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| [KensOtherBlog] The Last Entry |
03/24/2010 |
Greetings all!
A lot has happened since my last blog update…
Our GSSR group shipped a full shipping container of boat parts to Japan. To my complete amazement the parts arrived in perfect condition, on time, and with no customs issues or import duties.
Roberta, Shelby and I will depart for Osaka Japan on April 7th, to begin this year’s GSSR cruise. We will spend a couple weeks in Osaka, doing provisioning, and getting the boat ready for departure.
Some boat preparations have already begun…
I asked Jeff Sanson, of Pacific Yacht Management to go over and prepare the boat for this season’s cruising. Last year, we had amazingly few problems, and I’d like to keep it that way. Jeff has now been in Osaka for about a week doing all the work.
To ensure that this will be a trouble-free year, I asked Jeff to swap every belt, thermostat, hose, air filter, fuel filter and zinc on the boat. With four diesel engines (the two mains) plus two generators, this is a big project. He’s changing the oil on all engines, and checking out all systems. He’s also swapping all of the toilets to a newer model. (A job I’m happy to be 4,000 miles away from!) Much of this work didn’t need done, but I like the idea of starting the season with an ‘essentially new’ boat.
I’ve been speaking with (and back-seat driving) Jeff daily via Skype video chats.
Jeff installed my new anchor, and it fit perfectly. I asked him to drop and raise it a couple of times, so that we can verify that it comes across the bow pulpit smoothly. No problem. One of my blog readers suggested I try adding a stainless steel swivel, which turned out to be expensive, and huge, but appears to have been a great addition.
Here's a picture of a sensor I had Jeff install on the loop for my air conditioning (and heating). Last year there many times when I couldn't diagnose problems with the chilled water a/c system. I was constantly climbing into the lazarette to figure what was going on. This will make life a lot easier.
And as expected, there have been a few negative “surprises”…
Boats like to be run. Leaving them sitting for long periods of time is hard on the boat, and I knew that getting everything going again was not going to be fun.
When Jeff started the main engines, water immediately sprayed from the water injection exhaust elbows. Apparently they had rusted out in the off season. New ones were shipped from the US and have already been installed.
Jeff took the boat out for a test run yesterday, and discovered that it was impossible to get the engines past 1500 rpm. Neither Jeff or I can figure why. He sent a diver under the boat, and the props seem clean. The engines should go up to 2100 rpm, and, when sitting at the dock, they do. My guess is that it is nothing more than the engines having sat for six months and just not in the mood to be run. Or, the bottom was dirtier than we thought.
We spoke to both Lugger (who made the engines) and Twindisc (the engine throttles and transmission). Neither had any great ideas for us. We are sending a diver under the boat to clean the props and will do another test run today.
*** LAST MINUTE UPDATE: I JUST RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM JEFF. THEY CLEANED THE BOTTOM, AND THE PROPS, AND THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED ***
Also…
Jeff mentioned that the seachest, and the raw water strainers, were totally clogged with barnacles. We haven’t pulled the hoses yet, that connect the through-hulls and the sea chest, but I’m expecting that they will be totally packed with crud.
I’ve always described myself as a “warm water cruiser” but there are some definitely head-aches associated with cruising in warm water, and clogging of the raw water system heads the list. At the suggestion of another Nordhavn owner I bought some super-expensive blue silicon hose to replace the current hoses. We’re also putting copper into both my sea chest and strainers, because allegedly that helps.
On a different topic…
We’ve continued working on getting our dog Shelby into the various countries we’ll visit. To my complete surprise there is now a very real possibility that she can enter Hong Kong without Quarantine. It means lots of paperwork, and more testing. It is also problematic, in that she would need to stay on the boat throughout our visit to Taiwan. We’ve already made arrangements to send someone to Japan to babysit her, and rented an apartment for a friend to watch over her. So.. I’m not sure what will happen. We’re working through it and suddenly optimistic that she can stay with us.
