Pearson 365 and 367

We spent about 5-6 weeks in the Bahamas each summer for many years (teachers). We do not have a water maker, and did not catch rainwater.

With just my wife and myself aboard, our three tanks lasted us almost 3 weeks. We took showers every day and washed dishes using the 12V freshwater pump. Of course we did all this carefully and tried not to waste water. We always anchored and rarely visited marinas. We found that R/O water is readily available in the Bahamas on the fuel dock at most marinas, and at a reasonable price. So we did not dinghy jerry cans back and forth, we just pulled in to a marina fuel dock and filled up every 2-3 weeks.

This worked for us, at least in the Bahamas.

We never really felt the need for a tank monitor or gauge. We've used our boat primarily for cruising and think of our water in terms of days as opposed to gallons. We figured out that a tank lasted us 5-6 days. On day 5 we'd start listening for the sound of the pump sucking air. When that happened, switch to the next tank. We always knew within a day or two how much water we had left, and could plan ahead accordingly.

I appreciate the responses. I have seen that Operators Manual at Garner's Sailing Sea Dragon website, and elsewhere on the internet. I always wondered if the 40NA was the same as my W40? After looking at the manual more closely I see that it is, even though Westerbeke lists the two models separately on the "model history" portion of their website.

Anyway, have set my idle speed to around 750 rpm (as measured by my old and probably unreliable tach) which "seems" about right.

I am still in the process of putting my engine back together after having the injection pump and injectors rebuilt. After installing the manifold and exhaust riser, a couple more questions come to mind:

1. I know I have drained and refilled the coolant a number of times. And yet I am never sure of the correct procedure for doing this. I know IF fill the system from the recovery tank in the starboard sail locker. And yet, I have to burp or purge air from the manifold tank down on the engine at some point in the process. Can anyone walk me through the process they use in fill the freshwater side of the cooling system?

2. What do you all recommend as an insulating wrap for the dry section of the exhaust pipe?

Is there a recommended idle RPM on the Westerbeke 40? I have gone through all the Westerbeke manuals on my boat and can't find any mention of it.

So I am ready to re-install my injector pump and injectors. I see in one of my manuals where the hold-down nuts for the injectors are supposed to be torqued to specific setting with a torque wrench. I don't own a torque wrench and wondered if it is necessary to buy one just for this one job? Would I be okay just tightening the nights down snugly, or is it recommended that I use a torque wrench?

My understanding is that the slots were for a custom davit that Pearson offered as an option. I think you'd have to get pretty lucky to find a pair on the resale market. I believe most of us who have put davits on after the fact have chosen from Kato, St. Croix, Edson, Forespar, etc. I put Kato davits on my 1981 Cutter in 1999 and they have been wonderful.

Brian

Wayne,

That was just the encouragement I needed. Whacking on a putty knife with a mallet did the trick. The pump then easily separated from the flange and out it came.

Thank you!

Brian

My injection pump also has the slow leak from both the throttle and shut-off shafts whenever the engine runs. After reading this thread, I worked up the courage to attempt to remove the pump for rebuilding. The engine is a 1981 Westerbeke 40, and the pump looks identical to the one in Garner's last post, except a lot uglier. I have removed the six fuel lines (four injector and two low pressure.) I managed to get the hex head bolt out, and the nuts off the other two mounting studs. As I removed the two nuts, I was expecting to feel the pump become loose, but it won't budge. It feels like it's welded to the mounting flange. Have I forgotten to remove something that is holding it in place? Might there be some corrosion somewhere?  Do I just need to use a little force to try to get the pump free? Any advice would be appreciated.

Brian

Thought I would update on my water-in-oil problem. As I mentioned above, I checked the oil level and found it alarmingly high. The next day I pumped out the oil using my Moeller oil extractor through the dipstick tube as I do for oil changes. I got about 6 and a half quarts out and nearly 2 quarts were obviously water. The pick up tube on my extractor must have gone to the bottom of the sump as clear water came out first before oil started coming out with it. I changed the oil filter, and refilled with fresh oil. With the raw water seacock closed, and the engine stop engaged, I turned the engine over a few times for 3 or 4 seconds each time trying to circulate the new oil a bit. Then I took the oil cooler out. The oil cooler clearly had oily water in both circuits. It was pressure tested and failed instantly. So I have ordered a new oil cooler which should be here Monday, and the engine is sitting with fresh oil.

When I get the new oil cooler installed, I am thinking I'll want to run the engine briefly to check my plumbing work and connections, then do another oil change. My question is how many oil changes would I need to do to be confident that most or all of the water is out of the oil? I thought that each time I changed the oil, I could keep the extracted oil in clear containers for a day or two so I can see how much water settles out. Once I get to the point where I can't see any more water settling, I should be good?

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post about an oil sheen in the raw water exhaust. We had to travel for a few days after making that post but got home yesterday. I went out to the boat today intending to run the engine up to temperature as suggested. Before starting the engine, I checked the oil level, and found the oil level reading extremely high - probably 1" above the max fill line on the dipstick. Needless to say, I did not start up the engine. When I ran the engine previously (and discovered the sheen) the oil level was about 1/2 quart below max.

So clearly something is contaminating my oil. I assume it is raw water. My first guess would be the oil cooler. Does that sound right? I assume the fix would be to remove the oil cooler and have it pressure tested to verify that it has an internal leak, and replace it if it does. Is there anything else I should check first, before assuming it's the oil cooler? I'd appreciate any thoughts or advice on this.

I haven't run the engine for a few months. Started it the other day and checked the raw water exhaust output as I always do. That's when I noticed a light oil sheen in the water emanating from the exhaust. Obviously oil or fuel is getting mixed in with the raw water. I am not as mechanically inclined as many on this board, so thought I would ask for help with diagnosing.

For background, the engine is the original Westerbeke 40 with a Paragon hydraulic transmission. In addition to the coolant heat exchanger, the engine has a lube oil cooler, and a transmission oil cooler. 

When I noticed the problem, I shut down the engine and  immediately checked the oil level. I would say the condition of the oil and the oil level looked normal to me. I also checked the oil in the transmission. The thing I noticed there was that there were bubbles in the oil on the dipstick. Can't say if I recall ever seeing that before or if it is normal. I have also read where unburned fuel passing through the exhaust could cause the sheen.

Does anyone have any advice on how I should go about troubleshooting this so I can find and fix the culprit?

I like the look of my Pearson 36 Cutter with varnished exterior teak. However, I've had trouble getting the varnish to last on the teak caprail. With the top of the caprail being made from two pieces of teak, there is vee where the two pieces are joined in the middle. Water seems to lie in this vee, penetrate the varnish, and lift it from the wood. I don't think the varnish adheres particularly well to whatever the sealent is between the two pieces of teak, either. Has anyone else experienced this, or dealt with it successfully? It doesn't help that we are in very sunny (and often wet) Fort Lauderdale.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Brian

We transited the Okeechobee Waterway last week, including the infamous 49' Port Mayaca RR bridge. Made it under the bridge without touching anything including the VHF antenna. On the day we did the bridge, the Corp of Engineers was showing about 49.5' of clearance so we got a little help there from lower water levels. I appreciate those who boosted my confidence by providing their own measurements.

Thanks to the three of you for responding. Your information is most helpful. I am optimistic that we will make it under the bridge without the need for outside help in heeling. I may also try raising the dinghy on a halyard on one side of the boat in order to "heel thyself" a bit.

I'll let everyone know whether we make it unscathed, or whether I am in the market for a new anchor light, windex, and vhf antenna. 

Brian