Post-implementation review

The Repowering Project: one month later

Some of the little jobs mentioned in the last post are still on the To Do list, but basically the project is finished and we are delighted with the performance of the new Yanmar, coupled with the change to bigger blade on our Autostream prop, which is now well-matched to the engine.

Here, in no particular order, are the benefits of the changeover:

• We can cruise along at 5kt doing 1800 revs, and 2000 revs gives us a cruising speed of 6kt. This extends our range when we are making short trips with deadlines at the end of them - we can start from Dover or Cygnet down the Channel and know that we can still get back to Hobart in a short day even if we have to motor into a headwind the whole way.
• We feel we have the power to make headway even in tough conditions, although we haven't had to prove that yet.
• The boat is much more manoeuvrable, particularly in reverse.
• Conveniently, the changeover has reversed our prop walk, making it much easier to get out of our current berth.
• Now that we've fixed a leak and got all the air out of the system, the engine is heating the hot water as effectively as the old engine did. We feared this might not be the case as with the Yanmar only part of the total coolant flow goes through the heat exchanger for the hot water service, and we thought we might need a header tank to avoid problems with airlocks.
• With the new splitter installed, the alternator is delivering good charge to all batteries.
• Fuel consumption is 2.5l per hour. Taking into account the increased cruising speed, this probably doubles our range.
• Not a drop of oil has appeared on our newly painted engine compartment floor.
• With the soundproofing and lower cruising revs, we can have a conversation when the engine is running without having to shout at one another.

We visited the Yanmar stand at the Wooden Boat Festival to report in as satisfied customers, and went off clutching Yanmar caps, stubby holders and a rather nice mat, which Peter is thinking of putting under the engine to see if it further reduces the noise level. Suspect the Yanmar agent was hoping that we'd put it somewhere a bit more public, so it's on deck for the time being.

Really final touches

The Repowering Project: Days 34-38 (Monday 5 to Friday 9 January 2009)

The astute reader will note a gap in proceedings between this post and the last. Engineer and mate returned to Melbourne for Christmas, came back with a friend and went sailing, enjoying all that new power. Friend returned to Melbourne on 4 January, and the engine project resumed to do those last few jobs which didn't actually stop us sailing but which need to be finished off.
We'd survived a few days away without having the hot water connected to the engine, using our small petrol generator to drive the electric hotwater system a couple of times. But getting it connected was a priority. The engineer was putting it off because he feared it was going to be complicated - according to the Yanmar manual, if your tank was higher than your engine, you needed another small header tank to trap any air bubbles, something we hadn't had with the Perkins. After thought and study of the diagrams from Yanmar, and the diagram of the internal workings of the hot water tank, the engineer decided that the actual heat exchanger was only marginally higher than the engine, if at all, and that he could just connect up without any additional installation. It was a two person effort to lead the pipes round the tank for connection, but otherwise a straightforward job.

While the engineer was considering the hot water problem, he and the mate had measured and cut the soundproofing to go on the back of the companionway steps. With this and the cutouts on the back of the hatch covers glued and fastened into position, the engine was noticeably quieter. Moving the companionway steps, always a heavy lifting job, now requires even more effort as it has several extra kilos attached.

The engineer feared that the old splitter system (the thing that delivers power to both banks of batteries and also ensures that the batteries are not over-charged) would not work properly with the Yanmar alternator, and on our trip down the Channel his fears were confirmed. He invested in a Piranha power management system designed for 4WD, and once fitted, this solved the problem and also made all the battery wiring simpler.

Another job deemed not essential for the first trip was the fitting of the safety switch to prevent the engine from being started in gear, but this finally got done (had to wait until it stopped raining so that the engineer could work in the lazarette to finish it off).

So, much has been done, but there are still a few small jobs left...

• Having simplified the wiring considerably, the engineer is planning to make it even better by getting a terminal post which can be used to connect in the anchor winch motor more elegantly.
• Engineer and mate measured and cut the last two soundproofing panels to go above the day-tank under the cockpit floor. The engineer managed to fit one before the glue fumes got to him - the other is still to be fitted.
• In the old Perkins days, there were two pushbutton switches located near the throttle which allowed the anchor winch to be operated from the cockpit. These had to be removed to make way for the Yanmar panel, which has all the instruments together. We planned to fit something new where the old tacho was, as there is currently just a hole there, and found an appropriate sized switch panel which almost completely covers the hole. We still need to get a suitable switch as we want a sprung switch, rather than an on-off switch, fit it to the panel, fit the panel to the hole and connect it up.
• And there is still some work to be done to fasten cables and pipes to make them more secure and avoid chafing.

But of course there are still things left to do. It's a boat, isn't it?

Final touches

The Repowering Project: Day 33, last day (Sunday)

The engineer investigated the problem with the starter solenoid, and found that the modification to the electrics to make the engine "above earth" had a minor logic error. The solenoid was earthed to the engine rather than the negative pole of the battery. Since the engine is only earthed when the starter solenoid is operating, this created a Catch-22 where the solenoid was only earthed if it had already connected, which it couldn't until it was earthed. What remains unexplained is how it worked even occasionally - the engineer thinks it is some capacitance effect.

