Pearson 365 and 367

(https://i.redditmedia.com/mDyssdqdIAuiPWAsVMRFmLnPZfsd_D2o9Db4h_XxmbE.jpg?w=320&s=ad45b5178a8282164adf15f3146154b8)


We are owner number four of Hull #23, which we purchased just last week and sailed to Canada (some sailing footage here: https://youtu.be/I524UzM_srk (https://youtu.be/I524UzM_srk)). Been lurking the forum for a while, but registering here before finalizing the purchase seemed...jinxy. 

As far as we can determine, there are only three Pearson P/Hs on the west coast: ours, another in Vancouver BC and Hull #15, in Tacoma. Looking closely at #15 is what led us to this forum and eventually to member Barry (http://www.pearson365.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=3693), from whom we purchased #23. 

We will use this thread to track our maintenance, travels and observations as P/H owners. Much like sailing itself, it'll likely be 90% routine and 10% terror.

~ Chris & Chanda

Chris says: I'm a big believer in having the right tool for the job and since our long-term cruising goals are modest -  meandering through the inside passages between Seattle and Skagway, as time and finances permit - it came down to a boat that met four fundamental criteria: it had to be less than 40 feet LOA, it had to have a solid hull, it had to offer shoal draft, and it had to have an enclosed pilothouse.

Having spent 10 years working from boats on the coastal waters of BC, I've learned that a warm, dry crew makes for an alert, rested crew and alert, rested crews make better decisions when the shtf. Having squeaked though plenty of skinny water north of here, I wouldn't want to cruise the BC coast without shoal draft. The number of logs silently sharing the water up here make a solid (non-cored) hull a no-brainer. My last sailboat was a Mapleleaf 42 and I've found that both physical exertion and financial costs begin to dramatically increase once you cross the 40LOA line. It was important to have a ship that will fit us just as well 15 years from now, as it does today.

We considered the Cooper Seabird and the Gulf 32, however we found that the interior helms had marginal sight lines. We also looked at a lot of center-cockpits with enclosed helms and, if the Pearson hadn't come along, we would likely have settled for one. The Fisher 34 was on our list for a long time, however they are as rare as hen's teeth and have the disadvantage of requiring import duty on top of sales tax (if purchased in the US and imported into Canada) because NAFTA only applies to goods manufactured in North America. In the end, the Pearson Pilothouse 36 delivered those fundamentals at a price that didn't leave us 'boat-poor'.

The Pearson also had additional advantages: no companionway ladders to clamber up & down, wraparound pilothouse windows that were low enough for 5'1" Chanda to see out of, full engine access that didn't involve moving cabinetry, a separate walk-in shower, and roomy well-balanced forward & aft stowage.


(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/travellift09_zpsbnoxhsog.jpg)

Hi Chris! We are wrapping up our 23rd year with our pilothouse. We too looked at every pilothouse boat we could find and realized what we really wanted was a raised cabin. When the weather is cold or wet everyone will want to be in the pilothouse. By the way I did see one in Southern California in 1995, but I couldn't get close enough to get a hull number.
I'll look forward to watching your adventures.

Hi Deo and thanks for the welcome!

Yours and the other owner's feedback during our pre-purchase selection really helped!


For readers interested in the backstory, we found Hull #15 on Yachtworld back in July, and Chris drove down to to have a good look at her. After spending a good three hours inspecting all the nooks & crannies, he had written up a detailed list of pros & cons but we wanted the experienced perspective of other P/H owners to add to our own conclusions. We found this forum and wrote to the active P/H owners, looking for the model-specific issues. Deo, SV Springtide, SV Heron & Barry all responded - with Barry inviting us to come have a look at his!

The chances of two Pearson Pilothouses being within 30 miles of each other, to allow us to compare, seemed serendipitous, so Chris hopped back on the ferry (https://youtu.be/oI1aVGov5tQ) and met up with him in Sequim, WA.

They got to talking and the subject of buying #23 came up. Having had a good look at her, we liked what we had seen compared to #15, and the rest, as they say, is for another entry...

Chris & Chanda,

Welcome the Pearson 365/367 family  ;D. I have little doubt you will love the boat...

I am in the process of updating the list of P365/367 owners (http://www.sailingseadragon.com/KnownBoats.htm) and of course I'd like to update the information on PH hull #23.... If your are willing, please let me know the boat's name, if it has changed, hailing port, and owners names as you would like them listed.

Let the new adventure begin.

Garner

thanks Garner!

Quote from: SailingSeaDragon on October 02, 2015, 09:18:02 AMI am in the process of updating the list of P365/367 owners (http://www.sailingseadragon.com/KnownBoats.htm) and of course I'd like to update the information on PH hull #23.... If your are willing, please let me know the boat's name, if it has changed, hailing port, and owners names as you would like them listed.

PM sent :)


Having placed #23 in the boat selection A-Pile, it was time to get the pre-purchase ball rolling. We were doing this as a broker-free private international sale, which sounds daunting but turned out to be far simpler than you'd expect. Barry wasn't in any particular hurry, which took a lot of the pressure off, considering that Chris was organizing things from Canada.

The normal course of action is to hire a surveyor, but since the vessel was going to be insured in Canada, we had the wrinkle of needing to find an American surveyor recognized by Canadian underwriters. A few inquiries determined that the Canadian underwriters would accept a survey done by a SAMS (http://www.marinesurvey.org/) member in good standing. Chris located two in the area and invited them to quote on the job, based on a 'haul & hang'. After selecting one, he contacted the Port Townsend boatyard to schedule the haulout three weeks hence.

The plan was to sea-trial her from Sequim to Port Townsend (about 18nm), spend the night aboard, do the dockside & haulout the next day and then sea-trial her back to Sequim for supper.

In the weeks leading up the survey, Chris researched export/import requirements, built a sale checklist list to follow, wrote a pre-purchase agreement for the vessel, and rallied 200 of his neighbours to fight city hall about a homeless tent city the Mayor wanted to build in the park across the street from his condo.

On Sept 3rd I, Barry and some out-of-state visitors of his cast off for Port Townsend. True to form, the wind died the moment we hoisted the main, but I used the opportunity to inspect stitching, sheets & canvas. She burbled along at four knots and a bit, running against the tide as we motored our way to Port Townsend.

(http://portofpt.com/wp-content/uploads/BH-Aerial-2012-1080x675.jpg)


The docks were full so we tied up on the loading dock while we scouted out the wharfinger. Turns out the wharfinger was gone for the day but a couple of locals said overnighting there wouldn't be a problem. Mrs Barry drove out to collect her husband & visitors and I expected Chanda to join me in a little while, once she finished work for the day.

In the meantime, it began to rain so I used the opportunity to discover some leaking windows. I realize it isn't very salty to refer to a sailboat's sidescuttles as "windows", but I'm differentiating between the P/H's true portholes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porthole) (of which there are four) , and the wraparound windows of the pilothouse itself. I located four drips, the biggest of which was at the stbd aft corner of the pilothouse and the most alarming of which was a drip onto the main DC panel board. The leaks themselves weren't a surprise, as Barry had been very up front about the ship's condition. The window gaskets were 35 years old and long overdue for replacement. Nevertheless, it went into my financial factoring.

Chanda arrived with supper and we ate our first meal aboard to the sound of the rain. We discussed the drips and noted that the bilge was still bone-dry, no water was trickling down the mast, and everything forward of the pilothouse was snug as a bug. We had no shore power on the loading dock, so we read by cabinlight and then settled into the v-berth for the night.

Chanda left for work at 0500 and the surveyor arrived at 0900. We got started on the dockside portion and since I'm not one of those "stand by the side with my thumb inserted" types, I rolled up my sleeves and crawled through the boat with him.

Between what Barry had informed us of and what I'd found on my own, there weren't any surprises. Structurally she was sound, with just some expected moisture readings below the window frame. I'd rather have a ship that's structurally sound and needs cosmetic work, than the other way around. There were 35 years/3 previous-owners worth of old systems and DIY projects to clean up, but I like that sort of refit work.

The haulout went smoothly, although the Travelift guys weren't fans of having to walk the aft cradle behind the prop shaft. Once hauled we pressure-washed off the minimal growth, greased & zinced the prop and touched up the bottom paint. In the meantime, the surveyor sounded the hull - which was blister-free and solid except for a 5-inch diameter at the bottom leading edge of the skeg. That section had 5 blisters the size of pennies.

Then it was time to put her back in the water: https://youtu.be/MsC99C1IoZM (https://youtu.be/MsC99C1IoZM)

Once watered, we did a 20-minute injector test, then wrapped up the survey and headed for Sequim!

With the surveyor needing a week to write up his report, we used the time to scout out a marina to call home. Southern Vancouver Island has plenty of moorage but very little of it is under $10/foot and usually adds all sorts of fees & surcharges on top of that. Most of them also want a year's moorage paid full in advance.

