Generator
Less white smoke this morning, perhaps OK. Noise increase without muffler not bad ( as muffler cracks leaking water I replaced it yesterday with piece of steel pipe). Important to note that black exhaust hose near forward end is very cool now, unlike other hose. Perhaps cleaning carbon out of junction fitting and clean strainer and new impeller all contributing.
Autopilot
Running up Delaware bay, flat calm with current .7 kts off starboard bow. Boat yawing widely. Problem solved with Yaw control full on, full clockwise and rudder at 12 o'clock. Two hrs later AP behaving poorly again. In orient mode, lights not blinking sometimes now (1200 hrs). Unless in full yaw mode (clockwise), rudder corrections too rapid, and not consistent with holding correct course. 1800 hrs: sea conditions slight change to 1 ft waves following, doing better with yaw at 3 oclock and rudder at 9. Oh,oh,problems again. Next day nov 27, 2005, on Chesapeake, to combat rapid oscillations have yaw at 2;30 and rudder full counter clockwise. Its been working for 2 hours.
Engine Starting
No problem with stbd engine but needed ether for port. Once started, it kept stalling. I released power takeoff and engine idled smoothly. Note it was below freezing in Cape May and had been for 36 hours so engines quite cold no doubt, even though engine room didn’t appear very cold. On Sunday, 11/27 both engines started quite well, port needed one brief shot of ether to keep it from stalling (PT not on).
PTO Generator
On 11/27 I upped port rpm from 17.5 to perhaps 18.5 to generate 115 volts compared to less than 110. Hour later checked engine room to find gen and platform vibrating more than normal. Topside found rpms over 1900 – backed off to 1800 and it ran smoothly.
Dec. 28, 2005- Removed the single belt and installed v belt pulleys and belts. Bolts on pulleys supposed to be tightened to 192 inch pounds. A mechanic told me to divide that by 16 to get foot pounds, so I got 12 ft. lbs. Another mechanic said 12 ft. lbs is very little, about as much effort as you would use to turn a ¼ inch socket drive tight. So I just snugged them down “pretty good”.
Eng.Hours
Must log them daily to keep track of oil consumption.
Oil Consumption
On long 1600 plus hour run Port Wash to Cape May, both engines took 2 qts next to raise level from low to full marks. Yesterday (11/26/05) on 10 hrs runtime, neither down off full mark by much.
Power Takeoff December 16, 2005
On shutting down port engine today while trial running the rebuilt engine, Bobby Rowe and I heard a scraping noise at front of engine. Noise came from inside PT so Bobby took cover plate off (has specs written on it) and asked when I last greased it. Of course I hadn’t since installed year and a half ago in Mobile. I greased the four fittings observable (one at 3 o'clock as face engine, is inside a hole in side of PT). All took grease, especially the one inside the hole which appears to grease the shaft bearing. Let’s hope it’s OK. Must grease the PTO regularly – how often?
Fresh Water Tank
Dec. 28, 1005 Beaufort,NC
The two fresh water pumps started up in middle of night, dropped to only one, kept running, and I had to shut it off; tank reads 30%. Turned pumps on again in morning and did same thing, then last pump shut off. Maybe just air in lines. Happened again, had to turn pumps off again. Tank ¼ full. I am filling tank now.
Water Maker. Dec 28, 2005. Fresh water rinsed for 4 minutes (about time, old guy!) I will probably have to pickle those tubes, or whatever it is called.
Bilge pump, January 7, 2006
Engine room pump on breaker 48 ran but did not pump. I used small sump pump to do the job then removed the Par belt pump and replaced it with an old spare (I have another and a spare base as well). Note it leaks a bit out of hole in base where I removed a bolt that was too long. I may have to steal one off another pump – monitor this leak in case it adversely affects functioning of the pump. Replacement ran well for 30-60 seconds then popped breaker. I replaced the motor and breaker still popped. I changed from breaker 48 to 46 which was a breaker even weaker than 48. Changed to 50 and pump seemed to run OK but did stop shortly…because float switch turned it off. I lifted float and pump ran, but I did not leave it on for more than few seconds.
Bilge pump May 30, 2006
Pump broke its belt; replaced it (need to buy spares). Then pump ran but pumping weakly; I found pickup hose almost clogged, cleaned it and used mosquito netting screen. Pump would not shut off; switch is on metal plate, removed assembly, cleaned off gook, seems OK now.
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