The Official "What Did You Do To Your Mac Today" Thread!

[Sumner]

One more good data point for using Seafoam with Ethanol gas. At the end of February I ran my 9.8 Nissan 4 stroke outboard dry of gas (whatever I got from the closest gas station which is 10% Ethanol) and Seafoam mix and its been sitting in Lake Havasu since then. This is a fricken hot place in the summer.. been up over 120F recently and its 113F now. I have fresh gas/Seafoam with the outboard in a large plastic bucket filled with water and it started right up, no issues that I can tell. The one time I left a 4 hp four stroke without Seafoam over a summer here, the idle jet was completely closed and the float was stuck.

Good data. I've used it also with good results. Not sure if you know it or not but there is a screw on the side of the carb on the 9.8 that can be loosened/removed to completely drain the carb as running it dry can leave some gas still in the bottom of the bowel. It is easy/fast to do. Also the 5 and 3.5 HP Tohatsu's have a similar screw. Probably most outboards do.

You guys have a great trip,

Sumner
============================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[walt]

Data point on Zebra inspections.. this morning I towed the 26S water ballast boat on I10 coming from Arizona into California. At the CA border, there is an inspection. I pulled in and the guy said he needed to inspect the boat. I started to get out of the boat to walk back to answer the inspectors questions but about the time I got the door open the inspector just said your good to go.. That was it! So I drove on. Surprised me.. no issue at all. We are in Alamitos marina tonight.

 

[walt]

moments ago. The "Russ" seats are going to work our wonderful (from earlier in this thread).

 

[walt]

Just did a 30 mile ocean crossing using the tiller pilot (Long Beach to Catalina Island) and have to say I liked having it. We left fairly early in no wind and just relaxed rather than having to constantly steer. The last third of the trip was sailing is winds and swell just about where you are thinking about reefing (but I didnt reef). Just to see how it worked, I left the TP on the whole time and it did a good job. I had on a GPS/ fishfinder, VHF radio and the TP (which was working fairly hard) and the 20 watt solar panel completely kept up with things. After three days off grid, the 20 watt solar panel is going to be adequate including running a lap top which Im using to post this now. I think having a battery monitor helps with the smaller panel since you know exactly where you are with charge used vs generated.

 

[BudGates]

Awesome Walt! Thanks for the update. Have a GREAT time in Two Harbors. Say "Hi" to Denny, Mick, Beth, Garry and Garry.

 

[RussC]

Did something unique this weekend. we went sailing There was a gathering of my graduating high school (68') classmates at the lake picnic area on Saturday, so Jennifer and I decided to make a weekend of it. Another classmate had his power boat there Saturday for those wanting to be drug around the lake on a rope, and we volunteered our sailboat for short "rides". Most of the class had gone home by the time it really got good for sailing, but by late afternoon the winds were as good as it gets on Lost Creek Lake. 12-15kts and pretty steady. SWEET! Pushing 6 kts and 20-25* heel much of the time with smiles from ear to ear. It was so fun we not only stayed over Sunday, but Monday as well. Sailed, fished, explored the shoreline, swam, ate, etc, etc. Fun stuff!!

 

[walt]

Day 5 off grid with the 20 watt solar panel and sitting at this anchor for the last few days. Batteries are down 15.8 amp hour or about 7.8%..

 

[justsomeguy]

Why's Sea Eagle facing the wrong way?

 

[RussC]

Or…. is everyone else pointing the wrong way?

 

[BudGates]

Why's Sea Eagle facing the wrong way?

That's to make it easier to spot among all those other boats.

 

[Sumner]

To me that looks like another Mac off Sea Eagle's starboard side...

Sumner
=============================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[walt]

What.. Ive been sailing this boat backwards the whole time???

Those moorings have two connections so the boats do not swing on anchor - allows for a higher density of moored boats. If crowded you have to anchor like most of the boats but if its not crowded, you can do a little trick and rotate the boat around like mine is. Not really a big deal but I can head straight out when we leave rather than backing out then turning around. Doesnt really matter much but the Harbor master actually set me up this way since there was room to rotate the boat.

