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This is for the Fulmar
This is for the Titania:
This is for the Atalanta
Nick
Pleased you enjoyed it!
Trevor
Nick Phillips said:
I would like to add my admiration for the work done by Trevor – for a small organisation it is a very professional set of products.
And I love the calendar – what a great idea.
Thanks to all involved in putting it together.
Peter
Not surprised to hear its burnt through. It has done pretty well to have lasted this long.
I would put oil into the bores and valves to make sure they dont rust up over the next few months.
Best wishes
Trevor
Peter
I will look up the catalogue to see if the association has drawings for this exhaust – but I dont remember seeing such a drawing.
While I cannot claim expertese regarding this specific engine installation, or even to have seen an engine installation in an A31, I can claim experience of similar systems.
It sounds like your exhaust manifold is too close to the waterline, or perhaps even lower than the waterline. A fairly standard problem with standard solutions. In modern installations this requires a syphon breaker in the water inlet line between the sea cock and the water pump. It also requires a “swan neck” in the exhaust to raise the pipe up to deck level before it falls back down to the exhaust outlet so that water cannot flow back down the exhaust. This modern practice would use a rubber exhaust pipe and inject the water into the exhaust just where the exhaust becomes rubber. A low section in the rubber pipe is used to allow the water left in the exhaust to settle into. The two elements go together. The swan neck stops the water flowing in from the exhaust, and the syphon breaker prevents water from flowing in through the water pump from the cooling water inlet.
Now to your installation. Since you are getting water into the engine I suspect that your engine is low enough to need the precautions mentioned above.
You have not mentioned whether you have a syphon breaker in the inlet line. You do need it.
If I describe the exhaust fitted to the A26 when new you can let me know if yours fits this description. The exhaust from the engine to the transom consisted of two pipes one inside another. The water ran between the two pipes so thet the inner pipe was a dry exhaust, surrounded by a water jacket. Near the transom there was a box where the water was mixed with the exhaust just before it went overboard. This box acted as a swan neck.
If that sounds like your exhaust then it probably has corroded through internally and is allowing water back into the engine. It will not be repairable if it is this old, and having a replacement made as a copy will be expensive. The solution will be a modern rubber system with plastic silencer, swanneck and skin fitting. I suspect you will have to make an injection bend as well.
I think that you need to replace the whole exhaust anyway if what you have is the original. You should not take chances with exhausts because of the risk of poisonous fumes entering the accomodation, and the risk of engine failure.
Hope this helps
Trevor
Nice to see the photo of Calista!
Adding the new section of keelson. Luckily the planking was in reasonable condition, and after removing the old skeg (yes the bolts were rusted through and it almost fell off), I cut out the damage to the transom. I then cut out the damaged keelson – big hole in the back – quite daunting! I removed the keelson with hand tools mainly, that which was in poor condition was easily broken up and then the decent bit had to be cut with chissel and hammer. I had to make the scarf by eye with a pattern, hammer and chissel. It was probably not perfect, but close enough to the new section which was much easier to shape on the bench (I could get power tools to it). I have not used bolts on the new skeg by the way, it is held on entirely by epoxy. There is a section of the skeg which fits onto the back of the transom, which helps support it from sideways movement.
I have lots of photos somewhere – but cant find them quickly. Will see what I can find.
Hi,
Your transom is original – that seems to be how they made them. Mine is the same. I had to rebuild the transom on Calista. The bottom 8 inches was totally rotten, as was the keelson as far as the “P” bracket. Quite a daunting repair! So I cut back the transom in steps and fitted veneer in in stages to laminate up “ply” in situe. Of course I also scarfed in a new section of keelson and a new sandkeel. That left the transom sound but clearly repaired.
The transom is a very important part of a boat, and how it appears is quite an issue – well that is how it seems to me. The transom is something of a statement about the boat.
After much thought I used a circular saw to cut slots 2.5mm deep all over the transom, and then removed the rest with a chisel, to leave a flat surface 2.5mm below the proper finished surface level. I then veneered it in three sections, the top section in a single length covering the solid wooden section, and the rest in a port and starboard section. It resulted in a finished veneer level with the original level, but in clean new wood. The only negative is with the holes left by the staples. They are visible in the vinished varnishwork, an I havnt worked out how to hide them properly.
Of course I have done something similar in the cockpit. I will take some photos when I go out to Calista this afternoon.
Of course it then took a lot of sanding and varnishing.
Hi. Yes I was trying rubber grease which seemed to stop the rubber seals from deteriorating so quickly. I have however found that my keel seals have perished – and I am not convinced that they have actually lasted long enough to make special grease worth while.
If you want to try to find this – you will need to search for “rubber grease” – it is usually used on car brake components – because it does not damage the hydraulic seals. You can find in in conventional size tubs – and I got mine via ebay.
On the other hand you might be satisfied to use whatever grease you fancy – or can get locally. I dont know if anyone elase has strong views on this?
Trevor
Murray
The Atalanta is SUPPOSED to weigh 2 tons or roughly 2000kg. Of course it depends upon how much kit you carry, and you need to add the weight of the trailer. I suspect that few Atalanta’s actually weigh that little – but that is pure speculation. I do know about Calista though. The titania is also SUPPOSED to weigh 2 tons. However it is difficult to see how that was ever the case with the big engine and extra accomodation. I did have her on a weigh bridge when she was on the trailer I sold to John. I was told she weighed just over 3 tons. That was with empty fuel and water tanks, and with normal cruising kit – but little food. That was why I went for a bigger trailer! When you contemplate long road journeys at moterway cruising speed (50mph) you really start to think about how suitable your trailer really is. Not that I want to give the impression that I sold John a problem – I didnt – It had taken Calista safely to the med twice. It is just that when I KNEW it was overloaded I could not ignore it.
So I thimk it depends on what you want to do with the trailer.
If you want to take it from storage to the water twice a year, and you can have it fairly empty for that task then I think a trailer capacity of 2.5 tons or say 3000 kg would be reasonable. I think that the boat has to be VERY empty to make this weight. So the light weight suspension units would be sufficient in this case.
On the other hand if you have some distance to travel, and you need to transport the boat with all its equipment in place (like I do on a long trip) then the heavier units would be better.
Since the difference in cost is minimal I would fit the heavier units. My reason is simply that the chances of overloading the suspension are reduced – I think the boat will inevitably have more kit on board than you expect when it is transported. However dont forget the tyres. What is the maximum weight permitted for the tyres on your trailer?
Trevor
The various responses to the initial question have covered the issue very well. I also use a sponge for those small pockets of water which accumulate in odd corners, as well as an electric pump in the engine compartment, and a whale pump in a cockpit seat which can pump out the engine compartment or the main cabin.
However no one has actually mentioned emergency situations, although the bilge pumping arrangements will all cater for emergency use.
So my point is that you dont have to only think about getting water out under normal circumstances but also in an emergency. What happens if we hit a waterlogged tree trunk at sea? The electric bilge pump is going to help but that whale gusher is going to be the main method of removing water. It needs to be able to collect water from the main cabin as well as the engine compartment, perhaps using a change over valve to swap suction pipes. The bucket could also be very useful but I dont know how long you could keep up using a bucket for.
We really need to think about damage control as well. Some pieces of plywood, assorted lengths of wood and some nails could enable a temporary patch to be fitted at sea – so that the water inflow could be reduced to a level which can be handled by the bilge pumps.
Not that I have ever had to use these things for real you understand, but we need to be ready for the unexpected, and be able to respond to it.
Trevor