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/81/c0/d2/81c0d2b8bdacdea3b0d0667b3e599710.jpg)
(welcome to my Evil Marina)




After exploring all sorts of options, including laying her up on the hard, word of mouth finally led me to a quiet little marina off the beaten path that had moorage at a great rate. Everything was falling into place and, once we got that thumb's up from the insurance company, all we had left to do was start shovelling money out the door.

THE day had finally arrived!

Barry & I met at the County Clerk and, after a little government runaround, had the sale completed and all the relevant documents notarized.

We were boat owners!

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AH27qK2SniM/UlMO9IQ998I/AAAAAAAAAuw/lklcavxf4FY/s1600/82326283.jpg)


The remainder of the day was spent loading & securing all of the ancillary gear Barry had been storing in his barn - including seven bags of sails (into the lazarette), the dingy (into the shower stall), books & manuals (into the forepeak) and the bimini frame (lashed onto the deck). Chanda had to work from 0500 to 1400, so I had a friend come over from Canada to help me crew her back the following day.

We stocked up on maintenance supplies, some grub for the trip and then had a celebratory dinner that left us all extremely sleepy. Nevertheless, we got back to the marina and turned her bow out, so that we had one less thing to do in the groggy, 5am dark.

The next morning dawned cloudy but calm and we cast off at 0600, before the sun was up. A dead slow motor out of Sequim Bay and around Klapot Point (https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8438/7927706936_1e9575eb36_b.jpg) and all that was left was a straight shot across the calm September waters of Juan de Fuca, to Victoria:

https://youtu.be/I524UzM_srk (https://youtu.be/I524UzM_srk)



.

Crossing the Strait was smooth and traffic-free, always a treat when piloting an unfamiliar boat for the first time. We tied up at the Canada Customs dock in Victoria BC around 1300 and it only took about 15 minutes to import her into the Canada over the Customs dock phone.

(http://pdxwolfy.org/Victoria/0905/Web/0218-2004-0905-1015.jpg)
(Victoria BC, land of hippies, geezers & government workers)



Since I had planned on that taking several hours (I'd assumed an importation inspection of some sort), Dave & I decided to skip the overnight in Victoria harbour and head right for my new marina, in Pedder Bay. I cast off and enjoyed a leisurely solo jaunt south & west to Pedder, while Dave grabbed his truck and drove over to meet me there.

Less than two hours later and #23 was berthed in her designated spot!

Three days later, Chanda & I had time to start unburdening the ship of everything not nailed down. It took two trips with the pickup, but we cleared out everything (raising the waterline two inches in the process) and hauled it to the condo to sort through. Excluding the engine compartment & bilge, we also scrubbed every floor, bulkhead & drawer with cleansers, including the hull behind the cabinetry, because a thorough cleaning is the best way to discover things.

Once back at the condo, we washed all the sailbags, stripped & washed all the cushion covers and started sorting all the random crap into "keep it/junk it". The "junk it" pile was definitely the larger of the two by the time we were done. Since I have the condo listed for sale and need it looking neat & tidy, everything in the "keep it" pile went into the storage locker downstairs. 

At this point Number Twenty Three was completely empty except for a bin of cleansers, some engine maintenance supplies, and emergency equipment (flashlights, manual bilge pump handle, spare docklines and the like).

I brought the Giant Box o'Manuals to work, to sort through and photocopy over the next two weeks. My preference is to keep original manuals stored somewhere dry & secure and only keep colour photocopies aboard. The reasoning being  'working colour copies' can (A) get grungy without ruining the source materials, and (B) be printed as 2-sided documents, thereby needing less cumulative stowage room aboard. Scanning as colour PDFs is also an option down the road..a method we used on our 2013 motorcycle honeymoon through Mexico.

She was berthed, empty & clean. The time had come, to start tackling issues.



First up: addressing the leaking 35-year-old pilothouse roof & window seals

The pilothouse wraparound window consists of three aluminium frames (port, stbd & forward), bolted to each other, to the deck and to the roof. The port & stbd pieces are also end-bolted to the aft bulkhead. 

The roof/frame and deck/frame seals are porous, so the challenge is getting them replaced, rather than slathering the outside with silicone and qualifying as an entry on There I Fixed It (http://failblog.cheezburger.com/thereifixedit/tag/there-i-fixed-it).

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/window%20leak%20helm4_zpsqrnoigxm.jpg)
(typical forward seal)

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/cabin%20fascia%20stbd_zpsbqh16dji.jpg)
(just...lol)



Coupled with that, the PO mounted a boom crutch in the one spot guaranteed to collect water and expedite it into the portside aft corner:

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/cabin%20bulkhead%20port_zps3xlwvlnn.jpg)





Step one, was getting rid of the finery:

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/fwd1_zpshqhxzua8.jpg)

From past experience, I've learned to bag and label all fasteners as I remove them. It's amazing how a few $0.03 plastic baggies can make your life easier later on:

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/typical%20screws_zpsbiel8lkr.jpg)



I also labeled the back of each trimpiece as I removed it and stored in the 'basement'. Happily, I only found one wet screw poking through the roof itself (one of the companionway hatch slider ones), the rest of the roof was dry and solid.

The 20th century incandescent overhead fixtures that I removed will get Craigslisted, as I'm a big fan of leds and have an idea on some ceiling-mounted white/red strips over the galley and chart table.

Speaking of the chart table, I also removed the Dickensen Antarctic furnace that limited access to the table and cabinet and apparently had never worked right to begin with.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/diesel%20heater1_zpsdsjkr3o5.jpg)
(another item that has Craigslist written all over it)



~ Chris

FYI That boom crutch is a factory item :)

Quote from: S/V Deo Volente on October 12, 2015, 09:07:58 PM
FYI That boom crutch is a factory item :)

yikes! That also explains where the copper trip trays I found behind the paneling came from, then.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/copper%20drip%20catcher1_zpsfgn4ef8c.jpg)




The frame/deck joint ranges from hairline-tight to 1/4" gapped. The roof/deck joint is consistently about 1/8" of an inch gapped.

I'm looking at two options for bedding: butyl and Life-Calk (http://www.boatlife.com/life-calk). Total cost is about the same for the lineal footage I need, so I'm researching the pros & cons of each because I only want to do this once.

I've sourced rolls of butyl that are 3/8" square by 15', which I'm looking at using as the frame/roof, frame/deck and frame/aft bulkhead bedding. I'd use the standard 1/8" stuff between the P+S frames and the forward frame.

My thinking is the 3/8" square butyl will compress flush where needed, yet close up gaps where they naturally occur along the seam line. My main concern with using butyl is having it seal up tight where the ends of the butyl rolls butt together, as well as watertightness at the butyl joints at the top & bottom of the P+S/Forward frames.

Any lurkers out there with feedback on butyl or Life-Calk are more than welcome to pipe up.

Whichever product I use, Deo gave the excellent advice to use an etching primer on the frame perimeters as part of the pre-install prep. Thanks Deo!  ;D


As far as getting at the frames themselves goes; the roof has 30 bolts holding it to the window frames, but is only secured to the aft bulkhead with a wedged shiplap joint and flexible silicone. My idea is to remove the 30 bolts and tilt the roof up at the front, using the aft bulkhead as a fulcrum. If I can get her raised about 6" at the front, that should give me enough clearance at the aft ends of the P+S frames to get 'em out, cleaned and re-bedded.

For my raising mechanism, I'm still trying to find a local tool rental place that has a couple of these in 6-foot(ish) lengths:

(http://sunrental.com/itemimages/1178.jpg)



Once everything is sourced, it comes down to a suitable 2-3 day weather window.

Fortunately the El Nino may help with that

.

I wonder if you looped a line through the two hatches and attached the main halyard you could tilt it that way. You can overlap the butyl to seal it.
Call me Bob, Deo is rather presumptious

Quote from: BobI wonder if you looped a line through the two hatches and attached the main halyard you could tilt it that way. You can overlap the butyl to seal it.

Thanks Bob, I reckon the halyard hoist would work - something to consider as a backup, at the very least.

Yesterday & today we removed the last of the veneer & trim below the P+S frames. That meant disconnecting speakers, GFCIs, far too many lighter-style 12v outlets and the stbd wiper motor. Some of the 7/16" nuts on the deck-underside of the forward window frame are tight to get at with a wrench, but I made a point of test-fitting the wrench on every nut, to confirm none will be a show-stopper once the project commences.

