Maintenance
Asado and Departure Preparation
03/12/09 23:39
Another invitation to a weekly Asado at Club Nautico Barlovento. I arrived slightly late due to my Brompton bursting a back tyre. Delta Bike had a look at it and said they would try to source a replacement but they were not very confident of success.
Some very tame birds came to feed.
Excellent Argentine wine with delicious meat cooked slowly and carefully.
Afterwards I went back to CNV to prepare for departure on Sunday. Today the water was at its highest for quite some time.
My dinghy had picked up quite a bit of fouling since I last washed it in August. In Brazil it would pick up more than this in a week or two.
While scrubbing away I noticed a club launch arrive with a prefectura officer who set about photographing my boat. He took some photos and went away without saying anything to me.
Meantime the water level rose over the retaining wall and onto the lawn.
Last year Kiriwina spent a lot of time at anchor in Brazil. Today when cleaning the anchor cable I was puzzled by differences in deterioration levels over the length of the chain.
My conclusion was that the section at left was on the bottom but not dragged about very much. Second from left, in the worst condition, was a section that would have been on the bottom and dragged about a lot. The third section was in the water but usually not on the bottom and the cleanest section at right was rarely in the water.
On the way back to Tigre calle Dardo Rocho was flooded for several hundred metres. Apparently, the cause was high water levels causing some storm drains to backup.
Some very tame birds came to feed.
Excellent Argentine wine with delicious meat cooked slowly and carefully.
Afterwards I went back to CNV to prepare for departure on Sunday. Today the water was at its highest for quite some time.
My dinghy had picked up quite a bit of fouling since I last washed it in August. In Brazil it would pick up more than this in a week or two.
While scrubbing away I noticed a club launch arrive with a prefectura officer who set about photographing my boat. He took some photos and went away without saying anything to me.
Meantime the water level rose over the retaining wall and onto the lawn.
Last year Kiriwina spent a lot of time at anchor in Brazil. Today when cleaning the anchor cable I was puzzled by differences in deterioration levels over the length of the chain.
My conclusion was that the section at left was on the bottom but not dragged about very much. Second from left, in the worst condition, was a section that would have been on the bottom and dragged about a lot. The third section was in the water but usually not on the bottom and the cleanest section at right was rarely in the water.
On the way back to Tigre calle Dardo Rocho was flooded for several hundred metres. Apparently, the cause was high water levels causing some storm drains to backup.
Windlass Motor - Installed
01/12/09 22:10
Installed my recently refurbished Lofrans windlass motor. It worked perfectly. It remains to be seen whether the water leaks which caused extensive corrosion have been stopped.
I hope so. We have had a lot of rain recently and there is no sign of any leaks. Just to be sure I gave the many hole patches another coat of epoxy filler before fitting the motor.
This is the anchor chain locker drain which allows any water which gets in here to drain aft to the bilge. I like this idea which pretty much avoids the problem of a full chain locker causing the bow to dip further exposing the foredeck in heavy weather.
Also took 40 litres of diesel at Arg$2.658 pesos/litre (£0.42p). This compares well with Reals 2.72/litre (£0.94) the last time I took on diesel (verano) at Paraty in Brazil about a year ago.
I hope so. We have had a lot of rain recently and there is no sign of any leaks. Just to be sure I gave the many hole patches another coat of epoxy filler before fitting the motor.
This is the anchor chain locker drain which allows any water which gets in here to drain aft to the bilge. I like this idea which pretty much avoids the problem of a full chain locker causing the bow to dip further exposing the foredeck in heavy weather.
Also took 40 litres of diesel at Arg$2.658 pesos/litre (£0.42p). This compares well with Reals 2.72/litre (£0.94) the last time I took on diesel (verano) at Paraty in Brazil about a year ago.
Alternator and Starter Installed
30/11/09 20:31
My stay at CN Victoria is due to end on Sunday. After 11 months as a transitorio it is time to go. The plan is to prepare the boat this week and sail down to Buenos Aires on Sunday.
First up was the installation of the refurbished alternator and starter motor. Both were fitted without any problems and the engine started immediately.
The electrical wiring installation on my Yanmar 2GMF is a real dogs breakfast. I have not paid much attention to it as there have been no problems. At some point it will have to be sorted into some semblance of order.
