We hauled Rune on 10/29, after several delays due to high winds. The mizzen mast was taken to 22 Mechanics Street to replace the internal radar cable, and we set up the main mast for work on the rigging dock. Rune herself was moved into the center shed on the North end of the Frank Hall Boat Yard.
In the first week of November, I removed the wiring from the DC distribution panels, the battery control switch panels, the positive ship's service bus and the main ship's DC ground bus. The refrigerator chest, which was installed behind all of those components, is now ready to be disassembled and removed.
Replacing the wind sensor wiring in the main mast was difficult, because two cables had been glued into place near the head of the mast when a spline was used to repair a split between segments just below the openings for the internal wiring. Wade, from Taylor and Snediker, was able to break the wind sensor wiring free by removing the anchor lamp cable, so we replaced them both.
Wade next replaced the water speed sensor, installed aft of frame 13 on the starboard side of the hull. The new sensor fit nicely into the same hole as the old one, so he just trimmed its through-hull to match the width of its plank and installed it there.
Wade scraped the paint off the port sheer strake near the bow, just below the port anchor chock. Two years ago, we identified some decay there, and I wanted to inspect it again. Little has changed; we still see moisture incurring there, and we cannot identify its source.
We inspected all the planks nearby, and they were completely sound. To replace that one plank, all the bronze castings on the stem must be removed, and it seems possible that some of the beautiful fitted parts would be destroyed in the process. On balance, then, we have decided to repair the existing rot, seal the crevices between the metal pieces covering the stem as best we can, and inspect it again in five years.
After the boat came out of the water, I could remove the pipe for the centerboard pendant, which had been blocking me from replacing the alternator. After disassembling the binnacle which held the pendant pipe in place, Wade easily disconnected it, and I attempted to install the new serpentine belt for the new alternator. I removed the old alternator, and replaced the pulley for the engine fresh water pump, but I was unable to remove its crankshaft pulley. I have hired a diesel mechanic, with an impact driver, to help me remove the nut at the end of the shaft.
After checking the fit of the new alternator onto the bracket on my engine, I called the technicians from Electromaax. They questioned whether the kit I had been sold was the best one to go on my engine. I shall speak to them next week.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Late season summary
I have spent some time in September redesigning the DC electrical system.
Heavy electric usage, charging the dinghy motor battery from the static inverter and operating the refrigerator while cruising this summer, pointed up the fact that the alternator and the shore power charger were both undersized.
I had already purchased a new charger, so I installed it early in September. I intended to install a remote monitoring panel, but I had bought the charger so long ago that its model is now superseded, and I couldn't find the panel at any distributor. The panel has been back ordered, and I shall install it in mid-October.
I found a new alternator which could be bolted onto the Westerbeke engine, from Electromaax, a company in Canada. Its capacity is 120 amps instead of the 50 amps of the Mitsubishi alternator originally installed. Of course, the larger alternator will need better cables, because its currents will be larger. It will call for a new ammeter for the engine control panel, because the scale of the present one is limited to 60 amps. I think it needs an external regulator, to protect the batteries from overheating and premature failure; I will install temperature sensors on the two batteries and alternator.
In addition to the expanded electrical demands, the alternator is a substantial mechanical load on the engine, so it cannot be driven by the single 3/8" belt used by Westerbeke. I found a serpentine belt conversion kit from Electromaax, so I shall replace the pulleys on the engine crankshaft and its coolant pump with serpentine pulleys.
All of the alternator modification is very simple, except that the centerboard pendant runs in a pipe only about 3/4" from the coolant pump pulley. Removing that pulley will require disconnecting the pendant and moving the pipe, which can't be done while the boat is floating. Therefore, the alternator installation will have to be deferred until after the boat is hauled.
The one job I completed in September was to replace the single-circuit battery selector switch with a dual-circuit one. With the dual-circuit switch, the engine battery is connected to its starter separately from the circuit from the house battery to its loads. I hope that this will prevent the radar and GPS from being rebooted when the engine is started.
Charging the batteries could be a problem since they are now not on the same circuit. The shore power charger can charge both batteries independently, so they will be brought to full capacity alongside the pier. When using the engine the alternator is connected only to the engine battery, but I have an automatic cross-connect relay, which connects the two together when the voltage applied to one or the other exceeds 13.6 volts.
