1998 - #1 (SPRING) DIY MARINEMAINTENANCE · MerCruiser Service Training Instructor for Mercury Marine, how a tachometer operates depends on the boat’s ignition system and the engine

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DIY boat owner 1998 - #1 1

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DIY MARINEMAINTENANCEM A G A Z I N E

the1998 - #1 (SPRING)

Underway or at the dock, enjoy all the comfortsof home with an AC power system.

2 Back Issues Index to available back issues3 Currents Reader exchange4 Q&A Talkback Unpegging a Tach; Floor Replacement;

Sound-proofing; To Idle or Not; TransomRot; Cascading Tackles; Marquis Info Wanted; Needs Tara Info; Replacement Parts for Santana

6 Tech Tips Original tips and tricks17 Free Product Info Receive FREE product information33 Subscriptions Save $$ with a subscription to DIY46 DIY MARKETPLACE Classified advertising47 Ad Index Quick reference guide to advertisers.47 Next Issue Lots more great ideas, maintenance tips

and projects coming in the Summer issue

Departments

It’s easy to repaircracks, gouges, nicks,small holes and non-skid yourself. Just followthese easy steps for professional resultsevery time.

27 Sailboat RiggingInstalling Hardware on Aluminum Spars: A pro reveals the secrets to successful drilling, screwing and tapping.

32 Engine TroubleshootingATOMIC 4: Upgrade your existing engine to thelatest specifications and technical bulletins to increase reliability and performance.By Robert Hess

37 DIY ProjectsPortable Work Table; Corrosion Protection forSmall Outboards; Canvas Toothbrush Holder.

42 DocksideThe newest in boating gear and accessories.

48 Good BoatkeepingPulpit anchor wash system; A canvas alternative to hatch boards; Casting a base for a fitting orwinch.By David & Zora Aiken

Features

11

17How-to fix a leaky port.By Paul and Sheryl Shard38

7 Shop TalkIt Pays to Know Your Woods: It’s important to understand the limitations in application and availability of boatbuilding woods.

By Wayne Redditt

8 ElectronicsSystem Monitors: System monitors giveboaters an increased understanding and aware-ness of their onboard electrical power system.By Kevin Jeffrey

FIBERGLASS COSMETIC REPAIRS

HAVING AC POWER ON BOARD

MAINTENANCE

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CURRENTSREADER EXCHANGEUse this column to tell us what you like or don’t like about DIY,what stories you would like us to cover or share your opinionswith other readers. Send your letters to the editor via mail, faxor e-mail. Our addresses are listed on page 2. We reserve theright to edit letters for clarity and length.

Help for Online ErrorsSome of our visitors to DIY ONLINE (www.diy-boat.com)have complained that they’re getting a DNS error whenthey click on the “Subscribe” button. The order forms in DIYONLINE are all secure, meaning they are encrypted toensure the information provided is protected from datathieves (a.k.a. hackers). If you get a DNS error, it’s likelyyou’re using an old browser (i.e. Netscape 1.0) which sim-ply cannot retrieve secure pages. DIY ONLINE is bestviewed with Netscape 3.0. You can update your softwarefor free on the net by downloading the newest version ofNetscape.

Balsa Goes Auto-Tech Lightweight and durable, Baltek’s end-grain balsa, used inmost fiberglass boat construction, is now utilized in the con-struction of cockpit floorboards — that is the floorboards ofthe ‘98 Corvette. When General Motors redesigned thefirst all-new Corvette in 13 years, it replaced the traditionalstamped-steel floorboards with a sandwich of end-grainbalsa and fiberglass. Balsa was chosen over honeycomband polyurethane foam-core because it virtually eliminatedvibration and gave a ride that was substantially quieterand more comfortable. This marks the first use of balsasandwich construction in a production automobile.

Fans of Twin Keelers Together with a friend, DIY reader Craig Anderson editsand publishes a small newsletter called Twin-Keeler forowners and admirers of twin-keeled sailing craft. If you’reinterested in receiving a complimentary copy, send yourname and address to Twin-Keeler Subscriptions, 2943 W.Balmoral Ave., #2, Chicago, IL 60625.

SPARE PARTSSource For European-Built Parts If you own a boat or equipment made in Europe and arein need of replacement or spare parts that you can’t locatelocally, Express Yacht Parts offers a find-and-export service.Engines, generators, windchargers, heat exchangers andfasteners are just a few of the items they can help source.

There’s no finder’s fee and quotations are free. OwnerJulian Wilson claims the company will look into exportinganything that’s not readily available in North America.Contact: Express Yacht Parts, 51 St. Mary’s Rd., Cowes,Isle of Wight, P031 7ST, England; Tel: +44 1983282449, Fax: +44 1983 282450 or e-mail: [email protected].

Answers to Electrical ProblemsWhen you have trouble solving onboard power problemsor need help with installation, Ferris Power Products offersan affordable professional design service. For a fee ofUS$50, refundable on equipment purchases overUS$1,000, you will receive the Ferris Power Survey tocomplete and return. Once processed, you’ll receivedetailed information outlining your electrical problems,the recommended equipment and an estimate of the costto upgrade. For more information contact: Hamilton FerrisCo., Box 126, Ashland MA 01721; Tel: (508) 881-4602, Fax: (508) 881-3846, e-mail:[email protected] .

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TALKBACKUnpegging a TachQ: My boat’s tachometer is alwayspegged, even though the VOMshows it’s getting 12 volts all thetime. How does the tach operateand do you have any idea what iscausing this problem?Ray Hernandez,Wichita, Kan.

A: According to Steve Auger,MerCruiser Service TrainingInstructor for Mercury Marine, howa tachometer operates depends onthe boat’s ignition system and theengine type. On a MerCruiser sterndrive, the tach is wired to the nega-tive side of the coil and reads theengine running pulses being gener-ated at the coil. Every time thepoints open or close, the tach picksup a pulse. A tach that’s pegged allthe time typically indicates that thereis a bad ground, a bad voltage sup-ply or the grey wire that leads fromthe tach to the engine is picking upsome sort of inductive current.

Outboards use an alternator-dri-ven ignition system, where a tachreads the number of positive andnegative pulses. When a tach stopsfunctioning, it’s an indication of afailed rectifier or voltage regulator.To troubleshoot, remove the tach linethat goes from the engine to the tachand attach it to a shop tack. If youget signals (pulses), this indicates adefective tach. If there are no pulseson the line, it’s likely you have awiring harness problem.

Floor Replacement Q: I’d like to replace the cheap,sheet-vinyl floor in the galley of my‘96 Silverton 312 SC. The surfaceunder the vinyl is gelcoat. I wasthinking of using a wood-strip floor,like those made by Bruce that isreadily available in home centers.

I’ve been getting different opinionsabout how to go about it. Any com-ments on the types of wood flooringand installation procedures would beappreciated.John Rafes, After Midnight II, Atlantic City, N.J.

A: The problem with householdwood flooring products is the materi-als. Thick domestic hardwoods don’tdo so well in a high-humidity environ-ment. The expansion of these prod-ucts is normally hidden in a house bythe expansion joint that must be leftaround the edge, and the baseboardand quarter-round molding. In yourboat, there may not be a way toinstall this type of product and allowfor the expansion that will inevitablyfollow. To achieve a pleasing woodfloor look, a better choice is to use aplywood product, which is dimension-ally superior (in stability) to any solidwood product. There are teak andholly faced plywoods (often marketedas Deckply) specifically made for thispurpose. A 6mm (1/4”) 4’x8’ sheetis about $150, which isn’t cheap, butit looks good, is durable and won’twarp. Joints are best accomplished atnatural transitions like bulkheads.Make a pattern of cardboard first. Ifa mistake is made, it is possible toscarf this material invisibly, thanks tothe alternating wood motif. Finishwith a polyurethane topcoat.— WR

SoundproofingQ: Can you suggest a good productand source of sound insulation for myengine box. The only product I canfind is the old-style grey foam insula-tion with the lead-lined, silver-Mylarbacking. I would like to find a betterproduct than this as it seems to quick-ly deteriorate and crumble into theengine and bilge.Tod Michaelis, Palm Beach, Fla.

A: It seems you’ve described a poly-ester-based lead foam composite,which inherently exhibits poorhydrolytic stability as well as lowresistance to moisture, humidity andextensive heat and cool cycles. Thepolyether foams used by Soundownand others are formulated to exhibitexcellent hydrolytic stability and havea service life in the range of 10 yearsand much longer in cooler and dryerclimates. Our WINTER ‘96 issue hascomplete information on enginesoundproofing materials and installa-tion. If you need more informationcontact Soundown at (800) 359-1036 or visit their website atsoundown.com.

To Idle or NotQ: In a back issue, you recom-mended warming up diesel enginesfor an extended period of time. Allthe major engine providers recom-mend this not be done at the dock.Their advice is that diesel enginesneed a load to warm up and thatafter a very short one- to two-minutestartup one should get underway.Upon return to the dock, it’s also rec-ommended that you idle the engineto help cool it down and allow theturbo-oil feed to align. As always,never rev your engine before shut-ting down.C. McGuire, Long Island, N.Y.

A: Charles Gallimore of E & CMarine in Toronto, specialists indiesel engines and presenters ofDIY’s MRT Workshop on dieselengine servicing, offers this advice:There are several reasons for recom-mending that a diesel engine be runup to operating temperature. First ofall, the engine should be left in idleonly long enough for the operator tocheck all belts, hoses and gauges

DIY boat owner 1998 - #1


and to ensure the exhaust is pump-ing water. The engine should thenbe put into gear and revved toapproximately 1,000 rpm in orderto bring it up to operating tempera-ture as quickly as possible. Thereare a series of different metals thatexpand at different temperaturesand the idea is to get them allexpanded as soon as possible. Italso requires approximately 825 to850 rpm to excite most alternatorsand it’s best to know that this isoperating before leaving the dock.Whether to allow the engine to idleto cool upon returning to the dockdepends upon how it has beenoperated. If the engine has been runat slow speeds for at least 10 min-utes, there is no need to allow it toidle, since it will have cooledalready. If it has been run at highrpms for an extended period andnot had the 10-minute, slow speed,cool-down time, then allow it a fewminutes to cool. The reason for thisis the opposite of the warm-up rec-ommendation in relation to the dif-ferent metals. They also contract atdifferent temperatures and need tobe at the coolest possible tempera-ture before shutdown.

Cascading Tackles Q: I am looking for a diagram of asystem of blocks and line called cas-cade tackle. Capt. Mitch Mitchell, Sinisterre,Tampa, Fla.

A: To build high-powered mainsheetand backstay systems with normal-sized blocks, you can use a tech-nique called cascading, which is aseries of interconnected tackles.Cascading tackles save both weightand money — each tackle uses lessload, so the size of the hardware canbe reduced. For example: a 16:1tackle normally requires a pair ofblocks with eight sheaves each, but itcan also be accomplished with a 4:1tackle pulling against another 4:1tackle. Here’s another example asshown in the illustration above: A

boom vang with a 2:1 purchase ledto a 4:1 tackle. Only one block in theinitial cascade of 2:1 must have the

required breaking strength, say1,600 pounds; the second cascadeof 4:1 can be assembled of blocks ofhalf the breaking strength (800pounds). By building an additionalpurchase into a tackle system, youreduce the load on the winch by half,allowing the use of a much smallerand lighter winch. Reducing the loadon the winch also allows the sheet tobe eased with more control.— JM

Marquis Info Wanted Wayne Jochem of Denver, Colo., islooking for information for the 5.7m(19’) Marquis Caribbean cuddycabin he purchased last summer.Send e-mail replies [email protected].

Needs Tara InfoPeter Narth recently purchased a1982 Doral Tara with a Cobra 5.7L250-hp stern drive and is looking foran operator’s manual and other rele-vant information. Send e-mail repliesto [email protected].

Replacement Parts forSantanaJim Peterson of Gardnerville, Nev., isin need of a used rudder, post tillerand boom for his Santana 3030.Send e-mail replies [email protected].

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Write #105 on Product Info Card


RECYCLING OLD SOCKS: Aneasy way to wax tubular railings isto put an old sweatsock over yourhand, dip it into the wax and go. Bycurving your hand around the rail-ing you’ll be able to cover morearea in less time.Bill Lindsay, Hollywood, Fla.

DRY AND HAPPY: When theonboard humidity gets to be toomuch, purchase a household humidi-fier if you have the space to stowone. Attach a hose to the fitting onthe catch basin and run it to a sink.You’ll have to maintain an inside tem-perature above 18°C/65°F or thehumidifier won’t function correctly. Ryc Rienks in soggy San Fransciso, Calif.

BORING TOOL: When counter-

sinking holes, purchase a depth col-lar to put around the countersink. Setthe collar to the depth to which youwant your countersunk hole. Now,all your countersunk holes will beexactly the same depth and size.Sandra Turney, Sandy’s Beach, Ottawa, Ont.

TIMEPIECE: Keep an inexpensivehourglass in the cockpit to time watchchanges, anchor watches, etc.

A GASKET IN A PINCH: If youtear the original gasket when replac-ing your engine’s fuel pump andthere’s neither a replacement gasketnor gasket paper for making oneavailable, you can make one withsealant. Carefully clean anddegrease the mating surfacesinvolved. Spread a thin, even coat ofsilicone sealant on those surfaces.Allow to set, then reinstall the part,being careful not to overtighten bolts.This will not last forever, but it willprobably get you home. Phil Friedman, Port Royal Marine,Pompano Beach, Fla.

DC REFIT WITH YELLOW: Blackis the standard for the AC hot wireand for many older boats, the stan-dard for DC negative wire.Confusing these two when cuttingwires can produce deadly results.When rewiring your DC system, usea yellow negative wire instead ofblack, as recommended by ABYC.

FOAM PICKINGS: Use the sturdierclose-celled foam brushes to applyvarnish and Cetol, rather than bristlebrushes or the el cheapo foambrushes. You’ll get a smoother finishand you won’t have to pick off anyfoamy bits or bristles left on thewood. Quality foam brushes will lasttwo or three applications, dependingon how rough your wood is andhow much you have to coat.

STRIPE REPAIR: To neatly repair anick in vinyl hull striping, cut diagonallines across the stripe on either sideof the nick with a razor. Heat with ablow dryer to warm the glue, thenremove the nicked section. Use ace-tone to remove any remaining glue.Cut a new tape section slightly largerthan the old to allow for shrinkageand apply, overlapping the tapes.Bill Lindsay, Hollywood, Fla.

FREEING STUCK PARTS: The bestproduct for removing stuck bolts isPB Blaster, available at most autosupply stores in the U.S. (sorry it’snot sold in Canada). Spray the bolts,leave for 24 hours (instead of thefew minutes the instructions recom-mend), then drive the bolts out with asmall sledgehammer. Stephen Best, Shelburne, Ont.

