Broad Ambition - TLC Time Again

[OldBerkshireBoy]

Have to say that I`m impressed with what you guys got done based on what I saw Thursday when I popped in, it looked like organised chaos then hence I thought it best not to hang around. Next time I`ll come prepared to paint something or sweep up.

[BroadAmbition]

On my way home. My hands hurt. Just stopped for a coffee as you do. Found two splinters I didn’t know I had. Cant see proper to get them out. Will have to wait till I’m in shower sometime around midnight 

B.A tucked up in the wetshed

Griff

 

[BrundallNavy]

1 hour ago, BroadAmbition said:

On my way home. My hands hurt. Just stopped for a coffee as you do. Found two splinters I didn’t know I had. Cant see proper to get them out. Will have to wait till I’m in shower sometime around midnight 

B.A tucked up in the wetshed

Griff

 

Make sure you keep them, you know how expensive teak can be. 

[BroadAmbition]

Make sure you keep them, you know how expensive teak can be. 

Turned out one was a metal splinter, got both of them out whilst at work yesterday with a new Stanley blade. I have since discovered a third and I hope final one

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

So, our, or should I say 'B.A's bi-annual AMP (Assisted Maintenance Period - as we call it) commenced on the morning of the 05th April when we arrived at Sutton Staithe Boatyard.

As per the norm it was mega busy time with so much achieved once again, however as per the norm not all items on the list got started, some got started but not finished, some got started and progressed into other issues - Some of which got completed - Some didn't, quite a few - surprisingly - got started and even completed!  The priority was and always will be during these AMP's everything below the water line.

We had been aware for some time that 'B.A' had begun to start taking in water around the area below the engine drip tray - Easily the most obvious place for this to occur and of course the most non-viewable section of her hull. We have been closely monitoring this situation for around 8 x months to date.  It became apparent that when she was at rest for periods in the wet shed the leak and rate of ingress was noticeably much less then when out on the rivers moving around which resulted in the ingress rate increasing

Thankfully we made it to our due lift out date without the ingress rate progressing to a 'Must lift out immediately' state of affairs

On completion of a full below water line pressure wash, then a hand scrub with nylon pads it was time for me to commence the inch by inch survey.  Try as I did I just could not find any obvious area where the water was finding it's way in.  I started to doubt mysen believing I was loosing my touch.  I ended up concluding it must be a splined caulking line that looked fine but obviously wasn't - I would deal with it.

Griff

 

[LondonRascal]

Just wanted to add my pennies worth to this thread, having finally seemed to have a moment between cars, boats and certain special lady..I have to say thanks to Charlie for his ever calm and helpful ways. This time around I was working to begin under the hull finding, and chiselling out the rot and learnt a lot. There was so much going on over a relativity short space of time that it blurs into one.

We would end our days sat on stools and camping chairs in a deconstructed wheelhouse aching all over watching a DVD - and yet despite this come the next morning nobody would complain or fuss about, even Howard who might otherwise say "that is too much work let's not do that" was stuck in with wiring from switches to coax for our new digital radio aerial, Andy (LondonLad) clearly was mad to come up and help but did so much mucky and hard work helping Charlie between woodwork and metalwork, Peter (Grendal) and I struggled with heating issues, running wires then hitting another issue and so it went on - even the Mast was not playing nice with us. Doug the cream cake superstar and wooden boat wonder took over where our own 'Wizard' had left off, and whom took a great deal of pressure of Charlie.

It was hard work, it was long days, but we have a strong team, some good friends and a wonderful looking boat and having put everything back together and cleaned her up inside from all the dust you sit back and feel proud. These old ladies of the Broads seem to have a soul, you put so much in, and take care of them and they take care of you.

[BroadAmbition]

We commenced work at 0800 every morning through to 2000 everyday.  I have not slept so well or soundly this year as I did during the AMP. The last Saturday I had to work right through to 2300, deadlines to meet, curing of paints / varnish as per the norm.

I got called away from chiselling / cutting under the stern of the hull to assist with the new Planar heating, to be precise the fuel pump.  This needed mounting so Robin / Howard could progress.  The large side wheelhouse dressing pieces were already out of the way, this exposed the diesel / fresh water tank and the location of the heating unit.  It was whilst pondering just how I was going to effect mounting the new pump to keep it out of the way of the sash side when lowered that I looked down and happened to notice it was a bit damp between two ribs on the inside of the planks.  This is an area that rarely gets seen without dismantling panels and furniture.

