Haulouts are a necessary evil. They are the only time a boat owner can perform a thorough inspection of the hull, rudder and underwater hardware, as well as apply bottom paint and perform other below-the-­waterline maintenance.  

There are several ways to make the most of this process. Here are a few tips.

Keep the Water Out

Watertight integrity rises above all other priorities. The weakest links in this chain are hull fittings and seacocks. That’s why it’s important to use time on the hard to inspect each one.  

If they are metallic, then scrape off some paint. The metal color should look like copper. While the telltale green shade of verdigris is not harmful, any sign of a pinkish hue is cause for concern. Pink indicates de-zincification. It means the metal is brass, which contains zinc, rather than bronze, which does not. The former is definitely not suitable for use in seawater.  

Work all the seacocks, and replace any that are seized. Those that are stiff can often be freed with exercise and a little penetrating oil. Most modern ball-type seacocks use Teflon or other synthetic seals, which don’t need lubrication, however, those that have drain plugs can usually accept Zerk fittings, which allow the void around the ball to be filled with grease, making movement easier.

Stay On Course

Closely inspect the rudder for damage, and remember to look at the very bottom surface. Many rudders “leak” water while hauled. This might not be cause for concern. However, if the liquid is rust-colored, then water may have penetrated to the rudder’s internal metallic support structure. That structure might be stainless steel or a combination of stainless and mild steel (the latter is undesirable, but both can suffer). If corrosion is present, surgery might be necessary to avoid a parting of the ways between the rudder stock and blade—and the resultant loss of steering or the rudder altogether.  

If the rudder is skeg hung, then check the condition of the gudgeon, the stationary support for the rudder’s lower pivot point, called the pintle. It’s normal to have a small amount of lateral play here, but too much can indicate wear or damage. Fiberglass around the pintle hardware should be free of anything other than minor gelcoat surface cracks.

With spade rudders (those that are not supported at the bottom), grab the lowest portion and push-pull it to port and starboard. A small amount of play is normal where the rudder stock enters the rudder log, tube and bearing that provide support at the hull interface. Excessive movement can indicate wear and the potential need to replace the bearing. Both rudder types should otherwise move freely to their stops without binding.  

Keel and Stub

Have a close look at the keel, especially if it is externally ballasted. Trouble can lurk in the interface between the ballast and hull, which might be direct or might rely on a fiberglass protrusion called the stub. It’s not unusual to see some water leaking from this interface, but if it is rusty in color, it indicates corrosion to keel fasteners, which are typically made from a stainless alloy.  

How much corrosion has occurred is impossible to know without separating the keel from the hull, but there have been a few high-profile cases of keel loss, often with fatalities, so better safe than sorry.

Dropping an external ballast keel is no small undertaking, but for a skilled yard, it should be fairly routine. If the keel is externally ballasted and it is cast iron, the integrity of the coating is critical. Any breach will lead to rust, which will spread. Correction requires cleaning, grinding to bright metal, and then coating with an epoxy primer rather than simply applying antifoulant.

For all keels, check the bottom for grounding damage. If the keel is internally ballasted, then severe grounding damage can allow water to reach the ballast. This is problematic for lead ballast and especially concerning for iron ballast, which will rust and expand, damaging the fiberglass structure. Better to catch this problem early. —Steve D’Antonio 

Steve D’Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting.

The post After the Haulout: First Things First appeared first on Cruising World.

Surveying the lubricants shelf in my shop, I see no fewer than 13 types of grease, each designed for specific requirements or needs.  

A cruising vessel doesn’t need such an array, but it is important to use the right grease for the task at hand. Selecting incorrectly, or applying too infrequently, can lead to premature wear and failure.

Grease is nothing more than lubricating mineral or vegetable-based oil that’s held in suspension with a medium more viscous than the oil itself.  

In the lubrication world, that medium is referred to as a “soap.” Soaps can take on many forms, but the most common are lithium-, ­aluminum- and calcium-based soaps. What’s most important is their incompatibility. Ideally, grease types should not be mixed without first consulting a grease compatibility chart.

The two most common types of grease are designed for use in automobile chassis. They are often called “multipurpose” and usually are calcium-based, intended for low heat and wet applications. They also can be silicone-based, designed to operate in high-­temperature (up to about 275 degrees Fahrenheit) applications. These heavy-duty greases are typically rated by the National Lubrication Grease Institute as No. 2, which has the ­consistency of peanut butter.

Other types of grease are used in electrical applications and called dielectrics. They are insulators that do not conduct electricity. They are often used to seal and prevent corrosion, and on spark-plug boots to keep out water, and prevent sticking to spark plugs. These greases are often silicone- or Teflon-based and are translucent.  

Anti-seize grease is used to prevent seizure of fasteners, particularly in corrosion-prone scenarios. It’s often aluminum- or copper-based. These greases should be used with caution because they can cause fasteners to loosen at undesired times. Never use anti-seize grease on motor mounts or shaft coupling fasteners.