CURE FOR WAX BURN: Hot suncan bake wax on to the surface andcause streaking before you can buffit off. When this happens, wet acheesecloth with mineral spirits, wipedown the waxed area, then buffagain.

DENTAL ASSIST: Carry a supply ofdental picks on board. They’re greattools for pulling off O-rings on fuel fil-ters, lifting out water pump impellers,etc.

TECH TIPS

Tech Tips welcomes contributionsfrom readers. If you have a boat-tested tip you’d like to share, sendcomplete information along withyour name, boat name and homeport to: DIY Tech Tips,

P.O. Box 22473, Alexandria, VA,22304 or E-mail to

i [email protected].


By Wayne Redditt

There are few topics as debated byboatbuilders and repairers as woodselection. There are two reasons forthe continuing discussions. First, theworld’s supply of suitable lumber israpidly shrinking. Second, the major-ity of books that builders and repair-ers turn to for advice on wood selec-tion are outdated.

The woods that boatbuilderscovet are the same now as always— woods that are strong, light-weight, decay resistant, workableand have dimensional stability. Theserequirements rule out most of thenative North American hardwoodsas candidates for successful boatlumber. The softwoods offer morevariety and more suitable speciesbut, unfortunately, are highly soughtafter by competing industries, whichaffects price and quality. The tropicalwoods have always been a sourceof high-quality boat lumber but thatera is quickly ending.

Let’s look at some of the tradi-tional woods used in boatbuildingand compare these to current alter-native offerings.

There are few people that thinkof boat lumber without consideringteak. Teak has characteristics thatendeared it to boatbuilders for gen-erations. Then fiberglass boatbuildersdrove a stake into the heart of thetraditional users by using teak forfrivolous purposes, such as drinkholders and trim. In the late ‘80s,one large manufacturer alone wasresponsible for buying over 11-mil-lion-board-feet of Burmese teak lum-ber. All of this was made into littlepieces of trim and other accent bits.Currently, the price of teak averages$19 to $27 per board-foot (1” x12” x 12”).

Plantation teak resembles teakfrom the natural forest, but the grow-ing conditions don’t impart the stresson the growing tree that helps formits characteristics of strength anddurability. Consequently, the wood isinferior to natural teak for boatbuild-ing purposes.

The bottom line: Avoid teak if atall possible. If a dark, rich interiorwood is required, use walnutinstead. It’s considerably cheaper($6 to $7 per board-foot) than teakand in abundant supply.

Mahogany is the most versatileof all boat lumber in my opinion. Thetrue Honduran (Central American)mahogany has been replaced bywhat is termed SA (South American)mahogany by many lumber dealers.The SA mahogany may not beSwietenia Spp. but merely a looka-like lumber. This creates a problemfor the novice wood buyer, since thecharacteristics of the “good wood”are unknown and they are buyingon faith alone. The real stuff is avail-able, but may require some search-ing and long-distance shipping costs.Mahogany makes great plankingdue primarily to its dimensional sta-bility and rot resistance. Beware ofsapwood though, as this has virtuallyno resistance to rot and should neverbe used if the wood has any chanceof becoming moist. Mahogany cur-rently sells in the range of $7 to $9per board-foot range — still a rela-tive bargain compared to teak!

Sitka spruce is used primarily inspars because of the wood’s strengthand light weight. Spruce lumber ofany variety has little resistance to rotand Sitka spruce is no exception. Itsgood characteristics are unbeatablefor the right purposes though and it’sworth searching out. Sitka spruce

sells for $7 to $10 per board-foot onthe West Coast and slightly highereverywhere else.

Western red cedar is wonderfulstuff. The house builders really likethis wood for exterior structures, likedecks and siding. Rot resistance isthe key to the popularity of redcedar. Cedar is most commonly usedfor cold-molding construction thesedays. The light weight and good glu-ing properties of this wood, com-bined with decay resistance andmoderate strength make it an obvi-ous selection for this purpose. Strip-building uses cedar’s best character-istics to advantage. It can also beused successfully for laminated over-head beams for cabin tops, biminis,decks and other lightweight struc-tures. Current prices range from $3to $4 per board-foot for clear lumber— an absolute bargain!

Regionally, there are woods thatqualify as tried-and-true boat lumber.Douglas fir, yellow cedar, cypress,longleaf pine and others have beenused with great success, but areunavailable in many areas.

There may be no adequate localsubstitute for proper boat lumber inyour area. Certainly in centralOntario (my area) there are no localwoods that can be used for boat-building. Interiors excepted, all of theuseful woods are imported. Manywould disagree with that last state-ment, but for me, the cost of boat-building is not measured in the priceof the lumber, but in the time it takesto do the job. The wood materialsare usually minor considerations(about 10%) in the overall scheme.

One last note: Lumber prices areincreasing, and probably should.Most woods have been undervaluedfor a long time.

IT PAYS TO KNOW YOUR WOODSThe current stock of boatbuilding woods have limitations in application andavailability. It’s important to understand these limitations.

erators and engine rpm for high-out-put alternators). From this we canestimate how much energy thecharging sources are producingover time (i.e., if a device is produc-ing 10 amps for 5 hours it has pro-duced 50 amp-hours). In the past, aboater had to install a separate

ammeter for each charging sourceto accurately track current flow,


By Kevin Jeffrey

The average boater spends a greatdeal of time contemplating the mys-teries of the universe, and on boarda boat nothing is quite so mysteri-ous as electricity. It’s hard to under-stand how electricity works becausewe can’t see it. We can see itseffect when we turn on a light, wecan hear its effect when we turnon a radio, and we can feelits effect when we operatea fan. In other words, wecan easily understandthe work being done,but not electricity itself.For most of us, a greatdeal of the mysterywould be removed ifwe could see electricityas it was being producedby our charging sources, asit was being directed into ourbatteries for later use, and as itwas being used by our variousappliances. It may surprise you, butaffordable, easy-to-use system moni-tors let us do just that.

Electricity becomes visiblethrough the use of specializedmetering. Ammeters for measuringcurrent flow and voltmeters for mea-suring battery state of charge havebeen around for some time, but ina typical boat installation the type,quality and quantity of thesedevices yield only isolated bits ofinformation, leaving owners guess-ing about the general health of theirbatteries and how much power they

produce or consume. System moni-tors combine a variety ofsophisticated monitoring func-tions into one convenientpiece of gear, nicely integrat-ing and displaying in digitalform all the necessary infor-mation about the status ofyour electrical power system.

ChargingCurrentKnowing how muchelectrical current eachof our chargingsources is producingat any given timeallows us to determinehow well they are per-forming in variousconditions (levels ofsunshine for solarpanels, wind speeds for wind gen-erators, boat speeds for water gen-

SYSTEM MONITORS

ELECTRONICS

System monitors have given boaters anincreased understanding and awareness of theirelectrical power system on board, taking themystery out of electricity by making it visible.

System monitors for marine use: (clockwisefrom top): Heart Link 20, SALT SystemsMonitor,Ample Power BatMon and CruisingEquipment E-meter.

DIY boat owner 1998 - 1 9

whereas the ammeter function on asystem monitor displays currentbeing produced from any chargingsource on board.

Load Current Knowing how much electricity isbeing consumed by appliances atany given time, and over periods oftime, helps boaters track energy useand maintain a balance betweenenergy production and energy con-sumption. Having an accurateammeter on the load side of apower system also instantly revealshow efficient appliances are. Thebeauty of a system monitor is thatits digital ammeter function trackscurrent flowing in or out of the bat-tery bank, so appliance loads ofany size are as easily monitored ascharging current.

Battery State of ChargeMonitoring battery state of charge isalso essential to good system opera-tion. In a lead-acid battery (wet orgel), state of charge is proportionalto voltage readings, making an accu-rate voltmeter function desirable.Since only a single volt distinguishesbetween a full and a discharged bat-tery, it’s best to have the voltage dis-played digitally to at least a tenth ofa volt accuracy. Unfortunately, volt-age readings serve only as an indi-cation of battery health, since volt-age can be temporarily affected bycharging or discharging sources. Theonly time voltage indicates true bat-tery condition is when a battery hasbeen at rest, with no current comingin or going out, for a number ofhours.

System monitors provide a digi-tal voltmeter function, but they alsohave an amp-hour gauge for a moreaccurate display of battery state ofcharge. Using a sophisticated calcu-lation, this gauge actually countsamp-hours going into or out of a bat-tery, all the while accounting for therather irrational electrical behaviorbatteries exhibit. A single glance tellsyou how much energy remains and


how long before it’s time torecharge. As an added feature, mostsystem monitors have a functioncalled ‘time remaining,’ which indi-cates how long before the batterybank is at full charge or dischargedto the 50% level.

Inner WorkingsHow do system monitors manage toprovide all this information in a sin-gle piece of gear? They use a cur-rent shunt or loop installed in thenegative line of a specific batterybank (shown in Figure 1), usuallythe house bank since it’s not neces-sary to count amp-hours in a startingbattery. The main current is allowedto flow through the shunt or loopwithout interruption, while small sec-ondary connections allow for currentmeasurement. By measuring the cur-rent flow through this shunt or loop,a system monitor tracks charging cur-rent or load current, and calculates

amp-hour flow and time remaining. Current is displayed as the sum

total of all charging or discharginggear at any given moment. To readan individual charging source output— read as a positive number — youmust turn off all other chargers andall appliances. To read an individualappliance load, turn off all otherappliances and all charging sources.The amp-hour display usually startswith the total number of amp-hoursin the battery bank and counts down

as power is consumed. When halfthe amp-hours are gone you knowit’s time to recharge. If you check theammeter function and it’s positive,the time remaining function will tellyou how long, at that level of cur-rent, until your battery is fullycharged. If the ammeter reading isnegative, the time remaining functionwill tell you how long, at that level ofcurrent, until your battery bank is dis-charged to the 50% level.

Products andInstallationMarine system monitors designed fora single house bank include the

Heart Interface Link 10, CruisingEquipment’s E-Meter and AmplePower’s BatMon. The Link 20 fromHeart Interface provides completemonitoring functions for two batterybanks (Figure 1), while AmplePower’s EMON Energy Monitor IImonitors one house bank, displaysvoltage only for an engine startingbank and, as an option, can displayamps and amp-hours produced byrenewable charging sources. A moresophisticated approach is taken by

the systems monitor fromSea, Air & LandTechnologies (SALT), whichcan monitor up to four bat-tery banks or chargingsources, uses either stan-dard shunts or unique cur-rent loops (no cable splic-ing necessary), has up totwenty programmablealarm functions, and canconnect to a PC.

Installation of a systemmonitor consists of connect-ing a current shunt or loopin the main negative cableof each battery bank to bemonitored, then running ahandful of light-gauge wiresfrom various points on ornear the battery bank backto the system monitor dis-play. The display can be

mounted in any convenient onboardlocation, typically near the nav sta-tion. You must keep monitored bat-tery banks electrically isolated fromother batteries on board. If you con-nect banks using the ‘both’ functionon your battery switch, the ammeterand voltmeter functions will continueto operate normally, but the amp-hour and time remaining functionswill be confused by what they readas a temporary change in bank size.

Kevin Jeffrey works as an independent electrical power consultant and is theauthor of the Independent Energy Guideand publisher of Sailor’s Multihull Guide,now in its second edtion.

2 amp fuse

2 amp fuse

Twisted pair

to negative of any other loads or sources

Battery#1

Battery#2

#1

2 amp fuse2 amp fuse

Batteryswitch

orange

green

ground

yellow

brown Negative bus

DO NOTconnect any other wiresto negative terminals

2 amp fuse

#2

breaker

breaker

breaker

load

load

load

DistributionSystem

Main breaker

ENG

INE

Starter

Alternator

com.

WIRING DIAGRAM FOR A LINK 20

Monitoring two battery banks requires two E-Meters (or Link 10s) or one Link 20 as eachbattery bank must have its own shunt wired into the negative of both batteries.A typicalinstallation takes four to eight hours.

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ELECTRONICS

Brown 8

Yellow 7

Violet 6

Red 5

Blue 4

Orange 3

Green 2

Black 1

Link 20Dual shunt 50mV@ 500 A

3

FIBERGLASS COSMETIC REPAIRS


Cosmetic fiberglass repairs can beeasily accomplished with a littleknow-how, inexpensive tools andsupplies purchased from chandleriesor specialty fiberglass suppliers.

It’s important to note the distinc-tion between cosmetic and structuralrepairs. Cosmetic repairs, such asminor scratches, shallow nicks, starcrazing, gouges, small drilled holesand non-skid, are done for the sakeof appearance. These generally donot affect the strength of the fiber-glass laminate. Structural repairs arespider cracks, punctures, breaks andlarge holes that penetrate the lami-nate, affecting the boat’s structuralintegrity. Such repairs are beyondthe scope of this article.

The cosmetic repair proceduresrecommended here are based onour MRT Workshop held last winterand presented by DIY columnistWayne Redditt. Before attemptingany of these repairs, you should beaware of the potential safety andhealth risks involved. Read all manu-facturers’ safety precautions outlinedon the labels. Many of the chemicalsare highly toxic, so the work areashould be well-ventilated. Alwayswear gloves when handling gelcoator resin, safety glasses or goggleswhen grinding, and a dust maskwhen grinding, sanding and buff-ing. When spraying gelcoat or moldrelease, always don a respiratorwith the proper filter.

When doing any of theserepairs, carefully follow the manu-

facturers’ instructions and the direc-tions for mixing and application ofgelcoat, resins and other repairmaterials.

Surveying theDamageClean the surface with detergentand fresh water, then clean therepair area with solvent. Inspect therepair to determine the extent of thedamage. Where it’s accessible,check the underside of the laminate.Ensure that structural damage hasnot occurred.

Spider cracking and cornercracks are almost always related toa structural problem caused by flex-ing. The telltale “webs” on the sur-face (Figure 1) often extend intothe laminate. The extent of the dam-age only becomes clearly visibleafter grinding through the gelcoat.Whitish cracks or discoloration radi-

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It’s easy to repair cracks, gouges, nicks, small holes and non-skid yourself. Just follow these easy steps for professional results every time.

TOOLS

Dust masks and respirator

Safety glassesLatex glovesDisposable mixing

containers (paper or plastic)

Mixing sheets Stir sticks Masking tapeGlue brushes SqueegeePreval sprayerRagsPutty knives (flexible)Utility knifeSanding blocksWet/dry sandpaper,

320 to 600 grit Rotary bit (carbide,

non-ferrous, non-plastic cutting bit with big flutes)

HacksawMetal fileChiselPower buffer with

foam buff padMaterials

Gelcoat resinPolyester pigmentsPolyester or vinylester

resin and hardenerChop-strand matFillersSolvent (acetone or

lacquer thinner)Buffing compoundMold release (PVA or

wax)

By Wayne Redditt and Jan Mundy

1

2


ating outwards, as shown in Figure2, indicate a damaged laminate.Repair involves grinding the lami-nate to remove all delaminatedglass, filling with putty and stiffeningthe structure to resist flexing. If thedamaged laminate is not repaired,cracking will recur in the gelcoat.

