I-36 Witticisms: (Send yours along to add to the list)
"It was a little windy" (Force 8, 45 knots)
"We almost had a great start" (Version #1 - Caught barging again.)
"We almost had a great start" (Version #2 – Didn’t get away with a port tack start.)
"The crew didn’t get the genny in fast enough" (The Skipper threw a panic tack.)
"It’s kind of shallow over there" (Hard aground for a tide cycle.)
"She's a little tender downwind." (After a windward broach with the pole in the water.)
"We had some moisture problems" (The bulkhead was riddled with dry rot.)
"Not much for happy hour." (Why do I feel like a stuffed hog)
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"Checking for Leaks"
1/12/99 04:14:33 AM GMT
Thought you might get a charge out of this.
FOG is of course, (Islander) Freeport Owners Group
Brian Jacobs, Jake2124@aol.com
Okay, Dick and other Fogers. It appears that ole Ferd will have to share
his patented (and guaranteed to work sometimes to some extent) method of
tracking down the heinous leak on boats. It does involve some work but
that is nothing for a good vintage sailboat owner and, besides, it
builds character:
(1)Dog all topside hatches down. Close all ports.
(2) Fill portable cooler with beer. Wait for beer to become cold, pop
top, take sip and with cooler in one hand and beer in the other exit
main saloon (yes, guys it really IS properly a "saloon") through
companionway to cockpit. Put cooler down, Finish hand beer.
(3) Having previously acquired several rolls of 2"wide QUALITY masking
tape...tape EVERY opening to the boat...every cockpit hatch,
companionway...even tape over instruments, etc. Remove every solar type
vent and tape over opening. Don't forget anchor locker. Pay particular
attention around sliding companionway hatch and door. Object is to make
boat as close to airtight as possible.
(4) Remove both dorade type deck scoops. Tape ONE up. Get another beer.
(5) Beg borrow or buy am ELECTRIC leaf blower of at least 12 amps
rating. Remove blower tube leaving a stub-nose blower. With duct tape
(for strength) tape blower in such a manner as for it to blow down vent.
Grab a beer.
(6) Untape companionway and retrieve the extension cord you now realize
you will need. Yup...beer time.
(7) Retape companionway. Plug in blower.
(8) Unplug blower, untape companion way and retrieve DOVE detergent from
galley. Retape companionway. Hummm.... a beer might hit the spot.
(9) Untape cockpit hatch and retrieve bucket. Retape cockpit hatch.
(10) Mix water and dove into solution (add DOVE last...so not to have
all bubbles.)
(11) NOW, turn on blower and with a mop (you know the drill about the
cockpit hatch...) swab soap ALL over. Do it for a while. Pay particular
attention to BOTH sides of the teak toe rails AND the screws and "S"
joints. You will be amazed at all the bubbles which appear. They
represent leaks. MARK THEM. You WILL forget at least TWO! Consider using
empty beer cans to mark the big bubbles.
(12) Go ahead and get the deck brush and clean the deck while you are at
it. Might as well. A clean ship is a happy ship. Draw one!
(13) Grab a beer, hose all soap residue off and sit down and figure out
how the hell you are going to plug all those leaks!
(14) OPTIONAL: Switch to brown whisky and don't worry about them.
But seriously, group, this has worked twice for me in finding a pesky
leak. Once in the F-36 and once before in the 34' er I had before
this.
Good luck Dick.
Ferd
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Sunk Boat
May 18, 1998 8:31 AM
I'm working on a1974 36 that went down at the dock. The sink drain line corroded off. It is powered by a Perkins diesel. I need to replace the gauges, instruments, some wiring, etc. Is there such a thing as a wiring diagram for the vessel, or is each one done individually? I am really quite ignorant about this vessel, but would like to learn more.
I picked it up for $4000 and it looks to be in good shape considering it was under water for a day and a half.
Thanks for your time, Harry, HLodholm@aol.com
To Harry:
I've got a '73 I-36, and though she's not been underwater, I've replaced many gauges over the years. Skipper Wall (nvsnowflower@cs.com) has a set of prints which show a diagram of the original wiring standards, but each engine has a little different setup, and as things are added there is likely to be spaghetti anywhere.
I did find that some of the original fittings, like the overhead lights and the running lights, were spliced in with pressure crimped connectors. Over the years they got wet and corroded inside and put a large resistance in the system to the point of dimming lights, running down batteries, etc. Yet - they look strong and secure from the outside.
Most marine stores carry stock gauges which should work on the Perkins (I have one and they work fine.) I'd suggest drawing up your own wiring diagram from the wires in place, then measure and replace them all. The wire cost is really rather low, but there are hours of (pleasure) time putting them in. The benefit of this is that you will know every one by its first name and can quickly find any trouble in the middle of the night. If you're not quite that ambitious, try replacing just the gauge and see if the original wiring will do the trick.
By the way, twice I had water back up into the exhaust of the engine - to the point where it sounded like a major hammer if you tried the starter. A mechanic taught me how to take a large wrench on the nut on the forward end of the engine and put pressure to very slowly turn it by hand. This slowly squeezes any water out of the cylinders past the rings. When you can turn the crankshaft this way relatively easily all the way around, go ahead and change the oil to get the water out of the inside, then fire up and cross your fingers. I thought sure, twice, that the engine was a gonner. But, 20 years later, it's still running. (Have you drained & dried the fuel tank? - There are folks around here who will come to the boat and "polish" your fuel tank by pumping in out, through a filter and circulate it until it's clean (or just gone!))
I've also replaced all of the through hull fittings - most recently about 6-7 years ago. I've gone to bronze ball values you can get at a very good hardware store - significantly less expensive than a marine store.
You've probably got quite a long list of other things which needed replacement or major cleaning - from headliner to cushions, electronics and sails. Mark Plastics is a source of fixed windows if they are on your list. 909-735-7705
While it is daunting, it could also be a great opportunity to spend some money on new toys. Our members would be happy to hear your story, so we hope you stay in touch and join up.