Strange I thought, that should have dried out by now.  No matter,, stretch down clean / dry the area.  Carry on with pump mounting timber pad. sometime later another glance down to the now clean ribs / planks - Yes it was damp again.

Right, LED to the for, just what is going on here? where is the water coming from? do we have a waterlogged planked that is sound on the outside but soft on the inside?  Nope - Solid good condition painted teak as far as I could reach.  Wiped again - watch and wait, yes it's there again - H20.  Then it dawned on me, there was of course only one area that could be administering water onto the planks - underneath the fresh water tank - it was wet - proper wet - Bugger,  we have a leaking Port fresh water tank even though it is constructed of s/steel plainly in view from the side

Griff

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

There are two s/steel fresh water tanks onboard, the Port one is huge, about the size of the Stbd tank and diesel tank combined.  Including the expansion tank, calorifier etc 'B.A' carries around  800 x Ltrs of the stuff (I need to check on that statistic as it happens) the tanks are interlinked via a low lever large bore balance pipe.  So you drain one tank from a leak - You drain both of them.  This was a Eureka moment as I realised we never did have a hull leak / caulking issue at all.  Nope, it was fresh water leaking into the bilge all along.

Then the realisation that I was going to have to get the damn thing out, right out.  That was easier said than done - Isn't everything on a boat?

Never the less after 'Some' hours and some new words I borrowed from the yard staff - out it did come.  The leak turned out to be a corner seam weld that had the tiniest of splits in it

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

[BroadAmbition]

Off in t van to the marine s/steel fabricators in Stalham.  They repaired it at 1630 without any notice - Top lads.  Back to the shed, half filled it with water - It was still leaking

Next morning back to Stalham, this time they folded a plate over the entire length of the seam, seam welded that.  Back to the shed - Tested and all to the good. 

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Now to my way of thinking, there was no way I was putting the tank back in it's location until I found some sort of reason as to why it would fail on a welded seam.  Something was causing that seam to stress.  Looking at the supports where it sits and there it was staring me in the dish.  It was only supported underneath on two sides.  Jack Powles craftsman sure had cocked this one up.  What I surmised was that between being full to nearly empty, plus rocking / rolling (Sea time) the tank has been ever so slightly moving / stressing underneath it.

On woodbutchery head, cut some hardwood, fasten in more supports, treat, then paint.  Now to install the repaired tank - only I couldn't as the newly repaired plate had increased the size by a whole 2mm and it would fit properly   Out it came again.  Rabbit planer, chisel, sandpaper, paint and in it went.  Fully connected up, tanks partially filled - All to the good.  That little exercise had cost me a day and a half but only £25:00. Earlier I said some jobs had led onto other issues, this is just one example of such

Peace of mind, it won't be happening again anytime soon.  I was just relieved I had not yet commenced removing / replacing splines / caulking when there was nowt wrong with them.  Had that happened then I really would have been hacked off

Griff

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

So where was I? - Oh yes - fabricating a hardwood pad for the new diesel heater pump to be installed in the same location as the original Mikuni pump. This one being the optional upgraded 'Silent' version.  It's a lot more beefier than the Mikuni unit.  Herewith:-

Griff

 

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

Herewith the gap for the f/w tank (Freshly painted extra supports) and the gap aft where the Mikuni was and the Planar heater will fit.  The white insulated round tank with the black band just visible at the bottom of the picture is the double walled calorifier

Griff

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

Photo of the partially installed New Planer heater unit.  This is the 4kw version so its :5kw higher output than we have been used too.  It also has a higher volume of air blown out per minute too.  Early impressions over the Mikuni unit are positive and we can now confirm that it is a definite upgrade not a sideways like for like replacement.  Whisper quiet both inside and out.  The exhaust fittings and silencer are the original Mikuni units we left in situ. 

Howard found the fault with the Mikuni unit.  The fault turned out to be simply one wire that had been chafed / then corroded through, how this had occurred - not bothered as no point.  It was a very simple matter to fix the whole system then left well alone.

