Handyman's Advices
By Mark Maloney, Pompano Beach, Fla.; Eugene Lauritano, Massapequa, N.Y.; David S. Yetman, Newburyport, Mass. and Bob Sorkin, Gainesville, Fla.
Tarp Helper
High bowrails can present a problem when you're covering the boat with a plastic tarpaulin for the winter. The tarp sags in the middle and collects rainwater, where algae promptly grows. A simple solution to prevent puddling is to tie a pool pillow on the deck prior to covering. The low-tech pillow plumps up the plastic, creating a promontory peak that cascades rainfall onto the deck and overboard instead of pooling it. A 3′ x 5′ inflatable pillow can be purchased inexpensively at any pool-supply store and will last for several seasons. It's faster and easier than building a frame and easier to store when the boat is recommissioned.
William F. Spliedt
Westwood, N.J.
Beat Heat
Every boater knows that engines get hot, and every owner of an inboard-engine-powered cruiser knows that the engine room gets very warm when the engine is used. But did you know that the engine compartment gets even hotter when the engine is shut down after a run?
As an engine is operating, the temperature is at least partially diminished by two actions: First, a considerable volume of air is consumed by the engine for its combustion process, and cooler air from outside is drawn in to replenish what has been drawn into the engine. Second, heat is removed by the flow of cooling water through the engine's heat exchanger. However, when the engine is shut down, both processes cease, and latent heat is trapped in the engine. There are enough BTUs present that, even though the power plant is no longer generating horsepower and heat, it can stay hot for many hours. Despite closed compartments and insulated decks, convection draws this heat into the occupied areas of the craft to the discomfort of those on board, and adds to the load on the air conditioner if you have one.
Gasoline-powered boats have an exhaust, blower to ventilate dangerous fumes from the engine compartment prior to starting up. This blower can also be used to remove hot air after the engine is shut down. Run it for a half hour or more, until the air coming out of the vent is noticeably cooler than when the blower was started. Even though the pickup for a safety blower is at a low point in the engine compartment, and it won't be drawing out the hottest air, it will help.
My diesel-powered trawler did not come with an exhaust blower; it was not required as a safety consideration with this type of fuel. But I still wanted to exhaust the heat from the boat after the engines were shut down. Diesels comprise a larger mass of iron and steel than do gas engines, and therefore constitute a bigger heat source radiating into the boat. So I installed not one, but two blowers on the overhead of the engine room, with their intakes just above each engine.
No duct was used on the intake side of these 4″ blowers, and the exhaust was ducted to new collector boxes and vents on the hull.
Mack Maloney
Pompano Beach, Fla.
Recycling Zincs
In the local waters off Long Island in New York, excessive galvanic action attacks boats moored in the water over the summer. Replacing sacrificial zincs on shafts, rudders, outdrives, trim tabs, etc., can become a costly problem. Years ago, I discovered a creative way of reusing the old zincs.
Drill a 1/8″ to 3/8″ hole through the middle of the old zinc. Attach a length of #12 or #10 stranded wire through the drilled hole with a nut and bolt. The length of wire should be long enough to reach from the stern underwater area to the grounding terminal on the boat. Attach the end of the wire in the boat to the ground terminal. You now have an extra zinc that, when placed near the shaft or an outdrive, significantly reduces galvanic action. As an added bonus, because of the now larger surface area of your sacrificial anodes, the new zincs last longer. If there is significant zinc loss, two or more recycled zincs can be used. A reminder should be placed near the helm station to remind the captain to remove the zinc and wire from the water before getting under way.
Eugene Lauritano
Massapequa, N.Y.
Secure Shackle
Tradition and common sense dictate that threaded shackle pins be safety-wired to prevent them from loosening up and falling out. But by its very nature, properly applied safety wife is very difficult to remove, so it's not the best solution in situations where occasional changes may be required. One case in point would be a rode shackle, where the ability to change anchors to match holding-ground conditions is advantageous.
