, so Frank just redid it. 

Heap of crap in bilges before it was redone and organized

Fitting for one of the old fuel lines.  Almost
completely clogged :(

After!

New plumbing

None of these wires went to anything!