Application

Grease applications aboard a cruising vessel include windlass gears, shafts, clutches, steering cables, sheaves, gears, chains, winches, furler components, thrust bearings, and some stuffing boxes and seacocks. 

Much like oil, grease needs to be changed and becomes contaminated with dirt, dust, metal and water. Rather than simply adding new grease to some components, the old grease should be removed and the surfaces cleaned first. This is especially true in bearing applications such as winches and windlasses, which are subject to contamination.  

Doing a thorough job of this cleaning requires disassembly, after which as much of the old grease as possible should be removed with a rag. The parts should be washed in a parts washer or, if that’s not available, in solvent such as mineral spirits or diesel fuel.

Grease can be applied using proprietary nozzles called Zerk fittings. They let grease pump into a component using a grease gun. Because these fittings include a check valve of sorts, the grease can’t leak out. Some seacocks are designed to have Zerk fittings installed so that their balls can be lubricated while displacing water from the void between the outside of the ball and the inside of the seacock housing.  

Grease used in seacock applications that are greaseable (many are not) should be highly viscous, NLGI No. 2 and water-­resistant. Grease designed for boat-trailer wheel bearings works well in this application.

For high-speed bearings served by Zerk fittings—this especially applies to drivetrain thrust bearings—avoid overfilling the grease cavity because the grease can inhibit heat dissipation. Zerk fittings used on seacocks, if left in place, should be stainless or Monel.  Grease can also be applied from reservoirs called “cups,” whose caps turn to force grease into an area where it’s needed.

Where grease is concerned, be sure to follow manufacturer recommendations for selection and application, as well as for replacement intervals. 

Steve D’Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting. 

The post Grease the Wheels of Your Boat: A Guide to Proper Lubrication appeared first on Cruising World.

“Tools are your good friends.” Those are the opening words of the US Navy’s Use of Tools manual, first printed in 1945. It goes on to explain: “Why? Because they make it possible for you to do hundreds of jobs that you couldn’t do with your own hands. They are extra hands—and eyes—which give you countless new skills. If you treat the tools you use as friends, they’ll always be ready to help you when you need them most.” Truer words were never written.

I’ll confess: I’m a hopeless lover of tools, especially tools that are well-designed and well-made, some of which are older than I am yet still serving admirably. There’s a certain satisfaction in having them close at hand and being able to use the right tool to complete a job, from ball-peen hammers and combination wrenches to soldering irons and multimeters. 

Because a cruising vessel is limited in the amount of stowage for tools, skippers must choose wisely, making certain that the tools will be used often or are so valuable that they are worth having regardless of how infrequently they are used.

Electrical Tools

Because so many troubleshooting scenarios are electrical in nature, it’s imperative to have tools for this type of troubleshooting. Chief among these is a multimeter, which should include the usual functions of AC and DC volts and amps, as well as resistance. Ideally, it should also include an amp clamp that works with AC and DC voltage. There are many online tutorials for learning to use this tool, and I covered multimeters in a previous column.

Electrical tools should include a wire stripper and a crimping tool. These should be separate because the all-in-one versions do neither job well. If you struggle with crimping and stripping, automatic versions are a good choice, especially for novices. 

Also have a good-quality wire cutter, sometimes called a side cutter. 

Mechanical Tools

A quality set of thin ­combination open-/box-end wrenches are a mechanic’s best friend. Higher-quality wrench sets are made from stronger alloys, allowing them to be thinner, with the same rigidity of thicker wrenches. A thinner wrench can fit into tighter spaces. A 12- rather than a 6-point box end can mean the difference between getting a turn on a bolt and not. More points also mean the wrench needs to be rotated less to engage the fastener.

The same concept holds true for socket sets. I prefer 12-point here as well, but it’s less critical than with combination wrenches. Thinner versions come in especially handy when working in tight spaces on engines. The most common is a three-eighths-inch drive. 

Of course, these stronger-­alloy, thinner-walled tools come at a higher cost; however, shopping around will usually yield comparatively reasonable prices. Stronger alloys also resist open-end wrench ­spreading, which is when the jaws of the wrench distort under heavy load.  

A variation on the open-end wrench is the flare wrench. These are technically designed for hydraulic and fuel flare ­fittings. They are semi-open-ended and resist spreading, making them ideally suited for fuel and hydraulic fittings (preventing these hollow components from distorting under load), as well as for overcoming stubborn conventional ­fasteners without slipping.   

Perhaps one of the most valuable tools I own is a quarter-inch drive socket set. I use this more than any other wrench or socket set I own. It’s compact, and many sets come in blow-molded cases, making it possible to bring the complete set to the project location.  

Most vessels include a mixture of imperial and metric fasteners, so you’ll need sets of each for the wrenches and sockets. An alternative to separate sets is an all-inclusive kit. They are usually less expensive than individual sets. 

Finally, keep all of your tools corrosion-free by wiping them with a rust inhibitor from time to time. The kits that live in blow-molded cases tend to resist rust better than those that live free-range on the boat.   