The engine has had little use this year and is in excellent condition despite being over 12 years old with 1575 running hours. However parts of the installation have rusted badly, including the shaft coupling, all four engine mounts and the air filter housing.
First up was the installation of the refurbished alternator and starter motor. Both were fitted without any problems and the engine started immediately.
The electrical wiring installation on my Yanmar 2GMF is a real dogs breakfast. I have not paid much attention to it as there have been no problems. At some point it will have to be sorted into some semblance of order.
The engine has had little use this year and is in excellent condition despite being over 12 years old with 1575 running hours. However parts of the installation have rusted badly, including the shaft coupling, all four engine mounts and the air filter housing.
Starter and Alternator Overhauled
23/11/09 22:49
More good work from Petrei & Foglia.
My newly refurnished Hitachi alternator...
...and Hitachi starter motor.
Ready for installation next week.
My newly refurnished Hitachi alternator...
...and Hitachi starter motor.
Ready for installation next week.
Windlass Motor Repaired
20/10/09 11:23
Excellent job by Petrei & Foglia. My Lofrans motor was completely overhauled. They even shot blasted and repainted the casing which was badly corroded.
Prior to reinstalling the motor I had to do something about deckhead leaks.
The cause, again, was holes drilled by whoever installed the teak deck. I counted 24 holes in the chain locker deckhead. Not all leaked but enough did to ensure the motor regularly got wet and lived in very damp environment. All were cleaned out and filled with epoxy.
Last year my anchor chain spent a lot of time on the bottom in Brazil. The portion most exposed (5-20m) is now very rusty with the galvo having almost completely broken down. Time for re-galvanising or replacement.
Back to deckhead leaks. We have had a bit of rain recently and it looks like my previous efforts may have missed one or two. The port upper cabin locker was very wet in places. Another filling job!
Prior to reinstalling the motor I had to do something about deckhead leaks.
The cause, again, was holes drilled by whoever installed the teak deck. I counted 24 holes in the chain locker deckhead. Not all leaked but enough did to ensure the motor regularly got wet and lived in very damp environment. All were cleaned out and filled with epoxy.
Last year my anchor chain spent a lot of time on the bottom in Brazil. The portion most exposed (5-20m) is now very rusty with the galvo having almost completely broken down. Time for re-galvanising or replacement.
Back to deckhead leaks. We have had a bit of rain recently and it looks like my previous efforts may have missed one or two. The port upper cabin locker was very wet in places. Another filling job!
Windlass Motor
30/09/09 20:10
Time to revist the windlass motor. My efforts in Brazil last year slowed matters but the windlass motor now needs to be removed for repainting and overhaul.
No problems with removal. Disconnected the wiring and two retaining bolts and it was out. Also, a closer examination of the chain locker deckhead revealed a larged number of drilled holes, some of which were leaking. This will mean a big session with epoxy filler. I'm still baffled as to why all these holes (well over 100) were drilled.
Later I dropped the motor off at Petrei & Foglia in Tigre.
No problems with removal. Disconnected the wiring and two retaining bolts and it was out. Also, a closer examination of the chain locker deckhead revealed a larged number of drilled holes, some of which were leaking. This will mean a big session with epoxy filler. I'm still baffled as to why all these holes (well over 100) were drilled.
Later I dropped the motor off at Petrei & Foglia in Tigre.
Eberspacher
08/08/09 21:25
Another couple of hours crawling around the port deep locker cleaning wiring harness connectors plus installing a new fuse holder finally got the Eberspacher working.
Corroded harness connector.
Eberspacher heater.
With luck we will have onboard heating for the trip to Colonia next week.
It ran perfectly for three hours and re-started successfully a couple of times.
Corroded harness connector.
Eberspacher heater.
With luck we will have onboard heating for the trip to Colonia next week.
It ran perfectly for three hours and re-started successfully a couple of times.
Bicycle Lane
05/08/09 21:27
Spent a few hours trying to work out why my Eberspacher boat heater does not work. There is a suspect in-line fuse on the power supply and some wiring harness connectors were badly corroded.
After some taping up and cleaning/oiling the heater ran for about 15 minutes before shutting down and refusing to start. Looks like further cleaning and a new fuse holder will be required.
On the way back to Tigre along Constitucion a new cycle path had been installed.
A cobbled section had been paved over giving a smooth ride all the way to Tigre from Victoria. No more broken spokes!