What the heck, the Planer unit was there on site just begging to be fitted.  It took hours n hours to retrofit the thing, hitting all manner of snags / issues along the way.  Howard, Robin, Peter (Grendel) and mysen all combined to have a go at it over various stages but as always we got there in the end

The fully operational Mikuni unit has been donated to our very own Wizard to fit to his tupperware 4 x berth situated on the canals.  His craft is about 20ft-ish so a 3:5kw diesel blown warm air heater in his boat will melt his socks off in the winter

Griff

 

[Londonlad1985]

8 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

Andy (LondonLad) clearly was mad to come up 

Just clearly mad I think! 

[BroadAmbition]

Another item that was on our 'Upgrade List' was to balance the wheelhouse sash sides. It's been bothering us for an age now, ever since we recommissioned back in October of 07 tbh.  No end of times our Lady crew state ' Can you put the side up' (Cold / drafty is the normal whinge)  The reason they ask is that they are too heavy to lift up easily, especially the Stbd one and the seating is between you and the sash side.

The reason they are not balance correctly? - Well Jack Powles boat builders gottem right.  However we had to replicate them and make new ones during the restoration.  So we did (Well The Wizard did to be precise).  We enhanced them, solid heavier hardwood (Iroko),  proper glass, draft returns on the door frames, better locks, Oak dressing pieces etc etc.  All this enhancing was fine, but as well as making them sturdier / stronger, it also made them heavier.  We did not take this into account, therefore no more lead was added to the original lead weights that run down the inside of the posts on a wheel / chain system.  As a consequence pushing them down is a one finger jobby, lifting them up however is, Brace yersen, assume the position and shove - Hard.

This could not go on, we have been putting off this upgrade for an age now as we knew just how hard it was going to be.  Now was the time however, it was not to be put off any longer

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

 

So, the first job was to dismantle the wheelhouse, that is both large dressing sides with all the paraphernalia that is attached to them.  Port side -  2 x 240v switches, magazine rack, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, step, one door, numerous screws and out it came to be man handled down under the hull for the rest of the week.  Stbd Side, Cushion and backs, two seats, 12v wiring, heating ducting, stores below, 4 x way 12v breaker,  numerous screws and out it came to be man handled down under the hull for the rest of the week.  Then unscrew and lift port and Stbd sections of the wheelhouse deck.  Now this was as much access as we could gain 'easily' to those four posts.That lot sounds easy when you say it quick smart.

We then tied on a bit of cord between the two handles, using a weighing hook / scale measured the amount in pounds required to pull up a sash side - about 35lbs it was showing.

Next job was to remove the timber faceplates but seeing as they went tight up behind the supports the deck supports they had to but cut using trusty multitool (Extra screws etc when they were eventually refitted).  Now we could see inside the hollow posts, gain access to the lead weights / chains / pulley wheels.  Well, that is to say we could with the aft pair, the fwd pair, access was much more restricted due to the helm console and the bonded store cabinet being in the way

Howard got set too fashioning some lead plates to sit on top of a weight slotted for the chain.  It soon became apparent that this was going to take an absolute age and we didn't have enough lead either.  Robin on his iphone, sourced / ordered blocks of lead that were the correct dimensions to fit inside the posts.  Each block was 14lb and they were four of them that arrived by courier the next day.

Next issue was there was too much length in the new blocks to hang under the original ones.  When the sides were fully raised, the bottom of the blocks would hit the hull planking with the chains going slack.  On top of the original lead weights there was not enough room either, the new blocks would have fouled the pully wheel.  So they had to be cut into around two fifths above and three fifths below.  Top section had to be slotted for the chain to sit on top of the original.   Bottom section had to be hung from below the original 'Letting In' aluminium straps on two sides of the original and new fastened with screws.  This added 28lbs in combined weight to each sash side pulley weights.  The fwd posts were a veritable nightmare, there was just so much gear in the way that had to be moved / cut / refitted, including 4 x coach bolts right through the bottom of the posts into the main fwd to aft mainframe stringers.  I kept a rough check on how many man hours this 'Upgrade' had taken - 48!  Can you imagine the invoice total for that lot if a yard did it?

The main players involved in this one were mysen, Howard and Steve (Lads week crew) Steve spent two hole days on them.  No end of times Howard was loosing the will to live muttering about all this effort / time just so the girls can lift the cabin sides up. I was really getting annoyed at times too.  Everything just seemed to be fighting us every step of the way, plus reaching down working blind, dropping tools / gear constantly.  Steve Gnasher Gooby however didn't get phased one iota, just kept on plugging away at it

Out of all the maintenance / upgrades we achieved over our eleven days at the yard, this one was the most frustrating and time consuming by far.  To look at them now - there is no visible difference whatsoever either.  Still it's done and sorted.  The result? - silky smooth easy lifting.  drawback - We will have to re-learn and not shove them up so hard otherwise they will take off vertically and end up in the river!

