Loose ends

Hi Annie,  some notes as promised.  

Two (now three) little things

Had meant to deal with these prior to Monday but the early delivery foiled my plans.  

Oil absorbents 

I normally put an oil absorbent sheet under the engine.  I cut a stack to size and just replace them periodically.   I am not aware of any leaks at the moment.  There is an oil absorbent sponge in the bilge.  

Old cleat

This cleat was used for the roller furling line prior to my upgrades, several years ago.  I left it in place and managed to step on it last fall, breaking off one horn. 

 I meant to remove it and reinstall the same screws while delivering the boat to you bringing some trim washers and some butyl to seal it, but I managed to forget the trim washers.  So, you need 2 large trim washers.

Loose trim

The other is the trim piece in the forward cabin - after decades the little finishing nails work loose and can catch clothing, and the trim can come loose, risking breakage.  This should be carefully glued in place.  

Deck-fill fittings

I have replaced all of the deck-fill fittings with new stainless ones as detailed in the blog - with the exception of the diesel fill.  I have included a new diesel replacement fitting with the boat.   Other than cosmetics there is no reason to do this at this time.  

Stanchion bases 

As discussed with John, the nylon stanchion bases are a good design (they’re c&c’s best I think) but can eventually crack at the boarding gate stanchion.   I replaced the failed port side base long ago with an aluminum one, the starboard side was replaced prior to my ownership, (or I’m getting forgetful) and the boat includes an aluminum base as a spare, should it be required. 

Headsail halyards 

There are 3 headsail halyards.   As rigged, all lines come back to the cockpit, however for your uses I would add a cleat or clutch to the mast so that one of the spinnaker halyards can be hoisted from the foredeck.  Leave the other one aft.  I had intended to do this myself at some point.  

Genniker running rigging. 

I used a soft shackle around the anchor roller axle as an attachment point for a snatch block. The tack line is then run via snatch blocks and fair leads to the cam cleat on the starboard side of the coachroof.  This line is the black line with the white stripe and snap shackle.   (also used as the spin pole down haul).  

The asymmetrical spin sheets are rove through snatch blocks attached to the small holes in the casting at the aft end of the toerail.   (Same casting as chock for the stern dock lines) 

Vyacht wifi device 

The v-yacht wifi router is a techie thing as mentioned and showed you.   It is located below the chart table. 

This is connected to the NMEA2000 bus, and provides a wifi feed of nmea0183 data and signalK data that can be used by SOME navigational software. I used this to connect via wifi  to my old iPad, and used transas iSailor as one of my chartplotters.    The wifi connection is about 98% reliable, but occasionally chooses awkward moments to disconnect itself.  (I can recall 3-4 occurrences over several years of use.).  To reestablish the wifi connection the router needs to be restarted, and at the moment the only way to do this is the turn off the ‘instruments’ breaker, which then also resets all instruments, including the autopilot.  Not ideal when sailing solo.   I had always meant to add a reset switch for the router only, but never bothered as it is such a rare problem.  

Occasionally, you can jar the device’s cover and knock it off. (It should really be in a more protected location)   When the cover comes off the antenna comes with it, disconnecting a very fine antenna wire from its connector on the circuit board.   It is tiny and fragile but so far has not been damaged.  Not ideal, but these things arise only very rarely.   I installed this device to explore the technology before it was widely available, and it worked well for that purpose.  I’m comfortable with it, but as we discussed, if I wanted something that simply worked without a thought I would install a raymarine chartplotter at the chart table and be done with it.  They are now pretty reasonably priced and now have onboard wifi that can provide data to a tablet.  

There is one seatalkNG port available at the foot of the quarterberth into which you could connect such a chartplotter.  Most new chartplotters (“mfds”)  also offer a usb or Ethernet gateway to the network so you could use a pc as well.   

I can remove the vyacht device if you’d prefer I do so.  

Lifelines 

There are new lifelines aboard, made by the rigging shop, along with the originals.   As we discussed, the little nylon stanchion ‘top hat’ bushings have failed, creating a risk of chafe damage to the pretty, new lower lifelines.   This is why they are not installed.    I have not been able to find compatible bushings but I have not checked south shore yachts or Holland marine products.  They have the most C&C parts I think.  The bushing in the ensign staff is the probably the same and is in good condition, so it could be used as an example.  

Lifting sling points 

I mark these with red zipties (Princess Auto) so they can be seen by the travel lift operator.   There are also arrows on the inside edge of the toerail. 

Throttle control

The yanmar throttles have what is to me an odd system of inducing friction to the cable to counterbalance the strong return spring.  There is a saddle clamp on the cable, which is tightened to increase friction.  I have left clamp this as loose as practical to reduce wear, and sometimes the throttle can spring back a bit.   If you hold the throttle for a moment ot two it will tend to stay in that position.  (I am currently heading toward Cobourg to deliver windstar, engine happily running at 3000rpm).  

Winterizing

There are drains on the raw water strainer, muffler, and on the domestic water line below the hot water heater.  I check the specific gravity of the coolant.  I drain the raw water by disconnecting the hose at the water pump, and I blow that out as best I can. 

I remove the batteries and rig the shore power cable so it hangs outside, coiled over the prop shaft.  I have included an adapter so you can plug that in to a regular 15a outlet and work inside in winter with 120v. 

After the mast is pulled and before tying it all together, The black plastic mast boot should be carefully removed.   it is taped in place each year using self-amalgamating rigging tape.  (You need two rolls of this in hand for mast-up.)   once  tape needs to be removed, the boot has to be worked over the cables at the mast base.   Keep it safe, it works great in conjunction with the rigging tape and a foam plug I siliconed into the groove in the mast.  Very little water finds its way aboard when this dead-simple system is followed.  For some reason solving this water ingress is a problem for many owners and damage to the cabin sole often results.  (I repaired this on windstar. )  

 If you can find a spare mast boot, grab it.  