RepairingGouges & Holes

When a scratch or gouge is veryshallow and doesn’t break throughthe gelcoat into the laminatebeneath, it’s best to simply wet sandwith 400- to 600-grit abrasive andbuff with a rubbing compound orpolish. There may be a slightdepression created (do not sandthrough into the laminate), but it willbe less noticeable than a filledrepair that’s not perfectly color-matched. A deeper scratch orgouge (Figure 3) that goes intothe laminate, but doesn’t delaminateit, requires a different approach.

STEP 1

Bevel the edge of the repair using adrill with a rotary or chamfering bit,or use a utility knife to contour theedges. Remove all loose and dam-aged gelcoat without enlarging thesize of the repair area. Grind thegouge until you have a uniform dark

color in the underlying laminate.Remove the dust out of the

gouge, then mask the area with aquality masking tape (3M is best).Tape close to the edge of the repairbut not inside the repair zone oryou’ll have to refill. The thickness ofthe tape (about .005”) provides anaccurate measuring gauge for the fin-ished height of the filler, allowing forshrinkage, which is about 5%. Tip:Layer the masking tape sequentiallyin a grid pattern around the repair.To remove it, you pull the bottomlayer and it all comes off together.

Use a clean rag and clean thegouge with solvent. Do not use sol-vents around the repair until it’smasked off completely. Gelcoat hasbeen waxed and if you smear thewax into the repair area it will causebonding problems.

STEP 2

Place a quantity of the correct puttyfiller (different types for above orbelow waterline repairs) on a plasticsheet or impregnated paper (avail-able on pads from auto body suppli-ers). Don’t mix on cardboard as itabsorbs the material, especially thehardener. Add the creme hardener.To ensure the correct resin-to-harden-er ratio, a good rule is to mix onegolf-ball size amount of putty to2.54cm (1”) of creme hardener,regardless of the size of the repair.Use a pre-mixed quality filler, such as

3M Marine Premium Filler or MarineFiller which are very fine, gritless,modified vinylester compounds.Hardener is a different color (in thiscase blue), so mix until the colors arewell-blended. You can’t overmix.

STEP 3

Tightly pack the filler into the repairarea, spreading with a putty knife toremove the air bubbles. Remove theexcess, leveling the surface with aputty knife large enough to span thetape so the filler is flush with the tapededge. If you fill the gouge only to thelevel of the gelcoat, when it cures, itshrinks, creating a hollow that must berefilled. Immediately remove the mask-ing tape. The filler hardens in 20 min-utes or so, depending on the amountand type of hardener used and theworking temperature.

STEP 4

Grate the repair with a Surform(remove the handle) while the filler isstill “green” (not fully cured) so it’sflush with the gelcoat. Gelcoat isextremely hard so you won’t scratchit. Let the filler cure overnight. If therepair has any hollows, you’ll have torefill them.

3


STEP 5Prepare enoughgelcoat to coatthe repair. Mix asmall quantity ofneutral gel withyour color pig-ment on the mix-ing paper or usea plastic contain-er (yogurt con-tainers are impervious to chemicals) for larger quantities.Use a premixed pigment that’s color-matched to the gel-coat, otherwise you’ll have to mix a custom batch (seeColor Matching above). For a few small repairs, gelcoatrepair kits (from Seacare and others) are easy to work

with and less expensive than purchasing jars of polyesterpigment.

STEP 6For small repairs, puta quantity of gelcoatin the upturned bottomof a plastic containerand add catalyst at aratio of 2%. Don’tovercatalyze or you’llhave a “cooked” edgethat forms a luminouscircle around the edge. When mixing larger quantities,use a small syringe to measure the exact amount of cata-lyst (see Non-Skid, Step 2). Mix well.

STEP 7Mask the edge of therepair. Be sure not tooverlap the tape insidethe repair or the gel-coat won’t fully coverand you’ll have to reap-ply. Clean the repairarea with solvent.

COLOR-MATCHINGColor-matching gelcoat is one of the most difficult repairprocedures. Color is added to gelcoat in the form of poly-ester pigments. If you’re fortunate, your boat’s gelcoat willexactly match a standard color in one of the off-the-shelfpackaged gelcoat repair kits. If the color comes close butnot quite perfect, then get ready for some work.

Begin by finding a smooth, flat, near-vertical surfacesomewhere close to the repair. Clean and buff the sur-rounding area. (Don’t attempt to match color to a badlyoxidized surface.)

To test the color of pigment required, dab a smallquantity of uncatalyzed gelcoat resin onto the buffed sur-face. (Uncatalyzed resin will not harden and will not harmthe surface of your boat.) Start with a gelcoat that is simi-lar in color to the final color that you are attempting tomatch. For example, it’s better to start with a white gelcoatand tint to off-white, than to pigment neutral gelcoat,which allows you to change the resin to any color. Addenough pigment but no more than 10% or you’ll haveover-pigmented resin, causing a loss of gloss that no buff-ing will restore. If you under-pigment your neutral gelcoat,the result is a translucent finish.

Now, add a minute quantity of the pigment youbelieve will shade the color to the desired hue and mixthoroughly. Pigments are very viscous and must be thor-oughly mixed with the resin. Undermixing causes either amarble effect or colored streaks in the gelcoat. If the colordoes not match, try to determine the method required tomake it right. Does it need black? White? Some yellowperhaps? There is no shortcut to doing this.Experimentation and practice are the only way to masterthis skill. Keep a record of the amount of pigment added.Once you’ve mastered the color match in your test area,you’ll need to duplicate it in a much larger quantity. — Wayne Redditt


Apply the gelcoat liberally with aputty knife, overlapping the tape.Remove the masking tape.

STEP 8

Using 320-grit paper on a rubbersanding block, wet sand the repairarea. Place a squeegee over therepair and check for level. It shouldbe perfectly flat. Any low spotsrequire more gelcoat. Finish sandingwith 400- then 600-grit wet paper.Use lots of water. Resist the tempta-tion to sand with your fingers or you’llhave ripples in the finished surface.

STEP 9

Finish the repair by buffing with afine rubbing compound. Use a foampad mounted on a power buffer andbegin by putting compound on thesurface, then manually swirl the bufferaround to work the compound intothe pad. You can also buff with anangle sander but use low speed oryou’ll burn the gelcoat.

STEP 10Repairing drilled holes is similar, theonly difference is you need to fill thehole. Begin by beveling the edge,using a drill with a cutting bit.

Remove the dust and clean with sol-vent.

STEP 11

If accessible, cover the back of therepair with masking tape. When it’snot, stuff a wad of masking tape intothe hole (left) or insert a short pieceof doweling (right) — anything to pre-vent filler from running out the holeand into the interior. Continue, follow-ing Steps 2 and 3 on page 12.

STEP 12

Using a power drill with a rotary bit,grind off the filler to about .020”below surface level, or the thicknessof the applied gelcoat. Fill with color-matched gelcoat following instruc-tions in Steps 5 and 6 on page 13,then proceed through to Step 9.

Repairing Non-SkidDamage to non-skid decks is usuallycaused by dropping heavy objects,such as the anchor or a hammer, orstowing small outboards, bicycles, adinghy or other bulky gear topsides.Repairing premixed painted non-skid

is easy, just reapply. It becomes moredifficult with a molded non-skid. Theprocedures outlined below use athree-step repair method: First a pat-tern or mold is made of the non-skid,a replacement patch is laminatedfrom the mold, which is then gluedonto the deck after removing thedamaged deck surface. This is notan easy repair and usually takessome careful analysis of deck cam-ber, total area of repair and patternalignment.

STEP 1

To make the mold, first select a flatportion of the non-skid deck that is ingood condition. Wash the surfaceand let it dry. Mask off an area twiceas large as the repair area. Usepaper or plastic sheeting to preventoverspray getting on the deck. Cleanthe work area with acetone. Using adisposable Preval sprayer (availableat autobody supply shops), spray themasked area with a thin, even coat-ing of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Weara respirator — this is toxic stuff! Youcan use mold-release wax instead butit fills up the pores, giving an unevencoating. If the work area is not com-pletely covered with PVA, the moldwill stick to the deck and you’ll bedoing another repair. Allow the PVAfilm to dry for about 20 minutes.

STEP 2Use a syringe to measure the exactamounts of color-matched gelcoatand catalyst. (A metric one is pre-ferred as it’s easier to calibrate inmillilitres than ounces.) Measure thegelcoat then load it into the Preval


spray bottle. Addcatalyst at a ratioof 2%. An easymethod to mea-sure it is to calcu-late the numberof drops per milli-litre. In ourdemonstration,five dropsequaled 1ml.Don’t overcat-alyze. Stir well.Working time isabout 20 min-utes.

STEP 3Spray a thick coating of gelcoat over the PVA film. Donot brush on the gelcoat. If you disturb the PVA with thebrush the mold willstick to the deck. Notethe dam formed bymasking tape along theedges of the work areain the photo. This is sothe sprayed gelcoatdoesn’t create a hardedge. Let the gelcoatcure completely (one totwo hours).

STEP 4Build your mold by lay-ing up three or fourlayers of chop-strandmat soaked in generalpurpose polyester orvinylester resin mixedwith hardener accord-ing to directions. Poura small quantity ofresin in the center ofthe cloth, then spread witha squeegee.

STEP 5When all the layers arewetted out, use a ribbedmetal roller, workingtoward the edges, toremove air bubbles. Ifyou’re in a hurry, you can

overcatalyze resin by up to 5% when making your moldand replacement patch. Your finished mold should beabout 4.7mm (3/16”) thick. Let cure overnight, then popit off the deck. Wash both the mold and deck surfacewith water to remove the PVA.

STEP 6To make a replacementpatch, take your moldand repeat the entirelaminating process. Firstwax the mold (use PVAor mold-release wax),then spray or brush ona thin coating of color-matched gelcoat. Don’tmake this too thick; thegrid pattern in the moldshould be just almostfilled.

STEP 7Once the gelcoat has cured, laminate two layers of chop-strand mat onto the gelcoat. Let cure overnight. Removethe part from the mold. This should perfectly match the


pattern and color of your deck’s non-skid. If the bottom of your replace-ment piece isn’t uniform, sand it untilflat.

STEP 8

Outline the repair area on deck witha felt pen so it forms a square or rec-tangle. This is the easiest to cut,although you can radius the corners.If your non-skid has a geometric pat-tern, count the number of diamonds,for example, so that all sides areequal and you’ll be cutting in thegroove.

STEP 9

Using a router with a 1/2” straight,single-flute carbide cutting bit, careful-ly remove the deck surface. (Don’t

use spiral or double flute bits whichtend to break away.) Step the depthof the cuts so you just cut into thelaminate below the gelcoat. Makethe first cut no more than 1.5mm(1/16”). Keep lowering the router bituntil the cutting depth matches thethickness of your replacement piece.Cut carefully. Too deep and you’ll gothrough the deck. Don’t do this withan expensive router as fiberglass dustwill destroy it.

STEP 10

Square the corners with a chisel, cut-ting into the repair zone. If youattempt to chisel into the good non-skid, it will crack the gelcoat andyou’ll have an ever-growing repairzone. Transfer the shape of yourdeck cutout to your replacementpatch, aligning the pattern so itmatches perfectly. Place it in a vice,then cut to size with a hacksaw. Ahacksaw gives a perfectly clean cutwithout the edges breaking away.Dry-fit your patch and file, if neces-sary, with a metal file to fit the deckcutout.

STEP 11To make an invisible repair, mixsome color-matched gelcoat with cat-alyst and apply to the edge of the

deck cutout. (We used a lighter gel-coat for demonstration purposes.)When the patch is positioned, it willsqueeze out the gelcoat, eliminatingthe join line.

STEP 12

Mix a small quantity of laminatingresin with catalyst and drop some inthe center of the cutout. This acts asa glue. Be careful not to touch thegelcoat. Place a few strands of mat,cut to short lengths with scissors, inthe bottom to help bond the repair.

STEP 13

Place the replacement part in thecutout. Immediately remove anyexcess gelcoat with an acetone-soaked rag. The color-matched gel-coat gives a virtually invisible repair.(Contrasting gelcoat was used and isvisible in the photo.) Weigh downthe patch with a heavy object.

DIY boat owner 1998- #1 17

By Kevin Jeffery

he desire to have a few house-hold conveniences on a boat isnatural and often enhancesrather than diminishes the plea-

sure of getting away from it all.Household appliances run off of AC(alternating current) electricity, so ifyou want to bring them on board youmust have some provision for main-taining a reliable AC power supply.

You can use an inverter to supplyusable AC power indirectly throughthe stored DC (direct current) powerin your battery bank. Or you can pro-vide your own direct source of ACpower from a shorepower connectionfor use at a dock, an engine-drivenAC generator (commonly referred toas gen-sets), or a modified AC alter-nator driven off the main auxiliaryengine. Inverters are convenient andeasy to install and use, but you musthave a reliable means of replacingthe power they draw from the batter-ies. Direct AC sources don’t rob thebattery bank of stored energy, butyou must be dockside using a shore-power connection or you must useengine-driven equipment to generatethe power. A good review of theoptions available will help youdecide which AC power sources arebest for your needs.

Option 1: DC-to-AC InvertersThere are several other ways to pro-

vide remote AC power, but nonematch the freedom and convenienceoffered by DC-to-AC inverters (here-after referred to simply as inverters). Ifyour AC loads are moderate andyour battery capacity and chargingsystem sufficient, inverters can elimi-nate the need for any other ACsource.

Inverters allow you to have ACpower almost anywhere. They don’tactually create electricity, they onlychange it from one type to another.Modern solid-state inverters drawupon the energy stored in a bank ofbatteries. They simultaneously raisethe voltage and create a simulatedAC waveform — the final product is110V/60Hz AC power (or220V/50Hz for overseas use). Ifyour charging sources have sufficientoutput, they can keep an inverterfrom depleting your batteries.

Over the past few years therehave been significant advances ininverters that make their use efficientand affordable. Inverter operation iswhisper-quiet, perfect for what I call“quiet time” loads — engine noisedoesn’t have to be present when youare actually using AC appliances. Ofcourse, the batteries must eventuallybe recharged and that operation canbe a noisy affair if you’re using anengine-driven charger, but it’s usuallypossible to schedule engine-drivencharging for more convenient times.