My solution to the problem was to replace the safety wire with a stainless steel cotter ring (sometimes called a "split ring") which operates on the same principle as a key ring. Threading it through the shackle and the eye of the shackle pin results in a lock that is easily removed, yet is secure under all but the most extreme conditions.
David S. Yetman
Newburyport, Mass.
Durable Deck Bungs
One of the vexing problems involved in owning an older boat with teak decks is the maintenance of the teak plugs or bungs covering the screws that fasten the teak planks to the deck. As the teak deck ages and goes through cycles of use, cleaning and sanding, both the teak and the bungs wear thin. Pretty soon there isn't enough of a teak shoulder above the screw heads to hold the bungs in place. The problem is that the bungs are not simply cosmetic, but also keep rain and seawater out of the screw holes. Otherwise, water would eventually seep into the underdeck.
There are two conventional solutions to the problem: Re-teak the entire deck, or remove and re-countersink all of the screw holes, refasten the screws, and reinstall all the bungs. The former is very expensive and the latter is very time-consuming, since there may hundreds of these bungs. If the boat owner is willing to make a slight deviation from tradition, there is a third alternative: On many teak decks, the grooves between planks are filled with a black polysulfide caulking material. The same material also can be used to fill the bung holes. This expedient method takes a fraction of the time that it would otherwise take to replace a teak bung. It is easy to replace a few bungs at a time.
Once most of the bungs have been replaced with polysulfide, the result is a very neat look with black grooves and black dots. For long-term care of the deck, occasional sanding will keep the groove and bung caulking level with the teak.
Bob Sorkin
Gainesville. Fla.
MB&S will pay $35 to $150 for good ideas on boat and engine maintenance, repair and improvements. Please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope, telephone and Social Security number. Mail submissions to Boatkeeper, Motor Boating & Sailing, 250 W. 55th St., New York, NY 10019, or E-mail them to boatkeeper@hearst.com
Quick Tips
• Adhesive-backed Velcro is great for mounting liquid soap dispensers to galley and head bulkheads, writes Nancy Mills, who lives aboard her boat Summer School. Just cut a strip approximately two inches long and stick one to the bulkhead and the other to the soap bottle. This will keep the bottle from tipping over, even in the roughest seas. She also uses Velcro to secure the lower edges of picture frames to bulkheads.
• Jonathan Baum of New York, N.Y., offers a better way to set up fenders with center holes. Instead Of feeding the line through the fender, then tying a large knot in the end--only to find the knot wedged somewhere in the middle of the fender--or using a metal washer prone to rust, he suggests cutting a wooden washer with a hole saw, then drilling out the center to fit the diameter of the line.
• You can extend the life of the brake-drum cylinders of your boat trailer--even when you launch in salt water--by using a little WD-40, according to William Simmons of Downingtown, Pa. Every couple of months during the season, remove each brake drum and spray WD-40 inside the wheel, soaking the cylinder. "I know it's somewhat of a pain, but it's worth it," he says.
Letters
Q: I recently bought an old launch fitted with a 25-hp marine steam engine complete with boiler. The owner's manual that came with it says the hardware dates back to 1946. The boat and motor are pristine and look like they were built yesterday. When I fire it up for the first time, is there any special procedure I should know about?
Paul Arute
Marblehead, Mass.
A: I am an unabashed fan of steam power, especially out of respect for its net energy efficiency. The problem with owning a marine steam engine, however, is the simple fact that you must know exactly what you are doing or you can kill yourself. Not only are boilers notorious for exploding, they also leak. Consider that low-pressure steam measures 400 degrees Fahrenheit and is invisible. If your boiler has a pinhole leak, and you inhale the invisible steam, it will burn your lungs and you will die a horrible death. Yes, there are special procedures, and I recommend you read up on the principles of the engine, so you can prevent exploding boilers and leaking flash tubes. Doom and gloom aside, once you're in the know, you will have the time of your life chugging across the lake.