For the individual pane frames, I've decided to replace the #6 countersink screws with #8 stainless hex washer head sheet metal screws, similar to these (http://cdn3.volusion.com/vj539.howo6/v/vspfiles/photos/7040000-2.jpg?1406620114). I don't mind the look of the hex "buttons" and the washer heads will snug things up better without needing the longer shank of a countersink.

the project parts list (still growing):

500ml etch primer
2000ml acetone
red scotchbrite pads
paint scrapers
paper towels
750ml Windex
2 x 72"-96" jack posts
60' x 3/8" butyl (main frames)
150' x 1/8" x 1/2" butyl (main frame butt joints + individual pane frames)
10 x 7/16" x 1/4"ID stainless nuts (because sure as hell I'll lose some at some point)
10 x 1/4"ID stainless washers
90 x 3/4" x #8 stainless hex washer head screws

The USCG Certificate of Deletion arrived in the mail today. Canada requires it in order to register a foreign-bought vessel. With that, we can now move forward with legally renaming her.

The weather forecast is currently showing this Friday-Monday as a rainfree window of opportunity to remove and re-bed the frames. With that in mind, here is a SitRep on the project parts list:

500ml etch primer
1000ml acetone
brake cleaner - ready
red scotchbrite pads - ready
masking tape
paint scrapers - ready
1/4" nut driver
paper towels - ready
750ml Windex
2 x 72"-96" jack posts
12' x 12' tarp - ready
carpeting for jack post dunnage
60' x 3/8" butyl - ready
150' x 1/8" x 1/2" butyl - ready
10 x 7/16" x 1/4"ID stainless nuts
10 x 1/4"ID stainless washers - ready
90 x 3/4" x #8 stainless hex washer head screws - ready

If the forecast holds, I'll pick up the jack posts on Friday morning, as a weekend rental.

Jack posts will fall over. But anytime
I need to lift something big and bulky
I wheel in my hydraulic motorcycle
Lift. Build a box out of 2x4s to get it to
The required height. And pump it up. You
Know that thing will be glued on. So plan on
Driving in lots of wedges to break the seal.

Last Friday I set Plan A into motion, removing all of the upper frame bolts and using the jack posts to lift the roof. Despite having cleaned out and removed all the accessible original sealant between the frames/roof joint, and with the application of wedges (thanks Pete), it quickly became apparent that the lifting force required to break the old seal would also be strong enough to crack the roof itself. So I jumped to Plan B: an old-fashioned scraping out of all of the sealant between the frame/aft bulkhead;frame; deck; and frame/frame and then pumping Life-Calk in from the outside. So I demounted the jack posts and hit up the marine supply store for the sealant, as well as a second scraping tool.

Saturday morning's forecast still called for sunny skies, so I was at the ship before first light, to begin peeling out the old silicone...and by peeling, I mean laboriously scraping it out an inch at a time, all while cursing whoever thought silicone + boats = good idea. I had left all but a few of the frame retention bolts out (and the few I left, I left loose), because I wanted to maximize the available seam gap both for cleaning and for pumping in the Life-Calk. 

As soon as all of the seals were removed, I cleaned out all of the accumulated grit, moss & dirt. The amount of debris that had worked its way into the seams over the years - especially between the roof and the frames - was eye-opening. All the more reason why lifting the roof & removing the frames would have been the better way to go.

Finally, with the seams all cleaned out, it was time to tape and then caulk:

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/12170402_10153335680468650_1928648709_n_zpsfbrjgpfg.jpg)
(the green tarp ready, in case it rained during the job)

I had the Life-Calk tubes warming in front of a space heater while doing the cleaning & taping, so it flowed nicely despite the cool outside temperatures. I managed to get a continuous flow all the way around the upper & lower frame seams, completing the lower seam first (working it in with fingers and a putty knife once the bead was laid) and then using a new Life-Calk tube for the upper seam.

By the time I had the upper & lower seams completed the sun was setting, so I wrapped up for the evening and tarped the p/h. Then I went home and ate a few ibuprofen for my aching finger bones.

Sunday morning I was back out at first light. According to the BoatLife blurb, Life-Calk works best when applied to a loose seam that is then left loose while the Calk sets up. Job #1 on Sunday was putting the 60+ window frame bolts back in, with new washers backing all the nuts. That killed time until my space heater had warmed things up a little, after which I tackled the aft bulkhead/frame seams. Those seams had some unique challenges but after a few hours, I managed to get them buttoned up.

With all the sealant now done I finger-tightened the roof & deck seams, which had been setting for close to 24 hours. Even the finger-tightened had some sealant squirting out on the lower forward frame. I decided to leave well enough alone and began cleaning the post-project incredibly filthy deck.

By 1630 I was wrapping up and the forecast called for rain overnight, so I laid towels under all my usual suspect areas and left the Life-Calked seams exposed to the rain for the first time. The goop needs humidity to set and if there's one thing the PNW has a lot of in the Fall, it's wet air. 

Monday morning I got the ship around 1000 and found all of my usual main frame drip locations bone dry.

(http://saidwhatmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/homer-computer-woohoo.jpg)


I tightened all of the frame bolts a little more (barely wrench-snug) and a little more Life-Calk squirted out. The final tightening will happen after it has set up for a week or so. A couple of the individual frames still have drips, but that will be another project. 


.

I've been a big fan of Life Caulk. I hope you pulled the tape before the caulk dried. Silicone was the new wonder when these boats were built. I bet they thought with that nice rubber gasket it should be good for life!
I assume by individual frames you mean the windows? Do you know if they have been changed or not?
Bob

Hi Bob,

Quote from: BobI've been a big fan of Life Caulk. I hope you pulled the tape before the caulk dried

Yep - and went through another 10 nitrile gloves in the process

Quote from: BobI assume by individual frames you mean the windows? Do you know if they have been changed or not?

Yes, I mean the windows themselves (and their individual backing frames).

Going by the variety of sealant on each pane, I'm thinking that at least some have been changed. When I re-did the forward helm window pane seal, I found that the old one consisted of nothing but a length of cheap foam weatherstripping. I'm pretty sure it didn't come from the factory like that, but after finding those copper drip trays, I'm not ruling it out  ;D

Some of the panes have a thick bead of some sort of whitish sealant. I tried prying one apart and it wouldn't budge, so I don't think it's the same bathroom silicone I've been finding elsewhere. Others have  butyl and there's at least one with a mossy rubber gasket. Mossy Gasket Window is where I'm still getting one of the drips, so that's straightforward.

~ Chris

I don't know if you are familiar with 3M 5200, but it's white and a royal pain to get loose. It is called an adhesive sealant, because it is NOT recommended for use anyplace when you might need to take it apart in the future. It is more like a glue Han a sealant.  There is, however, a solvent that they sell at the marine stores that works. 

One of the more common mini seminars that I give to customers on a regular basis is caulk and sealant compounds.  Way to many walk in looking for 3M 5200.  5200 is an excellent product when as Dave said, you NEVER want to take it apart or remove the item.  An excellent application for 5200 would be the hull to deck joint. The product that Dave mentioned that breaks down 5200 is known as Kryptonite.  It breaks down the material about 1/4" at an application and costs about $15/oz.

A good alternative for 5200 is 4200 or 4000.  4000 series 3M is considered semi permanent, but it is still tougher than you can imagine to get apart.  4200 is the same as 4000 but it has UV inhibitors which makes it good for exposure to sun.

Both 3M products will set up underwater. One additional downside is once you open the container no matter how well you try and reseal it the left overs will set up in a matter of days so buy accordingly.

Boatlife makes Lifecaulk.  Lifecaulk is a polysulfide that can be used above and below the waterline. It remains flexible and can be painted.  Lifecaulk is excellent for caulking seams in teak decks as it can be sanded.  It cures underwater and will stick to wet surfaces.

Boatlife also makes Lifeseal.  Lifeseal is a blend of polyurethane and marine silicone. It tools easily, not too sticky not to gooey, and it comes off of your fingers with a paper towel unlike pure silicone. It is an excellent sealant that works perfectly for sealing windows and bedding deck fittings. Unlike 5200, it will not remove the gelcoat it is stuck to.  It also can be used above and below the waterline.  When in doubt, this is the go to product. 

Boatlife also makes a marine grade silicone.  There is a huge difference between 3M's Tub & Tile or Kitchen grade silicone and marine grade silicone and that is UV protection.  Silicone gets a bad name from its indoor cousin but for marine use, it must contain UV inhibitors or in a few short years it will turn orange, loose its flexibility and fall out.  Silicone is difficult to apply, seems impossible to get off of your hands but has many applications all around the boat.  It is a great sealant but only a fair adhesive. 

As a rule of thumb, marine products such as waxes, paints, varnish, sealants and caulks all cost more that big box store products for good reason, UV inhibitors. The sun reflects off of the waters surface and sun damage is far higher on a boat.  UV inhibitors are like sunscreen and cost accordingly.  Like most items, you get what you pay for.