The electricity inverters drawfrom the batteries can be supplied byrenewable chargers such as solarpanels and wind- or water-poweredgenerators. Many factors determinewhether or not renewable chargingsources can supply your total ACload, but at least you have the oppor-tunity to do so with an inverter.

Modern inverters use very littleidle current — standby power whenthe unit is on but no load is beingdrawn — compared to engine-drivenAC power sources. For many boatersthis can be a large portion of thetime. Previously, it was necessary toturn an inverter on for a specific task,then off again to prevent high stand-by losses. Now an efficient invertermay consume only half a watt onstandby. Compare this to an engine-driven AC power source that is crank-ing away, consuming fuel whetheryou are using the AC power or not.

Other inverter advantages includetheir relatively small size and weight,lower initial cost and reliability.Installation is uncomplicated andthere’s no additional engine to main-tain.

Inverters come in a variety of

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HAVINGAC POWEROn Board

HOT,NEUTRAL

OR GROUND?

You must use a polarity tester tomake sure correct polarity ismaintained in the black andwhite wires. Marinco offers aninexpensive polarity tester thatplugs into any AC outlet andwarns of such common ACwiring problems as reversed hotand ground, reversed hot andneutral, open safety ground,and open hot conductor.

TIPS

Underway or at the dock, enjoy all the comfortsof home with an AC power system.

T

TROUBLESHOOTING AC SYSTEMSProblem Solution

Tripped Breaker Loose wires at the breakers are a common problem. Occasionally bundled wires are bundled so tightly that the hot and neutral have chafed to the point of shorting.

Breaker Tripping Check for loose connections, corrosion or, if the Repeatedly breaker capacity is smaller than the load it is

serving, faulty breakers.

Battery Failure The most common cause of battery failure when When AC Charger an AC battery charger is present on board is due is Present to the charger not being fully automatic with

100% shutoff capability. Ferro-resonant chargers made for long-term dockside use may continue to trickle charge even when the batteries are full, causing excessive voltage and inevitable battery damage. Check to make sure your charger’s cur-rent stops completely when the batteries are full.

Excessive Galvanic If a shorepower connection is used, check to Corrosion On Board make sure that stray current from the dockside

AC power supply can’t find its way to the DC circuit on board. If the incoming green AC ground wire is bonded with the boat’s DC ground, as recommended by ABYC, install a galvanic isolator or isolation transformer to prevent stray current from following that path.

Voltage Reading Indicates that these wires are bonded somewhere Between The in the circuit, something that must be avoided. If White And Green your AC circuit is properly wired, you should get

a voltage reading between the black and white wires, the black and green wires, but NOT the white and green.

DIY boat owner 1998- #118

puters, have no trouble at all.

Pure Sine-Wave Inverters.Some new inverters are equipped toproduce pure sine-wave power that isas good or better than utility-grade.Pure sine-wave inverters will run anyAC appliance without harm or annoy-ing sounds. Increasingly, discriminat-ing boaters are using a small puresine-wave inverter to power their sen-sitive audio and office equipment,and a larger modified sine-waveinverter if needed for the other ACloads. Units include Dimensions (250-watt model), Trace SW series andStatpower PROsine.

Cost. Inverter cost is proportion-

al to the rated output. Pocket invertersof 250 watts cost aroundCDN$180/ US$150; 1500-wattinverters cost around CDN$798/US$625 without a charger andCDN$1,129/US$900 with; and2500-watt models with a chargingoption or pure sine-wave output costaround CDN$1,580/ US$1,250 toCDN$1,905/ US$1,500 and higher.Additional battery charging sourcesneeded to replenish inverter loadsshould also be taken into account.

Option 2: ShorepowerConnectionIf you spend a lot of time dockside,have very large AC loads or limited

sizes and output ratings, from small50- to 250-watt pocket inverters —ideal for powering computers, radios,tape decks, TVs and VCRs — to largeunits of 2,500 watts or more. Most ofthe larger inverters also have a pow-erful performance charging functionthat automatically kicks in when ACpower from dockside or a gen-set isavailable. This feature eliminates theneed for a separate battery charger.

Inverters for marine use are mostpractical for supplying AC loads upto about 2,500 watts, particularly ifthe larger loads in your system areonly on for short periods of time.Even though the current draw of largeintermittent loads may be high whenthe appliance is on, the total energyconsumed by microwave ovens, toast-ers and coffee makers is usually mod-erate. Loads that are usually not sup-plied by inverters include AC-to-DCbattery chargers (in essence, youwould be trying to use battery powerto charge your batteries!), air condi-tioners (unless supplemented by anengine-driven, high-output chargingsource), and appliances with largeheating elements, such as hot-waterheaters, space heaters and electricranges.

AC electricity from the utility com-pany is in the form of a pure sinewave. Inverters, which attempt toduplicate utility power electronically,are often classified by their type ofoutput.

Modified Sine-WaveInverters. Most of the inverterspresently on the market have a modi-fied sine wave output that closelyapproximates utility power. Heavy-duty models are suitable for runningelectric motors with high start-uploads, since their surge capability istypically three to four times their ratedpower. Some electronic equipment,including certain computers, laserprinters and some fax and answeringmachines, won’t run properly onmodified sine wave output. Mostother appliances, including TVs,VCRs, ink-jet printers and laptop com-


battery capacity,you might find itnecessary to haveyour boat’s ACappliances run offa direct AC powersource. If you canget by with havingdirect AC poweronly when you’reat a dock, then ashorepower con-nection is all you need. It’s relatively inexpensive to installand operates quietly. A complete shorepower system con-sists of electrical components that bring power to the boatand distribute it to the individual AC circuits on board.

Shorepower Cord. Similar to heavy-duty outdoorextension cords, these have a male plug on one end anda female receptacle on the other. Unlike straight bladeends found on standard cords, they incorporate twist-lockdevices at each end so the cords can’t be accidentallyunplugged in areas of foot traffic. Shorepower cords alsohave an outer coating highly resistant to ultraviolet rays,salt and moisture. Cord sets complete with end plug andreceptacle are available in 12-, 25- and 50-foot lengths,with either a 15-, 30- or 50-ampere rating. Amperage rat-ings are applicable for both 125-volt and 250-volt ser-vices. The end plugs on 250-volt cords have a slightly dif-ferent configuration to keep the two services separate. Endconnectors and insulated wire can be purchased separate-ly for custom owner-assembled cords.

Shorepowerinlet. This is wherethe shorepower entersyour boat. It consistsof a male plug that isflush-mounted in awaterproof box with atightly sealing cover,similar to outdoor elec-trical outlets for homes.The box is placed atsome convenient loca-tion close to the boat’sAC electrical panel.

GalvanicIsolators. AmericanBoat & Yacht Council(ABYC) recommendsthat the incoming ACgreen ground wire bebonded to the DC ground on board. This common groundprovides protection from electrocution in the event that AC

Shorepower components include a cord-set, one-piece adapters, pigtail adaptersand non-metallic or stainless-steel inlets.

Shorepower inlet mounted in thebow of a Nonsuch 30 requires awatertight unit. Inlets are usuallymounted in areas that are not nor-mally subject to submersion, suchas the cabin side or cockpit coam-ing.

20

current escapes from the AC wiringon board (i.e. through a short in anAC battery charger). This commonground, however, can set the stagefor major galvanic corrosion prob-lems, since stray current in a marinacan enter a boat through the ACground wire and pass into the boat’sDC system. An galvanic isolator (seeFigure A), which typically installs inthe green ground wire from the shore-power supply, can protect againstcorrosion and still allow your AC cir-cuit to adhere to ABYC recommenda-tions. Galvanic isolators are relativelyinexpensive (around $225 for agood-quality model), lightweight andeasy to install, since they are wireddirectly into the green AC groundingwire. A good quality UL-listed modelis available from Quicksilver, a sub-

sidiary of Mercury Marine, foraround CDN$225/US$160. Othermodels are available from Newmarand Professional Mariner.

It would be nice to have sometype of indication or alarm on theunit that alerts a boatowner to thefact that stray current is being han-dled by the galvanic isolator. Futuremodels may incorporate this feature.

Isolation Transformers:Additional protection is found in anisolation transformer, a device thattransmits dockside power magnetical-ly to onboard circuits without directwire connections. With this device,the incoming AC power is kept com-pletely separate from the DC poweron board, so there is no chance forstray galvanic current from docksideto reach the boat, and no chance fordockside AC problems to pose asafety hazard for the boat’s crew. Asshown in Figure B, when using anisolation transformer, the boat’s ACground wire is still connected to theDC ground to provide protectionagainst faulty AC circuits on the boat.The down side to isolation transform-ers are their weight (31+ kg/70+ lb)and their installed cost (over $500).They are typically found only on larg-er boats.

Quicksilver’s galvanic isolator protectsthe hull, zinc anodes and aluminum dri-ves (powerboats) from galvanic corro-sion when your boat is plugged intoshorepower.

HAVING AC POWEROn Board

ANN

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Figure A

Diagram showing a shorepower connection with a galvanic isolatorinstalled based on ABYC recommendations.

Green (ground)

White (neutral ground)

Black (hot)

AC shorepowersupply

Shorepower cable

Optional galvanicisolator

To engine negative

terminal bus

AC distributionpanel

Groundbus bar

Neutralbus bar

Main shorepowerdisconnect circuitbreaker

Bus bar hotBranch circuitbreaker 120 VAC

groundedreceptacle

Power inlet(electrically isolated fromboat if isola-tor installed)



Option 3: Gen-setsIf you need to have direct AC elec-tricity when no utility power is avail-able, then some type of engine-dri-ven AC power source is your onlyalternative. Gen-sets are ratedaccording to their continuous AC out-put capability, ranging from 2.5kWto 6.0kW for the smaller units to

over 15kW. Self-contained gen-setsclosely match a gasoline- or diesel-fueled engine with an AC electricalgenerator. Gen-sets can powerheavy AC equipment that is on forlong periods of time, such as air con-ditioning units, as well as large yetintermittent AC loads, such as elec-tric cooking appliances, high-capaci-

ty water-mak-ers, holding-plate refriger-ation systems,washingmachines andbattery charg-ers.

Any gen-erator that iscoupled withan internalcombustionengine couldreasonablybe called agen-set, but

industry practice is to reserve theterm for permanently mounted units.Gen-sets are similar to small boatmain engines in construction andappearance. The engine shaft iscombined with a specially designedAC generator. Fuel is suppliedthrough a separate tank or throughthe fuel tank for the main engine.

Diagram showing a shorepower connectionwith a isolation transformer installed basedon ABYC recommendations.

Figure B

Transfer enclosure

Green (ground)

White (neutral ground)

Black (hot)

ACShorepowersupply

Shorepower cable

Branch circuitbreaker 120 VAC

groundedreceptacle

Transformercase groundconnection

Transfer shield

Single phase isolation transformer(insulated from boatby a vented non-con-ductive enclosure)

Main shorepower disconnect circuit breaker

AC distributionpanel

Power Inlet (electrically

isolated fromboat)

To engine negative terminal or bus

Green

Black White

ANN

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11Issues

The Portable Solution



Most gen-sets create a considerable amount ofnoise when operating, from both engine and exhaust,although water-cooled units tend to be less noisy thanair-cooled units. Gen-sets are usually installed inmechanical compartments that are acoustically and ther-mally isolated from the living spaces, but additionalsteps can be taken to decrease noise. Most manufactur-ers offer some type of sound shield or sound-deadeningpanels that completely surround the unit, greatly reduc-ing noise transmitted through the air. Additional noisereduction comes from rubber mounting feet and the useof flexible water, fuel, exhaust and electrical connec-tions.

The engine and electrical generator shafts aredirectly coupled so that the engine rpm is also that ofthe generator. Engine rpm is governed so that the fre-quency of the AC output is held fairly constant. Largegen-sets have AC generators that are designed to oper-ate at lower engine speeds — 1,800 rpms for 60Hzoutput and around 1,500 rpms for 50Hz output. Onthese larger gen-sets, lower engine speed reduces vibra-tion and increases fuel consumption by about 25% overlarge portable generators.

Recently, a concept known as VST (variable speedtechnology) was developed. VST control logic allows a

SAFETY WITH AC POWERON BOARD

▼ Before working on AC circuits on board, discon-nect the AC power from its source. Take your timeand observe correct polarity. Have a reverse polari-ty indicator on board, either integrated into yourAC panel or in a hand-held model. Check for cor-rect polarity every time you plug into shorepower.Dockside AC with reverse polarity (the hot and neu-tral wires are crossed) can damage onboard ACequipment and be a definite safety hazard if theneutral and ground wires on board ever becomeshorted, carrying hot AC current through the groundwiring.

▼ Use GFCI receptacles on each circuit. A GFCI atthe head of a branch circuit can protect outletsdownline in the same circuit.

▼ Install an indicator light that clearly shows thatlive AC power is present on board.

▼ Make sure your boat is wired by a competentmarine electrician and adheres to ABYC recommen-dations.


generator to adjust engine speed to the AC load beingdrawn, while keeping the AC output current voltageand frequency more or less constant (similar to the tech-nology used on modified AC alternator systems). Thisresults in additional savings in fuel and wear on thegen-set since, if the AC load is small or nonexistent, theengine speed will be reduced accordingly.

Marine gen-sets are typically water-cooled in one ofthree ways: directly by seawater pumped through thecooling system and into the exhaust system; indirectlythrough the use of a heat exchanger, where heat isexchanged between captive oil or water in the gen-setand seawater; or indirectly by way of keel- or skin-cool-ing where pipes in the keel or a section of the hull actas the heat exchanger.

Efficiency. When a gen-set is running, AC power isavailable but not necessarily being used. This is quitedifferent from DC charging systems, where every timethey operate useful energy is being stored or consumed.Gen-set fuel consumption, to a certain extent, is propor-tional to load, so there is some fuel savings at loads lessthan rated output. If the unit has VST, the fuel savingscan be significant when smaller loads are present.

With this in mind, if a 4.5kW gen-set is runningand close to 4,500 watts of AC electricity is being con-sumed, then the overall efficiency is around 20%. If theload drops to 1,000 watts, the overall efficiency candrop to around 10%, unless the unit is equipped withVST, in which case efficiency will be closer to 15%.

System efficiency can be increased by closelymatching a gen-set’s output to your electrical needs;operating your AC loads together when possible tomake full use of a gen-set’s capacity; turning the unit offwhen it is not needed; using an inverter when possible;and by running an AC-to-DC battery charger torecharge your battery bank any time the gen-set is on.