Remember, tools are your friends. Treat them like your very best.

Steve D’Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting.

The post Top Tools for Sailboat Cruising: Must-Have Gear for 2024 appeared first on Cruising World.

Not long ago, I inspected a vessel under construction and was pleased to see that the builder had made the holding tank from fiberglass (also known as fiberglass-­reinforced plastic, or FRP). Essentially, it was fabricated with the same materials and techniques as the hull, which relied on a solid laminate and vinylester resin. FRP tanks, if manufactured correctly, can last the life of the vessel. On this boat, all plumbing fittings were reinforced nylon, another excellent choice that is impervious to the corrosive effects of effluent.

However, the installation’s design went awry when it came to design and hoses. The discharge fitting was installed on the tank’s bottom, ostensibly to harness gravity but in reality ensuring that the hose connected to that fitting would always be filled with effluent. The tank’s bottom fitting also lacked a valve, making hose replacement a difficult, unpleasant job.  

Fittings located anywhere other than the tank top are an invitation to leakage. All holding-­tank plumbing fittings should be glass-reinforced nylon, FRP, PVC schedule 80 or bronze. Under no circumstances should stainless steel, regardless of the alloy, be used for conveyance or containment of effluent. As durable as it might be in weather-deck applications, it is susceptible to crevice corrosion when exposed to stagnant, oxygen-depleted water and effluent.    

Ideally, sanitation-system hoses should be arranged to avoid entrapment of effluent. They should be sloped to ensure drainage. Where traps can’t be avoided, hard PVC pipe can be used because it is impervious to permeation and odor. Where PVC pipe transitions to hose, ­purpose-made barbed PVC pipe adapters should be used, rather than slipping hose directly over smooth pipe sections.

The hose used for holding-tank vent plumbing should carry the same rating as hose used for conveyance of liquid effluent. Most manufacturers of PVC sanitation hose (which has a smooth, shiny appearance) prohibit the use of solvents and alcohol, which include nontoxic antifreeze used for winterizing. If your vessel lives in a seasonally subfreezing climate and it gets winterized, then the sanitation hose should be EPDM-based, which is black or white and rubberlike. Or you must avoid the use of antifreeze. While EPDM hose is stiffer and harder to install, and typically more costly than PVC-based hose, it might be worth it. Some brands offer as much as a 10-year no-permeation warranty, and it carries no restrictions on chemical exposure.

Holding-tank vents (there should be two) should be large, at least three-quarters of an inch, but 1.5-inch is ideal, with one plumbed to each side of the vessel’s hull. This setup will facilitate cross ventilation through the tank, ­discouraging the formation of anaerobic ­bacteria that produce the foulest odors.  

The tank on the new build that I saw did have two more appealing details: an inspection and clean-out port, and a removable pickup or drop tube for the deck pump-out. Holding tanks—and all tanks, for that matter—should have access ports for interior cleaning. Ideally, removable drop tubes are made from PVC. They let the user clear a clog, or replace the tube should it become dislodged or perforated.

Steve D’Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting.

The post Blackwater Wisdom for Holding Tanks appeared first on Cruising World.

If you are planning to do any cruising that takes you away from your dock or mooring for even a single overnight, there are five things that you simply must know how to do on your diesel engine.

1. Replace the Fuel Filter

Diesel fuel is prone to contamination and water accumulation, especially in the marine environment. Diesel fuel, unlike gasoline, can actually support microbial growth, often incorrectly referred to as algae. That black slime is a microscopic goo of “bugs” that can thrive in a boat’s fuel tank. Typically, they live right at the line where water in the fuel and the fuel itself meets. 

The water will always settle to the bottom of a filter assembly. It is imperative that a diesel engine be equipped with two fuel filters: a primary and a secondary. You need to know how to service these filters when the worst happens, should they become waterlogged or clogged with contaminants. 

Filter elements are among the mandatory spares you need to keep on board. I highly recommend the Racor brand, preferably those equipped with a water alarm system, as primary filters. These have a clear fuel bowl that lets you actually see water and/or contamination in the fuel. This is a major improvement over the solid metal filter housings that are typical as secondary filters with diesel engines. 

Swapping out these fuel-­filter elements is easy. You’ll need the correct size spanner wrench to loosen the single nut that holds the element into its housing. You’ll also need a drip pan to catch fuel that spills as you remove the filter housing assembly. 

Make sure to replace the sealing gasket at the top of the filter housing assembly. Also make sure the new filter is a match for the one you are replacing. These are rated in micron size. Typical micron ratings are 5, 10 or 20, but they could be as small as 2 microns for the secondary filter. 

Once reassembled, your filter assembly will be full of air. This is going to need to be bled out before running the engine. 

2. Bleed the Fuel System

Air in your engine’s fuel system will occur when you replace your fuel filters, or if you run out of fuel in your tank. Either way, you are going to need to bleed the air out of your fuel system. 