--TIM BANSE
Tarp Helper
High bowrails can present a problem when you're covering the boat with a plastic tarpaulin for the winter. The tarp sags in the middle and collects rainwater, where algae promptly grows. A simple solution to prevent puddling is to tie a pool pillow on the deck prior to covering. The low-tech pillow plumps up the plastic, creating a promontory peak that cascades rainfall onto the deck and overboard instead of pooling it. A 3′ x 5′ inflatable pillow can be purchased inexpensively at any pool-supply store and will last for several seasons. It's faster and easier than building a frame and easier to store when the boat is recommissioned.
William F. Spliedt
Westwood, N.J.
Beat Heat
Every boater knows that engines get hot, and every owner of an inboard-engine-powered cruiser knows that the engine room gets very warm when the engine is used. But did you know that the engine compartment gets even hotter when the engine is shut down after a run?
As an engine is operating, the temperature is at least partially diminished by two actions: First, a considerable volume of air is consumed by the engine for its combustion process, and cooler air from outside is drawn in to replenish what has been drawn into the engine. Second, heat is removed by the flow of cooling water through the engine's heat exchanger. However, when the engine is shut down, both processes cease, and latent heat is trapped in the engine. There are enough BTUs present that, even though the power plant is no longer generating horsepower and heat, it can stay hot for many hours. Despite closed compartments and insulated decks, convection draws this heat into the occupied areas of the craft to the discomfort of those on board, and adds to the load on the air conditioner if you have one.
Gasoline-powered boats have an exhaust, blower to ventilate dangerous fumes from the engine compartment prior to starting up. This blower can also be used to remove hot air after the engine is shut down. Run it for a half hour or more, until the air coming out of the vent is noticeably cooler than when the blower was started. Even though the pickup for a safety blower is at a low point in the engine compartment, and it won't be drawing out the hottest air, it will help.
My diesel-powered trawler did not come with an exhaust blower; it was not required as a safety consideration with this type of fuel. But I still wanted to exhaust the heat from the boat after the engines were shut down. Diesels comprise a larger mass of iron and steel than do gas engines, and therefore constitute a bigger heat source radiating into the boat. So I installed not one, but two blowers on the overhead of the engine room, with their intakes just above each engine.
No duct was used on the intake side of these 4″ blowers, and the exhaust was ducted to new collector boxes and vents on the hull.
Mack Maloney
Pompano Beach, Fla.
Recycling Zincs
In the local waters off Long Island in New York, excessive galvanic action attacks boats moored in the water over the summer. Replacing sacrificial zincs on shafts, rudders, outdrives, trim tabs, etc., can become a costly problem. Years ago, I discovered a creative way of reusing the old zincs.
Drill a 1/8″ to 3/8″ hole through the middle of the old zinc. Attach a length of #12 or #10 stranded wire through the drilled hole with a nut and bolt. The length of wire should be long enough to reach from the stern underwater area to the grounding terminal on the boat. Attach the end of the wire in the boat to the ground terminal. You now have an extra zinc that, when placed near the shaft or an outdrive, significantly reduces galvanic action. As an added bonus, because of the now larger surface area of your sacrificial anodes, the new zincs last longer. If there is significant zinc loss, two or more recycled zincs can be used. A reminder should be placed near the helm station to remind the captain to remove the zinc and wire from the water before getting under way.
Eugene Lauritano
Massapequa, N.Y.
Secure Shackle
Tradition and common sense dictate that threaded shackle pins be safety-wired to prevent them from loosening up and falling out. But by its very nature, properly applied safety wife is very difficult to remove, so it's not the best solution in situations where occasional changes may be required. One case in point would be a rode shackle, where the ability to change anchors to match holding-ground conditions is advantageous.
My solution to the problem was to replace the safety wire with a stainless steel cotter ring (sometimes called a "split ring") which operates on the same principle as a key ring. Threading it through the shackle and the eye of the shackle pin results in a lock that is easily removed, yet is secure under all but the most extreme conditions.