Cost. Compact gas- or diesel-fueled gen-sets in the3.0kW to4.5kW rangeare readily avail-able, with costsranging fromUS$3,500 toUS$10,000.These units canfit into sparelockers and othersmall spaces onboard. If youneed morepower, considera unit in the6kW range;

Fischer Panda water-cooled generatorswith three-piece insulated fiberglasssound shields are extremely quiet: the7.8kW Panda 8 (shown) has a noise levelrating of just 53 dBa.


they are still of modest size andweight, run in the US$5,000 toUS$12,500 range, and typicallyhave enough power to run the charg-ing side of a large inverter-chargerrated at around 120 amperes.

Option 4: Modified ACAlternators

Modified AC alternators and controlsystems are powered by a boat’smain engine, eliminating the needfor a secondary engine. PowerTechnology’s SeaPower 5kW and10kW models employ a custom,high-voltage alternator intended toreplace or supplement the existingalternator on board. They produceprecise 115-volt/60Hz utility-typepower (230-volt/50Hz power onthe export versions). Most boatersleave their existing alternator inplace for battery charging. If a mod-ified AC alternator system mustreplace your existing alternator dueto space limitations, you can use theAC power to run a battery chargeror the charging side of an inverter-charger. As with a standard alterna-tor, you’ll be charging whenever themain engine is running.

If you are considering upgrad-ing your present alternator and alsowant high-capacity AC power with-out a gen-set, this is a good systemto investigate. Powerboaters won’tneed to run a gen-set while under-way and sailors get a convenient,lightweight direct AC power sourcewithout buying and maintaininganother engine. Keep in mind that amodified AC alternator only oper-ates with the main engine running;you may want to consider using aninverter for the small, continuous ACloads on board, or during timeswhen you’d prefer not to listen to theengine.

AC WIRING TIPSMany production boats builtbetween the 1960s and mid-80sare incorrectly wired. We’ve com-piled a few wiring AC tips (toABYC standard), but you should beaware that this is by no means acomplete treatment of the topic andyou should consult a marine electri-can before undertaking any ACwiring.

▼ All conductors and flexible cordsshould meet the requirements of theapplicable standards ofUnderwriters Laboratories, Inc. Theminimum surface marking on indi-vidual conductors and their jacketshould include: A. type/style, B.voltage, C. wire size, D. tempera-ture rating dry.

▼ All conductors should be at least16 AWG (18 AWG is permissibleas internal wiring in panelboards).

▼ Conductors should be identified to indicate circuit polarityas follows:

BLACK Ungrounded conductor

WHITE Grounded neutral conductor

GREEN, GREEN WITH YELLOWSTRIPE Grounding conductor

RED, ORANGE, BLUEAdditional ungrounded conductors

BLACK W/RED STRIPE, BLACK W/BLUE STRIPE, BLACKW/ORANGE STRIPE

Additional colors for ungrounded conductors (black)

▼ Conductors and flexible cordsmust be stranded copper.

▼ All connections normally carry-ing current should be made inapproved enclosures. Junctionboxes, cabinets and other enclo-sures should be made weatherproof

or installed in a protected locationto minimize moisture accumulation.Unused openings in electrical enclo-sures should be closed.

▼ All conductors should be support-ed and/or clamped to relieve strainon connections.

▼ When AC and DC conductorsare run together, the AC conductorsshould be sheathed, bundled or oth-erwise kept separate from the DCconductors.

▼ Current-carrying conductorsshould be routed as high as practi-cal above the bilge water level andother areas where water may accu-mulate and as far away as practi-cal from exhaust pipes and otherheat sources.

▼ Terminal connectors should bethe ring or captive spade types andthey should be the same nominalsize as the stud. Connections maybe made using a set-screw pressure-type conductor connector providinga means is used to prevent the set-screw from bearing directly on theconductor strands. Twist-on connec-tors (wire nuts) should not be used.

▼ Solder must not be the solemeans of mechanical connection inany circuit.

▼ No more than four conductorsshould be secured to any one termi-nal stud. If additional connectionsare necessary, two or more terminalstuds shall be connected togetherby means of jumpers or copperstraps.

▼ The shanks of terminals must beprotected against accidental short-ing by using insulation barriers orsleeves, except those used ingrounding systems.

▼ Install a weatherproof shorepow-er inlet in an area free of spray orsplash; otherwise, you must install awatertight inlet.

HAVING AC POWEROn Board


small, continuous AC loads on board,or during times when you’d prefer notto listen to the engine.

Output. The alternators suppliedwith the SeaPower systems are cus-tom, high-voltage units. A separateAC power unit takes the alternatoroutput and converts it to pure sinewave 115-volt/60Hz or 230-volt/50Hz output capable of runningsophisticated electronic equipment,digital controls and inverters with inte-

gral chargers. Output voltage is regu-lated to within plus or minus 5 voltsand frequency is held to within .01%.A remote control/display panel com-pletes the system.

Alternator speed. Alternatorspeed can vary from 1,600 rpm to8,000 rpm continuous or 10,000rpm intermittent, while the AC powerunit ensures that the AC outputremains clean and constant at anyalternator speed.

Input load. The engine powerrequired to produce AC power isabout 1.7 hp for every kilowatt ofpower produced. That’s about 8.5 hpfor the 5kW SeaPower and 17 hp forthe 10kW model. It’s clear that anengine with a minimum of around25hp is needed to operate theseunits.

Protection. These units have built-in circuits that protect the system inthe event of high voltage, high tem-perature of the alternator or AC

power unit, short circuit, low batteryvoltage and excessive load.

Efficiency. Running the mainengine to produce electricity is typi-cally not as efficient as operating agen-set or portable generator. Theoverall system efficiency is around10% to 15% for the AC output undermaximum load. This occurs when allof the energy being produced is putWhen a bad shorepower connection

develops, splice a new plug or connectoronto the cordset.

SeaPower’s AC alternator bolts directlyto the engine, eliminating the need for asecondary engine.

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onboard AC power source. You mayelect to install one of these switchesfor future use if you don’t presentlyhave an onboard AC power sourcein the system. The switch cuts offpower from one source beforeengaging the other, preventing thetwo systems from mixing. The powerswitch is a device that automaticallytransfers the load from your inverterto “grid power” when you start yourgenerator or plug into shorepower.The power switch is available in 30-amp (US$112) and 50-amp(US$182) models for 120-volt AC cir-cuits.

Kevin Jeffrey is a longtime cruiser and inde-pendent electrical power consultant. He is theauthor of the Independent Energy Guideand publisher of Sailor’s Multihull Guide,now in its second edition.

Paneltronics (#9972305B) and othershave reverse polarity indication, anadded safety feature that indicatesfaulty utility-power wiring.

AC Outlet: Outlets for marine useare almost identical to those used onland. Outlets with ground fault circuitinterrupt (GFCI) protection should beused near the head and galley, andcan be used throughout the boat foradded protection. One GFCI outletcan protect downline outlets on thesame circuit. Marine outlets are avail-able with teak or stainless-steel coverplates.

Ship-To-Shore SelectorSwitch: This double-pole, double-throw switch allows you to selecteither shorepower or output from your

to use. If the unit is producing 4,000watts of power, but only 1,000 wattsare being used, then the overall effi-ciency drops to around 5% to 8%.Charging batteries anytime ACpower is produced can increase effi-ciency.

Cost. The SeaPower 5kW unit sellsfor CDN$5,193/US$3,995; the10kW for CDN$10,400/US$8,000.

Other AC SystemComponents

Other components to complete an ACsystem installation include:

AC Master Control Panel: Themaster control panel distributes thepower to your individual circuits,including 110-volt refrigeration,lights, water heater and groups ofAC outlets. The master control panelis equipped with a master breakerthat disconnects the entire AC systemon board, and individual breakers foreach circuit. Panels from Blue Sea(#8043), Marinetics (#EP9635),

DIY INSTALL BILLCost of a typical shorepower connection for power or sailboat.

Parts

15m/50’ shorepower cord $63

1 30A shorepower inlet with stainless-steel case $91

1 galvanic isolator (best quality) $225

1 basic AC panel (with double-pole main breaker,

4 branch circuits, and reverse polarity indicator) $230

3 AC outlets, GFCI type (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) $84

30m/100’ spool of primary AC boat cable, 10/3 AWG $154

Miscellaneous parts $75

TOTAL $922

Labor Rate for Professional Installer

8 hrs @ $50 per hour $400

Note: Prices are in Canadian funds. U.S. parts prices will be about 30%

AC panels come in a variety of configu-rations, depending on your require-ments: (left) panel with five-branch cir-cuit capacity for basic installations;(right) Paneltronics’ full-function distrib-ution center with controls for shorepow-er, generator and inverter, current andvoltage meters and 10-breaker capacity.Both panels are equipped with reversepolarity lights.

AC outletreceptaclewith GFCI,reset andtest buttonsto protectthe user fromline-to-ground elec-trical shockhazards.

HAVING AC POWERON BOARD


TOOLS

Drill and bitsTap setClub hammer Assorted screwdriversPop rivet gun and rivetsCutting oilTapping fluid

There will come a time when you’llneed to install an electronics brack-et, an exit box for an added hal-yard or an eye strap for lazy jacks.Installing hardware on aluminumspars is easy with the proper toolsand some basic skills. DIY spent amorning with Dan Klacko, owner ofKlacko Spars (905/825-0015), cus-tom spar builders and metal fabrica-tors in Oakville, Ont., who sharedsome (but not all) of his techniquesfor installing hardware on aluminumspars.

Before every hardware installa-tion, you must first determine thetype of fasteners to use. Since we’renot all skilled welders, we’ll focusonly on mechanical fasteners.

FastenersStainless-steel bolts and machinescrews or monel rivets are the pre-ferred fasteners for installing masthardware. Normally, bolts with lock-ing nuts are used to fasten hardwarethat is mounted on opposite sides,such as shroud tangs or a bail.(Note: Thru-bolting requires a com-pression tube or the mast may com-

press and collapse.) Machine screws are used exclu-

sively by custom mast builders to fas-ten most hardware. More time-con-suming to install than rivets, theyrequire drilling an undersize hole,then using a tap drill to make athreaded hole for the screw. Screwsare identified by the size and num-ber of threads. A No. 10-24 screw,for example, denotes a screw with amaximum diameter of 10 (.190)and 24 threads per inch. Look forNational Fine (NF) screws; the finerthe thread, the better the holdingpower.

It’s recommended to use pop riv-ets only when the spar is too thin totap for threaded fasteners or toinstall a conduit (see Wiring Refit).Rivets come in aluminum, monel andstainless steel. Aluminum rivets arecheap, not very strong and oftenhave steel shanks that quickly cor-rode, weakening the rivet and thesurrounding metal. Stainless-steel riv-ets are the best choice if you can’tfind monel (available at your localrigger), which offer superior corro-sion-resistance and strength. Usingpop rivets makes quick work of anyinstallation — simply drill and popin a rivet.

A properly installed rivet canequal the holding power of amachine screw but you can’t tightenit. A loose rivet must be drilled outand replaced. Ditto if you want toservice or replace a piece of hard-ware. Unlike rivets, machine screwsare easily removed and reinstalled ifyou need to remove the hardware.And repairing a threaded hole is

simple. If the threads are stripped oroverloading results in a screw thatcan’t be tightened, you can easilydrill and tap to the next size screw.

How Many Holes areToo Many?Contrary to popular belief, drillinglots of holes in your mast has littleeffect on its structural integrity pro-vided the mast is PROPERLYdesigned and loaded for your boat.

In the 30 years that Klacko hasbeen building, repairing and replac-ing spars, he has never known of amast to fail from an overabundanceof drilled holes. Mast failure usuallyhappens because a mast is flexingtoo much, the section is too small forthe boat, it’s not properly rigged ora chainplate, clevis pin or other criti-cal fitting fails. Removing materialfor items like an exit box also tendsto weaken a mast, but usually won’tcause collapse — provided it’s prop-erly designed for your boat. Rather

improper installation — such as cut-ting holes with square corners —can cause stress cracks that migratefrom the opening, possibly resultingin failure.

How many drilled holes are toomany? There are still many older-style masts in use today with sec-tions that are spliced vertically and

RIGGINGS A I L B O A T

A pro reveals the secrets to successful drilling,screwing and tapping.

INSTALLING HARDWARE ON ALUMINUM SPARS

1

28

horizontally, then fastened together with hundreds of riv-ets. Such a mast for a 25-footer may have more than800 rivets. Drilling a series of holes in a line for maststeps or around the base for turning blocks creates littleor no risk of cracking or breaking — provided the mastis correctly loaded. The only exceptions are free-stand-ing, unstayed masts (i.e. Nonsuch and Freedom).Constant mast flexing forms cracks around drilled fit-tings, particularly around the base. After a few failures,builders now use clamp-on fittings on this style of mast.

Installing Hardware

As mechanicalfastening isbest, we’reonly providingthe instructionsfor machinescrew attach-ment. Rivetingis straightfor-ward, provid-ed you invest

in a quality rivettool and drillthe hole justlarge enoughfor a tight fit.Before startingon your mast,we suggest youpractice yourtapping tech-niques on somescrap metal.

Lay the fitting on themast and mark theholes to be drilled(Figure 1). Wheninstalling fittings onopposite sides use apaper or metal“sleeve” as a guide,wrap it around themast so it overlaps(Figure 2), alignthe top edges anddraw a line. Use a


2

3

4



center punch, whacked hard with a hammer, to make asmall dimple to seat your drill bit (Figure 3). Drill apilot hole with a variable-speed drill and sharp bit(Figure 4). Apply lots of cutting oil (best), soapy wateror candle wax to lubricate and cool the bit. Now drill ahole of the correct size for the tap (refer to Figure 5for drill size). Larger holes may require drilling twoundersize holes before selecting the proper size bit.

Tapping the threads is easily done with a tap

wrench and tap (Figure 6). (To save money, purchasethe wrench separately and the taps as needed.) Place adrop of tapping fluid on the tap bit, then center it in thehole. Hold the tap straight or your screw will go in onan angle. Turn the wrench a quarter turn, then turn itback just a little, turn beyond the first cut and turn back.This breaks off the metal chips that you’ve cut, whichcause the tap to bind in the hole and break. Continueturning and backing off until you’ve cut to the depthrequired. Use lots of cutting oil and go slow or you’llbreak the tap. Always wear safety glasses when work-ing on metal.

Aluminum and stainless steel are dissimilar metalsand masts that aren’t protected from moisture begin tocorrode quickly, particularly in saltwater. (Freshwaterboaters are not exempt, corrosion just takes longer.) Toprevent moisture collecting and corroding aluminum,you need to insulate the hardware and fasteners fromthe spar with a gasket of some sort.

Popular practice in the ‘70s and early ‘80s was to

Figure 5

The following table lists the most common screw sizes,the preferred tap drill and alternative bit in inches.