Dale Tanski
Obersheimer Sailor Supply

Dale ,Thanks for the good information on caulks and sealants. Here is something a friend at Yacht Works told me to try when I have leftover 5200 seal it and put it in the freezer. I tried it and it works. I hope this helps. Allen

Quote from: Della and DaveI don't know if you are familiar with 3M 5200, but it's white and a royal pain to get loose. It is called an adhesive sealant, because it is NOT recommended for use anyplace when you might need to take it apart in the future. It is more like a glue Han a sealant.  There is, however, a solvent that they sell at the marine stores that works.

thanks - it sounds like the perfect product not to use on removable windows, so that's likely what is in there  ;) 

Quote from: MaruskaOne of the more common mini seminars that I give to customers on a regular basis is caulk and sealant compounds.  Way to many walk in looking for 3M 5200.  5200 is an excellent product when as Dave said, you NEVER want to take it apart or remove the item.  An excellent application for 5200 would be the hull to deck joint. The product that Dave mentioned that breaks down 5200 is known as Kryptonite.  It breaks down the material about 1/4" at an application and costs about $15/oz.

...

As a rule of thumb, marine products such as waxes, paints, varnish, sealants and caulks all cost more that big box store products for good reason, UV inhibitors. The sun reflects off of the waters surface and sun damage is far higher on a boat.  UV inhibitors are like sunscreen and cost accordingly.  Like most items, you get what you pay for.

excellent advice, Dale - thanks so much for sharing it here!

***

After week in WA, I've been pulling 12-hour days at my real job: inspecting and maintaining highway bridges:

(http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn223/kimsquit/misc/DSCN5539a_zpsubwe4bct.jpg)

The Sunday/Monday forecast is calling for semi-sunshine, so this may be my opportunity to replace those last leaky window seals. The next small project after that will be epoxying a couple of drippy screw holes in the coachroof.

I have found that 5200 is a not good as a calk. The reason being is that it takes too long to set and by then is has run all over and creates a mess. The places I use 5200 include, any thru-hull fitting, anything below the water line, deck fittings that I don't want to leak and lexan or polycarb hatch lights. All my hatch lights were popped out from pushing on the inside. 5200 seems to have solved that problem once and for all. Most importantly you have to sand the sealing edge of the lexan to rough it up. Otherwise nothing will stick to it.

Wet 5200 will clean up with acetone or expoxy paint reducer which contains methyl ethyl keytones (MEK). But never get near varnished brightwork with that stuff. It will orange peel.

Personally I can't think of anything on my boat that I have glued down that I ever plan on removing in the next 30 years or at least while I'm the current owner.   Pete

Quote from: PeteWPersonally I can't think of anything on my boat that I have glued down that I ever plan on removing in the next 30 years or at least while I'm the current owner

*thumb's up*
I think therein lies the challenge for many boat owners: forecasting far enough into the future to make that sort of informed choice.

We managed to get one of the side windows pulled and re-sealed with butyl today - a heat gun made all the difference in the cool temps because the butyl was pretty darn stiff without it. In other news, I mapped out the current AC electrical system and pulled out roughly 40' of dead DIY wiring. I reckon there's at least a half-mile of aborted old wiring in the bilge...maybe I can sell enough of it to buy a new AC distribution panel  ;D   

Our new window seal is watertight!

(https://estherspetition.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/whenaplancomestogether.jpg)


We've pulled out more dead DIY wiring, with roughly a dozen lines left to pull. The PO of the PO (2PO?) fancied himself an electronic whiz and spliced telephone wires into all of the gauges, leading them to connectors for his laptop. Then there's the old DIY solar panel wiring system that was snipped at both ends. He also mounted 12v plugs (most of which have long since corroded) into most of the teak bulkheads. My goal is to map out the DC system but there's no point in doing that until we get rid of the dreck.

I'm a big fan of simple, independent systems, especially when it comes to electrics.

Having now come through a couple of intense rainstorms without a window leak, I spent Sunday putting the teak window trims back up on the fwd frames, as well as running an overhead 12v ventilation fan that can be rotated to either keep the helm window defogged, or be used to push galley steam out the back companionway.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/12243663_10153370440268650_575271664_n_zpskvdskcow.jpg)

We are looking at headliner options, and have been giving serious consideration to 1/8" thick HDPE puckboard (http://www.polyzone.com/products/plastic-sheets/puckboard-sheets-white-black-colours), which can be sourced in the 10' long sheets needed to run the length of the pilothouse roof. In addition to being mould & water resistant, the 1/8" thickness would offer enough rigidity to allow for overhead recessed LED lights to be mounted.

Between the puckboard and the underside of the pilothouse deck, we'd mount 1/2" thick sheets of reflective-coated polyisocyanurate insulation (the polyiso is also mould & water resistant). The current blocking on the ceiling is 1/2" plywood, so having polyiso of the same thickness should fill in the gaps nicely. We'd mount the polyiso with velcro tabs, rather than gluing it down...I always want to preserve access to the layup.

It was a productive Saturday & Sunday, pulling another 80-odd feet of dead DIY wiring out of the bilge & lazarette, rebedding a couple of leaky o/h hatch screws and changing the engine oil.

For the oil change, I'd picked up a Pela 6000 (http://www.seamarknunn.com/acatalog/2035492_l.jpg) oil extractor a month ago. Oddly neither Westerbeke nor Google had any information on oil capacities for the engine, so I went into it hoping it held less than the 6 litre capacity of the extractor. I let the engine warm up for 10 minutes and then set the Pela to work:

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/DSCN5749_zpsupuirsv3.jpg)
(I see 10 refit projects in this photo alone)

Contrary to their promotional video, the process didn't take a mere "20 pumps and 5 minutes". It was more like 200 pumps over 90 minutes - which was still a lot less effort and time than lifting the engine up to get at the drain plug 8)
The engine was long overdue for an oil change, so the suspended solids plus the tiny ID of the extraction tube contributed to the process taking so long. I plan to do another change in 25 hours, to clean out more sludge. The Pela pulled 4.5 litres out of the engine, which is coincidentally what I also added in new 15w40 oil. Before threading it on, I wrote the date & engine hours on the new filter.


Both windshield wiper arms are corroded onto the motor spindles. They are the 1980s-era style, with a solid cap and relying on friction & a little U-clip to hold them in place. As a result, the only way to use a modern wiper arm puller is to cut a hole into the cap. Before resorting to that, later this week I'll try tackling them with liquid wrench and profanity.


This part of the PNW rarely gets seriously subzero weather or snow, but with temperatures dropping to 3C at night lately, I have a Caframo air heater (http://www.caframolifestylesolutions.com/product/comfort-solutions/stor-dry-2/) set up beside an open engine hatch to reduce RH and keep the air warmish. I once had a heat exchanger freeze & split on me in Bella Coola (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Bella_Coola,_British_Columbia_Location.png/280px-Bella_Coola,_British_Columbia_Location.png) and I'd prefer not to repeat the experience. So far it's added 1.6C (3F) to the interior's overnight ambient temperature, but I will likely add a second unit if we get into a cold snap.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/DSCN5755_zpsvs0r4yjj.jpg)
(open hatch also doubles as a burglar trap)

Received Federal notification today that #23's new name has been approved and the Certificate of Registration is "in the queue"!

Next up is deciding where to engrave the new registration number, as Canada requires it to be embedded into the structure, not mounted on a plaque.

Lot's going on. My registration number was engraved into a board that was epoxied to the side of the water tank. It could be anywhere convenient. It then becomes part of the hull. I do have the original wiring diagram that came with my boat. It shows the connections, but not the physical locations. The trouble is it's a blueprint, D size I believe so not easily scanned. By the way I replaced the panels below the windows with fresh plywood by gluing two pieces together to get the length then covered them with a vinyl that matched the original very closely.
Bob

Hi Bob,

Quote from: BobLot's going on. My registration number was engraved into a board that was epoxied to the side of the water tank. It could be anywhere convenient. It then becomes part of the hull.

good idea - thanks!

Quote from: BobI do have the original wiring diagram that came with my boat. It shows the connections, but not the physical locations. The trouble is it's a blueprint, D size I believe so not easily scanned.

I think that once I clean out the last of the DIY wiring, what's left will be rather straightforward. As an example, the PO before my PO put in seven 12v non-marinized power plugs, all wired separately into individual bulkhead holes...

Quote from: BobBy the way I replaced the panels below the windows with fresh plywood by gluing two pieces together to get the length then covered them with a vinyl that matched the original very closely.

Other than using that space behind them for electrical runs, I'd like the replacement panels to remain clear. For the galley 110v outlet, the propane switch and the SeaFrost rheostat, I want to fill in the outboard-most end of the cup/dish rack behind the freezer and relocate them there.

***

In the foremost portion of the bilge, there's a hull "pocket" that captures drippings from the anchor locker. It has to overflow before any of it will drain further aft to the deeper bilge where the pumps are - presumably that happens naturally when underway. Yesterday I drained it with a handpump and was surprised to see how much water gets captured in there.