Save a piece of shrink wrap from the yard.  When the mast is removed this can be bungeed around the mast step to keep rain water out prior to installing the winter cover.  Leave the blocks in place. 

I always remove cushions and other fabrics for winter storage, and leave all hatches and lockers open.   With the cover on I left the deck hatches open slightly, and even took the cap out of the holding tank.  Can’t have enough ventilation!

Butyl Tape

All fittings above the waterline are sealed with butyl, just like C&C did.  I’m amazed how well this works, and how repairable it is when the time comes.  The original butyl was still doing its job perfectly in every case, and I could remove things without damaging the boat.   I would not use anything else on deck.  I noticed that Jack got some in his shirt when goofing around the fore hatch.  Butyl can be trimmed if with a sharp blade or just picked off, then the area can be wiped with a cloth well dampened with varsol.  I noticed that the bow fitting had some squeezing out too- this was removed, reversed and reinstalled last winter and I forgot to trim the squeeze-out when I was finished.  

Main Halyard

You will notice some fraying in the main halyard where it passes over the masthead sheave.   It requires replacement and there is a new halyard is on the boat. (Same colour, white w/blue.    The existing one has a wichard snap shackle eye-spliced to its end.  I would instead use an appropriate knot to tie the shackle into the new one, so that the halyard can be end-for-ended to extend its life.  

VSR/(ACR)

We discussed this while we were looking at the boat.  The VSR (voltage sensitive relay) is a device that combines the house and start batteries only when a charge source is present.    This protects the start battery from accidental discharge, while automatically allowing all batteries to be charged by all charge sources when the charge source is present.  (Solar and/or shore charger and/or alternator)

There is a blueseas m-acr installed in the same white plexiglass panel as the battery selector switch.   This VSR was disconnected when the Renogy solar controller/dc:dc charger was installed, with its own on-board VSR.  I didn’t remove it because it would have left a hole in the panel.  So, don’t be alarmed when the blueseas unit does not appear to be operating.  (Cuz it isn’t, cuz it was replaced)

You can tell that the (Renogy, now) VSR is operating because shortly after starting the engine, the rpm will drop slightly.   This is when  VSR combines the battery banks and the alternator is seeing the load of the house bank in addition to the start battery.  

Battery  switch 

The system is configured in such a way that you don’t need to select between battery banks.    The only time you need to turn off the main switch is when you leave the boat for a very long time without a charge source present, or when you are removing the batteries for winter.   otherwise, just leave it alone.  ;-)

Voltage monitoring 

There is some interesting tech in the little Victron battery monitor, it is a useful device. 

I typically left the monitor set to read voltage.  For me this is the easiest way to know that all systems are functioning.  It shows the house bank voltage.

At rest the house bank will settle to 12.72-12.76 volts with no charge source present.   As it is discharged the voltage will slowly decline.  

The house bank is a pair of group 31 lithium batteries of 110ah each.  220 ah  is a lot of capacity for a boat that size as lithium batteries will tolerate a deep discharge.  If the house bank voltage drops to 12.2 you’ve discharged them pretty far. Time to charge.  This shouldn’t happen very often if at all.  

When the solar charger is active, the voltage will read 13.3 (from my memory)  you can also monitor the solar panels activity with the Renogy app, which connects via Bluetooth.  

When the alternator is charging the battery, the voltage will read 14.3 - 14.4.  This is a good way to check that the alternator is working.  

Solar deck vent 

As mentioned - the marinco vent is a 3” unit but I cut and finished the deck opening for 4”.   As mentioned I’m not a fan of the solar vent and if I were to cross an ocean I would have replaced it with a bulletproof 4” passive vent.   If the fan does not apparat to be working, just cycle the switch and it’ll probably start.  It was like this from new.   

Head games 

I leave the through hull for flush water closed by default, unless cruising and at anchor.  This is because if left open Under certain conditions it can pressurize enough to slowly fill the head.  Never had a flood, but I’ve caught it with the bowl half full.  

As explained to John, when not cruising, I will typically use the pressure water/shower wand to provide water to the bowl for flushing - this avoids the use of harbour water and also keeps the water in the tanks turning over.  

If you notice the head back filling with black water, it’s time to change the joker valve.  I installed a fresh one before delivering the boat to you and the tank was pumped and rinsed prior and not used since.  

Try not to sail hard on a starboard tack with a full holding tank or you will see the nasty reverse flush action as detailed on the blog.  

Pressure water 

I suggest you turn it on when you need it and leave it off otherwise.  If a fitting fails it will continue to pressurize the system until the water tank is empty and the bilge is full of water.  

If the pump does not stop running or if it cycles in and off there is air in the system.  (Happens if you empty the tank) just run the water a bit from the galley and the head  to purge the air.    It should pressurize then shut off until you use it. 

Automatic bilge pump 

If you intend to install a float switch in the bilge I suggest you consider using the existing shower pump and its overboard discharge.  A hose could be connected to its intake and strainer by a y-valve .  It would be challenging to run another hose to a different location without cutting into the structural ‘spider’ frame.  This is why I never did it.  The blue seas main switch panel has provision for wiring an ‘always on’ circuit suited to the bilge pump.  

I think you’ll be surprised how little water ends up in the bilge, this is another reason why I never bothered with the electric automatic bilge pump.  (Which are also known to cause fires, drain batteries, etc - the switches are pretty chintzy.)