Screw Threads Tap Substitute Size per inch Drill bit*

No. 6 32 NC 36 7/64”No. 8 32 NC 29 9/64”No. 8 36 NF 29 9/64”No. 10 24 NC 25 5/32”No. 10 32 NF 21 5/32”No. 12 24 NC 16 11/64”No. 12 28 NF 14 NA1/4” 20 NC 7 13/64”1/4” 28 NF 3 7/32”

*If you don’t have the correct numbered drill bit, you cansubstitute the bit listed without compromise.


use a rubbergasket orelectricaltape. Theseproductsactuallytrappedmoisture andhelped

accelerate corroding of the aluminum. Instead, bed thefitting and fasteners in sealant, which fills in the gapsand stays pliable so it moves with the flexing of themast without breaking the seal and allowing water toenter. Klacko recommends using polyurethane sealant(i.e. 3M 5200) or silicone, which allows easier removalof the fitting. Be sure to put a dab of sealant on fastenerthreads and under rivet flanges before installing.Mounting hardware with sealant gaskets is rarely doneon a stock mast. Check your mast and remove and bedany hardware that’s without. If you’re not doing thework yourself, you’ll need to specify when contracting arigger.

When cutting an opening for a halyard, be sure toround the corners (Figure 7). Square edges can form a

crack in thatarea.Althoughmost mastsuse an exitor sheavebox, it’s actu-ally not nec-essary toinstall anyhardwarehere. Sheaveboxes arerarely usednow as they

put too much restriction on halyards. Let halyards exitdirectly though the cutout; for wire-rope halyards, add astainless-steel cover plate.

Wiring RefitMost newer masts are designed with an internal conduitfor wires that is built into the extrusion, either a channel(Figure 8) or a protruding knob into which split PVCpipe (Figure 9) slides.


6

7


The primary reason to confine wiring in a conduit isto eliminate noise — wire chafe isn’t usually a concernunless you have wire-rope halyards or lots of internalhalyards. On masts without a conduit, you can stop thewire slapping by adding some sort of cushioning. A

simple remedy isto purchase pre-slit, foam waterpipe insulation,available athardware stores,slip it over thewires, push it upto the masthead(or as high aspossible), andtape the bottomso it doesn’tslide down.Alternatively,take a sheet offlexibleStyrofoam rolledinto a tube andstuff it inside themast.

Masts notequipped with awiring conduit

can be retrofitted, but not easily and only with the mastunrigged. A professional rigger charges about $200 ormore but you can do the job yourself. Use plastic con-duit or PVC Schedule 40 pipe of about 12mm (1/2”)ID, or larger if your mast has lots of wires. Use 1.5m(5’) lengths and join with a coupling (whipping willeventually break the longer 3m (10’) lengths). Lay theconduit alongside the mast on the track side wherethere are no openings or drilled fittings. Mark the place-ment of each coupling, then drill two holes through eachone and the mast for 3/16” rivets. Use aluminum rivetswith aluminum mandrels — this is critical or you’ll getcorrosion.

Slide the conduit inside the mast, being careful notto snag the halyards. Make some wire hooks, bent to a90° angle to hold the conduit in place. Dab somesealant on the holes, then, starting at the bottom, rivetthe conduit to the mast. It may be necessary to drilladditional holes beside the conduit to hold it in placewith your hooks as you drill the conduit. Drill exit holesthrough the mast and conduit for spreader and steaminglights, and the external leads. Starting at the top, snakethe wires through the conduit. It’s a good idea to alsodrop some messenger lines in the event you need toadd wires later. Seal the exit holes with sealant.

8

9

32

ENGINE••• — — — •••

TROUBLESHOOTING

By Robert Hess

The Universal Atomic 4 gasolineinboard engine was built from 1948to 1986 by the Universal MotorCompany in Oshkosh, Wisc.(Universal also manufactured theAtomic 1 and Atomic 2; however,the Atomic 4 was by far the mostsuccessful.) Around 30,000 Atomic4s were sold in North America, andalthough thousands of boats werelater converted to diesel, there areprobably still around 20,000engines in use.

After production ceased,Universal continued to supply partsuntil it was purchased byWesterbeke. Westerbeke has contin-ued supplying parts, and in somecases issued technical bulletins detail-ing the modification of existing com-

ponents and changes in the specifi-cation of some parts. Most electricalparts were supplied by Prestolite,Delco and Motorola, and are avail-able from automotive parts storessuch as UAP Napa and Lordco,along with gaskets, bearings, beltsand hose.

Specifications

The following describes the variousengines produced by serial numbersand the recommended upgrades: ▼ Serial numbers to 79475 indicatea pre-1968 early-style engine withmanifold-mounted thermostat andPrestolite ignition. ▼ Serial numbers 79476 to 170508indicate the 1968-style engine(model UJ) with integral cylinderhead thermostat housing, Delco igni-

tion and a Zenith Series 61 carbure-tor. The Series 61 carburetor was fit-ted with an adjustable main jet, andhas a float height setting of 1-9/64”. ▼ Serial numbers 170509 and upindicate a Zenith Series 68 carbure-tor and Motorola 35-amp alternator.The Series 68 carburetor has a fixedmain jet and a float height of 1-5/32”. Later versions of this carbure-tor do not have the restricted 1/8”copper line between the bottom ofthe carburetor throat and the intakemanifold, which was designed toremove excess gasoline when flood-ing occurred. ▼ Serial numbers 171514 and upindicate the elimination of the exter-nal valve chamber oil line. ▼ Serial numbers 174340 and upindicate a change to an Oberdorfermodel M202-3 water pump. Thepump is fitted with a type M3 halfcam, which pumps less water thanthe type M7 full cam fitted in themodel M202M7 pumps used ondiesels.▼ Serial numbers 174802 and upindicate new-style valves are fitted. ▼ Serial numbers 176500 and upindicate the valve guide internaldiameter is changed from .3150” to.3145” in order to decrease valvestem-to-guide clearance by .005”. ▼ Serial numbers 192787 and upindicate a new-style flywheel, whichrequires a new-style starter motor,part number 261126, and a new fly-wheel cover. ▼ Serial numbers 178800 and upindicate a new-style transmissionplanet gear/clutch case, and areduced number of clutch plates.▼ Serial numbers 202987 and upindicate an electric fuel pump andlow oil pressure switch to replace theDelco mechanical fuel pump. To

Upgrade your existing engine to the latestspecifications and technical bulletins to

increase reliability and performance.

ATOMIC 4 — DESIGN CHANGES & TECHNICAL BULLETINS

Shiftinglever

Sea waterpump for

fresh watercooling

Electro/mechanical

starter solenoid

Accessorydrive

Enginecoolant pump

Aft blockdrain

Oil dip stick(Same location on allmodels)

TYPICAL LATE MODEL CONFIGURATION (STARTER SIDE)



upgrade to this specification, order a Westerbeke#299250 conversion kit, which includes an oil switch#299303, other needed parts and an instruction sheet.Remove the mechanical pump, blank off the hole in theside of the block, and install the new electric pump.Install the low oil pressure switch in a “T” junction at theoil pressure sender port (or in another lubrication systempressure port), retaining the oil pressure sensor and itsconnection to the engine control panel oil-pressuregauge. Wire the pump by connecting it in series withthe oil pressure switch to the ignition coil positive termi-nal, and with a direct connection to the starter motor“R” (resistor) terminal which bypasses the low oil pres-sure switch to allow the pump to operate while starting.

Replacement PartsEvery engine part except new cylinder blocks and oilpan is available, either from Westerbeke or from smallAtomic 4 specialists and auto parts stores. Here’s a par-tial listing.

Electrical: Later engines had a 20-amp fuse installedbetween the ammeter negative terminal and the ignitionswitch “B” terminal, and a 10-amp fuse between theammeter negative terminal and the bilge blower switch.There was also a 35-amp main fuse installed betweenthe starter motor solenoid heavy positive terminal andthe ammeter positive terminal. Marine automatic resetcircuit breakers or manual reset circuit breakers shouldbe used instead of fuses; however, if in-line fuses are fit-ted they should be a waterproof type, such as theAncor #607013, #607014 or #607015.

Separators: Some sailboat manufacturers installedgood-quality marine fuel-water separators in the enginecompartment of their boats during the initial engineinstallation to increase reliability. Canadian manufactur-ers usually specified the Fram FCS1136-M, which is stillavailable from auto parts stores. Several newer modelsof marine fuel-water separators made by Fram, Racorand other manufacturers can also be used. Never installa fuel-water separator with a glass bowl or a petcockdrain on a boat, especially when using gasoline as fuel.Specify metal bowls and screw-in-plug drains. A fuel-water separator is recommended for all installations.

Carburetors: Late-model Atomic 4s had different car-buretor jets than those manufactured earlier. This jetspecification will usually reduce plug fouling and lowerfuel consumption. When changing jets, change them allat the same time. The new specification is: Main jet,#21, Zenith C52-7-21; Idle jet, #12, Zenith C55-22-12;Well Vent jet, #21, Zenith C77-18-21; Main DischargeNozzle jet, #55, Zenith C66-114-4-55; and Idle Bleedhole, #20 (carburetor casting, drill size .039”).


Relief Valve: The Universal OilPressure Plunger Kit, part number256575, was a modification to theadjustable oil-pressure relief valve thatconverts it from the post-’67 designusing a steel ball back to the pre-’67design using a plunger. Apparently

Universal decided that the plungerdesign controlled oil pressure moreaccurately. My experience is that theball valve works fine, so I don’t rec-ommend this modification.

Flame Arrester: Westerbeke’sRevised Flame Arrester Kit, part num-

ber 303073, was introduced inJanuary ‘90. It consists of a new-style round carburetor flame arresterelement that fits to the original-stylerectangular body. This modificationis really a parts replacement for theoriginal rectangular flame arresterelement. Don’t do it unless you’velost the original and can’t find anoth-er one.

Thermostat: Westerbeke ServiceBulletin P31993, January ‘93, advis-es of a new-style thermostat, part

ENGINE••• — — — •••

TROUBLESHOOTING

REPOWERINGWITH DIESEL Upgrading your Atomic 4 to adiesel is a viable option for someowners. You’ll have better fuel effi-ciency, reduced maintenance costs,insurance rates may fall slightlywhile the resale value mayincrease.

Diesel replacement engines are

available from Westerbeke, whooffers two Universal models, andBeta Marine, a U.K.-based manu-facturer with distributors acrossNorth America. Beta Marine offers

two drop-in diesel replacements: a20-hp (BD722) three-cylinder dieseland 10-hp (Beta Ten) two-cylinder.The more popular 20-hp weighsabout 32% less than the Atomic 4and has a 40-amp alternator (55-amp optional). Engines aremarinized Kubota diesels completewith an instrument panel, flexibleshaft coupling, multi-pin wiring har-ness and self-bleeding fuel systemcustomized by Beta Marine. Theyare offered with identical “foot-prints” as a no-cost option, so youwon’t have to build new enginebeds. Just be sure to ask for theAtomic 4 package when ordering.

A repower involves electricaland plumbing work and perhapssome fiberglassing to reinforce theengine mounts. You’ll need tochange the prop shaft from 3/4” to1” and battery cables (originalcables are one size too small),upgrade the exhaust system to awater-lift muffler and add a cutlassbearing, stuffing box, water strainerand seacock for the intake (raw-water cooled) or a plastic “catch”tank for fresh-water cooled systems.

Other additions include a new

prop — if your boat’s propelleraperture is small, you’ll have to getcreative with the diameter and pitch— plus miscellaneous hose, wiring,4 lag screws for engine mountingand other sundry parts. Beta’s self-bleeding fuel system (a real time-saver) requires a good battery(now’s the time to upgrade to aSurrette). You may need to replacethe fuel tank (necessary with a gal-vanized tank) or just give it a thor-ough cleaning provided it has areturn fuel line. It’s quite common tohave to replace the engine controls— although the originals can bemodified, this adds to the labor.

Expect to pay US$6,000 forthe Beta Marine 20-hp Atomic 4package plus another US$1,500for parts. If you don’t feel confidentdoing the work yourself, an experi-enced repower specialist will beable to give you a firm price quoteup front so that you know whatyou’re getting into. A professionalinstallation, not including removalof the Atomic 4, takes 20 to 30hours. You’ll save about six hourslabor if you lift out the engine your-self.

Drop-in replacement diesel from BetaMarine.


number 262278 (60°C/140°F) for saltwater use, and#200468 (82°C/180°F) for freshwater and heatexchanger use, and suggests a modification to the thermo-stat. The modification involves tapping the inside of thethermostat housing the 90° inlet pipe barb fitting (the onethat connects the hose from the water pump and block teefitting) to a 1/8” NPT thread and installing a 1/8” NPTbrass plug with a 1/8” hole drilled in it. This increases theamount of water forced through the block and head waterjackets instead of through the thermostat bypass; however,when the engine is cold (and the thermostat is closed torestrict coolant from exiting the block), the water pumpmust force all the cooling water through the 1/8” hole inthe brass plug, which causes so much pressure in theblock that it can cause frost plugs to leak. For that reason,always remove the thermostat when carrying out this mod-ification.

Removing the thermostat without any other modifica-tion will cause the engine to run hotter, not colder,because the thermostat is a two-stage type and forces thecoolant to flow through the bypass when the engine iscold, then gradually diverts it through block and cylinderhead water jackets as the engine warms up to ensurethere is always a flow of water to the exhaust system.Removing the thermostat is a common cause of cylinderhead cracking and head gasket failure in raw-watercooled engines. Not only does the rear of the cylinderhead overheat due to a lack of water flow, the front ofthe cylinder head near the thermostat housing is exces-sively cooled due to the flow of cold water through thethermostat housing bypass port, which warps and cracksthe head. The water temperature sensor port is rightbeside the thermostat housing, so it reads cold eventhough parts of the engine are running hot. The real solu-tion to most overheating problems is to rebuild the engine(see DIY 1997-#4 issue) and flush the salt and dirt out ofthe block and cylinder head water jackets.

Head Gasket: Westerbeke Service Bulletin 223, May‘96, advises of the availability of a new single graphitehead gasket, part number #200452 to replace the twometal/asbestos gaskets #263776 used previously. Noretorquing is required with the new gasket (the old doublegasket required retorquing after engine warm-up). Youhave to ask for the new-style gasket or the dealer may tryto sell you the old double gasket to get rid of his stock.Check the cylinder head for flatness, and if it’s warpedmore than .006” grind it to roughness spec #125.Lubricate the cylinder head nuts with oil before torquing,then torque the head in correct order (from the center out)and in three stages to the final torque of 35 ft. per lb.Check the compression after head installation and ensureit does not exceed 125 psi. If compression exceeds 125psi, the head has been ground excessively and must bereplaced. The compression can be decreased by installing

36

a thin stainless-steel spacer cut tomatch the coolant passages andcylinder bores between two headgaskets rather than by buying a newcylinder head. This modification maynot be reliable.