This makes a pleasant change from Libertador where cycles are banned.
After some taping up and cleaning/oiling the heater ran for about 15 minutes before shutting down and refusing to start. Looks like further cleaning and a new fuse holder will be required.
On the way back to Tigre along Constitucion a new cycle path had been installed.
A cobbled section had been paved over giving a smooth ride all the way to Tigre from Victoria. No more broken spokes!
This makes a pleasant change from Libertador where cycles are banned.
Sprayhood Repairs
15/07/09 22:18
The plastic widows on my sprayhood cracked when touched during recent cold weather. I had them replaced at Tito Lonero in San Isidro. Cost Arg$500 (£85).
Dinghy Repaired An excellent job. Thanks Maria.
07/04/09 22:45
Back to Astilleros Sandokan in San Fernando where my dinghy repairs were almost complete.
Maria had waited on the seat strops because replacement necessitated a change of colour from the original and she wanted my approval.
New seat strops.
This done the new strops were quickly fitted and with the dinghy now in better than new condition Maria took me and the dinghy back to CNV with instructions not to use the dinghy for at least 24 hours.
In addition to new seat strops the rubbing strake was re-glued in places and a reinforcing strip of PVC added to the underwater hull at the stern.
An excellent job. Thanks Maria.
Maria had waited on the seat strops because replacement necessitated a change of colour from the original and she wanted my approval.
New seat strops.
This done the new strops were quickly fitted and with the dinghy now in better than new condition Maria took me and the dinghy back to CNV with instructions not to use the dinghy for at least 24 hours.
In addition to new seat strops the rubbing strake was re-glued in places and a reinforcing strip of PVC added to the underwater hull at the stern.
An excellent job. Thanks Maria.
Dinghy in for Repairs
04/04/09 16:34
As arranged Maria and her husband from Astilleros Sandokan arrived at CNV bang on 10:00 to collect my dinghy. I sat in the back of their pickup on the way back to the workshop.
Once there the dinghy was inflated and work started straight away.
Maria using a hot air gun (paint stripper type) to remove a damaged seat strop.
Badly worn seat strop.
Astilleros Sandokan repair old dinghies and build new ones. They even make their own pumps with which to inflate their dinghies.
I left them to it and they promised to have the work finished next tuesday.
Once there the dinghy was inflated and work started straight away.
Maria using a hot air gun (paint stripper type) to remove a damaged seat strop.
Badly worn seat strop.
Astilleros Sandokan repair old dinghies and build new ones. They even make their own pumps with which to inflate their dinghies.
I left them to it and they promised to have the work finished next tuesday.
Cooling Manifold Failure
02/04/09 21:32
For almost a year I have been getting increasing amounts of water in the engine bilge when under power.
Today I confirmed that the suspected part, a cooling water/exhaust outlet pipe, had indeed failed.
This is a two part pipe. Exhaust gases exit via the inner pipe while cooling water enters via the outer pipe. I had two problems.
The outer pipe had cracked at the weld allowing cooling water to run down the engine into the bilge.
.
The inner pipe was "pepper potted" to such an extent that water leaked into it and potentially back into the engine. Not good!
Exhaust manifold showing heavy corrosion from leaking cooling water.
I took the piece down to the local Yanmar importer Regnicoli. They had none in stock and the part would have to be imported from Yanmar in the USA. For this little piece of pipe the price was an eye watering A$1700 (£320).
Talk about captive customers. Yanmar are not known for cheap spare part prices but this seemed ridiculous and I decided to explore alternatives.
Today I confirmed that the suspected part, a cooling water/exhaust outlet pipe, had indeed failed.
This is a two part pipe. Exhaust gases exit via the inner pipe while cooling water enters via the outer pipe. I had two problems.
The outer pipe had cracked at the weld allowing cooling water to run down the engine into the bilge.
.
The inner pipe was "pepper potted" to such an extent that water leaked into it and potentially back into the engine. Not good!
Exhaust manifold showing heavy corrosion from leaking cooling water.
I took the piece down to the local Yanmar importer Regnicoli. They had none in stock and the part would have to be imported from Yanmar in the USA. For this little piece of pipe the price was an eye watering A$1700 (£320).
Talk about captive customers. Yanmar are not known for cheap spare part prices but this seemed ridiculous and I decided to explore alternatives.