I also installed the fuses now required to be within 7" of the batteries on clever fuse holders designed to be bolted onto the battery terminal clamps. I selected 200-amp size, because the starter is supposed to require 150 amps. The documentation of the engine starter capacity was quite vague, though,so it's not completely clear that these are large enough.
Heavy electric usage, charging the dinghy motor battery from the static inverter and operating the refrigerator while cruising this summer, pointed up the fact that the alternator and the shore power charger were both undersized.
I had already purchased a new charger, so I installed it early in September. I intended to install a remote monitoring panel, but I had bought the charger so long ago that its model is now superseded, and I couldn't find the panel at any distributor. The panel has been back ordered, and I shall install it in mid-October.
I found a new alternator which could be bolted onto the Westerbeke engine, from Electromaax, a company in Canada. Its capacity is 120 amps instead of the 50 amps of the Mitsubishi alternator originally installed. Of course, the larger alternator will need better cables, because its currents will be larger. It will call for a new ammeter for the engine control panel, because the scale of the present one is limited to 60 amps. I think it needs an external regulator, to protect the batteries from overheating and premature failure; I will install temperature sensors on the two batteries and alternator.
In addition to the expanded electrical demands, the alternator is a substantial mechanical load on the engine, so it cannot be driven by the single 3/8" belt used by Westerbeke. I found a serpentine belt conversion kit from Electromaax, so I shall replace the pulleys on the engine crankshaft and its coolant pump with serpentine pulleys.
All of the alternator modification is very simple, except that the centerboard pendant runs in a pipe only about 3/4" from the coolant pump pulley. Removing that pulley will require disconnecting the pendant and moving the pipe, which can't be done while the boat is floating. Therefore, the alternator installation will have to be deferred until after the boat is hauled.
The one job I completed in September was to replace the single-circuit battery selector switch with a dual-circuit one. With the dual-circuit switch, the engine battery is connected to its starter separately from the circuit from the house battery to its loads. I hope that this will prevent the radar and GPS from being rebooted when the engine is started.
Charging the batteries could be a problem since they are now not on the same circuit. The shore power charger can charge both batteries independently, so they will be brought to full capacity alongside the pier. When using the engine the alternator is connected only to the engine battery, but I have an automatic cross-connect relay, which connects the two together when the voltage applied to one or the other exceeds 13.6 volts.
I also installed the fuses now required to be within 7" of the batteries on clever fuse holders designed to be bolted onto the battery terminal clamps. I selected 200-amp size, because the starter is supposed to require 150 amps. The documentation of the engine starter capacity was quite vague, though,so it's not completely clear that these are large enough.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Engineering plans for Autumn
This Autumn, I intend to redesign the shipboard electrical AC and DC systems:
1. Improve the DC power Sources:
2. Improve the wires:
3. Improve circuit protection:
1. Improve the DC power Sources:
- New battery Charger
- Xantrex TrueCharge 2 40A
- Remote operation panel
- Battery temperature monitoring
- Wires #8 or better
- if I use #14 wires, 14 feet long, their R is 38 mOhm, and the power loss is 60 watts!!!
- New alternator
- Electromaax 120
- Serpentine belt kit
- Alternator and battery temperature monitor
- External voltage regulator Balmar 614
- New wires #2 or better
- Automatic Crossconnect Relay (ACR) BlueSea
2. Improve the wires:
- Connection between Battery and starter will be all #1 or better; probably should be #1/0
- Includes battery switch and ACR connections
- Automatic inverter transfer relay for the AC power outlets.
3. Improve circuit protection:
- Terminal fuses for batteries
- New breaker panel
- New wire barrier strips
- Battery monitor
- Digital multimeters on the breaker panel for AC and DC
- Note that Blue Sea has a Vessel Systems Monitor, the VSM 422. It's not really as good as I'd like; it only monitors state of charge of one battery; it only handles 2 tanks; and it has a simple bilge sensor. The Command Connect system seems another approach; but it requires a subscription.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
When I was younger, so much younger ....
... I never needed any body's help in any way.
--John Lennon
I have looked for help from a number of sources in the last two weeks. I asked Hansen Engineering and Westerbeke for help in finding a bracket to hold a new larger alternator, or the CAD script for making it, or the drawings for it. They refused me any help at all.