I bite the bullet and added a second Caframo air warmer yesterday, as night temps are dropping to -3C all this week. One is by the open engine hatch and the second is just aft of the v-berth. The forecast calls for overall warmer temps by Tuesday.

Today I volunteered Son #2 to give me a hand. I got him into the bilge, aft of the engine, to pull out the rotten, oil-soaked foam insulation that was crumbling from where it had been glued to the underside of the pilothouse sole and was now migrating, a clump at a time, into the lowest part of the bilge.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/12319387_10153392904858650_1609436077_n_zpsezlvbs1a.jpg)
(this builds character, son)

As you can imagine, it was messy job that, after all was said and done, resulted in five full garbage bags and a shop-vac all full of that crap. He also managed to pull it out from above the water tanks, so now it's just the bilge forward of the engine to deal with.

There are moments when I'm tempted to just start ripping everything out and redoing all the systems properly, from scratch; but then I remember that I have no money and need to be more patient  :P

Chris - I am replying to that hidden paragraph regarding that little bilge area by the mast:
          In the foremost portion of the bilge, there's a hull "pocket" that captures drippings from the anchor locker. It has to overflow before any of it will     drain further aft to the deeper bilge where the pumps are - presumably that happens naturally when underway. Yesterday I drained it with a handpump and was surprised to see how much water gets captured in there.

I am puzzled as to the design of the area forward of the engine. Water forward of the engine will drain forward and pass thru a bulkhead and end up by the maststep. I used to get a lot of water until I re-caulked the 3 forward windows. That said, why there is no draining into the primary bilge is my primary question / concern. While I have a 4.4.KW Gen Set forward of the engine, the weight might be the reason the water heads towards the mast. There is a slight depression that I pumpout using a bilge pump that I plug into a small outlet nearby. I had to run a hose over the bulkhead and back to the primary bilge. Once the pump is plugged in, I move the pump around in the small depression until I get most of the water out and then sponge out the rest. I primary concern is trying to make sure the mast step remains dry. I doubt that this water will ever drain aft into the primary bilge naturally when underway.

Quote from: JMBChris - I am replying to that hidden paragraph regarding that little bilge area by the mast:

In the foremost portion of the bilge, there's a hull "pocket" that captures drippings from the anchor locker. It has to overflow before any of it will     drain further aft to the deeper bilge where the pumps are - presumably that happens naturally when underway. Yesterday I drained it with a handpump and was surprised to see how much water gets captured in there.

My apologies John, I should have been clearer. I consider the entire keel centerline of the boat's bottom, from v-berth to lazarette - plus vertically to the underside of the cabin sole, to be the 'bilge'. The pocket I'm referring to in the post you quoted, is under the v-berth. I've attached a photo for reference.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/DSCN5765_zps5di1fxrz.jpg)
(I'm telling myself it's just brown water and not from the holding tank above it)

The issue is related to your mast-step drainage observation. The 'pocket' below the v-berth has to overflow to begin draining along the keel centerline. As it drains, it hits a small vertical face forward of the mast, where it can pool again. This small catchment looks like it's due to the way that the cabin/head bulkhead tabbing is joined to the bilge.

From there, it can slosh back and forth in a relatively flat area between the mast step and the forward engine mounts, but again needs to overflow to get to where the bilge pumps under the engine are.

All I have in that area is a Raritan hot water tank and the shower sump, so the fact that it doesn't easily drain for mine either, suggests to me that it's a design issue and not related to the weight of your genset.

Like you, once I sealed the aluminum windows, the volume of bilge water here dropped off. I still get a trickle down the mast in heavy rain and if I let that v-berth bilge pocket fill up again, that would be another source. Even with all that, the water level at the mast step never gets high enough to lift a bilge pump float. One of my longer-term projects is to build a 1.5" high fiberglass base that the aluminium mast step can be mounted high & dry onto. 

   

a new year with more stuff going on

I was away for all of December, which was the first time not being within a day's driving distance of the boat. I'd forgotten how paranoid-making boat ownership can be  :P

This past weekend I installed a 4" Nicro day/night solar vent (http://www.marinco.com/en/n20704s), to help lower the interior RH. Since I already had a 6" hole in the coach roof (from the Dickensen chimney), I made a reducer pad and mounted it there. I also scrubbed all the green grunge & bird splat from the decks. The dockwater is shut off for the season, so it was a saltwater scrubbing. Plenty of rain here to rinse the residue off...

Trying to decide where to put the new name (which is still awaiting Federal registration). Between the boarding ladder and the six thru-hulls, the transom is a little crowded so I'm leaning towards the aft sides, in the 26" gap between the end of the rubrails and the stern corners.

Removed the Dickinson furnace fuel lines last weekend and, since that led to wanting to redo the engine fuel supply, would love to see how other P/H owners have arranged their main fuel supply line & filtration system.




in other observations: I hope there's a special place in Hell reserved for boat owners who drill separate bulkhead holes for every individual electrical wire....

I re-sealed the mast boot a week and a half ago and it's working great (touch wood!). This past weekend I serviced the Groco SA1000 strainer and began work on a new base for the Jabsco 36960 (http://www.defender.com/large/500723_l.jpg) bilge pump, so I can relocate it and free up the space its currently in, for a new fuel filtration system.

In other news, I finally found and ordered three sheets of 1/2" polyisocyanurate insulation for the pilothouse ceiling and sidewalls. Was challenging to track some down without having a buy a full pallet of the stuff...

I tried using that style of Jacobson pump in my bilge and had to swap it out for a Whale Gulper. The Jacobson you have is good for your fresh water system but I found it did not produce enough lift to prime itself in the bilge. The Check valves leak in the presence of dirt. The Gulper employs a joker style check valve which translates to good suction even in grey water. I Y valved the Gulper to my shower bilge. I also have a high volume Rule centrifugal pump that will take over when backup is needed. I also have a manual whale in the cockpit.

Pete

We are officially named!

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/IMG_0644_zpsqbggbjlp.jpg)

After 4 months of being in Registry-Limbo, we feel a little like Navin Johnson (https://youtu.be/-7aIf1YnbbU).

You can see the square of clean hull, where my two fingers, a rag and half a can of acetone spent two hours removing all the mottled old wax.

Quote from: PeteI tried using that style of Jabsco pump in my bilge and had to swap it out for a Whale Gulper. The Jabsco you have is good for your fresh water system but I found it did not produce enough lift to prime itself in the bilge. The Check valves leak in the presence of dirt. The Gulper employs a joker style check valve which translates to good suction even in grey water. I Y valved the Gulper to my shower bilge. I also have a high volume Rule centrifugal pump that will take over when backup is needed. I also have a manual whale in the cockpit.

Thanks for the input Pete. I do like Whale products and eventually will upgrade to that same model for my main electric bilge. It's nice to see a 'real-world' endorsement from another Pearson.

In the project department, I've replaced the homemade seals in the Groco SA1000, epoxy-filled all but one of the old roof holes in the pilothouse, and have all the ceiling & wall polyiso insulation cut and ready for mounting.

The one remaining roof hole is a leaky through-screw holding the wooden stopper that keeping the companionway hatch from sliding forward off its rails. Naturally, it's all under a 16-screw clamshell cover that is itself tight under the traveller...

Hi everyone, we are the owners of  TOOTHPICK , hull #3 of Pearson Pilothouse 365, bought in 1994, in Vallejo, Ca. Toothpick is presently in Puerto Vallarta, Mx. where we took her in 2002, and has been ever since. We use her like a floating condo, traveling the "Gold Coast" of Mexico, but mostly staying in P.V. jim Nordstrom

hi Jim and welcome aboard!

it's great to find another p/h owner - there's only 29 of us out there :D

Holy Updates Batman!

We didn't fall off the map or give up. We started a blog (sv Dharma Bum (https://ccdb.wordpress.com/)) this winter and I've been using it to track progress.

Here's a quick rundown on stuff done since February:

New Racor 500MA fuel system
New insulation and wall panels in the main cabin
New insulation, headliners and colour-change LEDs in the main cabin ceiling
Replaced the 170' of rope/chain with 200' of all-chain anchor rode
Replaced the 8' West Marine inflatable with an 8' pram sailing dingy
Relocated the bilge pump
New seal for one of the p/h windows
New 12v wiring for the main cabin
fully illuminated (LEDs) engine hold
stbd water tank scoured

and even a sailing trip!  :o

some before and afters for y'all:

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/chart%20table%20aft%20port_zpsd302knu6.jpg)
(August 2015)

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/chart%20corner%2031%20july%202016_zpsuaff5fti.jpg)
(July 2016)



(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/galley_zpsaz3fdade.jpg)
(August 2015)

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/30%20jul%2016%20saloon7_zpstxeq5vi0.jpg)
(July 2016)



This morning I installed the next-to-last bit of salon trim, the last bit is on hold as I rebuild my soggy stbd aft bulkhead.

It's hard to believe that close to a year has flown by already. It sure feels good to finally stamp some projects "completed"!