The method will vary depending upon the type of primary fuel pump. It gets the fuel from your tank to the engine.

If your boat has an ­electric pump, things will be easy. Simply crack open the fuel line that connects to the high-pressure injection pump on your engine, and then turn on the electric pump. Once you see fuel spitting out of the fuel-line connection, tighten the nut. Next, go to the engine’s fuel injectors and crack open the hex nut on the fuel line at the injector farthest from the injection pump. Tighten the connection when you see fuel spitting out of the line at the injector. Repeat this process on each fuel line, moving to the closest to the ­high-pressure injection pump. 

If your engine has a ­mechanical primary fuel pump, then it will most likely have a small lever to let you activate the pump manually. Once all the air is bled out of the system, the engine should start up as normal. 

One extremely important exception is if you have a newer electronic common rail injection system. Never, ever attempt to bleed these ­systems. They are self-­bleeding, and they run at extremely high pressures that will cause personal injury if fuel sprays you.

3. Replace the ­Water-Pump ­Impeller

Add to your minimum spare parts list a raw-water pump impeller and cover gasket. 

If you maintain your boat religiously, then you will rarely have to replace this impeller on an emergency basis. I replace the impeller on my boat every two boating seasons and have never had one fail. That said, it does happen, and replacement intervals will be dictated more by engine run time versus monthly intervals. 

A clogged seawater ­strainer in the line that supplies water to the pump could cause an emergency failure. The impeller is made of rubber and is self-lubricated by this seawater. No water means no lubricant for the impeller, and premature failure will ­happen. It’s always best to follow your engine manufacturer’s recommendations as to service intervals. 

To replace the impeller, remove the screws holding the pump housing cover. Typically, you’ll find a super-thin cover gasket. This will need to be replaced. 

The rubber impeller can now be removed. Typically, prying it out with a pair of small screwdrivers will do the trick in sliding the rubber impeller off its driveshaft. A plethora of YouTube videos demonstrate how to service a raw-water pump. I recommend viewing several before you attempt this task.

4. Change the Engine Oil and Filter

Your engine manufacturer will specify change frequencies, along with oil type (American Petroleum Institute rating) and viscosity levels. It is imperative to use only the ­viscosity and API service rating recommended. Not all 30W oil is the same. 

Even though your engine may have a conventional drain plug at the low point of the engine sump, in most marine installations, you won’t be able to access it effectively with a drain pan to catch the old oil as it drains out. So, the most common approach is to draw the old oil out of the engine through the dipstick hole. West Marine offers pump kits ranging from about $45 to $200, depending on how fancy you want to get. 

Run your engine to warm things up before you begin the oil-change process. It’ll make things much easier because it will thin out the oil a bit.

Oil filters today are by and large of the spin-on variety. You might want to acquire an appropriately sized filter wrench to help with removal. Depending on the filter’s location on your engine, you might need a small catch basin to collect oil that leaks out as you remove the filter element. 

Once it’s off, double-check to be certain that the gasket seal for the filter came off with the filter. The seal can stick on the engine. Remove it if it did remain in place. 

Next, apply some oil on the gasket on the new filter, and screw it onto the engine. Hand-tighten only. Don’t ever use the filter wrench to tighten the new filter.

Next, insert the thin tube that came with the new oil-change pump into the dipstick hole on your engine until it bottoms out. Activate the pump (electric or manual), and suck the oil out of your engine.

Once all the old oil is removed, add the new oil in the amount specified in your engine manual. Start the engine, and look for any sign of leaking at the filter. Then shut down the engine and recheck the oil level. 

5. Shut Down a Runaway Diesel

Although rare, having a “runaway” diesel is a terrifying experience for the uninitiated. You shut off all the engine controls, but your engine continues to run at full speed. 

A number of things can cause this: excessive oil consumption that leads to oil accumulation in the combustion chamber, crankcase oil vapor entering the combustion chamber, turbocharger failure, damaged turbo seals, and fuel-system faults.

The good news is that all of this is unlikely on fairly new, well-maintained engines. But there are plenty of 20-year-old diesels in service today, and they are vulnerable. 

Your diesel needs three things to run: air, fuel and compression. To stop a runaway, remove the easiest thing on that list to eliminate: air. Most diesels have some sort of an air breather protecting the air intake on the engine. It looks like an air cleaner on most engines but might not have a filter element installed. (Air filters are pretty useless at sea, where there’s not a lot of dust flying about.) 

Keep a small block of wood on board that will give you a handhold, and block the air intake on the engine. Hold it in place, being careful to keep any and all body parts away from the air-intake hole. The suction will be extreme. 

Expect the engine to continue running for a few minutes, depending on the size of the air-intake manifold. Eventually, the engine will smother itself and shut down. Then comes the hard work: finding the exact cause of the runaway.

The post 5 DIY Basics For Your Diesel Engine appeared first on Cruising World.

