C-27 Refit/Refurb

[KingAirDriver]

Throw that thing in the freezer over night, then go buy a few chunks of Dry Ice and toss it in that for about an hour. Heat that strut up with a MAP gas or propane torch until it is hot and toss that sucker in there.

You wont hurt that bearing surface, it is probably teflon? Either way, we did it on the bull dozers all the time, the cold shaft bearing will protect the bearing surface from the heat. The hot part will cool faster than the cold part will warm up. At least fast enough to get you in to a safe temp range.

 

[philwsailz]

Throw that thing in the freezer over night, then go buy a few chunks of Dry Ice and toss it in that for about an hour. Heat that strut up with a MAP gas or propane torch until it is hot and toss that sucker in there.

You wont hurt that bearing surface, it is probably teflon? Either way, we did it on the bull dozers all the time, the cold shaft bearing will protect the bearing surface from the heat. The hot part will cool faster than the cold part will warm up. At least fast enough to get you in to a safe temp range.

What about the actual shaft? It is still in the shaft log and strut. If I go and glow on the strut too much, the shaft is inadvertantly going to be hot as well. I dont want to try to shove a 1.015" hot shaft that is normally .999, (measured) into a rubber bearing surface that might burn as a result of the shaft being too hot....

More story to follow, with pics.

 

[philwsailz]

Okay so I am not affilitated with these guys in any way. I went and bought the Strut Pro bearing tool.

Fist off it is a heavy unit. It is big too. See size of apparatus with a nice soda pop bottle in the view for comparison.

They recently started shipping a blank plate for using the bearing removal tool as a propeller removal tool. First I removed the cotter key, then I removed the castelated nut. I did not get a locking nut with this boat. I turned the nut over so the flat side of the nut would take the load of the prop removal plate instead of either the castle-cut end of the nut, or the end of the threaded shaft. Tightening the tool had the prop off in nothing flat.

The next step is to get the bearing out. You use two hardened steel round sleeves held onto the forward portion of the prop shaft with velcro strap in front of the strut. Then a u-shaped collet with a 1" opening is tightened up against the sleeves. On the aft end of the tool is a larger u-shaped collet that is just larger than the 1.25" OD of the bearing. It is possible to slide the new bearing onto the shaft partially to help you line up the larger aft collet so that it clears the OD of the bearing coming out. On a Catalina 27 you CANNOT hang the device over the shaft; you have to manually suspend it while tightening up the rods enough to hold it in place. Note how little rooom there is between the hull and the back of the tool, (forward of the strut on the boat). Once you are snugged up, remove the new bearing you have been using to align the tool so you don't damage the new bearing.

Begin tightening the threaded rods, (BIG threaded rods) spinning each one equally to keep the collets as parallel as you can. The first few cranks gave me nothing and then BAM a loud pop, louder than when the prop gave way. It was at this point I decided to apply a litle heat. I have a hot air gun I use sometimes to solder electrical connections; it will melt a pool of solder in a #2 AWG lug in short order, yet it takes longer to toast a wire insulation jacket than a torch does, so the heat gun is really nice. With a good heating of the strut the bearing came out easily. Know easily is relative; I was still wrenching for about 30 minutes, maintaining heat and alternating sides as I went. It is a workout.

Once the old bearing is out, you flip the collets end-for end, placing the 1" u-shaped collet aft, and the 1.25" u-shaped collet forward. This is where life gets tricky. As you can see, I got the bearing quite a ways in before it stopped. I know that had I gone and read Maine Sail's article about using soap as a lubricant, I probably would not have spent another $60.00 for a new bearing today....

That being said, there is a torsion that you apply to the two bolts tightening the thing up, and it is proper to stop and check your alignment as necessary, in hindsight. This is something I did not do. The bite on the bearing happened when before I got the smaller 1" u-shaped collet to the straight-shaft section of the shaft. The collet pushing the bearing slipped sideways and started chewing the bearing up. Had it been a closed collet with a 1 clearance hole in the middle, I think the chances of that happening would be less. SO, today I went to my Fastenall store and piched up some HEAVY thru-hardened zink coated washers. I got three so I could build a good stack up. My theory is that with a closed round hole instead of a u-shaped hole I will apply more even pressure to the bearing, with less chance of slipping, biting or getting sideways. I also got a bar of Ivory to lube up the OD of the bearing, and I bought some Ivory dish soap to lube up the shaft and ID of the strut.

Anyway, here are the pics. Take 2 will certainly be after the fourth. I will let you guys know how it goes.

 

[philwsailz]

New bearing should be here Tuesday.

 

[philwsailz]

I was getting ready to work on replacing the packing in the packing gland. The boat is inside a hot metal building with the sun beating down on it. I figured working in AC would be nice...

So the last 4 hours got me this.