That was the good news. Later in the day when the engineer was finishing off the job of securing all the new cables and pipes to make sure they stay where they should, he noticed to his horror that there was water dripping slowly but steadily from the platform on which the new water trap is mounted. His first thought was that the hose clamps on the exhaust needed tightening, but as the mate was assisting with this operation, she pointed out that there couldn't be that much water remaining in the exhaust line hours after the engine had last run. The water had to be coming from the water trap itself. Could it be leaking at the bottom, she asked, thinking that this was a horrible prospect. However this reminded the engineer that, right where the water was appearing, the water trap has a small tap which allows it to be drained. The manual helpfully tells you that you should use the tap to drain the tank when you "lay up for the winter", assuming that you are sailing in waters that freeze over. What it fails to say is "ensure that the tap is firmly off before installing the trap, especially if it is going to be almost inaccessible after installation". The engineer had to do very clever things with socket wrench extensions to get to the tap, but he finally succeeded in turning it off hard, and to our relief, the dripping duly stopped.

By late evening we had the boat in reasonable order again, ready for our return to Melbourne for Christmas. There are of course still things to be done, but she is sufficiently ship-shape to sail.

E-day at last

The Repowering Project: Day 32 (Saturday)

The observant reader will notice that there has been a gap of some days between posts. We really thought on Monday that the engine mght be started up on Tuesday. It was duly moved into place that day, bolted down and connected up to the propshaft and the throttle control, but then Keith and the engineer found that the exhaust exit on the engine couldn't quite be lined up with the entry to the new water trap. Jason took away his adapted fitting at about 1630 Tuesday afternoon and returned with it fixed early Wednesday morning. The rest of the week seemed to consist of daily trips to Brierley Hoses to get yet another bit of hose or yet another fitting as the engineer connected up the exhaust, the salt water system, the fuel lines, the freshwater cooling system, and all the electrical systems. The mate helped by driving on the trips for more bits, writing lists, tidying up, sorting things. She repacked all the storage hatches in the lazarette which had been emptied during the project, and put the Danbuoy back in its place.

Murphy gave a hand at this point: our new magazine rack chose a moment when everyone had their heads in the engine compartment to fall gently off the wall, and just as the mate was about to head off to the airport to return to Melbourne for a couple of days, the galley pump died. In her absence the engineer fixed it, as well as working away on the connecting exercise and rationalising a lot of plumbing and wiring in the process. By the time she returned late Friday evening, there were only a few connections left, and he finished these around midnight.
On Saturday morning we were just finishing off the mounting of the instrument panel when Keith rang to ask whether we would be ready for the final test later in the morning. The panel was mounted, the salt water cooling system primed and the seacock turned on. Keith arrived, did a final check of oil and water and that everything was on that should be on, and then the Moment had Arrived.

Captain and mate went on deck to turn the key. From Stop, to On, to Start and ... nothing! There seems to be a minor issue with the above-earth starter solenoid, which makes the start up a bit temperamental, but after a couple of goes we got the long anticipated rumble of a big diesel. Keith and the engineer checked everything was going according to plan, we turned her on and off a few times and tested the revs, and then it was time to shake Keith's hand and thank him for a brilliant job.

Captain and mate repaired for a celebratory coffee, then realised that it was almost dead calm and conditions were perfect for getting the boat back in the berth. So we skipped lunch, cleared the cockpit for action, slipped our lines, pushed her off the Slipping Berth and purred out in reverse. No drama.

Once out in the Derwent we headed down past the Garrow towards Taroona, then across to Ralph's Bay trying out the engine's paces. Nahani did 8kt at 2600 revs, gets to hull speed of around 8.5 kt before you get to max engine revs (3250 revs). We did wheelies in the water and found her turning circle considerably reduced. We headed back at a steady 6.5 kt, 2000 revs. She'll achieve a comfortable 5 kt cruising pace at around 1800 revs. It isn't exactly whisper-quiet at 2000 revs, but we're hoping to further reduce the noise when we complete the soundproofing (still need to do the inside of the inspection hatches, the back of the steps, and the roof above the day tank).

Berthing is always tricky, especially when you're getting used to an engine with very different characteristics, and the prop walk is the opposite of what you're used to. We had a moment when we were diagonally across the mouth of the berth, having a close encounter with a pile, but the captain backed her slowly, repositioned her a bit, and glided in, only needing to manage a bit of fending off of someone's dinghy as he lined her up. A couple of people assisted by passing us lines and we were securely berthed after the maiden voyage of the new engine, which has been nicknamed Roger after the character in Arthur Ransome's books.

Just as we were thinking about overdue lunch, Rolf and Deborah arrived with home-baked bagels and home-cured gravlax. We opened a bottle of bubbly and had a splendid celebratory lunch.