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

Howard was on the case with another upgrade.  This time a new DAB aerial that had been modified for us (See earlier photo).  Fitting this was not difficult but yet again oh so time consuming. the chosen location was behind the Jack Powles pennant in front of the spotlight.  That mean the deckhead lining in the Fwd cabin had to come down, along with the same in the Fwd passageway and both sections in the Stbd cabin.  Four cables had to be run from the aerial back to the dab unit.  An FM/DAB/Power/Earth return.  Whilst the deckhead lining was down the the Stbd cabin the thermostatic controller for the Mikuni was removed along with it's associated wiring.  New wiring and the new and newly sited Planar controller was installed.  The TV booster, power cables and coax were removed, the coax being coiled up below the false cupboard bottom behind the bonded store cabinet for attention later.

How is the DAB with it's 'Proper' aerial performing? - Just fine and dandy with dozens of stations now being picked up clearly - another success then.

What else got done?  Those deck lights - Now performing correctly on both Port and Stbd sides which is a bonus.  The single switch that used to control the wheelhouse LED downlighter has now been replaced with a 3 x gang switch all 12v that light up when switched on to remind us to switch them off when not required, they control the new wheelhouse downlighter, deck lights and the aforementioned tv booster that is now out of the way behind the helms console (Still needs the coax running / connecting)

The new 'Wizard' mast is fitted with nav lights wired up.  However I'm not happy with the bracket and oak pad - Had to remove a fair amount of material from the pad, result it is too weak and the bracket is wobbling.  I've got a redesign in my head to rectify this and hope to get onto this one on my next visit (Grendel it won't affect your models as it will look very nearly the same)

One issue that got rectified that wasn't on the list.  I've been noticing that one of the canopy support bows every now again was not sitting flush on the Stbd side when the sash side was raised and had to be moved / clipped down to sit properly.  This had been happening for an age but I kept forgetting to investigate it. It came to light by accident during sorted out those sash side weights.  The blasted bow was overhanging ever so slightly by a whole 1:5mm so was getting caught when putting the side up.  Out multi tool, sandpaper, varnish - Job sorted - A lot of satisfaction from that one

The hull got completed as per previous photo's, the skeg repaired - another one we didn't know about but that's what these biannual lift outs are for, a fair amount of tittivating too.  However there is still a list of outstanding 'To Do's that require attention.

'B.A' should have been out in the sunshine over this Easter weekend with Captain Chaos and his crew onboard, however due to circumstances beyond his control at short notice -  he couldn't make it.  Myself n MrsG have had a weekend off at home getting on with outstanding DIY - However we have both gone down with the lurgi and have hardly accomplished much at all.  Just as well we weren't booked to be afloat otherwise we would have had to cancel we have both been that poorly - and still am.  It'll touch n go whether I feel well enough to get the mighty Tiger out for an hour tomorrow or not

Griff

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

Sigh - Tiger didn't happen.  Today however feeling much better, not 100% but I hope to be by tomorrow.  Due onboard late this evening for few days through to Friday,  attending to a few finishing off items

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Onboard at 0105. 2Hrs 40 mins to do 162 miles inc a quick stop. Nice to see both Fwd and Aft Bilges dry on arrival. Planar fired up first touch as it should 

Time for bed, said Zebedee

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Cracking  day out there. Stuff it, I’m off for a cruise to Barton Broad n back before I start. 

Therefore:- 

The Ship is Under Sailing Orders - HTHS TOOROTDCOTUD Assume NBCD Sate 3 Condition Yankee

(go on then - work that lot out!)

Griff

[MauriceMynah]

FK

[CrabMan]

1 hour ago, BroadAmbition said:

 

A quick google and I got this

 

Hands to harbour stations

Task order officer (not sure on this)

Rig of the day

Clear off the upper deck

Nuclear, biological and chemical defence state 3 (could not find what state 3 means)

Watertight upper hatches closed

 

 

[Vaughan]

2 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

The Ship is Under Sailing Orders - HTHS TOOROTDCOTUD Assume NBCD Sate 3 Condition Yankee

What about SSDCU?

[BroadAmbition]

Of course plus CASDAH

Griff