New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Thanks for the photos of your "paradise" Captain.

Haven't been to Florida since I was a kid, (Daytona and Orlando)
except for the Panhandle.

Since I'm hoping to retire in 6 1/2 yrs and love water and boats
and need to escape these god awful winters, I really need to
come down and check out Florida. Didn't realize you were that
close to the Bahamas.

 

[sasto]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Wow...if you're going to under take the repainting of the engines, kudos to you my friend. That's a commitment. They truly need it. That's gonna be a lot of scraping and prep work.

Think what they'll look like afterward though...

You bet Fireman! You know as well as the others around here..it's what you don't see that causes the most trouble. Most of the things I see here, amongst us boaters, failing, is the stuff below deck, or under the cowling. This is a common mistake many of us make. There is a fine line between looking good and being good.... I'm a bilge rat. Always will be!

The engines and electrical systems are the top of my list. The engines will be cleaned and painted soon to detect any problems or leaks. I hope all boaters here do the same. I like coming home with a dirty, carpet grungy, blood stained, trash full, salty boat anytime... As long as we all make it safely and have a good time!

Safety is #1

Good Day! my bud!

 

[sasto]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

I really need to come down and check out Florida. Didn't realize you were that close to the Bahamas.

Hey Swabbie. Some like it here, some don't. Plan your next mini vacation here. Doors open, space to your own.

Bahamas? Just a hop, a skip, and a jump. 2 hrs of runnin' and 6 hrs of fishin', hopin' for that big tuna. At the dock for Happy Hour.

Your season is coming soon. Hang in there!

All kinds of problems with the 5 A/C units today. I think I'm sitting on the bottom in my slip. I checked all seastrainters 3 weels ago. Cleaned.... The A/C strainer was clogged with fresh marine growth with little organisims swimming around. I have a problem here.

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Hey Swabbie. Some like it here, some don't. Plan your next mini vacation here. Doors open, space to your own.

Bahamas? Just a hop, a skip, and a jump. 2 hrs of runnin' and 6 hrs of fishin', hopin' for that big tuna. At the dock for Happy Hour.

Your season is coming soon. Hang in there!

All kinds of problems with the 5 A/C units today. I think I'm sitting on the bottom in my slip. I checked all seastrainters 3 weels ago. Cleaned.... The A/C strainer was clogged with fresh marine growth with little organisims swimming around. I have a problem here.

Need a (formerly) ASE certified mechanic? I love air conditioning work.
I'm ready to retire and relocate now!

 

[tswiczko]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Yeah that looks like a poor prep job. Looks like you'll have to get some rust converter.

All the strainers I have seen were for debris mostly but they can grow biologicals quickly. I haven't worked with many marine application but have dealt with several that pulled water right out of a stream and had to clear strainers on a daily basis. Wish I was around there to get a good eye on the situation you have there. I worked in the HVAC/R trade as a service tech(mostly commercial and industrial) for quite some time before a young woman decided she was going to get polluted and try to drive her van through my car.

I would love to come and stay there. I do have family who moved there and have never come back. I was there to visit one of my cousins a couple years ago, but I was in the same situation I'm in now' but I have only have one year left and I will be able to scoot out of here so I am already looking for schools to apply to.

 

[sasto]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

All the strainers I have seen were for debris mostly but they can grow biologicals quickly. I haven't worked with many marine application but have dealt with several that pulled water right out of a stream and had to clear strainers on a daily basis. Wish I was around there to get a good eye on the situation you have there. I worked in the HVAC/R trade as a service tech(mostly commercial and industrial) for quite some time before a young woman decided she was going to get polluted and try to drive her van through my car.

Hi tswiczko. I did take a photo of the strainer after pulling the filter strainer from it. After speaking with some of the guys around here, I have determined the first thing I'm going to do is fire up the engines and run her in gear at the slip. We have alot of marine life in this area and I can't catch these critters on a hook and line. I'm going to disturb their home for awhile. It is just this area of the marina that has this problem.

I plan on using chlorine tablets in the strainer as long as she will be here.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Sasto...I have never heard of putting chlorine tabs in the strainers so I have a couple of questions:

~ Does it retard the growth of algae in the strainer baskets?
~ How much do you use? Pieces or pool pump tabs?
~ Does it harm the rubber seals? (I know chlorine can do a number on them)
~ Is the growth from freshwater runoff? The summer marina I'm at in DB has growth issues because of the street runoff. Algae grows badly near the seawalls.

Thanks in advance.

 

[scoutboater]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

I'm going to disturb their home for awhile.

Hey Sasto, I'm sure you already know this, but be careful about putting to much pressure on your dock. Thats a big girl with a lot of power...

On a similar note, I would think about running in forward and reverse, just to make sure you 'disturb' as much of your problem wildlife as possible.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Hey sasto,

Chlorine will of course kill and repel your little critters, but its also going to wreak havok on the metal it contacts. You'll be trading one annoyance for another. The corrosion the chlorine will cause, will end up being a lot more work to correct in the long run. Have you given any thought to copper sulfate? You can get it in liquid or granular form. You may be better off with granulated for the mild abrasive attribute. If you go to a marine aquarium store, you'll find many different paracides which will kill and repel crustaceans, copapods, isopods, ect. Good luck, Buddy. Let us know how you handle it; and of course, how this plays out. Lovin' the pics!!! Please keep'em comin'.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Hey (again), sasto!!!