I asked Raymarine sales engineers at the Newport International Boat Show for help in validating the design for a SeaTalk(ng) installation of new wind, water speed and depth measurement, integrating it with a new radar and chartplotter. They told be to post a note on the Raymarine forum and someone will probably answer it.
I asked Garmin for help in reusing the depth, speed and wind transducers I have with a NMEA 2000-compliant network system, and they said it can't be done; I have to buy all new transducers, and figure out how to install them.
...Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors.
--John Lennon
I have looked for help from a number of sources in the last two weeks. I asked Hansen Engineering and Westerbeke for help in finding a bracket to hold a new larger alternator, or the CAD script for making it, or the drawings for it. They refused me any help at all.
I asked Raymarine sales engineers at the Newport International Boat Show for help in validating the design for a SeaTalk(ng) installation of new wind, water speed and depth measurement, integrating it with a new radar and chartplotter. They told be to post a note on the Raymarine forum and someone will probably answer it.
I asked Garmin for help in reusing the depth, speed and wind transducers I have with a NMEA 2000-compliant network system, and they said it can't be done; I have to buy all new transducers, and figure out how to install them.
...Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Labor Day Summary
It's now after Labor Day, and I would like to summarize the season's issues.
First, the PDQ WiFi extender system is absolutely non-functional. It appears to have components which could be usable, but there is no technical support whatever. Not recommended in the least.
The early-season failure in the Raymarine radar turned out to have been in the main console. It was repaired by the manufacturer, after about 6 weeks in their shop, and worked for the rest of the summer.
The transducer for the depth sounder was replaced in early July, and I can't have been more pleased. Depth soundings are consistent, and frequent, although they are still often disturbed by wakes. Without a new set of electronics, using a different signal processing, I don't think its performance can improve.
Rune's wind sensor failed on our cruise to Cuttyhunk. When we returned, I sent a technician to the top of the mast, and found that the sensor connector was loose. Connecting it again solved the problem.
For the first time in seven years, we raced in the Classic Yacht Regatta, in Newport, RI. For the race, I removed the self-tacking jib and its boom. We raced without spinnaker, and the rules prohibited our Mylar genoa. Incidentally, the rules also would have prohibited our square-topped mizzen if it had been a mainsail. They also prohibited a flying sail change, which we were able to do with our experienced crew; if we had placed we would have had to protest ourselves.
We took 6th out of 14 boats, which was quite respectable. As always, we found things to improve.
The genoa track on the port side was lifted and bent by the load of the #1 jib. The primary reason seems to have been that the genoa car was positioned above a scupper in the toerail, which forced the shipwrights to use a short screw to fasten the track. The screw gave way, and the rail bent.
Fixing this issue is a matter for some thought.
The sail prefeeder for the headstay foil track was lost in the confusion of setting or changing sails, so I replaced it after the race, and changed the lanyard to a steel one.
I also found that the lanyard I had added to retain the headsail feeder was wrong. It turns out that when we wish to change sails during a race, we need to hoist them independently of the roller furling mechanism. To get the masthead swivel out of the way, we must drop it down to the bottom of the headstay foil, past the sail feeder gap, and stow it just above the roller drum. Then the swivel is below the feeder gap, and we can feed the sails into the foil above it.
I had fixed the sail feeder in its place in the gap with a short lanyard, which encircled the headstay. It was too short to allow the swivel to drop below the feeder, so I cut it and replace it with one just long enough to pass the swivel.
Andrew believes that the 150% roller-furling genoa, which was our most useful sail in this and most regattas, is past its worthwhile life. It can't be set with a firm trailing edge because it stretches away from the mast if set at its optimal tension, and tangles with the upper mainmast spreader if it is set too tight. He suggested I try to get Doyle Sails to make one with a modern loop attachment at the clew, instead of a grommet.
The #2 genoa,which is really about a 105% sail, worked well for the windward legs. We could perhaps have used a reef in the mainsail for about 15 minutes, but the course changed down wind, the relative wind moved aft and we were able to carry the sail comfortably.
It seemed that the mizzen staysail flew better when tacked to the base of the #5 and #6 main mast shrouds than when tacked to the loops on the cabin roof we have been using since we began racing. When I looked at the photos taken by North Sails from their regatta support boat, I thought the base of the windward forward gate stanchion might be even better. It is adequately reinforced, and does not need the awkward redirection of load on the turnbuckle when the sail is tacked to the shroud.