Ignition: New 35-amp Motorolaalternators exactly like the originalsare available from auto parts storesfor $300. The correct alternator beltis a Dayco 15250/11A0635.Never use a FHP (electric motor frac-tional horsepower) belt even if it’sthe right length, because FHP beltshave a different sheave angle thanautomotive belts and will slip orbreak.

Spark Plugs: Use NGK BR6Sspark plugs with the gap set to.035”.

Additives: The use of a lead substi-tute and octane booster is recom-mended. These help improve the per-formance of the engine and lessenplug fouling and sooting. Gas lineantifreeze will remove some of thewater in the fuel tank and help stoptank corrosion (and carburetor prob-lems if you don’t have a good fuel-water separator).

Accessories: Several smallAmerican manufacturers make

accessories for the Atomic 4. A solidstate (breakerless) ignition system,freshwater cooling system/heatexchanger, PCV (positive crankcaseventilation) valve adapter and bypassoil filter are available. I highly recom-mend a freshwater coolingsystem/heat exchanger, but I don’tthink any of the other items are nec-essary if you change the oil regularlyusing a good quality 15-40 oil (APICode SJ), and replace the distributorpoints once a year.

TroubleshootingIf the engine is in good conditioninternally but is running rich (i.e.plugs are a sooty black), rebuild thecarburetor, change all the jets to the

latest specification as detailedabove, and soak the anti-backfireflame resistor element in Gunk.Check that the distributor ignitionadvance assembly is not seized (turnthe rotor back and forth to test), setthe ignition dwell between 31° and34° using a dwellmeter, and thenloosen the distributor clamp andadjust the ignition timing to 0° BTDC(piston at the very top) at 600 rpmwith a timing strobe light (if theengine is turning over 600 rpm, theignition advance will already beadvancing the timing, and you won’tget enough advance at high rpm) orby using an ohmmeter across thepoints with the engine stopped(points just opening at TDC). Thedowel pin in the flywheel end of thecrankshaft points straight up anddown at 0° BTDC. If the spark plugsare still sooty, try using ChampionRJ12C plugs, which are slightly hot-ter.

Robert Hess, a licensed mechanic, is cur-rently writing a book detailing the histo-ry of the Universal Engine Company,manufacturers of the Atomic 4. He oper-ates Atomic 4 Engine Service (Tel:604/946-0611 or e-mail:[email protected]) as a side-line, specializing in new and used parts,rebuilds and repairs in Delta, B.C.

ENGINE••• — — — •••

TROUBLESHOOTING

QUICK FACTSAtomic 4 — 30 hp @ 3,500 rpmDIRECT DRIVE REDUCTION DRIVE V DRIVE

VJ VJR VJVD 5101 5102 5103

Atomic 4 *Stevedore (Canadian models)18 hp @ 2,500 rpmDIRECT DRIVE REDUCTION DRIVE V DRIVE

VJS VJSR VJSVD5111 5112 5113

*Canadian Stevedore models differed only in that they had a reducer bushing in theintake manifold throats. The reducer lowered engine horsepower and was discontin-ued after several years. This reducer can be removed by boring the manifold throatout to the size of the carburetor throat, or replacing the manifold with one from anAtomic 4 and rejetting the carburetor.



PROJECTSDIYPORTABLE WORK TABLEThose who spend much time on theirboats, particularly owners who liveaboard, know the importance of agood work table for doing mainte-nance or repairs that doubles as agalley table, a desk for paperworkor a computer table. Designed for aContessa 26, this portable worktable can be easily customized to fitmost boats. On the Contessa, itinstalls on top of the locker doorsbetween the galley and the navtable, or over the cushion railsbetween the two quarter berths.

Made of 12mm (1/2”) marineplywood, this one measures 57cm(22-1/2”) in length and 35.5cm(14”) wide. Cleat stock glued to theunderside (visible in photo) is justslightly shorter than the overalllength and acts as a slider that holdsthe table in place. A barrel boltmounted to one edge (wrong side)slides into 6mm (1/4”) holes drilledinto the locker door and berth railand locks the table in place.Spacing the holes along the rail

allows for repositioning of the tableso it’s reachable when seated on theberth or on a step of the companion-way ladder. When not in use itstows against the hull in the fore-peak. Vicki de Kleer, Mollyhawk, Bronte, Ont.

CORROSION PROTECTION FORSMALL OUTBOARDS

Many outboards and stern drivesoften utilize a trim tab on the antiven-tilation plate just above the prop.Made of mostly aluminum (freshwa-ter) or magnesium (saltwater) andzinc, the tab provides corrosion pro-tection for the lower unit immersed insaltwater, brackish water and fresh-water with high conductivity causedby pollution. Corrosion occurs whenelectrons flow between two similarmetals connected or groundedthrough water, a process known asgalvanic corrosion. The tab acts as a“sacrificial” anode preventing dam-age from corrosion to the lower unit.

Smaller horsepower outboardsare not always factory-equipped withan anode. Easy to install, one costsabout $7 and comes in numerousshapes and sizes. Just locate theanode on the bottom of the plate,

drill two holes and bolt it on. Anodes deteriorate rapidly,

especially in saltwater, and must beconstantly inspected and replaced(keep a few spares on board).Make sure the anode is submerged;if not, protection for the lower unitstill in the water is lost.

CANVAS TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER

Toothbrushes and other dentalnotions are used regularly andshould be conveniently located. Thiscanvas holder provides practical

storage and is easily removed forcleaning.

On board Via Sophia, the hold-er is located just below the mirror inthe head. It’s made of a medium-weight acrylic or other syntheticmaterial. Strips of adhesive Velcro(hook piece) are sewn into the topcorners and the mating tape portionattaches to the bulkhead with themirror support screws. (In a marineenvironment, adhesive tape needs amechanical fastener to stay fixed.)Dimensions are not critical.Sophia Dean, Via Sophia, Surrey, B.C.

ANN

E-MAR

IE H

ENDR

Y

Anode mounted on Johnson 4-hp out-board.


By Paul and Sheryl Shard

In foul weather on a passage toBermuda last summer, we discoveredwe had a small leak around the portin the galley of our self-built Classic37 sailboat. Since we were planningto continue on to the Azores fromBermuda and would be at sea for atleast two weeks, we set to workrepairing the leaky port when wemade landfall at St. George’sHarbour.

The leaking port is a fixed one of12mm- (1/2”) thick Plexiglasattached by a thru-bolted stainless-steel frame. Removing it would be dif-ficult. We hoped that the leak wasdue to an unseated bolt — prettystraightforward to rebed — but nosuch luck. To check for the source ofa leak, we applied water pressure

with a hose and watched wherethe moisture came through.

After the water test, it wasobvious we needed to remove theframe and rebed the Plexiglas.The job is fiddley but not difficult.Just be sure to check the weatherbefore removing a port to makesure you’ve got a dry day. Leaveyourself a couple of hours to com-plete the project, plus drying timefor the sealant. We used 3M5200 polyurethane adhesivesealant. [Ed: A better choice is touse a polysulfide sealant so theport can be easily removed.] Besure to buy more than you thinkyou need so you don’t run out inthe middle of the repair.

The important thing whenremoving the frame is to not bend

it. Even our frames, made of 3mm(1/8”) stainless steel, could bend if care-lessly removed. Aluminum frames areeven more susceptible to bending. Weremoved ours by first removing the boltsthen very gently prying up a corner ofthe frame with a couple of fine-bladedslot screwdrivers. Then we inserted apiece of fine stainless-steel wire (i.e.piano wire) to act as a cutting tool. Paul,using gloves to protect his hands, sawedat the old sealant with the wire while Ivery carefully pried the frame awayfrom the cabin side. Be careful not to

boat

owne

r

DIY

FIXING A LEAKY PORT1

2

3


scratch the gelcoat.Next, we removed the Plexiglas

and cut away the old sealant(Figure 1), then carefully sanded theedges to provide “tooth” for the newbedding compound. We cleaned ourstainless-steel frame and the gelcoatedges around the cutout with ace-tone, then masked all areas with 3MLong Mask inside and out where thesealant would ooze during the rebed-ding of the Plexiglas (Figure 2). Paulapplied a thick bead of sealant allaround (Figure 3), then replaced thePlexiglas while I stood by with thewrench down below. Working togeth-er, we first lightly bolted the four cor-ners, then filled in the bolts inbetween (Figure 4). We tightenedthe bolts till the frame looked seatedand the bedding compound oozedout all around, being careful not toovertighten and bend the frame orsqueeze out all the sealant. Theexcess sealant was wiped up while itwas still wet with paper towel. (Whencured, any excess sealant is easilyremoved with a single-edged utility

knife or razor.) A day after we reinstalled the

port, we checked for any new leakswith the hose. Satisfied, we set sailfor the Azores and had a dry andpleasant two-week passage.Paul and Sheryl Shard are theauthors of Sail Away! A Guide toOutfitting and Provisioning forCruising and are currently cruising inthe Azores. You can follow theiradventures through their web site athttp://www.interlog.com/~shard.

TIP: Is water entering the cabinfrom an unknown source and satu-rating your cushions? Here’s a quickmethod to find the source of theleak. Draw a horizontal line justbelow the sheer on the inside cabinsides with a washable, non-toxiccolor marker. Spray the deck withwater (make sure to close all portsand hatches). Water will stain theline just below the point where itentered.

APPLYINGSEALANTS

— PUSH NOT PULL

When applying sealant, cutthe nozzle of the cartridge ortube at a 30° angle and applythe sealant by pushing, notpulling, ahead of the nozzleover the seam. Pulling the noz-zle can result in voids beneaththe caulked surface.

TIPS

4


RIGGINGP O W E R B O A T

By Jeremy Crews

TOOLS

Assorted screwdriversDrill and bitsWrench or socket setHolesaw or jigsawPolyurethane and

silicone sealant Wire cutter and stripperElectrical connectors

Typically, well-balanced boats do notneed trim tabs. However, when aboat is loaded with gear and person-nel, the convenient distribution ofsuch loads often leaves the boat bowhigh and chine down, which calls forcorrection. An appropriate and well-engineered solution is two individualtrim tabs — one mounted to port andone to starboard — that provide liftat the stern, port and starboard sides,and are controlled by the driver atthe helm. Manipulation of these tabs,individually ortogether, is effec-tive in correctinglist or trim angle.

Operation issimple. Whenunderway, if theboat leans to port,downward deflec-tion of the port tabwill produce aport side upwardforce, which raisesthe port side andlevels the boat.

Also, if the bow is too high, down-ward deflection of both tabs pro-duces an upward force on both sidesof the stern that lowers the bow.

The original trim tabs, goingback 50 years or so, were activated,or deployed, by mechanical jackscrews. While they worked very well,the machinery was bulky and took upvaluable space on the forward sideof the transom. When this bulkbecame a problem, a move wasmade to hydraulic systems which,while adding more flexibility in theplacement of components, alsoadded equipment complexity andhydraulic maintenance.

A new design from Lectrotabeliminates all of the bulk with nothingto be installed inside the boat. Itreplaces a hydraulic system with ahighly refined mechanical actuatorthat is maintenance-free and perma-nently sealed against corrosion.

The Lectrotab product lineincludes 12-gauge stainless-steel tabsin 22.8cm (9”) and 30.4cm (12”)chords (that’s the dimension fore and

aft) with each chord size available infour widths from 22.8cm to 91cm (9”to 36”). Custom sizes are also avail-able. Actuators are available in four-second or eight-second stroke, orextension time, and in 12- or 24-voltsDC.

Hydraulic VersusMechanicalSo how does the Lectrotab work?Take a look at the cutaway illustrationon this page. Note that all compo-nents are in the actuator, that there isnothing to install inside the boat andthat no oil can leak — there is none!

Advantages of the Lectrotabproduct over hydraulic types aremany. Components are contained inthe actuator and it requires no spaceinside the boat. Installation time isabout half and no hydraulic fittingpreparation expertise is required.When needed, the Lectrotab actua-tors can be cross controlled — onecan be retracted while the other isbeing extended. Hydraulic systemscannot do this.

Unlike hydraulic systems, whenpositioned, the actuator is locked intoplace and will not move, even if thetab, for instance, is used as a step.Also, when backing down, the tab is

New maintenance-free mechanical trim taboffers an alternative to most hydraulic systems.

RETROFITTING HYDRAULIC TRIM TABS

CUTAWAY OF THE NON-HYDRAULIC LECTROTAB ACTUATOR Reversible DC motorGearbox

Automatic internalpressurizationthrough vent tubecheck valve eachtime tab is retracted

Powercord exits

throughupper

bracket

Fullyadjustable

upperbracker

Controlledtorquethrustbearing

Upperseal

Free-wheeling ball screwprovides 315kg/700lb offorce to the tab in bothdirections

Combinationlower seal-scraper

Ram fits directly into mostpopular tab brackets


locked against folding under, a frequent failure ofhydraulic types. Providing 315kg (700lb) of force in bothdirections eliminates the need, in many cases, for twoactuators per tab.

For those who want to retrofit to a non-hydraulicmechanical system, the Letrotab actuator ram fits directlyinto the Bennett lower bracket. The Lectrotab’s actuatorlength and upper bracket also fit the Bennett-style footprintwith the same upper bracket screw pattern. Also, the wirefits through the former oil line hole.

InstallationRetrofitting, using the existing tab, can be done withouthauling the boat if the upper portion of the actuator is notbelow the waterline (see steps 3 through 6). Installationfrom scratch on a boat not equipped with trim tabs is easi-ly done with a few basic tools and about three or fourhours of labor. The following instructions assume the tabsize has been previously determined. (Size selection variesbased on engine configuration and horsepower, weightdistribution, type of boat and use. See DIY FALL ‘95 issuefor sizing guidelines.)

Step 1 Haul the boat for access to lower transom area.

Step 2 Secure the tabs to the transom with the outeredges about 5cmm (2”) inboard. Bed the fasteners with agenerous amount of polyurethane sealant. Position theplane of the tabs, when parallel to the bottom of the boat,6mm to 12mm (1/4” to 1/2”) above the bottom of boat.

Step 3 Place the lower bracket of the actuator over thestuds on the tab, position the tab surface parallel to theboat’s bottom, place the actuator upper bracket againstthe transom and mark the three screw holes. Now, predrillthe screw holes, drill the wire hole and then secure theactuator to the tab and the transom. Bed the upper bracketand fasteners in sealant.

Step 4 Inside the boat, connect the two actuator wires tothe terminal strip included in the hardware kit.

Step 5 Install the control switch in a convenient place,accessible to the driver, and connect the included four con-ductor wire between the control and the terminal strip atthe transom.

Step 6 Connect the two wires from the control to theappropriate 12-volt or 24-volt power source and the instal-lation is basically complete.

