Happiest Day of Ownership !!!

[tpenfield]

I am lining up my projects for the winter/spring months (and beyond) in preparation for boat launch.

Upholstery - will be the big project. I plan to add some color to the mostly gray upholstery.

Microwave - this boat was void of a few of the more common options, like the microwave.

Second boarding ladder - the swim platform has a boarding ladder on the port side, and I plan to add something on the starboard side as a second ladder. Got to figure out the best approach to doing that - something completely stowable/hidden when not in use.

Solar charger - 7 (yes seven) batteries on this boat, so I think they may need some charging while at the mooring.

Camper canvas - the boat only came with the mooring cover, so I may add the camper top for overnights.

Just not sure how much can be done this year versus the next 2-3 years.

Lots of other maintenance stuff and fix-its. I currently have a list of 30+ items to take care of before launching next spring.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Lots of other maintenance stuff and fix-its. I currently have a list of 30+ items to take care of before launching next spring.

New or used or in the middle of a restoration......... boats always seam to have lists dont they.

 

[Meames1]

Beautiful ! It looks massive out of the water. I really like the design. Congrats!

 

[tpenfield]

New or used or in the middle of a restoration......... boats always seem to have lists don't they?

Yes, they do . . . It also seems that with all the electronic controls and digital stuff that fixing things is more expensive. Old school trim senders are about $50 . . . the digital versions are $150

 

[tpenfield]

Its a cruisers thing.

Bilge plug is vertical, should be between the motors

Also, there is NO drain plug on this boat . . . I looked all over and under.

It does have a 5" 'Pad' as the keel, which I think allows the hull to be of a sharper 'V' and not draw quite as much water as it would with the conventional hull/keel.

 

[alldodge]

7 Bats geez, a small Gen would weigh less

 

[tpenfield]

Just revising my list of improvement projects . . .
2022 . . .

1. Upholstery - will be the big project. I plan to add some color to the mostly gray upholstery. See my Post -> https://forums.iboats.com/threads/re-upholstery-job-on-cruisers-yacht-338-bowrider.752762/
2. Microwave - this boat was void of a few of the more common options, like the microwave. there is already a CB switch for it on the electical panel.
3. Television - Adding a television, which is also an option. The OEM TV is a 28" Jensen. I will be going with a 24", as I feel the 28" is a bit over-powering to watch in such a small cabin.
4. Second boarding ladder - the swim platform has a boarding ladder on the port side, and I plan to add something on the starboard side as a second ladder. Got to figure out the best approach to doing that - something completely stowable/hidden when not in use.
5. Solar charger - 7 (yes seven) batteries on this boat, so I think they may need some charging while at the mooring.

2023 . . .
Camper canvas - the boat only came with the mooring cover, so I may add the camper top for overnights.

 

[tpenfield]

A quick update . . .

The Happiest Day is certainly behind me

I went to start the engines (still on the hard) for their seasonal wake-up. I flip the blowers on to get ready . . . nothing.

After about 4 hours of diagnostic work and a trip to the 'FLAPS' to buy more relays . . . I isolate the problem to a bad ground wire. (and I got to say that being an engineer has probably saved me billions $$$ in boat repair costs ). Interestingly enough, all the wires on this boat are individually labeled as to their purpose. The one in question being "#32 Blower Relay Gnd". Of course it is in a rat's nest of a harness, and I would have to unravel the whole thing to trace the wire back to the ground block.

My multi-meter is getting a workout with this boat, and I'm thinking that perhaps the blowers never worked and the surveyor missed it.

My solution is probably going to be to run a secondary wire from the ground block to the ground wire (#32) where it meets its connector. Not that I'm a fan of splicing wiring, but probably the most practical way at this point.

So, far I am not loving the electrical on this new-2-me boat. The hull itself is built like a tank, but the electrical seems problematic.

 

[Lou C]

Ted, is it CANBUS wiring?

 

[tpenfield]

Ted, is it CANBUS wiring?

No, just traditional analog wiring. The CanadaBus (digital) wiring is associated with the engine/outdrive.

All fixed though. . . now to start the engines

 

[Blorton]

Late to the thread, but grats on the new addition! That's a beauty!

Looking at your drive units, I'm having this overwhelming urge to go outside and crank up the pressure washer.

I'll be following along on this one as I'm considering something in this class next season.

 

[mickyryan]

man glad to see you got it launched the swim platform looks awesome!

 

[tpenfield]

man glad to see you got it launched the swim platform looks awesome!

Not launched @mickyryan . . . still a driveway queen at this point. Now that the blowers are working, I did fire the engines up and they both started right up and ran OK.

I am going to scale back on the planned improvements before I do actually launch this thing and only do the repair & maintenance stuff. Next up is a descaling of the cooling system (Heat Exchanger, etc) a La Barnacle Buster. It is something I do every few years, and I am figuring that this new-2-me boat has nothing of the sort done.

One piece of good news is that the low voltage warning on the starboard engine is gone (for now) . . . hopefully stays that way.

Once I get the cooling system done and the engine oil changed, I'll turn my attention to the outdrives.

 

[tpenfield]

Productive day yesterday . . .

• Fixed the blowers
• De-scaled cooling system
• Changed engine oil
• Chased down cooling system leaks on the port engine. There was a coolant leak and a raw water side leak, both at hose fittings/clamps
• Cleaned up some rust on the engines - re-painted some spots

Today. . .
I need to replace the impellers in the sea water pumps today, and maybe pressure wash the hull in preparation for anti-fouling paint.

 

[Lou C]

yeah, the outdrives....just installed mine, this year is slid right on with no bad language needed for persuasion...got lucky lol.
Just pulling the drive and doing the maintenance every year and replacing bellows before they leak, will add years to your I/O drive system life span. This one is 34 years old and about 22 of those has been in salt water....now needs a paint job lol.

 

[tpenfield]

Quick update . . .

I power washed the hull and outdrives, so all is pretty much ready for AF painting.

Struck out on installing sea water strainers (as noted in my Mercruiser thread), but got the pumps with new impellers installed. Sea water strainers to be continued . . .

I am still chasing a coolant leak on the port engine. I thought I had found/fixed it, but maybe not entirely.

Prep work will continue next weekend.

 

[tpenfield]

This boat is heavy . . .

. . . . as compared to my Formula 330.

I am lifting the boat up off of the trailer a few inches in order to paint the bottom. I've got 10 boat stands lifting and it sure seems like a lot of work.
.

.

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I'll have to figure out a better way of doing this for next year. But for now, the boat is up in the air.

I wonder if there is such a thing as a hydraulic lifting boat stand . Any ideas on improving the process will get you a tip of my hat and a hearty handshake

 

[tpenfield]

In other news . . .

I got the sea water strainers installed and have identified the remaining leak in the port engine cooling system (coolant side). Just got to figure out the best way to fix it.

 

[alldodge]

I bought a set of yardarm jacks. Will lift 40K boat and real heavy them selves
http://www.yardarm.com/marine_products/boat_handling_jacks.htm

 

[Lou C]

Ah the bottom paint is a job I gladly pay for even on a small boat like ours. I do paint the out drive but that’s it….