Nice work! 
Since we are giving progress reports, my 365 galley rebuild is just about done. Thankfully we are launched and sailing, but the work continues for a little bit longer. Reefer is in, counter tops down, hatches built and sink and plumbing done.  I included the unfinished icebox photo to give a sense of the extent of the insulation upgrade. Hoping to keep power consumption around 25 Amps per day.

that looks great - thanks for sharing!
how much freezer volume did you lose with the additional insulation?


yesterday and today were spent (finally) rebuilding my soggy corner in the aft bulkhead. Back in November I stuffed it full of butyl and buttoned it up for the winter, but the time had come to deal with it conclusively.

Digging out the spongy stuff on Saturday revealed that I'd only lost a 1/8" thickness in my 3/4" plywood bulkhead, in an approx 16" high by 3" wide section. Access was challenging, but I cleaned out all the loose stuff, tidied up the remaining edges as best I could and then brushed the entire area with a 5% borax solution to kill the fungal spores (http://www.borax.com/library/articles/news-and-events/news-release/borax-versus-killer-fungus) that cause wet rot and left it overnight. Once home I rough-cut a 1/8" plywood piece to fit into the new depression.

Sunday morning I spent about an hour making final cuts to the new filler piece and then prepped the site for glassing. First I taped off everything I didn't want epoxy on and then cut out my piece of woven fibreglass. I opted for a single piece that would sandwich the plywood filler by wrapping around it.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/IMG_2720_zpsqgkfqwss.jpg)
(you can see my final 1/8" asymmetrical plywood piece to the left)

I decided to lay the vertical piece of glass in dry and then dab it to the bulkhead, because wet fiberglass has a mind of its own when it comes to sliding it where you want it to go. Once in place and wetted, I put the plywood piece over it and then folded the other half of the dry fiberglass around and on top of it, nudging it into place with a couple of putty knives. Once that half was positioned, I wetted it and the plywood piece down and kept adding more epoxy until my little container of mixture kicked.

Then I snugged it tight with a couple of bolts, covered it up in case of rain and let it set overnight.

Today I examined it and was happy with the result, so I laid in a generous bead of Life-Calk and then re-bolted the bulkhead to the window frame. Since part of the original problem was poor compression, I had two stainless steel braces made, with holes for through-bolting the window frame, so the entire corner is now rigid instead of the Original Factory's "rigid-ish"

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/IMG_2731_zpsyadvp9nu.jpg)
(finished exterior, minus the trim pieces)

Howdy from Toothpick, our pilothouse 36 now residing in Puerto Vallarta, Mx,. since 2002. I was wondering if you replaced the scupper drain hose behind the stove/oven before you finished the galley? Our port side drain hose started leaking on a star. tack, and it was necessary to replace BOTH drain hoses. what a job: the port side was not too much of a problem, but the star. side was a huge problem. I had to cut the plastic surround of the oven away from its attachment, remove it, and do a half hour replacement of the drain hose, and then hours to re attach the plastic surround. Probably took an easy 8 hours of work. Now we have no leaks on either tack; the problem was the rubber hose had cracked, and the wire inside the hose was rusting and leaking at the truhull/hose attachment. jim Nordstrom aka Toothpick

Nice splice on #23-you should have been an orthopaedic surgeon!

  I did lose some volume on the ice box, but it was, IMHO to big anyhow.  Am hooking up my older AB compressor tomorrow and will see if I can make ice. The original insulation was only 2" thick and the compressor ran pretty much constantly. Hoping to keep daily consumption under 30 AMPS-will post results as soon as I have them.
As for the scupper drains, I did not have to make any changes, mine were still sound.

Quote from: FBNOODLEMAN on August 03, 2016, 09:48:42 AM
Howdy from Toothpick, our pilothouse 36 now residing in Puerto Vallarta, Mx,. since 2002. I was wondering if you replaced the scupper drain hose behind the stove/oven before you finished the galley? Our port side drain hose started leaking on a star. tack, and it was necessary to replace BOTH drain hoses. what a job: the port side was not too much of a problem, but the star. side was a huge problem. I had to cut the plastic surround of the oven away from its attachment, remove it, and do a half hour replacement of the drain hose, and then hours to re attach the plastic surround. Probably took an easy 8 hours of work. Now we have no leaks on either tack; the problem was the rubber hose had cracked, and the wire inside the hose was rusting and leaking at the thruhull/hose attachment.

Hi Jim and thanks for posting. I haven't gotten behind the galley cabinetry yet but it's on my project list for a few reasons:

to pull out old dead wiring
to tee the galley sink to that same scupper, so I can eliminate one more thru-hull
for emergency access

I did replace the lazarette scupper hoses for the same reason you did: all that semi-tropic heat had made them friable. The portside midships seems fine but I can't see the stbd one because of the oven surround. I'm thinking that installing a round 8" inspection port behind the stove would do the trick. Based on your experiences, am I on the right track?

Quote from: jpendoley on August 03, 2016, 01:47:23 PM
Nice splice on #23-you should have been an orthopaedic surgeon!

I did lose some volume on the ice box, but it was, IMHO to big anyhow.  Am hooking up my older AB compressor tomorrow and will see if I can make ice. The original insulation was only 2" thick and the compressor ran pretty much constantly. Hoping to keep daily consumption under 30 AMPS-will post results as soon as I have them.

Thanks for the attaboy! I'm looking forward to seeing how the end result turns out for you :)

Hi Guys,
I replaced those hoses also, and I also upgraded the waterline fittings to  bronze by Conbraco.
I had already made a drawer to fit the area under the stove and I cut an access hole in the fiberglass surround. I had a piece of stainless sheet metal that I used to cover the hole.

Drawer
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k637/redzroadster/Drain4.jpg)

Looking Through Drawer Opening
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k637/redzroadster/Drain3.jpg)

Plate Behind the Stove
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k637/redzroadster/Drain2.jpg)

I will also be rebuilding the anchor sprit since it failed two weeks ago during a severe thunderstorm with 85 mph winds, but that is another story.
Bob

How are you making out with that Bowsprit, Bob?

***

In removing the groddy old side veneers last winter, the galley appliance controls (fridge thermostat, propane & 110v outlets) ended up homeless. Thinking up solutions, I decided to relocate them to the stbd niche of the "dish cupboard", so they'd be consolidated, logically accessible and yet still not in the way.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/DSCN5653_zpsutqsj41h.jpg)

The purchase survey had recommended the installation of a propane sniffer, so I decided to upgrade from the ubiquitous Marinetics 580 LPG panel, that's been seemingly standard on every boat for decades, to the Fireboy S2A unit, which comes with plugs for two sniffers. The advantage to this unit is that it's both a controller and a sniffer, with the sniffers wired to shut off the solenoid and sound an alarm if gas is detected.

The project took a backseat while I renovated the rest of the main cabin, but yesterday I added this one to the "Completed" list.

Having ordered the S2A unit a couple of weeks prior, I used the wait time to pull out one cupboard divider and mock up a template, then fabricated the new control panel from 1/2" plywood. Since removing one divider gave me more room, I decided that this was also where the 12v powerpoint would also be located.

Yesterday's work began with removing the stbd wall panels and adding all the new electrical runs for the controls. The new panel would be hinged at the base and secured at the top, allowing quick maintenance access.

For 12v powerpoints, I chose a new product from Blue Sea Systems, as it has it's own fuse and circuit breaker and the twin USBs can be swapped out later on if portable recharging requirements change. The previous owners had hotwired all of their many, many 12v powerpoints, but I prefer that everything aboard be switched.

One of the last steps was locating and routing the one propane sniffer that came with the S2A. After deliberation I decided to mount the sniffer immediately below the oven, on the bottom of the stove's insert. In my opinion the bilge beneath the cabin sole is too well insulated and a propane leak at the appliance would accumulate on the cabin floor long before oozing its way into the bilge. As there's an option for a second sniffer, I will likely install that one in the lazarette, where the propane line exits the bottle locker.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/appliance%20controls%20completed3_zpsjzex2yns.jpg)

All told it was a long-ass day but well worth the time and investment.

I just want to remind everyone that this is still summer, where we should be sailing and enjoying our Pilothouse's.

Fall is just around the corner with winterizing / haul out / and the start of next years projects.

I am impressed with all of the work done as shown by the photo's.

I also removed the stove to gain access to the stbd scupper hose - what a pain - stupid design.

Yes, before finishing up any work in the galley/ stove area, do replace those scupper hoses. The idea of cutting an access hole in the back of the stove is a good one, much quicker than my project of cutting out the entire plastic surround of the stove. The access hole cover will not even show, and you could use white plastic for the cover as well.

This past week was Haulout Week, with a couple more of the "to-do's" crossed off the project list and a few new ones added. Was a 2 and 1/2 day affair.