First, the PDQ WiFi extender system is absolutely non-functional. It appears to have components which could be usable, but there is no technical support whatever. Not recommended in the least.
The early-season failure in the Raymarine radar turned out to have been in the main console. It was repaired by the manufacturer, after about 6 weeks in their shop, and worked for the rest of the summer.
The transducer for the depth sounder was replaced in early July, and I can't have been more pleased. Depth soundings are consistent, and frequent, although they are still often disturbed by wakes. Without a new set of electronics, using a different signal processing, I don't think its performance can improve.
Rune's wind sensor failed on our cruise to Cuttyhunk. When we returned, I sent a technician to the top of the mast, and found that the sensor connector was loose. Connecting it again solved the problem.
For the first time in seven years, we raced in the Classic Yacht Regatta, in Newport, RI. For the race, I removed the self-tacking jib and its boom. We raced without spinnaker, and the rules prohibited our Mylar genoa. Incidentally, the rules also would have prohibited our square-topped mizzen if it had been a mainsail. They also prohibited a flying sail change, which we were able to do with our experienced crew; if we had placed we would have had to protest ourselves.
We took 6th out of 14 boats, which was quite respectable. As always, we found things to improve.
The genoa track on the port side was lifted and bent by the load of the #1 jib. The primary reason seems to have been that the genoa car was positioned above a scupper in the toerail, which forced the shipwrights to use a short screw to fasten the track. The screw gave way, and the rail bent.
Fixing this issue is a matter for some thought.
The sail prefeeder for the headstay foil track was lost in the confusion of setting or changing sails, so I replaced it after the race, and changed the lanyard to a steel one.
I also found that the lanyard I had added to retain the headsail feeder was wrong. It turns out that when we wish to change sails during a race, we need to hoist them independently of the roller furling mechanism. To get the masthead swivel out of the way, we must drop it down to the bottom of the headstay foil, past the sail feeder gap, and stow it just above the roller drum. Then the swivel is below the feeder gap, and we can feed the sails into the foil above it.
I had fixed the sail feeder in its place in the gap with a short lanyard, which encircled the headstay. It was too short to allow the swivel to drop below the feeder, so I cut it and replace it with one just long enough to pass the swivel.
Andrew believes that the 150% roller-furling genoa, which was our most useful sail in this and most regattas, is past its worthwhile life. It can't be set with a firm trailing edge because it stretches away from the mast if set at its optimal tension, and tangles with the upper mainmast spreader if it is set too tight. He suggested I try to get Doyle Sails to make one with a modern loop attachment at the clew, instead of a grommet.
The #2 genoa,which is really about a 105% sail, worked well for the windward legs. We could perhaps have used a reef in the mainsail for about 15 minutes, but the course changed down wind, the relative wind moved aft and we were able to carry the sail comfortably.
It seemed that the mizzen staysail flew better when tacked to the base of the #5 and #6 main mast shrouds than when tacked to the loops on the cabin roof we have been using since we began racing. When I looked at the photos taken by North Sails from their regatta support boat, I thought the base of the windward forward gate stanchion might be even better. It is adequately reinforced, and does not need the awkward redirection of load on the turnbuckle when the sail is tacked to the shroud.
Radar scanning, continued.
The radar scanner, a Raymarine RD218, came back from their repair facility. The diagnosis was--there is no problem. The scanner worked when put on the bench, and was checked out for more than six hours of run time in New Hampshire.
Therefore the problem has been isolated to the inter-unit wiring. The cable run from the display to the scanner has four multi-pin connectors and eight butt connectors in it. I received a list of expected pin-to-pin resistances as measured at the end nearest the display, and I have been checking them. They are failing, but in annoying ways, seeming to shift when I separate and reconnect the mast-base connectors.
Therefore the problem has been isolated to the inter-unit wiring. The cable run from the display to the scanner has four multi-pin connectors and eight butt connectors in it. I received a list of expected pin-to-pin resistances as measured at the end nearest the display, and I have been checking them. They are failing, but in annoying ways, seeming to shift when I separate and reconnect the mast-base connectors.