The inflatable kayak is working out great as a dingy and real nice not to have to tow anything on the sail over (it came over deflated in the Vberth area)

 

[walt]

since justsomeguy HAD to bring up the boat direction thing.. this is sort of interesting. The first picture is Isthmus cove at two harbors on Catalina Island and pretty much every single boat (except mine...) is pointed East (towards China). The second picture is Cherry Cove which is just to the North and pretty much every single boat is pointed West towards Los Angeles. I took both of these pictures on a walk today and noticed that boat direction thing.. Isthmus cove gets a little more west wind because of the shape of the canyon so maybe that has something to do with it??? I would have never even noticed this without this thread.. do I need to get more of a life?

 

[walt]

Another data point on my power usage. In the past I have had up to 50 watts of solar on my 26S, went down to 10 watts last year and am now using 20 watt with MPPT boost. So this morning is 7 days off grid with only one day about 4 days ago using the outboard. For the last string of days we have been charging only with the panel and have been using LED lights, watching TV (free off air) and using my laptop powered by an inverter, charging cell phones. I have two golf cart batteries so have around 200 amp hours available. This morning I am down 32.9 amp hours and the battery monitor says I have 83.6% of the battery capacity left. So the 20 watt panel doesnt sustain my usage but no big deal.. I could go for another couple weeks like this before the battery got to 50%.

Today we will head back and run the outboard a fair amount and that likely will do signficant charging of the battery. 20 watt solar works just fine for me but as noted earlier, having a battery monitor which "integrates" your current usage helps as you always know exactly where you are at. And of course the same meter shows voltage and current.

Two people living in the boat for a week now leaves the boat just a little disorganized.. My wife probably thinks its terribly disorganized but fortunately for me doesn't complain much..

 

[Sumner]

.... do I need to get more of a life? View attachment 126114 View attachment 126115

No, but you might get a new compass as China is to the west of where you are and LA to the East (actually NNE).

Great pictures Walt and looks like you guys are having a great time. Where are you taking the boat for the next trip?

Sumner
=================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[walt]

FYI, in the top picture Im looking somewhat S and in the lower picture Im looking somewhat N. The 26SS will go back to Havasu until November, we will go back to sailing the TI.

Really fine crossing back to Long Beach, I took this picture about 10 minutes ago.

 

[walt]

Two casualties from the trip. First is the trailer guide post. The main pipe had busted years ago and was repaired but this time the whole thing fell off.. At least it took 26 years. Im probably going to replace this with some bolted together AL.

Second was the Genasun GV5 controller. It was working when I pulled the boat but after about a 350 mile trailer on a seriously HOT day (temps between 110 and 115F when we arrived), it was not working. The boat is going to be left for another 3 months and the controller/20 watt panel keep the battery charged.. and I need to leave tomorrow. Voltages and fuses were all OK. So.. I opened the box and found what is called a "Via" became open. You can see the problem Via in the second picture between the end of the tweezers and the diode (looks like a little hole). Vias connect circuit board traces between layers on the board and apparently the vibration got to it.. I jumper around the Via and everything works fine, remove the jumper, dead.. Im in a bind a little so am probably going to solder on jumper around the via so I dont come back to discharged batteries. FYI, the Genasun has a 10 year warranty and I bet they would have sent another but the boat will be almost 1000 miles away when I would receive the replacement.

 

[Sumner]

Good detective work on the circuit board. I doubt many people, myself included, would of ever found out what was wrong,

Sumner
==========================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[walt]

I recently just retired from designing that sort of thing.. but at work would have had the proper tools to do rework including a microscope (really tiny stuff..). Doing this in the garage with reading glasses, I damaged a component trying to fix an accidental solder bridge.. So I was not successful getting it to work. Plan B now is to just get the battery fully charged (golf cart set) and then disconnect the main wire so no current in or out. I do this with my truck battery.. started the truck no problem after three months here so I think I will be fine.

That controller has somewhat of an interesting topology in that it electrically connects the solar panel plus side directly to the 12 volt plus. The solar negative into the controller then runs at for example -5 Volts with respect to ground. The MPPT control then tries to keep the solar negative lead as negative as possible. This likely simplified the circuit topology.

Except for this issue with the controller stopping working (which I dont think is my fault with usage or setup - its supposed to work up to 85C = 185F), I have been real happy with it. I had left it charging the batteries for 2.5 months including days getting up over 120F and the batteries were nicely kept charged.

 

[Leatherneck]

Finally finished my cabin makeover. Took out galley shelves and installed plexiglass mirror and wine glass holder. Installed laminate wood flooring. Made new cushions, thicker than the factory ones.