Anyway.. this is my last post to the www.kensotherblog.com board. It’s time to restart my www.kensblog.com blog, and start blogging to the huge group. In just under two weeks Roberta and I will be back on the boat, and the fun will begin. Most of you are already registered on www.kensblog.com so you don’t need to do anything to continue receiving the blog. I’ll send out a “first blog entry” early next week kicking off the GSSR 2010. If you have friends who you think might want to receive the blog, this is a good time to register them yourself at www.kensblog.com, or encourage them to go register. It should be an amazing year.
In some ways it will be a simpler, easier, year. But, it is not without challenge. We’ll be in an area that it highly technical, with challenging tides and currents. In the coast guard guide it said that nearly half of all marine accidents happen each year in Japan’s inland sea, where we’ll be in the next few weeks. Currents are tides are a huge factor, and whereas I’m accustomed to these from cruising the Pacific NW, we’ll be dealing with a scarcity of information. There is no nice neat tide/current book I can pick up at West Marine. We’ll figure it out, but I’m sure we’re in for a few surprises.
Thank you everyone for reading my interim blog over the past few months. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it!
Ken Williams
Nordhavn 68, Sans Souci
www.kensblog.com
And, for my books-> www.lulu.com/kenw
PS The GSSR will have four boats this year.The 70' Northern Marine, Starr was originally scheduled to be with our group, but got a late start. Instead they took a southerly route, to Hawaii, and are headed to Japan via the Marshall Islands. If you haven’t been following Starr’s blog, you are missing a very interesting story. Starr is currently “stuck”, with mechanical problems and waiting for parts to reach them, on a little inaccessible island, in the middle of nowhere. Check out: http://starr.talkspotblogs.com
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| Posted by Derick and Jack on Jul 13, 2010, 03:57 PM EST |
Ken,
Thank you for the call last night concerning 6209 and it cavitation/vibration problem.
Looks like you are making headway. Have you got the speed back to normal?
I will test run it again Wednesday morning as per your suggestion prior to hauling it on the afternoon.
When you installed the stern bustle did you modify the rudder to compensate for the added length?
Are you using the old style packing glands on the main shaft and rudder posts on your new boat as apposed to drippless seals which are on hull 6209?
Thanks again,
Derick |
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| Posted by Ken Williams on Mar 26, 2010, 12:47 PM EST |
Chris:
We replaced the belt in the dome on the v7 and that seems to be working. Jeff sent to Japan a box full of replacement parts for the dome. I'm not sure what all is in it, but allegedly it's every major part that can break.
It is frustrating that I had so much trouble getting the boat cleaned. It's a long story, but the marina is letting us stay there very inexpensively, so our ability to ask for work is limited. It's a private members club, and they aren't really in the marina business. Making money off us is not their goal. We are just something "fun" for their members to look at, and the marina is being exceptionally nice in extending us this courtesy. I am very grateful, but when someone is doing you a favor, your ability to demand service is non-existent. The marina staff is very nice, and I owe them many favors, but there is clearly an inability to insist on things from them. We've also been handicapped by the lack of a large private marine industry in Japan. There are no marine stores, or vendors who are trying to make money off of the boats. We can't find suppliers to do work.
-Ken W |
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| Posted by Chris Hallock on Mar 26, 2010, 12:18 PM EST |
Posted by Ken Williams on Mar 25, 2010, 03:58 PM EST
We've been incapable of finding bottom cleaners in Japan despite months of looking. One of Jeff's guys cleaned my bottom and I believe the plan is that he will tackle Steven's next.
Ken,
Too funny... Got a good laugh out of that. I wonder what Jeff's guy would say? Nice and shiny now! That was too easy!
Good luck on this years venture!
Chris
PS How did the V7 repair go and did you get a complete new dome or just the belts? |
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| Posted by Ken Williams on Mar 25, 2010, 03:58 PM EST |
Ron:
I haven't seen the installation on the swivel yet. Jeff said he took pictures but wasn't sure how to get his iphone to send them to me.