For many cruisers, safer sailing resides in the can—at least when the can contains a nonskid coating. It’s a sure cure to ­banana-peel-slick decks. Fortunately, such surfaces can be rejuvenated by an ­experienced do-it-yourselfer.

In most cases, nonskid ­patterns are molded into a fiberglass sailboat’s deck. Over the years, these ­surfaces ­degrade. As the crazed, oxidized gelcoat becomes more porous, its effectiveness as a water barrier also decreases. 

Recoating a fiberglass deck with a nonskid paint is a lot easier than repainting the shiny topsides. First of all, decks are relatively flat, while topsides are much more susceptible to paint hangs and sags. Refinished topsides are expected to gleam like the side panels of a Ferrari, while nonskid coatings are neither ultrasmooth nor automotive-­glossy. The perfection bar is lower.

What is vital, however, is a thorough understanding of the paint system you are going to use, and strict adherence to the manufacturer’s guidelines. 

The process begins with a degreasing and a washdown with a stiff-bristle scrub brush. This should be a true workout. The goal is to remove the detritus that’s been ground into the surface over the years.

When everything is dry again, scuff-sand the surface with 80-grit sandpaper. A vacuum-linked random orbital sander is ideal for the job. The objective is to scuff up a well-adhered substrate. There’s no need to remove the textured gelcoat as long as it is intact. If it’s failing here or there, it might be necessary to remove some or all of the textured gelcoat using heavier 50- or 36-grit sanding discs. This is a task for those with more experience, and with vacuum dust-collection equipment. 

Options for new nonskid coatings include single- and two-part paint systems. The former streamlines the process. The latter involves a two-part epoxy primer and a two-part linear polyurethane topcoat. In both cases, the finish coat is laced with a specific grade of mineral grit or with plastic microspheres to texture the surface.  

Most approaches utilize a primer and topcoat protocol. And the old wisdom of building a strong foundation holds true. When it comes to primers, nothing beats the durability of a two-part epoxy. Awlgrip 545 has earned a following among pros, but I’ve also come to appreciate how well Interlux’s 404/414 Primekote has stood the test of time. A decade after I applied a two-part linear polyurethane nonskid topcoat over the 404/414 primer, the texture had diminished, but the adhesive tenacity of the epoxy underlayer remained intact. This made repainting for the next decade easier than ever.

Single-part paints also have significantly evolved in terms of easy handling and longevity. I had painted the cockpit sole of my sloop, Wind Shadow, with Interlux’s single-part Brightside, and the deck on a Cape Dory Typhoon with Pettit’s EZ Poxy. Both were over a two-part epoxy primer. After five years, the coatings remained well-adhered, and there was still some Topsider-grabbing grit left in the paint. I recently applied some of Interlux’s Toplac Plus over the single-part primer Pre-Kote Plus, and I found the comb easy to handle.

When it comes to additives, I favor Awlgrip’s Griptex and Interlux’s Intergrip. I prefer a foam roller (West System 800) and a bristle brush, along with a homemade extra-large shaker to dust the surface with additional grit. This light dusting will leave some microspheres poorly immersed in paint. After a couple of days of curing, hose down the deck and scrub away the excess grit. The poorly adhered material will wash away, leaving an evenly coated, excellent ­nonskid deck.      

Prior to primer application, do a final dust-off, and mask the boundary that delineates the end of the nonskid area. Use a good-quality masking tape such as 3M 233+. It’s a solvent-resistant, highly adhesive tape that leaves no residue. Put on a pair of kneepads, bring along a cotton dust cloth, and have a single-edge razor blade to cut the tape. Work around stanchions, hardware and other tight corners. Once the tape is in place, do a secondary press to make sure the tape is adhered to the surrounding smooth gelcoat.

Painting the nonskid portion of a sailboat’s deck doesn’t necessarily mean tackling every bit of the job at once. Start with a small area, such as the cockpit sole. Sample products and procedures. Build the skills you’ll need, and then decide what’s next.

Nonskid Manufacturers

Paint manufacturers have come up with some interesting ­approaches to creating nonslip surfaces on sailboats. Each of these has websites with training videos. Stick with one manufacturer’s product lineup, and follow the mixing and application guidelines.

Interlux’s new single-part silicone alkyd Toplac Plus and the microsphere additive Intergrip are easy to apply. They create a durable nonskid finish that teams up with Pre-Kote Plus primer or two-part Epoxy Primekote. 

Pettit Paint’s Tuff Coat is a water-based, rubberized nonskid that requires surface preparation. Prior to the final washing, Surface Prep 92 is applied. After sanding, Tuff Coat primer is applied. After that’s cured, two coats of Tuff Coat are spread using a Pettit roller.

Epifanes offers premixed Nonskid Deckcoating that is a blend of single-part mono-urethane topside paint and polypropylene bead traction additive. The latter is also marketed independently for use with two-part topcoat products.

The post DIY Tips for Repairing Nonskid appeared first on Cruising World.