David S. Yetman
Newburyport, Mass.
Durable Deck Bungs
One of the vexing problems involved in owning an older boat with teak decks is the maintenance of the teak plugs or bungs covering the screws that fasten the teak planks to the deck. As the teak deck ages and goes through cycles of use, cleaning and sanding, both the teak and the bungs wear thin. Pretty soon there isn't enough of a teak shoulder above the screw heads to hold the bungs in place. The problem is that the bungs are not simply cosmetic, but also keep rain and seawater out of the screw holes. Otherwise, water would eventually seep into the underdeck.
There are two conventional solutions to the problem: Re-teak the entire deck, or remove and re-countersink all of the screw holes, refasten the screws, and reinstall all the bungs. The former is very expensive and the latter is very time-consuming, since there may hundreds of these bungs. If the boat owner is willing to make a slight deviation from tradition, there is a third alternative: On many teak decks, the grooves between planks are filled with a black polysulfide caulking material. The same material also can be used to fill the bung holes. This expedient method takes a fraction of the time that it would otherwise take to replace a teak bung. It is easy to replace a few bungs at a time.
Once most of the bungs have been replaced with polysulfide, the result is a very neat look with black grooves and black dots. For long-term care of the deck, occasional sanding will keep the groove and bung caulking level with the teak.
Bob Sorkin
Gainesville. Fla.
MB&S will pay $35 to $150 for good ideas on boat and engine maintenance, repair and improvements. Please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope, telephone and Social Security number. Mail submissions to Boatkeeper, Motor Boating & Sailing, 250 W. 55th St., New York, NY 10019, or E-mail them to boatkeeper@hearst.com
Quick Tips
• Adhesive-backed Velcro is great for mounting liquid soap dispensers to galley and head bulkheads, writes Nancy Mills, who lives aboard her boat Summer School. Just cut a strip approximately two inches long and stick one to the bulkhead and the other to the soap bottle. This will keep the bottle from tipping over, even in the roughest seas. She also uses Velcro to secure the lower edges of picture frames to bulkheads.
• Jonathan Baum of New York, N.Y., offers a better way to set up fenders with center holes. Instead Of feeding the line through the fender, then tying a large knot in the end--only to find the knot wedged somewhere in the middle of the fender--or using a metal washer prone to rust, he suggests cutting a wooden washer with a hole saw, then drilling out the center to fit the diameter of the line.
• You can extend the life of the brake-drum cylinders of your boat trailer--even when you launch in salt water--by using a little WD-40, according to William Simmons of Downingtown, Pa. Every couple of months during the season, remove each brake drum and spray WD-40 inside the wheel, soaking the cylinder. "I know it's somewhat of a pain, but it's worth it," he says.
Letters
Q: I recently bought an old launch fitted with a 25-hp marine steam engine complete with boiler. The owner's manual that came with it says the hardware dates back to 1946. The boat and motor are pristine and look like they were built yesterday. When I fire it up for the first time, is there any special procedure I should know about?
Paul Arute
Marblehead, Mass.
A: I am an unabashed fan of steam power, especially out of respect for its net energy efficiency. The problem with owning a marine steam engine, however, is the simple fact that you must know exactly what you are doing or you can kill yourself. Not only are boilers notorious for exploding, they also leak. Consider that low-pressure steam measures 400 degrees Fahrenheit and is invisible. If your boiler has a pinhole leak, and you inhale the invisible steam, it will burn your lungs and you will die a horrible death. Yes, there are special procedures, and I recommend you read up on the principles of the engine, so you can prevent exploding boilers and leaking flash tubes. Doom and gloom aside, once you're in the know, you will have the time of your life chugging across the lake.
--TIM BANSE
posted by James at 2:57 PM
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why does this blog allow stealing magazine articles, infringing on their copyright?
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