The controversy over the swivel caught me by surprise. I've received several links this morning to various message board postings, and probably wouldn't have installed it if I had read them first. The good thing is that I did read them, and will be much more careful with the swivel, and making sure the swivel comes over the bow pulpit in the right orientation (which is what it was bought to do in the first place!).
As so Seabird's transmission....
I haven't spoken with Steven (Seabird) in several days. The last I spoke with him everything had been put back together and he needed to take the boat out for a test drive. Unfortunately, his thruster tubes were so loaded with crud he couldn't get away from the dock. We've been incapable of finding bottom cleaners in Japan despite months of looking. One of Jeff's guys cleaned my bottom and I believe the plan is that he will tackle Steven's next.
Thank you,
Ken W |
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| Posted by Ron Rogers on Mar 25, 2010, 03:25 PM EST |
| Was the transmission job satisfactory? |
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| Posted by Ron Rogers on Mar 25, 2010, 03:18 PM EST |
The best universal joint may be what you have - the WASI Ball.From your picture, it is hard to determine brand or size - it sure doesn't look very big in the photo. Most criticism of these SS fittings fall inbto two categories: yielding under extreme side loads and their being made of SS. Balls and true universal joints (like the one sold by Suncor) are less susceptible to the side load argument. That argument goes away if a shackle is used to attach the fitting to the anchor. The SS criticism stems from the idea of prolonged submersion allowing the metals to interact. I doubt that your intended use would involve sufficient prolonged submersion. The other common criticism is in fact a criticism of the owner/user. Many fittings depend upon using a form of Loctite on a threaded bolt and owners forget to apply it or check for tightness. That does not appear to apply to your unit. I would check the unit before every use and lubricate the ball with Lanolin. Knowing you, you probably purchased the Swiss/German WASI Ball.
Ron |
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| Posted by Adam on Mar 25, 2010, 11:18 AM EST |
Ken, this is the sort of thing I'm talking about:
http://lists.samurai.com/pipermail/trawlers-and-trawlering/2009-June/139139.html
http://lists.samurai.com/pipermail/trawlers-and-trawlering/2009-June/139217.html
That's just a couple from last June, but the subject seems to come up every other month or so.
By the way, I'd no intention of being a downer! I have no opinion on the subject; just curious because I know you plan your equipment carefully. And I'm about to put a 55 kg Rocna on our N47; hope it sets itself properly on the bow roller.
/afb |
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| Posted by D Traver Adolphus on Mar 25, 2010, 09:24 AM EST |
It's funny--I blog for work (http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/category/hemmings-editors/david-traver-adolphus/), and I know there are some dedicated followers, but it's not until I contemplate the prospect of another season of Cruising with Ken that I understand just how happy it makes you. It reminds me of awaiting the next installment of a serial in a magazine.
Can't wait!
Dave |
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| Posted by Ken Williams on Mar 25, 2010, 12:06 AM EST |
Adam:
I had no idea that swivels are controversial. I'll read through the postings on the T&T list to see what they are saying.
My interest in the swivel is in getting the anchor the final few feet into the bow pulpit. With my prior anchor, 110kg, it usually took me 3 or 4 tries to get the anchor to come over the bow pulpit. I've upgraded my anchor to 150kg, and was worried that it would be a nightmare to get those last couple of fit over the bow pulpit. Allegedly the swivel will resolve this by allowing the anchor to rotate into the correct position for coming over the bowsprit.
It catches me by surprise that they are controversial. Perhaps there are cheap swivels, and expensive swivels? The swivel I bought was around $500, which seemed like a lot of money for what it is. I've forgotten the strength rating, but it was higher than the surrounding chain.
I'll do a bit of research.
-Ken W |
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| Posted by Adam on Mar 24, 2010, 11:29 PM EST |
Ken, anchor swivels seem to be pretty roundly condemned by the experienced cruisers on the Trawlers and Trawlering mailing list as weak links (literally) with limited upside. I'm curious about why you decided to install one.
Thanks! |
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