Many boat owners are surprised to learn that shaft bearings, also called cutless bearings, are lubricated with nothing but seawater. Without its regular flow, the bearing and shaft can wear rapidly.

Most conventional bearings and bushings are made from relatively hard substances—some type of metal, from brass to steel—and are oil-lubricated. Shaft bearings, however, are almost exclusively made from rubber that is lubricated with seawater. The design, at least for DuraMax products, incorporates a few features that yield this surprising longevity.  

The outer shell of the bearing is most often made from brass (not bronze), although bearings are available with a nonmetallic shell for use on aluminum and steel vessels.  

The rubber, which is of the especially durable and oil-resistant nitrile variety, is flexible, so the bearing lands deform slightly when the shaft turns. This enables a water wedge to form between the bearing and the shaft, making for extremely low friction and wear. 

Additionally, the soft surface is able to “absorb” grit and dirt until it can be flushed through the valleys between the lands. 

Unlike hard bearings, rubber shaft bearings almost never fail catastrophically. Bearing life varies depending on several factors, but I’ve encountered bearings that were still within tolerances after 1,000 hours of use.

Even still, shaft bearings can fail prematurely if they are starved of their lubricating lifeblood: water. This can occur if a sacrificial anode is installed too close to the leading edge of a strut. For planing power vessels, the general rule is no less than a foot of clearance between anode and bearing. For sailing and displacement craft, 6 inches is plenty.

If the anode loosens and slides aft on the shaft, that can also block water flow.  Barnacles and other marine growth, as well as carelessly applied antifouling paint forward of the bearing, can also impede water flow.

Shaft bearings should be installed with a light press fit. No more than moderate effort should be required to push or pull a bearing into its bore. 

Sealant or epoxy should never be used to secure a bearing into place. If the gap between the bearing shell and the bore is too great, then a larger bearing shell can be turned down on a lathe to achieve the proper fit. Once the bearing is in place, it should be retained with set screws whose tips are pointed. These should “land” in dimples that have an angle that matches the screw tip, and that are drilled into, but not through, the bearing shell. 

While engine-to-shaft alignment is a process that is fairly well-understood in the marine industry, shaft alignment with shaft bearings often represents a bit of a gray area for many boatyards. The prop shaft and transmission output couplings must be centered and parallel, and the shaft must also be parallel with, and be centered in, the shaft bearing.

Getting both of these right represents a delicate balancing act, one that often fails to achieve the goal on the bearing side. If the shaft passes through the shaft bearing in a manner that is not parallel, then “pinching” can occur. This is evident when viewing either end of the bearing. A gap might exist on one side, say at 3 o’clock, while the bearing’s rubber is compressed at 9 o’clock (the gap and compression location will be reversed at the other end of the bearing). Such a scenario leads to accelerated bearing and shaft wear because the shaft is unable to “float” on the water wedges, and because of vibration. Aligning a shaft with a bearing often requires adjustment of the strut or keel bearing carrier.

Finally, shaft bearings can occasionally suffer from swelling. This occurs when a hygroscopic (and thus incorrect) rubber bearing material is used. In extreme cases, it can cause the shaft to be seized by the bearing. 

The proper clearance between shaft and bearings is detailed within the American Boat and Yacht Council’s Standard P-6, Propeller Shafting Systems, for shafts from ¾-inch to 4 inches. 

It is highly advisable to fit new bearings to shafts, and to check the clearance before installing them, because oversize and undersize bearings are not uncommon. 

Steve D’Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting.

The post Shaft Bearing Maintenance Tips appeared first on Cruising World.

The most notable upgrade that my husband, Chris, and I have done aboard our 41-foot, 1979 Cheoy Lee, Avocet, since we bought her in 2018 is replacing her toe rail with a bulwark. This project changed not only the aesthetic of our boat’s design, but also the physical construct, making her deck and hull stronger than ever. 

A conversion like this one includes many technical layers that combine naval design, carpentry, metalwork and a whole lot of patience. For starters, our research revealed that there is a lot of confusion about what defines a toe rail and a bulwark. After some internet deep dives, and discussions with boatwrights and naval architects, we concluded that a toe rail is a piece of wood, aluminum or fiberglass that usually does not exceed more than 3 inches tall and that is bolted, every few inches, through the deck. Anything bigger (which typically is bolted to the stanchions) is called a bulwark.

Sailor and author John Kretschmer notes that when choosing an offshore cruising boat, it’s best to consider a vessel with a “deck-to-hull joint that does not rely on bolts, screws, rivets, or adhesive for strength or watertightness.” He notes that the idea is to eliminate potential leaks. 

With all of this in mind, we explored how we could implement a strong bulwark and increase Avocet’s bluewater standard. Avocet’s teak toe rail was (at one point) structural, connecting the deck-to-hull joint with through bolts every 6 inches. Over time, the bolts corroded because of dissimilar metals, leaving numerous voids where water leaked through, creating a mess of problems belowdecks. To repair this damage, we had to remove the toe rail and then decide how to proceed with a replacement.