Dewatering Video: https://youtu.be/iPC8rcE-dss

In the "Completed" basket are: new PSS shaft seal & transmission coupler; the two Wilcox-Crittenden cockpit drains have been disassembled, cleaned, lanocoated and reassembled; the Perko head discharge seacock has been unstuck (which alone took 48 hours of penetrant, heat and profanity!), the bronze driveshaft and Max-Prop have been cleaned, re-zinced and lanocoated; and the bottom paint chipped and touched up.

The Perko probably hadn't been turned in 10 years and one of the cockpit W-Cs had an oyster shell inside it, so both issues illustrate the need for a monthly turning, if not biweekly.

Added to the 2017 project list are: replace the 35 year-old shaft strut; replace the Max-Prop with a fixed blade (the cone gear is worn); replace the 35 year-old bronze shaft with a stainless steel one; and replace the cutless bearing. Since replacing the shaft strut will necessitate a longer haul-out, I can also use that time to re-fair the bottom.

Given that the ship is more Winnebago than Racer, I'm not hung up on the fact that switching to a fixed-blade propeller will add drag. I reckon that re-fairing all the lumpy bottom paint off will make up for whatever drag a fixed prop will create.

In Other News: today marks one year since I purchased #23. Happy rebirthday, Dharma Bum!  8)

After two weeks working in northern BC, I got back just in time to prepare for what was being forecast as a Category 1 hurricane.

I replaced all 56 window frame nuts with nyloks, re-Life Calked the portside lower frame seal, added fiberglass to the outside corner of the portside aft bulkhead (similar to my earlier stbd project), tightened up the bow stanchion base bolts, and removed the genoa.

Since I wanted to be aboard during the storm, I used the time to enlarge the half-arsed access panel in the shower stall and fit a gasketed hatch in its place:

(https://ccdb.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/shower-hatch-install4.jpg?w=309&h=411&crop=1)

This hatch accesses not only the shower sump thru-hull, but also an impressive volume of useable stowage space.

The storm ended up being locally downgraded - for which I'm appreciative. No damage to any of the boats at the marina, although I did see a lot of bilge pumps working.


I'm still pulling bits & pieces together for my 4 major projects, so stay tuned!

Still "plugging" away at the shore power replacement. All of the new 14/3 and 10/3 wiring is roughed in, as are the three GFCI outlet boxes (galley, dinette and v-berth).

For fridge and hwt junction boxes, I'm using variations of these:

(http://img0134.psstatic.com/186205304_carlon-1-gang-19-cu-in-type-fsc-fs-box-e981efn-ctn.jpg)

because they have watertight gasketed covers as well as rubber seals for the wire feeds.  Inside each are Blue Sea Systems 30amp terminal blocks.

The shore power will now be attached via a SmartPlug I've installed in the port cockpit cubby, where it's out of the rain and clear of knocks and bumps.

more photos and details once it's all complete!

Feels good to make headway eh? I made a door in the shower also, there is too much room there to only access it by taking out 20 screws. By the way those cubbies are called "winch alcoves" in Pearson literature.
(http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k637/redzroadster/Deo%20Volente%20working%20016.jpg)

Quote from: S/V Deo VolenteFeels good to make headway eh? I made a door in the shower also, there is too much room there to only access it by taking out 20 screws. By the way those cubbies are called "winch alcoves" in Pearson literature.

That looks great Bob - do you have shelves back there? if so, how did you set them up?

Quote from: #23 on November 13, 2016, 10:36:47 AM
That looks great Bob - do you have shelves back there? if so, how did you set them up?

No shelves, but my wash-down pump is in there, and I use it to store paper towels and toilet paper.

Bob,
You have skills. Very nice work. WOW!
Dale

Quote from: Maruska on November 14, 2016, 10:11:03 AM
Bob,
You have skills. Very nice work. WOW!
Dale

"Jack of all trades, master of none"
But Thanks!

The shower "door" project looks great; I have the 20 screws type, but your project works for me, so that will be on the list. Just finished removing the injection pump, and I think you gave me your injection pump number, and a list of possible places for a seal kit for it. there is an English guy on UTube who shows the complete tear down of this pump, and reinstall seals. I took out our pump, and since there is a mechanic here in Mexico who works the docks, and does immaculate work, I gave it to him, and in two days, it was back, clean, resealed, and bench tested. Wasn't much of a problem to reinstall, but the priming of the fuel is a collosal pain. Fortunately, several years back, I installed a small 12v fuel pump, in line between the primary fuel filter, and the lift pump, so it pumps away, and brings fuel up to the secondary fuel filter. It took several minutes to get the fuel to come out of the banjo bolt; now that I think about it, there is a lot of space that the fuel needs to get to before that happens. I have two injection pump drawings from Pearson, and the one which is illustrated as a service memo is the best. Anyway, it anyone needs this information, I will be happy to supply it. jim on Toothpick.

Truly a excellent piece of cabinet quality woodworking - well done!!

at long last, the shore power project is complete!

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/panel%20completed1_zpssennspaz.jpg)

I would have been done yesterday, but was 3 heat-shrink ring terminals short.

This project accomplished a number of specific objectives:

1. it replaced all of the OEM 35-year old AC wiring with new ABYC-compliant stuff

2. it replaced all the home-handyman fire-hazardy non-compliant AC wiring

3. it relocated the AC panel away from the DC panel

4. it added an inline galvanic isolator

5. and it put the shore power plug in a more intelligent location (and incidentally freed up room in the lazarette for my new bilge lines)


(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/panel%20cutout3_zpsqp850ida.jpg)

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/hwt%20label_zpsge9m1dmo.jpg)

Total AC appliances are:

Battery Charger
Hot Water Tank
Fridge
Furnace/Air Conditioner

Each is on it's own circuit (the Fridge and Hot Water Tank are connected via water-resistant junction boxes). Then there is a circuit for the galley gfci and another for the two portside outlets (first in line is also gfci). All wiring is continuous and every wire ends in a heat-shrunk ring terminal - no butt or spade connectors. The AC panel back is in the portside lazarette and is protected with a BSS isolation cover (https://www.bluesea.com/products/category/36/84/Panel_Accessories/Back_Covers).

One major winter project down and three to go!

Some Boat Yoga involved there!
I see you have AC/Heat, do you also have a generator?

Quote from: S/V Deo VolenteSome Boat Yoga involved there!
I see you have AC/Heat, do you also have a generator?

Hi Bob,

There's no genset (which raises the question: "why did a PO install an AC HVAC unit in a boat with no genset?"). I'm treating that appliance as temporary, until I get a hydronic diesel furnace. Not much need for the air conditioning in the PNW...

110 at the dock, Honda generator for away.

Quote from: SVJourney110 at the dock, Honda generator for away.

installing a permanent air conditioning unit and then using a portable gasoline genset to power it sounds consistent with what I've seen of PO decision-making...

In any event, its days are numbered. 

I've ordered the parts for the septic system renewal, so I guess that's next on my project list!

With a second critical project completed this month, Dharma Bum finally has a working head and a new septic plumbing system.

The old system was plumbed like this:

toilet > locking Y-valve > overboard or tank
tank > Tee > macerator or deck pumpout

The new system is plumbed:

toilet > tank > locking Y-valve > deck pumpout or manual overboard pump

As detailed previously, I decided to eliminate the "direct overboard from toilet" option because environmental regulations make it an increasingly restricted option, reducing the cost-benefit of the added plumbing. Sure I can pump direct overboard in open waters still, but I'm not liable to be actively poopin' in open waters anyway, so that option has the appearance of benefit with little practical application. The new setup also requires the regular use of the whole system, thereby ensuring parts of it don't seize up from disuse.

The only challenge to installing the new system, was aligning the new Mark V manual pump  with the Jabsco Y-valve, while also aligning the Y-valve with the holding tank outlet. I fabricated a mount for that, which also ensured the Y-valve would align with the deck pumpout hose and have clearance for the handle of the manual pump. 

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/new%20septic%20mount%20complete6_zpswyptyfjb.jpg)


The old 1" outlet thru-hull for the macerator became the 3/4" raw water inlet for the toilet, thanks to a new 90-degree male thread hose barb.  The old raw water feed had been Teed into the raw water for the HVAC off a whole other thru-hull, with a single rusty hose clamp and no siphon loop. Both the new raw water feed and the 1.5" overboard hoses are looped above the waterline to avoid a siphoning risk. All of the septic hoses are now double-clamped with non-perf hose clamps.

Here are the Before/Afters:


(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/head%20plumbing_zps3aq63lud.jpg)
(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/septic%20completed_zpsgmjoaays.jpg)


happy 2017!

the past month has had a lot of background prep work but few projects that I can tick off as "completed". Waiting on bits & pieces via Amazon or chandleries takes time.