The Bottom LineCompared to hydraulic units that start at US$400, theLectrotab system, at about US$500, is more costly to buybut installs in less time, so, on an installed basis, price isusually competitive. However, if you do the installationyourself, the hydraulic unit will be less costly by about20% or around $100. But if you are the installer, you will

probably also be doing the maintenance, which, with thehydraulic type, can be ongoing. With Lectrotab, however,there is no maintenance, so the added convenience maybe worth the additional cost. And the environment willappreciate your consideration.

A microprocessor-based auto-retract module is alsoavailable for about US$125. This module is easilyinstalled and provides automatic tab retraction at fullretract speed. It has inputs such as a one-touch button,transmission neutral, when the engine gauge switch isturned off, or from numerous other inputs. The module alsosupports a retraction process, which is easily programmedat the helm station, to retract the tabs in a stepped or inter-mittent fashion over a period of up to 25 seconds. The dri-ver typically activates the auto retract feature from a one-touch button on the dash. On larger boats, this programwill coordinate tab retraction with power reduction provid-ing positive control over trim angle as the boat slowsdown.

Letrotab is manufactured by Linear Devices Corp.,8790 Park Central Dr., Richmond, VA 23227; Tel: (804)261-3888, Fax: (804) 264-3070. Jeremy Crews, a mechanical engineer and active boater, is thedesigner of the Lectrotab. In 1960, he founded MarineDevelopment Corp., which designs and markets the Cruisair airconditioning and Sentry marine battery charger product lines.


DOCKSIDENewProducts

Bilge Buddy(US$39.95)is an elec-tronic man-ager for abilge pump.Should itdetect anygas, oil ordiesel fuelin the bilgewater, itinstantly

turns off the pump. The pumpremains off until the pollutants areremoved or until additional waterenters the bilge. Installation is quick:Mount the watertight switch at anyangle as close to the pump as possi-ble, then connect the three wires tothe bilge pump and battery. BilgeBuddy draws eight milliamps andoperates on AC or DC power.Comes with a seven-year limitedwarranty. Contact: ProductInnovators, Box 412, MongaupValley, NY 12762; Tel: (800) 793-4122 or (914) 796-4526, Fax:(914) 796-1974.Write #201 on Product Info Card

If you’re not extremely careful whenfueling, excess fuel often spills out

HELPINGHANDHOLD

FUEL CATCHER

ShopTested

SMART PUMP SWITCH the vent when the tank reaches full.Not only is the lost fuel dangerous tothe environment, but it’s also illegal.No-Spill (CDN$26.50/US$18.95)is a fuel-resistant plastic bottle thattemporarily attaches to the hull overthe fuel tank vent. Any fuel spilledfrom the vent while fueling is cap-tured in the bottle, then poured backinto the fuel tank. Oversize suctioncups hold No-Spill securely in placeand a large rubber gasket ensures atight seal over the vent. Designed fordiesel or gasoline fuel, it fits boatswith vents up to 3.8cm (1-1/2”) indiameter. Contact: Davis Instruments,3465 Diablo Ave., Hayward, CA94545; Tel: (510) 732-9229, Fax(510) 732-9188.Write #202 on Product Info Card

Hol-Tite (US$11.95/CDN$16.95) isnot a new product but makes a verypractical additional to your mainte-nance kit. It gives a secure handholdon the side of your boat while in thewater to clean the hull, work on thepropeller or when swimming or div-ing. Suction cups, made of a non-staining polyurethane, hold tight andare not easily released. Hol-Titedoesn’t float so you’ll need to attachit to a cleated line. Contact: Hol-Tite,Box 802, Clearwater, FL 34617;Tel: (417) 885-9797 or (813)522-8850, Fax: (813) 522-5771.Write #203 on Product Info Card

It’s good practice to keep loose orexposed wires, cables and hoses onyour boat bundled together and pro-tected from abrasion and environ-mental wear. Flexo is a lightweight,flame-retardant, chemical- and heat-resistant expandable sleeve. Use itto bundle and protect the rigging onoutboard motors, trailer chains andharness wires, engine hoses, shore-power cords, electrical wiring, etc. Itexpands up to four times its normaldiameter so only a few sizes areneeded to cover most applications.Available as a continuous sleeve orwith hook and loop fasteners in 16different colors, and in a variety ofkits ranging in price from US$4.95to US$119.95. Contact: TechflexInc., 50 Station Rd., Sparta, NJ07871; Tel: (201) 729-6253 or(800) 323-5140, Fax: (201) 729-9320.Write #204 on Product Info Card

EASY WRAP BUNDLING

The Toe Rail Folding Cleat(CDN$69.95/US$49.95) is theideal midship cleat for spring lines.Made of T-316 stainless steel, it easi-

QUICK FIX WHENCLEATLESS

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*Premier Protection Program with Yacht Policy for boats valued at $100,000 and over. Other BoatU.S. policies available for small boats and PWC. All policies subject to limits and exclusions.

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Premier Protection, a unique package designed for boats over $100,000, gives big boats over $700 worth of policy extras for an additional premium of only $75. All BoatU.S. yacht policies include low cost, agreed value coverage and claims service from boating experts, but the Premier Protection package includes these valuable extras:

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http://www.boatus.com

44

DOCKSIDENewProducts

ly mounts over most symmetric andasymmetric aluminum toe rails. A sil-icon-rubber insert gives rattle-free

CHEAPER THAN A MAX

The M-P Composite two-blade pro-peller has similar feathering andadjusting functions as the Max-PropClassic, but the propeller and casingblades are made of a hybrid poly-mer. This material is said to provideexcellent durability and decreasesoverall weight and cost. Blades

POSITION LOCATOR Shop

Tested

DIY product tester Vicki de Kleer, atransatlantic sailor and holder of aYacht Master Ocean certificate,found the Navy Point Chart Plotter(US$49.95) an easy-to-use tool fornavigators. It’s a device that locatesyour boat’s position on a chart usingthe waypoints from a loran or GPS.You can also easily plot a course orcalculate distance. The long armsare convenient to use with Mercatorand Polyconic charts, regular orstrip charts. Locking tabs hold thearms at right angles but these arenot very positive so you must holdthe plotter firmly so it doesn’t shift. Itcomes apart easily for storage in thesupplied vinyl case (a Velcro closurewould be nice to have). Instructionsare somewhat misleading: If youpurchase one and need some help,give us a call and we’ll gladly for-ward de Kleer’s revised instructions.Contact: Simpson Lawrence USA,6208 28th St. E., Bradenton, FL34203-4123; Tel: (941) 753-7533or (800) 946-3527, Fax: (941)746-7166.Write #207 on Product Info Card

operation and the husky 9mm(3/8”) diameter tubular cleat conve-niently folds out of the way whennot needed. Contact: C. ShermanJohnson Co., East HaddamIndustrial Park, East Haddam, CT06423; Tel: (860) 873-8697, Fax:(860) 873-8589.Write #205 on Product Info Card

incorporate machined bronze alloy(Nibral) spindles that engage theNibral hub, nut and cone gear.Props are available in 12” to 16”diameters with 3/4” to 1-1/8”tapers plus metric equivalents, cus-tom tapers and props for saildrives.Prices range from CDN$1,275 toCDN$1,455. Contact: MS MarineEnterprises, 1756 S.E. Marine Dr.,Vancouver, BC V5P 2R8; Tel: (604)327-5674, Fax: (604) 327-6475. Write #206 on Product Info Card



RAISE AND LOWER WITH POWER

When you wantpower trim and tiltand your engine iswithout, Panther’sTrim & Tilts are anaffordable solution.They’re available inthree sizes, one formotors up to 55 hp(model 55) or up to135 hp (model135), either bolt- or

clamp-on outboards, and another that fits 40 hp orsmaller clamp-on kicker engines. Made of high-strengthaluminum alloys with stainless-steel hardware (a zincanode kit is recommended for saltwater) and weighingless than 14kg (30lb), they can deliver up to 2,250kg(5,000lb) of thrust for high-speed trimming. Modelscome complete with a drilling template, pre-drilledbracket with the standard BIA bolt hole pattern, push-button electronic switch, wiring harness with plug-in con-nectors and easy-to-follow instructions. You’ll need tosupply fasteners particular to your installation, sealantand grease. Units are easily installed with a drill,wrench and screwdriver in four to six hours. You’ll alsoneed a hoist to lift heavier motors out of the way duringinstallation. As Panther units place the outboard 17cm(7”) off the transom, installation gets more complicated ifthe engine’s original hoses and cables are too short.Suggested list price for the Panther 135 is CDN$930/US$549; the 55 and Auxiliary Motor Lift areCDN$861/US$499. Contact: Goldeneye Products,6213 Bury Dr., Eden Prairie, MN 55346; Tel: (612)934-7000, Fax: (612) 934-7001. Write #208 on Product Info Card

SOILFREE CABLES

Star brite Power Cable Cleaner/Protector cleans, seals and protectsshorepower cables. It contains noharsh chemicals that could dry out,crack or soften cable insulationand UV additives protect cablesagainst fading. A 237ml (8 fl.oz.)bottle sells for CDN$9.75/US$6.95. Contact: Star brite,4041 S.W. 47 Ave., Ft.Lauderdale, FL 33314; Tel: (954)587-6280 or (800) 327-8583,Fax: (954) 587-2813.Write #209 on Product Info Card

Marine Equipment InstallationsHere’s how to choose, install and operate equip-ment for your boat includ-ing: air conditioning and heating systems, audio systems, bow thrusters, davits, lightning protec-tion, propane systems,

refrigeration, windlasses and more.

Fiberglass Boat RepairHow to survey, repair and prevent cosmetic and structural damage in fiberglass hulls, decks and transoms. Includes the step-by-step repair

of minor cracks and gouges, large holes, water-soaked decks, delaminated hulls and proper installation of hardware.

Nautical NecessitiesFrom cleaning to fuel filter-ing to waterproofing charts, you’ll find ideas and inspi-ration in this compilation of tips to do-it-yourself boat maintenance, repair and

troubleshooting. Divided into 20 categories to make look up easy.

Better Boats More than 200 do-it-yourself projects. Practical solutions to deck and cockpit refitting, inte-rior renovations, rigging upgrades, space-saving

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Sailboat RiggingA practical guide to deck layouts, equipment repairs, performance upgrades, rig tuning, sail controls and steering systems.

Building With Starboard22 Projects and Fabrication Techniques: The ideal choice for replacing wood compo-nents onboard – won’t delaminate, rot or splinter and requires no paint.

Plumbing 101A boat owner’s guide to the inspection, mainte-nance, repair, trouble-shooting and upgrading of onboard plumbing systems.

DIY MechanicGasoline and diesel engine service. How to maintain, troubleshoot and repair outboard engines, stern-drives and diesel inboards.

AC/DC Electrical SystemsA guide to expanding, upgrading, surveying and troublshooting your boat’s AC and DC electrical system. All articles follow ABYC Standards.

Painting & RefinishingThe complete guide to painting and refinishing hulls, topsides and decks with marine coatings.

Launch & Haulout How to prepare your boat for spring launch and win-ter storage. Includes lay-up checklists, maintenance and lubrication guides, engine servicing, haulout guidelines, easy-to-build storage covers and more.

Technical CD-ROM Library for Boat Owners

MRT SeriesCDs contain articles from past issues of DIY Boat Owner Magazine

To order call 1-888-658-BOAT or Shop Online at www.diy-boat.com

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1995 – 2007 52 Issues of DIY:

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Powerboat RiggingFrom gauges to propellers to steer-ing systems, here’s everything you need to know to maintain and repair your boat and trailer, improve boat handling and perfor-

mance, and find solutions to common servicing problems.

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ANCHOR WASH

The reason for an anchor wash sys-tem is obvious: to get rid of mudand muck before it comes aboard.The system can be as simple as abasic bucket on a line or as sophisti-cated as remote controls. Here’s onesystem that’s somewhere betweenthose extremes, achieving its pur-pose efficiently without being at allobvious.

Run a water hose through astanchion and along the top curveof the stainless-steel tubing thatshapes the bow pulpit. At thebow, where the pulpit over-hangs, cut a hole in the tubingso the hose can exit andattach a showerhead.Feed the other end ofthe hose down throughthe stanchion and throughthe deck and attach it to a wash-down pump installedbelowdeck. Another length ofhose leads from the pump to a sea-cock to act as the intake hose. Thepump switch is a waterproof, foot-button type (typically used for awindlass) installed on deck. As youbring in first the rope, then theanchor, you can rinse everythingwith toe-tip control.


ALTERNATIVE HATCH ENTRYWhether you want more light, more

air or an easier entry, here’s apractical alterna-

tive to hatchboards.

Cut onelength of dowelto fit across thetop of the hatchopening andanother for the

bottom width. Cut apiece of nylon

screening and a piece of soft clearvinyl (20ml thickness, the samematerial used for windows) tothe shape of the hatch open-ing. Sew a fabric tube tohold the top dowel. Attachthe top of the screen andthe top of the vinyl to thefabric. Use another sleeve of fabricfor the bottom dowel but attach onlythe screen to this one. Place the topdowel into the hatch frame grooves;

assuming the

open-ing is a

taperedshape,the dowel

will notslide down.

(Fabricatesome brackets

if necessary.)Now you can use the screen only, ifyou want a breeze, or you can dropthe plastic if you also want someprotection from wind or rain. If youdon’t want either hatch cover, justroll them loosely up and out of theway.

LEVEL CAST BASEYou want to install a fitting or winchto stand in a true vertical positionbut the base must attach to a slanteddeck. You can use wood to make awedge-shaped base, but that takesa lot of fitting time. Instead, makeone out of resin. Find an appropri-ately sized, low-sided casseroledish. Spray the inside with nonstickcooking spray or coat it with pastewax to prevent the epoxy frombonding to the dish. Mix up a batchof epoxy resin thickened withmicroballoons. Set the dish on deckin the place whereyou want to install the

fitting. Pour the epoxy into the dish to the amountrequired. The resin will flow natural-ly and level out on top. When ithardens, pop it out of the dish andturn the blob upside down. Theangle side now matches the deckslant and the dish-bottom side is atrue horizontal surface for your fit-ting base. Sand and paint, then glueand fasten the base to the deck andattach the fitting.

David and Zora Aiken are theauthors of Good Boatkeeping andGood Cruising published byInternational Marine. The books arecompilations of hundreds of practi-cal boating tips acquired from near-ly 22 years of living afloat. TheAikens currently live aboard a 196310.5m (35’) Chris-Craft sloop,Atelier, berthed in Grasonville,Maryland.

Documents

1998 - #1 (SPRING) DIY MARINEMAINTENANCE · MerCruiser Service Training Instructor for Mercury Marine, how a tachometer operates depends on the boat’s ignition system and the engine