Choosing the bulwark option let us glass a seamless deck-to-hull joint that would reinforce the interior glass, as well as reconcile the damage, further eliminating the need to rebolt. Our deck-to-hull joint was not initially glassed externally because the process is labor-intensive and expensive. Avocet’s era of boats were primarily built economically, in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the quicker approach is to construct a toe rail and bolt it. This solution is fine as long as the hardware is not corroding.

For three months, Chris and I spent hours glassing, designing, fabricating and constructing our bulwark, which incorporated many design aspects influenced by the Bristol Channel Cutter. The bulwark bases were 316 stainless L brackets that we recessed into the deck so that they would sit flush below the stanchions. Each bracket was a unique bend measurement to anticipate the curve of Avocet’s hull, allowing the wood to conform and naturally continue the angle of the hull above the deck.

Next, we began to work on the wood that would be mounted to the brackets. We wanted to use teak at first, but our wallets did not agree, so we researched rot-resistant hardwoods such as white oak, purpleheart, black acacia and mahogany. A contractor pointed us toward cumaru, also known as Brazilian teak. 

Chris spent days prior to the wood’s arrival studying various scarf joints to choose the best method to join the three sections of wood together into a single 42-foot board. He settled on a mechanically fastened plated scarf joint that would be 32 inches long. Chris used an accurate combo square, circular saw, Japanese handsaw, sharp chisels, assorted drill bits, 316 stainless hardware, and marine glue to construct the bulwark plank.

Sixty-four stainless-steel fasteners later, we had bulwarks. The wood added a hint of timeless design to Avocet, in a nod to our favorite classic yacht designers. 

The final pieces to be installed were the hawseholes to replace our fairleads, which we felt did not do the overall hull design justice. Our cast-bronze hawseholes completed the design.

When the project was complete, we broke free of our dock lines and made a mad dash to the Channel Islands so that we could enjoy our boat the way she was intended. Water splashed the deck, washing overboard immediately under the bulwark through the slim gap. It was perfect. The height of the bulwark made it easy to stow jerry cans, fenders, lines and even the dinghy without clutter.

This conversion was a long process, but we are pleased with the outcome. As Kretschmer writes: “No other man-made object blends design, craftsmanship, passion and pure optimism the way a sailboat does. With a good sailboat, anything is possible.”

For more details on our bulwark conversion, visit our website, svavocet.com, or check out our YouTube channel, Sailing Avocet.

The post How We Built Our Own Bulwarks appeared first on Cruising World.

Instead of cruising Alaska’s epic coastline, I once spent five interminable days in the port of Kodiak awaiting a replacement part for a failed windlass. As I sat there, unable to take advantage of the sunny days, I was reminded that many boaters fail to realize that electric windlasses have a maintenance schedule.

This schedule often includes partial disassembly, cleaning, inspection, and lubrication of the shafts and clutches. By far, most failures are the result of deferred maintenance and inspections. Familiarize yourself with the maintenance requirements for your make and model, and follow them.

For windlasses with oil-filled gearboxes, this includes checking the oil level, and checking the gearbox for oil leaks. If the oil is milky, then it’s contaminated with water, a problem that typically requires removal of the windlass and a rebuild, including the replacement of shaft seals. If your anchor rode creates a rainbow sheen on the water when it’s first deployed, then there’s a good chance your gearbox is leaking oil.

Beyond that, don’t assume that your windlass has been installed correctly just because it works, even if you purchased your vessel new. After you have reviewed the service requirements, look at the installation instructions, and then scrutinize your setup for deficiencies.  

Common installation errors involve mounting and fasteners. Most fiberglass vessels utilize a cored deck structure. Unless the builder anticipated the installation, wherever the core is penetrated, it must be removed and backfilled with thickened epoxy (this is called “core closeout”). Missing this step can lead to water ­penetrating the core and deteriorating the balsa or plywood. Even if the core is synthetic and rot-proof, it can be crushed where windlass fasteners pass through it, in turn weakening the deck structure.

These rules apply to the hole through which the chain passes, as well as to holes that are drilled for windlass mounting fasteners. The large chain hole must be properly closed out with solid fiberglass or thickened epoxy. In many cases, I encounter mere coats of polyester or epoxy resin, an approach that is woefully inadequate for any closeout, particularly when it must withstand abrasion from the anchor rode moving in and out of the chain locker. 

Most windlass manufacturers recommend using a backing plate to help distribute the load to the deck. This backing plate can be made from prefabricated fiberglass or epoxy sheet called GPO-3 or G10, stainless steel or aluminum, in that order of preference. Timber is less than ideal, and under no circumstances should it be a solid block, regardless of species, because it is prone to cracking. Backing plates should not be bedded; doing so can trap water in fastener holes, leading to crevice corrosion.  