Just wanted to let you know, when we get together in September, you can count on all the help you can use from me. Don't know whether or not you've thought about that, but if you have, your absolutely right.

 

[sasto]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Sasto...I have never heard of putting chlorine tabs in the strainers so I have a couple of questions:

~ Does it retard the growth of algae in the strainer baskets?
~ How much do you use? Pieces or pool pump tabs?
~ Does it harm the rubber seals? (I know chlorine can do a number on them)
~ Is the growth from freshwater runoff? The summer marina I'm at in DB has growth issues because of the street runoff. Algae grows badly near the seawalls.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Fireman,

Yes, it does control the growth in the basket as well as all plumbing following it. Most use small chunks of pool tabs or small hot tub tabs. The only rubber seal I'm aware of is the O-ring on top of the strainer. My guess is it could very well be runoff, or the stagnet area of the marina I'm docked.

Good Day!

 

[sasto]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Hey Sasto, I'm sure you already know this, but be careful about putting to much pressure on your dock. Thats a big girl with a lot of power...

On a similar note, I would think about running in forward and reverse, just to make sure you 'disturb' as much of your problem wildlife as possible.

Thanks for the reminder, scoutboater. I had her lines doubled up due to a recent storm. The pilings took the process well.

 

[sasto]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Hey sasto,

Chlorine will of course kill and repel your little critters, but its also going to wreak havok on the metal it contacts. You'll be trading one annoyance for another. The corrosion the chlorine will cause, will end up being a lot more work to correct in the long run. Have you given any thought to copper sulfate? You can get it in liquid or granular form. You may be better off with granulated for the mild abrasive attribute. If you go to a marine aquarium store, you'll find many different paracides which will kill and repel crustaceans, copapods, isopods, ect. Good luck, Buddy. Let us know how you handle it; and of course, how this plays out. Lovin' the pics!!! Please keep'em comin'.

I appreciate your concern veritas honus, the process always concerned me too. I have never been in the situation where I've had this problem. Several years ago while working as a mate my captain required me to add chlorine tabs to all strainers. While discussing my problem with some old salts at the marina, the chlorine idea came up again. One boat has been using the chlorine off and on for over 20 years. Says he has never had a problem. The amount of chlorine going thru the system is minimal, about as much as treated drinking water. There should be no more chlorine than the garden hose. I use tabs in the hot tub that recirculates the treated water, whereas the A/C system evacuates the water.

Copper sulfate? I will certainly look into it! Thanks.

 

[sasto]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

The intake hose to the A/C strainer was clogged and needed replaced.

Whoever routed the A/C lined from the manifold was misinformed. I'm going to have to redo it. All hoses should have no loops to create a low spot in them to prevent air lock. That's another problem I'm having

 

[Fireman431]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Wow...that's a heck of a set up there. Doesn't look like anything is secured to a bulkhead either. Were all lines just hanging there or did you remove any retaining clamps?

I'm going to look further into the chlorine idea, thank you. Those strainers look exactly like mine do while at the DB marina. My other idea was just to shut the AC off when I'm not there so that crap doesn't develop. I never get it in the engine strainers, because they don't run like the AC does in stagnant water.

 

[nlain]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Wow...that's a heck of a set up there. Doesn't look like anything is secured to a bulkhead either. Were all lines just hanging there or did you remove any retaining clamps?

I'm going to look further into the chlorine idea, thank you. Those strainers look exactly like mine do while at the DB marina. My other idea was just to shut the AC off when I'm not there so that crap doesn't develop. I never get it in the engine strainers, because they don't run like the AC does in stagnant water.

I don't see a place to mount them, no holes, no brackets, I know the lines are sturdy but I would want that mounted solid.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Correct. The AC manifold should be mounted securely and the water lines tethered together (uniformly) and hung to take the weight off of the plastic manifold.

 

[sasto]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Yeh guys, thats the way I found it. The manifold appeared to be tie wrapped to the stringer at one time. I'm in the process of rerouting the lines with no low spots and securing the manifold. While working on it I created a new problem, water leak from the water heater. These are old copper fittings that are crimped to the poly tube. Getting redone with compression fittings.

If you looked at this boat you would think she is a beauty. The interior is pristine and the exterior in good shape. The important stuff left up to a captain to either maintain or have repaired has been neglected. I hope I never get that way!

 

[Fireman431]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

There are a lot of people that feel that if a boat is clean & orderly, then it has had proper upkeep. This is a perfect example of "out of sight, out of mind".

I spend a lot of time in the engine room and bilge, but after seeing these photos, I feel I'll be spending a little more...just to be on the safe side. Just wish I was smaller....would be sooo much easier! (6' 3" & 215 lbs)

 

[sasto]

Re: New Job, 501 Constellation, Good and Bad.

Just wish I was smaller....would be sooo much easier! (6' 3" & 215 lbs)

LOL...I have an advantage there. At 5'8" and 145#'s (my high school weight) I can still twist up like a pretzel. While in the USAF i could walk under A-10's with no problem. But, I still manade to bang my head at least once a week.