First cruise of the season
Rune is underway, on loan to Andrew and his family. They sailed on 7/2 to Block Island, and are rafting, with Josh, Sue and their family, on Bob A's mooring.
Before she left the dock, the refrigerator and the radar were both carefully tested and were operating. The dinghy lost some air, after about 4 weeks in the water, so I dried its bilges, topped up its air, and charged its electric outboard motor.
I failed to move the boat notebooks on board, so Andrew had to call about operating the potable water system.
The only known operational shortcoming is the depth sounder; it yields about one good measurement out of five pings. A transducer engineer from Moore Electronics said that this is a fairly good indication of a failed transducer. I did not have sufficient margin of time to replace it before Andrew needed to depart.
Before she left the dock, the refrigerator and the radar were both carefully tested and were operating. The dinghy lost some air, after about 4 weeks in the water, so I dried its bilges, topped up its air, and charged its electric outboard motor.
I failed to move the boat notebooks on board, so Andrew had to call about operating the potable water system.
The only known operational shortcoming is the depth sounder; it yields about one good measurement out of five pings. A transducer engineer from Moore Electronics said that this is a fairly good indication of a failed transducer. I did not have sufficient margin of time to replace it before Andrew needed to depart.
Commissioning complete
I have finished with commissioning the water system. I flushed the winter antifreeze and cleaned the tanks with a very dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite (bleach).
I have installed the PDQ Wifi booster system; I need to check on the configuration procedure.
The repair number of my Raymarine radar is 434835; ETR is 5/28/14.
I have installed the PDQ Wifi booster system; I need to check on the configuration procedure.
The repair number of my Raymarine radar is 434835; ETR is 5/28/14.
Friday, May 16, 2014
I found my GPS
I finally solved the problem with my Raystar 125 GPS. The trouble was embarrassingly trivial; I had swapped two leads on one plug in the lazarette of the boat, where testing it was very awkward.
After I straightened it out, the whole suite of electronic navigation devices started to operate.
I see a green flashing light on the LED for the GPS; I see a green LED on the front of the AIS. I see periodic data flashes on the NMEA multiplexer, indicating that it sees data on one of its channels. I see a flash on the AIS light on the VHF antenna splitter, about every 5 minutes or so, indicating that it is transmitting my position and vector. I can see the ship's location on the screen of the VHF, which implies that it is prepared for emergency message transmissions.
The radar scanner is still at the repair depot, but I can receive and transmit AIS data. Among other ships, I can see that of the Charles W Morgan, which is moored 6 miles away at her pier in Mystic, testing her navigation equipment in preparation for the start of her 38th voyage tomorrow. I can see my own location and vector on the Web site "Marine Traffic", which intercepts and displays the locations reported by AIS.
I have not moved from the pier, but my location is displayed correctly on the chartplotter.
When the rain ends later this weekend, I will load the hotel supplies on to the boat and commission the water system.
My GPS seems to be lost
Last fall, I removed the Raystar GPS 125 installed in the mizzen mast, in favor of the antenna for my AIS 650. This spring, I found that I cannot use the AIS 650 for navigation, so I am attempting to install the GPS 125 again, but it refuses to work.
As I read the manual, I should supply + 12VDC to the cable connected to the GPS, ground its green and brown wires to its shield, and watch the GPS boot (red flashing LED), listen (amber flashes) and acquire a fix (green flashes every 2 seconds). If I wish, I should be able to read the serial data output on its yellow wire, measured with respect to the ground.
What happens is more subtle. When I apply power, sometimes the LED flashes red, sometimes it does not. Often the LED stays stubbornly off. I have removed all other connections to the unit, but I can't seem to get it to operate consistently.
Apparently I cannot buy a direct replacement for the Raystar 125 from Raymarine. They now sell the Raystar 130, which has no NMEA 0183 output, favoring instead their proprietary Seatalk (ng) bus. Using this GPS would require at least one adapter, from Seatalk (ng) to Seatalk (1), and then some arrangemet to convert its data from Seatalk (1) to NMEA 0183.
I understand that Garmin still sells a GPS that uses the NMEA interface. I hate to add another brand to my boat, but it seems that this may be the path of least complication in the short run.
On the other hand, the Seatalk (ng) bus is a lovely adaptation of the NMEA 2000 "standard", implementing a nice moisture-resistant version of a CANnet. Its topology is backbone-and-drop; it has fairly wide bandwidth, and its operation is largely independent of any particular unit. Unfortunately, very little of my electronics could be reused.