Speaking of fasteners: Those used for windlass installations should be stainless-steel bolts, not threaded rod, with heads suitable for the windlass surface. This usually means hex-head cap screws. If the housing is painted aluminum, then ensure that the heads are bedded in sealant to prevent paint failure.  

It is imperative that the fasteners’ shank diameter matches that of the holes in the windlass frame. Undersize fasteners will allow a windlass to shift, and they lack the necessary tensile strength that the manufacturer anticipated.

Review the wiring—the high-current, big cables that supply the motor, and the low-current, small wires used for the controls. All ­positive post and ring terminal connections should be booted to prevent short circuits. Connections should be clean, tight and corrosion-free. If corrosion is present, then you must disassemble, clean and reassemble the connection, ideally using a conductive or dielectric grease. Also make certain that the holes in the ring terminals match the diameter of the studs or screws where they interface. Once the connections are complete, spray with corrosion inhibitor, and give the motor housing a coating as well.

Finally, if your windlass uses a stripper bar to separate the chain from the wildcat or chain wheel, ensure that it is not distorted and that it is centered in the wheel’s groove. —Steve D’Antonio

Steve D’Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting.

The post How to Keep Your Windlass Working For You appeared first on Cruising World.

The only thing worse than overused machinery is underused machinery, and a sailing vessel’s auxiliary engine is likely, perhaps hopefully, already underused under normal circumstances. One of the most familiar refrains I hear from boat owners, after a failure is, “It was working fine.” Indeed, most equipment won’t telegraph a warning in advance of its failure.  

It’s not uncommon for engines to develop issues after the offseason layup, shortly after being placed back in service. Fortunately, many of these can be avoided with regular inspections and preventive maintenance.

Raw-water pump impellers are among the most common post-layup failure items, and this is very easily prevented by religious annual replacement at spring commissioning. Impellers are relatively inexpensive, the peace of mind afforded by their annual ­replacement, regardless of hours accumulated, is well worth the price. When replacing your impeller, be sure to closely inspect the cover plate for signs of wear. Visible discoloration usually isn’t an issue, however, any surface defects that can be felt mean the plate needs to be replaced (or turned over provided no embossed or debossed writing is present). Also, inspect the cam; if it is worn, then the pump capacity will be reduced. Some are replaceable, others aren’t. If the latter, the pump would need to be replaced.

Belts are the next most common post-commissioning failure, and they too are relatively inexpensive. If your goal is maximum reliability, go ahead and replace them every two to three years—again, regardless of use. They do age and deteriorate even while sitting idle. When carrying out the replacement, look for signs of uneven wear, which is indicative of misalignment. Many V belts I encounter are overtensioned, which leads to premature circulator-pump and alternator-bearing failures. Even many professionals don’t get this right. If you are in doubt, use a Gates Krikit belt-tension tool.

Next, look closely at the entire exhaust system. This includes the gasket under the mixing elbow, the mixing elbow itself (corrosion is its nemesis, even if it’s stainless steel), hoses (any cracking is too much), the muffler (the drain screw often corrodes), hangers or supports, and the transom outlet. Be certain to look carefully at the latter, with a flashlight, if necessary, both inside and outside, because these can corrode and perforate or crack. If it’s stainless steel and you see any brown “tea” staining, it’s a clear indication the alloy has gone from passive to active; i.e., it’s corroding.

One of the most familiar refrains I hear from boat owners is, “It was working fine.” Indeed, most equipment won’t ­telegraph a warning.

Carefully review your engine’s electrical system. Look for loose or unsupported wires. Small auxiliary engines are prone to vibration, and any wires (or hoses, for that matter) that are not well-secured will chafe. This, in turn, can lead to a short circuit. In the best-case scenario, a fuse will blow and something, including the engine itself, will stop working. In a worst-case scenario, no fuse is present, and the short will lead to an overheated wire and potentially a fire.   

Of all the positive DC wires aboard your vessel, only one is not required to have overcurrent protection (it is not prohibited from being protected; it’s simply not required for ABYC compliance), a fuse or a circuit breaker: the DC wire that supplies current to the starter. Therefore, the integrity of this wire is more critical than any other aboard. It must not make contact with any part of the engine. It should leave the starter—the post should be booted for insulation against short circuits—and the next securing point should be the vessel itself, typically a stringer.

For maximum reliability, replace your belts every two to three years, regardless of use. They do age and deteriorate even while sitting idle.

Finally, look closely over the fuel system for deterioration or damage, particularly any hose that enters the primary filter from the tank or manifold, and those that leave the filter and travel to the engine (once again, chafe is the key culprit). Then, pay attention to metal pipes that carry fuel from the lift pump to the injection pump, and from the injection pump to the injectors. Finally, inspect the return lines.

Metal pipes can rust. If they are missing their keepers, they can chafe against each other. This can be especially dangerous on a high-pressure line because a leak will spray high-pressure atomized diesel into the engine space. 

You simply can’t spend too much time looking over these critical systems before leaving the dock or mooring for the first time.

Steve D’Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting.

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