Gonna let it run a while and run to town. Then I'll come back and see what's what. Maybe it will be cool enough to tear into the thing

 

[shipwreck66]

That AC placement looks suspiciously similar to the one everybody ridiculed the doogie out of me for doing the summer before. It does work though, and for $99, a heck of a lot cheaper than marine AC.

 

[philwsailz]

That AC placement looks suspiciously similar to the one everybody ridiculed the doogie out of me for doing the summer before. It does work though, and for $99, a heck of a lot cheaper than marine AC.

We know better, huh?

 

[philwsailz]

I had originally purchased an 8K BTU unit at a big box store but it was 1" too tall. Twice, (almost) the cooling would have been even better but at the sake of massive reconstruction.

This works just fine for when I want cool dry air.

 

[philwsailz]

I found an 8K BTU unit that will fit my size restrictions! LG LW8012ER

 

[KingAirDriver]

Score!!!!

 

[philwsailz]

Ivory Soap


Thanks Maine Sail!!!!!!


With the help of a very cold bar-soap-covered strut bearing, and a very hot liquid dishsoap-soaked strut, the new bearing slid in with zero resistance.


I took great pains to go so far as to measure the distance between both Strup Pro collets, and I used the solid thru-hardened washers as mentioned previously to get a more consistent even pressure on the bearing.

It slid home... 'Went so quick, I fogrot to take in-process pics. Still, here are a couple.

 

[philwsailz]

I never posted the finished pic of the AC install, as shot from the V-berth. Here ya go. Man those louvers need wiped down!

BTW, I started the air horn installation. Pics to follow once I clean up some wiring. I am too embarrased to show the spaghetti snake's den mess I have in the mounting location....

 

[philwsailz]

Started the 8K BTU AC installation today. The 5K install worked pretty good, but to be able to almost double the cooling output without radically changing the installation proved too tempting.

The hole in the bulkhead is a little larger, so it is heavily braced from behind. The bottom is a piece of aluminum strap. Despite have a larger hole, this bulkhead is much stronger than the previous bulkhead due to the bracing.

The 8K unit does put off quite a bit of condensation. I have determined how the unit wants to drain, and have drilled a hole in a proper spot. I am going to solder/braze a copper nipple on and route a short hose from the AC to the shower sump just below it. The sump location has turned out to be ideal. Condensation will be pumped overboard! Lovely dry installation!

Here is a pic of the new bulkhead pre-install. The small hole is for the auto/manual bilge pump switch that runs the repurposed shower sump.

The slender bar has the relocated RGB LED lighting attached. 'Much cleaner light install compared to what I had done previously.

The lake has come up a lot! We are only 3' below spillway. Spring's normal storms next year should heal us up. I am now thinking a good target launch date is the first weekend after April 15, with optional delay depending on if I write a check on that day.....

 

[philwsailz]

So last night, 2 hours was very productive.

For this 8K BTU cold box I knew I needed to address condensation. I want a dry bilge. A window unit mounted in a cockpit lazz bulkhead is probably going to put out some water. I needed to deal with it.

I went to the big box hardware store and got some threaded rod, nuts, and two different sizes of washers in order to manufacture a press of sorts to create a recess for a drain fitting. I had previuosly drilled a 7/16" hole in order to get started. Using the largest socket I had in my tool box, I assembled my contraption. I used 3 washers and two nuts to clamp the metal of the AC pan, with two washers on top to add stiffness. I then brought the socket up underneath threaded over the threaded rod and put two washers and a nut behind it. Tightening the nut under the socket provided the nice flat uniformly round recess.

Searching the same big box store allowed me to find my coupling solution. In the plumbing section I found a 3/4" barbed fitting with a female garden hose connection. The female garden hose "nut" is loose with respect to the barb so it can be spun to tighten it. Remove the "nut" and voila, you have a solderable brass nipple.

I carefully opened up the hole I used to do the press work above so it tightly fit around the brass barb. I then scuffed it up, removing paint around the bond area, being careful to remove all burrs so that I had a smooth surface to solder to. A little flux on both mating parts and some carefully applied heat had the joint ready for solder. It sweated in like brand new brass plumbing pipe... Neat!

The AC has the power cord exiting towards the finished front as one would expect. While the case cover was off, I drilled and cut a new cord access hole so that the cord would exit the AC not out the front of the hole into the boat interior but rather to the back, into the lazz. this was pretty easy.

I put it all together and fired it up and everything went perfect! The soldered barb nipple is properly sealed, and does not leak. After drilling the top bracket so that the AC could be fastened to the new bulkhead, I assembled the top bracket to the AC and bucked it up the ladder for assembly. Next step, remove the recently installed top bracket..... The AC is barely able to fit through the lazz opening, but only without the bracket attached. After getting it into the lazz I reattached the bracket and lifted it into place.

Carefull tugging from the cabin got the AC through the foam-lined opening. Then I was able to wriggle my 270 lb frame back down into the lazz to install the 3 screws through the top bracket into the bulkhead. Man, it is TIGHT in there with this unit installed!