As I read the manual, I should supply + 12VDC to the cable connected to the GPS, ground its green and brown wires to its shield, and watch the GPS boot (red flashing LED), listen (amber flashes) and acquire a fix (green flashes every 2 seconds). If I wish, I should be able to read the serial data output on its yellow wire, measured with respect to the ground.
What happens is more subtle. When I apply power, sometimes the LED flashes red, sometimes it does not. Often the LED stays stubbornly off. I have removed all other connections to the unit, but I can't seem to get it to operate consistently.
Apparently I cannot buy a direct replacement for the Raystar 125 from Raymarine. They now sell the Raystar 130, which has no NMEA 0183 output, favoring instead their proprietary Seatalk (ng) bus. Using this GPS would require at least one adapter, from Seatalk (ng) to Seatalk (1), and then some arrangemet to convert its data from Seatalk (1) to NMEA 0183.
I understand that Garmin still sells a GPS that uses the NMEA interface. I hate to add another brand to my boat, but it seems that this may be the path of least complication in the short run.
On the other hand, the Seatalk (ng) bus is a lovely adaptation of the NMEA 2000 "standard", implementing a nice moisture-resistant version of a CANnet. Its topology is backbone-and-drop; it has fairly wide bandwidth, and its operation is largely independent of any particular unit. Unfortunately, very little of my electronics could be reused.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Diverse, but limited, successes
As I wrote before, all of the electronics attached to the mizzen mast I had rebuilt malfunctioned when I launched Rune this spring. After finishing a depressing set of commissioning tests, I set out to repair the electronics, one unit at a time.
I decided that repairing the Raymarine Automatic Identification System (AIS650) should be easy. Its external unit is a simple antenna, but it still wasn't producing any fixes. I walked through the six connectors between the receiver and the antenna, and found both an intermittent short and an weak open. After finishing, I was rewarded by a simple green LED on the front of the machine.
I dismounted the radar scanner between rain showers, and sent it to its birthplace for refurbishment.
Although I find it amazing to learn, the GPS in the AIS650 cannot send its data to the chart plotter. In order to use the C70, I have to replace the Raymarine Raystar 125 GPS that I removed from the mizzen. Eventually, I shall build a new platform on the mast; it is really the most sensible place for the GPS sensor. In the interim, this year, I shall install it on the top of the mushroom vent on the transom. To firmly affix the GPS without damaging the vent, I shall replace its beautiful bronze lid with a tawdry one of plastic, to which I will bolt the GPS. Holding the plastic lid onto the vent will be its own problem.
The Raystar 125 is a full GPS system, with its own integrated antenna, receiver, and digital output. Therefore I shall just connect it to the Seatalk(tm) network when it has been installed.
On Thursday, when I arrived at the boat, I heard the engine alarm bell sounding from the dock! Since the engine was not running, it was very strange. To stop the bell, I had to open the main battery disconnect. I then turned off the engine alarm override, and found that the engine started as it had before. I concluded that I had partly moved the alarm override switch into its shut (non-override) position when I was in the locker next to it, and that wave action moved it all the way during the night.
The engine started, but not the way it should have. I had already noted, last year, that the alarm was not operating as expected, and the problem was on the list for later resolution.
When the key is turned to energize the engine, the oil pressure alarm is designed to sound, and then be defeated when the glow plugs are energized. When the engine starts, and the oil pressure meets its minimum, the oil pressure limit switch closes, and the alarm is kept off.
I found that the positive wire for the alarm circuit was connected on the supply side of the engine switch, rather than the engine side. Hence the DC was supplied to the alarm even when the engine was off. Reconnecting the wire in accordance with the wiring diagram corrected the engine operation.
I decided that repairing the Raymarine Automatic Identification System (AIS650) should be easy. Its external unit is a simple antenna, but it still wasn't producing any fixes. I walked through the six connectors between the receiver and the antenna, and found both an intermittent short and an weak open. After finishing, I was rewarded by a simple green LED on the front of the machine.
I dismounted the radar scanner between rain showers, and sent it to its birthplace for refurbishment.