Now all we have to do is clean up...

Pre E-day

The Repowering Project, Day 27 (Monday)

As if I didn't have enough to do eating, sleeping and washing, now they want me to blog as well. Seems they're too stuffed or something. I have to say that things improved significantly today. For a start it was a nice sunny day for me to enjoy a snooze on deck. He re-assembled and re-erected the wind generator, which got the side deck clear for the first time in weeks. That seemed to take him a long time and a lot of muttering to get it fixed in place. Meanwhile she was footling about in the guest cabin. Then they got that big box out of the cockpit and back into the lazarette, and this huge black curly hose thing stuffed down beside it. Seemed to be a lot of noise and sawdust everywhere - must have been cutting holes in things to get that hose in. And they cut another bit of board, and chopped a bit off the mattress with a knife. At the end of the day they had mattress back and the guest cabin back in shape, so I can get back in there for a snooze, and all the seaberths are finally free for a cat to sit or lie on. And they've turned the hot water back on, so I can retreat to a warm spot in the cupboard beside it. I've got pretty used to going up on deck via the engine - sometimes it seems easier than scrambling up the companionway steps. Life is definitely improving (Sake)

Exhausted! Well, almost...

The Repowering Project: Day 25&26 (Weekend)

Weather miserable, raining nearly all day. Engineer spent the morning in the back of the guest cabin and leaning over the day tank re-routing the port side rear cockpit drain. Then he began work on the platform to support the water trap. Gods on our side again - he found two nice heavy stainless steel brackets almost the perfect size and shape in the bosuns scrap bin. Slight setback when he realised that the web on to which they are to be mounted is not vertical, so they need to be bent, no simple matter. Rain finally stopped in the evening, allowing us to open the lazarette to mount the skin fitting for the exhaust hose. Captain on the outside, mate on the inside tightening up the bolts when another rain squall came through, leaving the captain distinctly damp and adding wet clothes to the chaos below decks.

Early Sunday prepared to go back in the water. Fitted one end of the exhaust hose to the skin fitting, leaving the rest looped around in the lazarette. Engineer found that he could bend the brackets in the bosuns' workshop using a large spanner and a vice (well he is a vice-president). Back to platform construction.

Mate meanwhile has measured and cut a few more bits of soundproofing to be put in place once the motor is permanently in place, passed bits and pieces to the engineer as requested and tried to keep the ship in some sort of order.

Sake says:
Not trying nearly hard enough if you ask me. Can't jump on the starboard seaberth any more because it's occupied by tools, boxes, wet clothes, dirty washing. And no sensible cat would go on deck as the wind would blow your whiskers off. I did go for a walk late last night when they went for a shower - wasn't wet but very cold - had some trouble relocating Nahani as all the boats look much the same to me from underneath.

Later Nahani was relaunched without real drama, although gusty winds made pulling her out of the cradle on the slip and round the corner to the slipping berth fairly hard work for us, Danny and two helpers. Work continued without much change, except that it was very nice being able to step from boat to the jetty, instead of climbing up and down the ladder.

Of flying pigs and cats on mats

The Repowering Project: Day 24 (Friday)

While the engineer was in Melbourne being re-elected as Vice President of the Royal Society of Victoria, the mate did the anti-fouling and put another coat on the newly cut surfaces. Part way through the new exhaust hose was delivered by Nick from the RYCT office - ordered on Monday it arrived on Friday. The mate had told the bosuns that we might get it on Friday, but probability was low - flying pigs were mentioned. One must have flown past (or the kindly gods are still living in Tasmania).

On the engineer's return, we went in search of hose fittings for the relocation of the cockpit hose and started that project. As rain was forecast for Saturday, the mate put the last coats of paint on the wind generator and the repaired front of the lazarette.

And now, Sake the cat would like a word.

Meeeoww! When are they going to get this #*@! boat back in order? The only bits that are as usual are their bed and my bed, and they had better not mess with that. To get to my food dish I have to crawl past the engine, my alternate resting place in the guest cabin is unavailable because the mattress and bedding are all in the saloon, my sand tray is almost inaccessible behind the companionway steps which are in the forward cabin, I'm missing my evenings sitting at the dining table with them as the table seems to have been turned into a workbench and meals are off, except for breakfast which is not very interesting (no meat, no wine). Then he went off and she spent half the evening sitting in the engine compartment cleaning and sticking up tape - what kind of night is that? I sat on the mat on the engine to inspect her work, but you couldn't call it comfortable. I have enjoyed a couple of mornings in the sun in the cockpit, but there's a huge box out of the lazarette in the middle of that and people keep putting tools and other bits and pieces on my sheepskin rug. If I want a walk, she has to carry me down the ladder and although I can climb back up by myself, it isn't easy for a cat of my advanced years. Sometimes, when they're doing work on deck, they seem to turn off all the electricity, including my heater pad. It just isn't up to my expectations and they'd better get things back to normal Real Soon Now.