Parts are still just parts.

It's not quite a totally fixed boat yet.  

My parts, are still just… parts.  It’s not yet a boat.  But we have a new plan to match the new parts.  Tuesday we will “lower the engine and ‘knock it over a little’ so it lines up straight and true and with the correct height to match the new propeller shaft.  It seems that when we poked the new shaft through the boat it does not quite line up with the engine.  We are not totally surprised as we noticed it ‘fell’ when we disconnected the Tranny on the earlier dismantle.  (I’m told that the shaft is supposed to line up within one 400^th of an inch alignment for accuracy.  Mine is kinda twisted, off kilter, not square and sits about a ½” lower.)  If I force it, the wobble and shimmy will wear out all the new parts.  

The good news: we got the new shaft into the boat.  We got the new transmission installed.  We got the new dripless packing gland / stuffing  box in.  We got the new pillow bearing in line on the shaft but not mounted in place.  The new propeller is sitting on my aft deck.  So lots of ‘new’ is happening.

But:  the shaft does not line up as needed.  So we are going to re-align the Perkins diesel and lower it to match the shaft.  Then all will be well in the world.

So take a couple of jacks and jack up the engine.  Tie off the top so it does not sway and fall in heavy seas.  Disconnect the 4 brackets (not all 4 simultaneous) and adjust the height and alignment till it’s perfect.  What could be easier?

I don’t think I missed anything?  Oh yeah, the original problem – leaky dip stick.  Still leaky.  That’s on hold for now.      

How is your day?    - Skip

the back story: imagine Diesel Don is there, sitting in his dingy aft, holding on and looking down about 6' below water watching the scuba diver who is struggling with the weight of the new 9' shaft.  Derrick the diver is 'trying' to get the shaft to slide into the hole (1-1/4") and has to keep the exact angle of the entry to get the shaft to slide in.  BUT it's so heavy and there is only the one diver, so he drops the shaft, twice.  the drop requires him to carry it back to the surface and clean off the threads and both ends of mud.  While this is going on, Jason is down in the aft head, (back bath) with his head down under the floor watching the water enter.  Jason has his phone on speaker and is talking with Lynne who is up on deck, aft, yelling to Don who is trying to direct it all.  (it's like herding cats.  its also impossible to communicate with the diver till he comes up with mud on stuff)  I am running up and down watching all and pretending to help.  (nobody is falling for it)  After what seems like an hour and me asking Jason no fewer than ten times, "has he gotten the shaft in?" Lynne yells over the phone, "he's going to pull the plug and push in the shaft."  (Jason and i had been watching water run in thinking he was working on it.  He still had the plug in place.)  We had used a large orange rubber plug to close the hole till we were ready to stick in the shaft.  (to keep from flooding the boat)  When he pulled the plug it looked like a very high pressure fire hose was opened. Water pouring in...  then the shaft comes sliding in and the water flow is reduced to zero.  As the shaft goes further into the boat Jason installs the parts.  dripless seal, carrier bearing and finally the Tranny connection plate.  THEN we see it's not lined up and stop the project.  (insert sad face here)

P.A.R.T.S. are finally arriving

Yesterday I saw the NEW transmission. (rebuilt and new to me)  It had brand new shiny bolts on it from the re-build work.  Now it's being painted Perkins engine blue and will be ready to mount!  We are just on hold awaiting in the 9' drive shaft and brand new propeller to arrive.  They were shipping down from Fort Lauderdale on a truck.  Hopefully everything will arrive today and be installed before weeks end?  Fingers crossed...

It's been blowing like stink down here the last several days, so the boat bounces and then gets wet when a squall blows through.  Yesterday it was windy and lumpy but we went to shore between showers in rain jackets to get some chores done.  Lynne did laundry while i ran errands.  We have been doing some chores:  re-wire the music radio stereo speakers.  install the SSB radio, including mounting the new antenna and drilling holes in the deck to run lines.  purchase a new automatic antenna tuner and get all that installed.  Yesterday i went online to the FCC website and got my Restricted Radiotelephone Operators Permit.  That along with my already acquired Ship Station License allows me to talk on the SSB channels of the radio and cover the FCC requirements for sailing and taking overseas.

Today i am going to 'try' to get the Alpine music radio re-wired and installed back in it's place.  (it's got a factory pigtail with 16 wires coming off it.  i need to attach all those to the correct speaker (6) on the boat)   I had to rip everything out to install the new speaker cables.  All this stuff - including the vhf radio - lives down under a cabinet behind the Nav station.  (yes, that's 3 radios:  SSB, VHF, Alpine music radio)  To work on it i have to squeeze down in behind the Nav station, sit backwards, and twist around to stretch up under the cabinet.  i bump my head and my arms and back lock up from the pitiful position my tired old back sits in.  I'm still sore from yanking things out 2 days ago and dont relish the idea of going back for round two... 

I just have to get it working and clean up this mess!  wish me luck.

3 radios installed.  SSB on top shelf, with Alpine up under and finally the VHF down below.  Speakers sound great.  What do you want me to play?

I ran into Diesel Don today in the parking lot.  All the parts have finally arrived, so Thursday is set up for the install day.  Look out - here it comes!                              Yes, I'm excited.       -Skip