Although I find it amazing to learn, the GPS in the AIS650 cannot send its data to the chart plotter. In order to use the C70, I have to replace the Raymarine Raystar 125 GPS that I removed from the mizzen. Eventually, I shall build a new platform on the mast; it is really the most sensible place for the GPS sensor. In the interim, this year, I shall install it on the top of the mushroom vent on the transom. To firmly affix the GPS without damaging the vent, I shall replace its beautiful bronze lid with a tawdry one of plastic, to which I will bolt the GPS. Holding the plastic lid onto the vent will be its own problem.
The Raystar 125 is a full GPS system, with its own integrated antenna, receiver, and digital output. Therefore I shall just connect it to the Seatalk(tm) network when it has been installed.
On Thursday, when I arrived at the boat, I heard the engine alarm bell sounding from the dock! Since the engine was not running, it was very strange. To stop the bell, I had to open the main battery disconnect. I then turned off the engine alarm override, and found that the engine started as it had before. I concluded that I had partly moved the alarm override switch into its shut (non-override) position when I was in the locker next to it, and that wave action moved it all the way during the night.
The engine started, but not the way it should have. I had already noted, last year, that the alarm was not operating as expected, and the problem was on the list for later resolution.
When the key is turned to energize the engine, the oil pressure alarm is designed to sound, and then be defeated when the glow plugs are energized. When the engine starts, and the oil pressure meets its minimum, the oil pressure limit switch closes, and the alarm is kept off.
I found that the positive wire for the alarm circuit was connected on the supply side of the engine switch, rather than the engine side. Hence the DC was supplied to the alarm even when the engine was off. Reconnecting the wire in accordance with the wiring diagram corrected the engine operation.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Spring commissioning 2014
The masts are now stepped, and boat has moved to her summer berth on Margin Street. Engine commissioning went without a hitch, replacing the sea water impeller and the first two fuel filters. The trip out of the boatyard was mercifully routine.
The post-launch checks are not going well. When I powered the Raymarine C70 multifunction display, I saw a message "No Scanner". I have checked the continuity of the conductors in the mast cable, and they are good. The scanner itself, a Raymarine type RD218 2KW radome, seems to have failed. I am troubleshooting with the aid of the Raymarine support forum, but I am sure that I am going to have to dismount it, and return it for intensive care.
In order to use the Raymarine AIS650 in active (class B) mode, I must use its internal GPS with the antenna mounted on the mizzen mast. I have been unable to fix a position. The status LED on the front panel of the AIS is red, indicating a fault the electronics can see. The cable resistance measures a short, indicating that one of the connectors is bad. Troubleshooting is beginning.
The post-launch checks are not going well. When I powered the Raymarine C70 multifunction display, I saw a message "No Scanner". I have checked the continuity of the conductors in the mast cable, and they are good. The scanner itself, a Raymarine type RD218 2KW radome, seems to have failed. I am troubleshooting with the aid of the Raymarine support forum, but I am sure that I am going to have to dismount it, and return it for intensive care.
In order to use the Raymarine AIS650 in active (class B) mode, I must use its internal GPS with the antenna mounted on the mizzen mast. I have been unable to fix a position. The status LED on the front panel of the AIS is red, indicating a fault the electronics can see. The cable resistance measures a short, indicating that one of the connectors is bad. Troubleshooting is beginning.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
New for 2014
In 2013, I made a few minor improvements:
I purchased an electric outboard for the dinghy. The new outboard is very light, and so clean I'm happy to store it in a berth. The motor, a Torqueedo Travel 1003, is satisfactory but not at all thrilling. It is quiet, but not soundless; it is powerful, but not strong enough to plane the dinghy; it has a lot of distance, but not enough to motor to Watch Hill and back on a single charge.
I added a solenoid for the CNG gas stove. This was a very simple safety-related improvement, which makes it very easy to cut off gas at the source when the stove is not working.
I installed an Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver, the Raymarine AIS 650, connected to the VHF, radar and chart plotter. It operated through 2013 in passive mode, listening to the broadcasts of other vessels, and plotting them on the screen.
In order to operate the AIS in Active Class B mode, in which Rune broadcasts her position and vector, the AIS650 must use its own GPS receiver, separate from any other, like the Raystar 125 we have been using all along.