I have managed to replace the zippers on the cockpit helm cover, repair some horrid gouges in the cabin bulkheads, seal another window and re-hoist my reinforced genoa. The bilge pump replacement project is progressing, but I'll detail that once it's complete.

One other project I've completed is to refinish the main cabin entry. I've been putting off tarting up the ship's exterior woodwork to focus on systems, but decided to tackle the cabin door because it was so woeful looking. 

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/cockpit_zpsfocpoozy.jpg)

After much research, I decided to use teak oil rather than a varnish. It's a commitment to regular re-coats, but I don't mind and I prefer the look over varnish. I selected Daly's Seafin (http://www.dalyswoodfinishes.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16) as my oil of choice, based on consistently good reviews and recommendations.

After hot-scraping the old varnish off and then removing the seemingly 4 pounds of silicone holding the two scratched and stained plexiglas windows in place, I scoured the door in Te-Ka wood cleaner (http://ca.binnacle.com/Maintenance-Teak-Maintenance/c50_167/p6249/TE-KA-TEAK-CLEANER-2-X-PINT-BOTTLE/product_info.html). Then I glued down some edges that were splintering, filling in some holes with stainable filler and had tinted, tempered safety glass cut to replace the worn-out plexiglas.

With the new glass installed, I applied 6 coats of the SeaFin oil over 4 days, sanding with 400g after coats #1 and #2. Leaving the door to dry for an additional two days, I reinstalled it:

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/cabin%20door%2016_zpshhkafu4n.jpg)


It's only a small start on the brightwork, but it felt good to tackle it and do something other than hang upside down in the bilge.

“upgrade bilge pump”

Such a simple phrase from the prepurchase surveyor – who would have thought it would turn out to be the most challenging maintenance issue so far. In all fairness, it was a valid recommendation. The Par 36680 pump was poorly mounted, poorly wired and poorly plumbed. At a meagre 330gph, it was also woefully undersized.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/par%20pump%20pre-reno3_zpsfvc0lps3.jpg)



I undertook a couple of intermediate steps shortly after bringing to boat back to Canada: I made the wiring less of a fire hazard and relocated the Par to a sturdier base. My permanent solution was to install 2 higher capacity pumps in the bilge itself: one main and one overflow. My challenges were threefold: (1) the bilge footprint beneath the engine was only a 14" by 6” triangle (2) access to that bilge was an opening beneath the driveshaft, approx. 5” x 6” and (3) to not add any more through-holes to the transom.

The size of the bilge footprint necessitated automatic pumps instead of ones with a separate float switch, and the size of the access opening necessitated physically small pumps. I decided on a Whale Supersub 1100 (http://www.whalepumps.com/marine/product.aspx?Category_ID=10007&Product_ID=10002&FriendlyID=Supersub-Smart-Family) for my main and a Rule 1100 (http://store.waterpumpsupply.com/ruau12vodcbi1.html) for my backup. My thinking was to use two different manufacturers to reduce the likelihood of systemic quality control failures.

To mount the pumps, I repurposed a ½” nylon cutting board. Both pumps came with separate snap-in mounts that I could screw into my “bilge board”, which meant I could get each pump in and out of the bilge on its own – one of the other requirements due to the size of the bilge access. Both pumps could be plumbed with 1” ID hose (although the Rule outlet was 1.125”). Using 1” outlets meant that I could manifold both lines into a single 1.5” transom outlet, as the math is such that two 1.0” flows only need a 1.25” opening to manage capacity.

At the transom end of the project, I had other challenges. The existing ¾” Par outlet was set so close to the 1.5” manual bilge pump outlet, that it couldn’t be enlarged to 1.5”. That meant I had to come up with a new 1.5” transom hole. Since there was an obsolete ¾” transom hole higher up, for an old propane vent, I decided to (1) enlarge that hole to 1.5” for relocating the manual pump outlet, (2) cap off the ¾” Par hole (and eventually glass it over) and (3) use the original 1.5” manual hole for my two new electric bilge lines. For the new manual outlet, I bought a Marelon through hull and I bought a Groco bronze one for the automatic outlet, to replace the cheap plastic one the factory had installed. I fabricated 4” square by ½” thick plywood backer boards for both new through-hulls. Each backer board got 3 coats of Bilgekote, except for the side that was going to be 3m 4200’d to the inside face of the transom. 

Between the pumps and the outlet, I decided to mount the bilge lines on the inside wall of the port lazarette. That meant preparing another mounting board, which also got 3 rounds of Bilgekote before being 4200’d to the wall. For powering both pumps, I ran new 10/2 boat cable from the master battery switch to a 4-post terminal block and then wired the two Rule 43 switches to it. I had spare 14/3 round boat cable that I used for the runs from switches to pumps. Rather than joining the pumps to the cables with heat-shrink butt connectors, I decided to use 3-pin waterproof connectors, similar to these:

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41wdStbQZTL._SX300_.jpg)

This meant that each pump could be simpler to swap out while still maintaining water-proofiness, without the inevitable loss of wiring length that comes from having to snip off old butt connectors.


To be continued…

after months of delays, measuring, waiting on parts and tackling other projects, I finally installed the two new automatic bilge pumps last weekend along with all their associated electrics and hoses.

(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/new%20pumps_zps53ji9tlv.jpg)


(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/elec%20pump%20lines%203_zps2dltfbnr.jpg)


Lessons Learned:

the outlet thread type on the Whale Supersubs is GHT (Garden Hose Thread) not BSP or NPT. That meant finding a conversion fitting that would get me to a final 1" hose barb. I ended up with 3 intermediate fittings to make that work.

the outlet size on the Rule pump was 1 and 1/8". I heated and pre-fit the hose before I got into the bilge. It was still a tough fit.

keep a jigsaw handy to trim the nylon bilge board that you successfully test fit months earlier. For some reason it won't fit that final time. 

Our bilge sumps are somewhat problematic. Are you using a check valve?

I have a Whale Supersub on my 367. It comes with a check valve.  Had a problem where it wouldn't shut off. Turns out it was bilge scum on the pump. I cleaned it off and it works perfectly, for now. Periodically check it a couple of times per season.

Quote from: BobOur bilge sumps are somewhat problematic. Are you using a check valve?

Hi Bob,

I'm putting a Jabsco check valve on the primary pump line, just south of the pump but where I can still easily see if there's a blockage.

Quote from: SV AlfrescoI have a Whale Supersub on my 367. It comes with a check valve.  Had a problem where it wouldn't shut off. Turns out it was bilge scum on the pump. I cleaned it off and it works perfectly, for now. Periodically check it a couple of times per season.

That's good to know - thanks!

The Supersub-supplied check valve is an odd design. The whole purpose of the horizontal pump design is for installation where there's limited vertical clearance, so why they supply a vertical check valve that increases the clearance requirement is puzzling - especially when you also have to factor in the additional height needed for the bilge line itself. Was going to email Whale with some feedback on that (and on their choice of GHT).

After a busy month of packing, downsizing and more downsizing, I am finally living aboard Dharma Bum full time. I want to give my retirement plan a year's test-drive before retirement, in case the reality turns out to be less appealing than the idea. It's not my first time permanently living aboard, but it is my first time doing it without four other people and a dog, so if nothing else I'll have more elbow room.

One of the many little things I've completed this month was putting in the Froli bedspring system. It's an older version (which I got a great deal on!) and puts an 1.5" airspace beneath the v-berth mattresses and adds a whole lot of spring support. 

Before:
(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/v%20berth%20froli%201_zps5rjko3ft.jpg)


Froli bases installed:
(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/v%20berth%20froli%202_zpskqbult0w.jpg)


Froli springs installed:
(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/v%20berth%20froli%203_zps76grz1vw.jpg)


final arrangement:
(http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cpmgordon/pearson/berth%20sheets_zps0pl8xle7.jpg)


Some of the Froli springs have optional red inserts, which add additional firmness. I decided to leave half of them off and give each side of the berth a week's sleep before deciding whether I liked 'em all on or all off. Keen-eyed observers will also notice my snazzy homemade fitted sheets, courtesy of some Ikea twin bedsheets and my lamentable sewing skills.

Are you still using foam cushions as mattresses? Seems to be a bit of moving aboard lately. I think it's a good boat for it.

Quote from: S/V Deo VolenteAre you still using foam cushions as mattresses? Seems to be a bit of moving aboard lately. I think it's a good boat for it.

Hi Bob,

Yes to the foam mattresses, but I may opt for your setup once these go stale.

I relocated up-Island on Friday during a weather window and this marina only has 15a shore power, so I'm making choices like coffee or heat in the morning. I'm planning on installing a forced-air diesel furnace this summer, which will see me through next Fall and winter without having to huddle around my oil lamp. I gave a lot of research and thought to the hydronic systems but can't get past the $6000 price tag.

My #2 Injector Line is leaking, so that's made it to the A-pile for maintenance projects. Fortunately it's one of the few w50 parts that are readily available.