I still need to connect the new condensate drain barb up to the shower sump. It is fun to see how plans come together. The shower sump inlet pipe I am ging to use is almost right under the AC drain. I have not decided if I am going to use two pieces of tubing and an L fitting to plumb it in, or if I am just going to use a longer hose and left it curve between the AC and the sump. I am thinking I should probably use the L so that I don't end up with a low spot in the drain tube to trap water. Odors.....

Anyway, here are pics of last nights work. Enjoy!

 

[Merlin Clark]

Are you wet yet Phil?

 

[philwsailz]

Are you wet yet Phil?

I could be, but will wait 'til spring. I need to finish polishing and waxing, finish the air horn install, finish a new scupper install for the cockpit, (I may put that off and buy the replacement scupper covers from Lowell), and Kiwigrip the cockpit floor. I need to add shore power receptacle, and two Edison outlets for charging and AC.

I also need to replace two batteries that died on me too! Last night I went to turn on some lights and they wouldn't turn on. I looked around and saw my charger was unplugged from the extension cord. I plugged the charger in and discovered that then my lights would come on. Two years in a shop without being exercised will do that I guess. It has been brutally hot inside the boat at times, inside the un-insulated hot metal building.

I have a "good" maintenance charger, but bet I have cooked the batteries leaving the boat plugged in. I will probably ping Maine Sail too to see what I did wrong so I don't repeat it. Moving to solar with good charge controllers will likely take care of it...

Spring 2014, assuming water stays up....

 

[philwsailz]

The charger is a Pro Mariner ProSport 20 I think. I am away from the boat but a quick internet search says that is probably it. Not sure which generation though. I wonder if there is any bad feedback from the use of this charger? The 12V system is wired through a Blue Sea Systems Auto-Charging Relay.

 

[philwsailz]

I bumped the starter and found it cranked easily. The dual batt house bank was drained though.. Both same size, both purchased at same time. I need to scratch my head a little and see if I can think of a parasitic load, but all the items on the house bank go through switches. Strange.....

I am sitting in the doctors office in an all-day allergy shot regimen with nothing to do, so sitting here thiniking about it, I realize that I probably wired the charging outputs in parallel per the manufacturer recommendations, with both banks hitting the house bank. I may be pushing too much current even at float stage... I will dig into it and see what I think. Once I get to the water I will be charging 90% solar, and only charging via shore power when I am at the boat, at the dock. Sitting during the week, she will only see charging from a solar source, with a PWM controller. I probably have no problem long term, but it still bugs me that I have two two-year old batteries dead.....

Something is just plain wrong. Whether or not the symptoms go away when I hit the water it is still wrong. I need to figure it out. The puzzling thing is that there has been a source of charge, if even a maintenance charge on the total electrical systerm basically the entire time. Therefore the ACR has been CLOSED, with both banks tied together. How do two batteries that are in effect in parallel with a third get drained while the third one stays charged?

Oh well, ramblings of one under the influence of medicine in the doctors office. I will figure it out.

 

[philwsailz]

Drain is connected! The sump pump pumps when condensation tops it off. Pardon the pun but COOL!

 

[philwsailz]

I finished up the AC install last night. Since window units use air as the heat/cool source, I needed to come up with a means of drawing the hot air out of the port lazarette where the AC was mounted.

Research on-line pointed to the hydroponics growing industry where there is a need to move air that is by nature of the application pretty high in humidity. I found a very quiet 95CFM blower that seemed up to the task. With the blower and a few clamshell vents I managed to ventilate the lazarette. See pics.

The forward vent was installed well forward of the cockpit, outboard on the almost-vertical wall just in front of my jib sheet winch. It is angled down slightly to keep rain out. The aft vent is installed well aft.

The blower is mounted inside the lazz, up under the aft clamshell vent. The mounting screws for the blower are hidden by the clamshell vent so all in all this is a very tidy installation.

I buttoned everything up, closed the lazz hatch and fired it up. After about a half hour the aft clamshell vent was noticeably warm, borderline hot. Reaching in to check the temp on the AC unit, I noted it was substantially cooler when compared to when I was operating it un-aided, with just the hatch open. I will call it a success.

I need to gasket seal the hatch, cover a big hole someone cut in the coaming pocket, and do a few other things to improve air flow through the lazz past the AC, but all in all, I am real pleased with how it turned out.

I figure that with all parts included, counting the AC purchase, the condensation drain mod, the blower and the clamshell vents I have about $500.00 tied up in this. When compared with a traditional water-source marine AC I think I am way ahead dollar-wise. I originally didn't like the fact that I felt I needed the blower to get rid of the heat, but then realized a water-based marine AC has its exact analog; you have to buy the water pump to provid cooling water separately....

I look forward to spending some cozy cool dry nights floating at the dock this coming summer!