When I tried to install the new GPS antenna, associated with the AIS, into the mizzen mast, I was unable to remove the old cable. The cable for the old GPS had been glued into place when the mizzen was repaired from the dismasting seven years ago. Therefore, I tasked Taylor and Snediker Woodworkers, LLC, to rebuild the mizzen mast, beginning in the Fall of 2013.
When Wade, at T&S, tried to free the GPS wire, he had to open the mast. He found a piece of heavy-duty electric wire, apparently a length of #14 extension cord, had been fastened into the hollow center of the mast from its foot to its head, with stainless steel wire staples. The wire had been cut near the foot,and its end stuffed inside the mast. Similarly it was broken about 2 inches short of the exit port at the top. I suspect that this wire was used to carry the HF signals from the LORAN antenna which was on the head of the mizzen when I bought the boat. That wire was so thick it prevented me from passing new wires through the mast. Of course, its impedance would have been completely wrong for the HF signal from the antenna and the lack of a coaxial shield would have injected noise into the receiver, and effectively reduced the system sensitivity.
At any rate, the mast was nicely scarfed and rebuilt. The cable for the radar was passed from the entrance hole near the foot of the mast to an exit hole about 8' up, where a bracket holds the radar dome. A pair of electrical leads were sent to an exit point near the radar bracket to supply power to a cockpit lamp. A coaxial cable was installed from the foot to the GPS platform about 12' up. A grounded Ethernet cable was routed to the exit point near the head, where it was connected to a WiFi receiver.
I also ordered a new mizzen sail, from Doyle sailmakers. The old one was more than 23 years old. As soon as we can complete the 2014 spring outfitting, we'll try it out.
Now, in the middle of April 2014, Rune has been launched and we are awaiting a weather window to step the masts.
I purchased an electric outboard for the dinghy. The new outboard is very light, and so clean I'm happy to store it in a berth. The motor, a Torqueedo Travel 1003, is satisfactory but not at all thrilling. It is quiet, but not soundless; it is powerful, but not strong enough to plane the dinghy; it has a lot of distance, but not enough to motor to Watch Hill and back on a single charge.
I added a solenoid for the CNG gas stove. This was a very simple safety-related improvement, which makes it very easy to cut off gas at the source when the stove is not working.
I installed an Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver, the Raymarine AIS 650, connected to the VHF, radar and chart plotter. It operated through 2013 in passive mode, listening to the broadcasts of other vessels, and plotting them on the screen.
In order to operate the AIS in Active Class B mode, in which Rune broadcasts her position and vector, the AIS650 must use its own GPS receiver, separate from any other, like the Raystar 125 we have been using all along.
When I tried to install the new GPS antenna, associated with the AIS, into the mizzen mast, I was unable to remove the old cable. The cable for the old GPS had been glued into place when the mizzen was repaired from the dismasting seven years ago. Therefore, I tasked Taylor and Snediker Woodworkers, LLC, to rebuild the mizzen mast, beginning in the Fall of 2013.
When Wade, at T&S, tried to free the GPS wire, he had to open the mast. He found a piece of heavy-duty electric wire, apparently a length of #14 extension cord, had been fastened into the hollow center of the mast from its foot to its head, with stainless steel wire staples. The wire had been cut near the foot,and its end stuffed inside the mast. Similarly it was broken about 2 inches short of the exit port at the top. I suspect that this wire was used to carry the HF signals from the LORAN antenna which was on the head of the mizzen when I bought the boat. That wire was so thick it prevented me from passing new wires through the mast. Of course, its impedance would have been completely wrong for the HF signal from the antenna and the lack of a coaxial shield would have injected noise into the receiver, and effectively reduced the system sensitivity.
At any rate, the mast was nicely scarfed and rebuilt. The cable for the radar was passed from the entrance hole near the foot of the mast to an exit hole about 8' up, where a bracket holds the radar dome. A pair of electrical leads were sent to an exit point near the radar bracket to supply power to a cockpit lamp. A coaxial cable was installed from the foot to the GPS platform about 12' up. A grounded Ethernet cable was routed to the exit point near the head, where it was connected to a WiFi receiver.
I also ordered a new mizzen sail, from Doyle sailmakers. The old one was more than 23 years old. As soon as we can complete the 2014 spring outfitting, we'll try it out.
Now, in the middle of April 2014, Rune has been launched and we are awaiting a weather window to step the masts.
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