Back to the UK for a winter refit

[jimmy_the_builder]

But you DO! :encouragement:

The area in front of the engines and to the side of battery compartment is massive and great for storage of covers, tables chairs, lines and fishing tackle. All I did was mount four little posts about 200mm high with channels to allow a simple piece of white melamine shelving to slide into the runners. One longer piece and two smaller to create floor partitions. This makes them easily removable but gives you a partitioned (from the engines) area for storage. I kept several crates down there held securely with bungee hooked to floor mounts.

You would even have space for one of these little Teak tables. they look great and not expensive either.

See here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WOODEN-FO...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item33a264998e

I'm sure they do little folding chairs too, tho you may prefer some sort of Directors chair with 'Vega' on the back.

RR

That space you're talking about is full of Onan generator! I also keep a few crates down there, on that rubber non-slip matting. One box of spares, one of fluids, one of misc other stuff.

I quite like the idea of a carbon/teak combo table from Evo Marine...

 

[MapisM]

And thanks! Ref your comment on the other thread about finding the perfect patch of sand for anchoring when in 15m depth ... you've got me thinking about sticking a polarising filter on my ancam to see if I can use it to spot the sandy anchor target!

Yep, in that respect the position where you installed the AnCam is probably the best, because it's directly aimed vertically under the anchor.
If it weren't that someone around here might take me seriously, I would suggest to consider also a second u/w camera fitted directly on the anchor, as the ultimate sand patch spotting tool.....

Btw, I agree that the complexity of the platform extension probably deserves the virtual mars bar for the best upgrade more than the risers job.
I was just thinking of the teak finishing in my previous comment, rather than the structural changes. And I did say it's an each to their own thing, anyway!

Sorry to hear of the bent strut, but even if it couldn't be straightened, any fabricator that jfm classifies as "excellent" surely will be able to make a perfect repair. :encouragement:

 

[RogerRat]

That space you're talking about is full of Onan generator! I also keep a few crates down there, on that rubber non-slip matting. One box of spares, one of fluids, one of misc other stuff.

Sorry about that bum steer., The Onan must be much larger than the little F/Panda I had, probly due to the aircon requirement.

I used the partitions as I didn't have the engine covers and want a physical barrier from the belts.

That bent strut pain will be very straight forward to sort out for any 'class' steel fabricator. They have to be almost mangled before needing actual repairs. Derek, 'djefabs' is your man to advise. :encouragement:

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Just in from Coast 2 Coast. Well south of Lyon apparently, expecting to arrive at La Rague overnight tonight:

 

[Adrian]

I'm interested to see you haven't had her shrink wrapped which is something C2C recommended to us, any reason for this?
our boat is being collected by C2C on Monday for delivery to SOF, cant wait!

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

I'm interested to see you haven't had her shrink wrapped which is something C2C recommended to us, any reason for this?
our boat is being collected by C2C on Monday for delivery to SOF, cant wait!

I'm surprised they recommended shrink wrapping for transport; they usually recommend the opposite. The risk is that the wrap gets torn en route, and then the flapping of the torn bit causes damage.

I'd rather put the notional cost of shrink wrapping (c.£800 in my case) towards having the boat cleaned on arrival.

In general I'm extremely pleased with C2C - this is my third time with them. Russ is notoriously hard to get hold of, and yet so far has proved himself completely reliable and honourable in our dealings. Recommended.

 

[z1ppy]

exciting stuff Jimmy, looking forward to the pictures at anchor sat on the new platform with beer(s) in hand!

 

[Portofino]

They reverse the lorries in at La Rague for load / unload .
This means it will be picked up and put in with the stern facing out to the sea .
Ask for " Big Boom 2 " . - this will drop it into the bigger dock which is a doddle to reverse out .
If they use the smaller lift they will drop Into the smaller dock under the viaduct .Its a nightmare to reverse out between the other boats -unfendered concrete etc, especially in wind .
It's because it's coming in on a reversed lorry which means the lifts both of them will put it in stern facing out -sea .
The yard is very busy - full at the mo .

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

They reverse the lorries in at La Rague for load / unload .
This means it will be picked up and put in with the stern facing out to the sea .
Ask for " Big Boom 2 " . - this will drop it into the bigger dock which is a doddle to reverse out .
If they use the smaller lift they will drop Into the smaller dock under the viaduct .Its a nightmare to reverse out between the other boats -unfendered concrete etc, especially in wind .
It's because it's coming in on a reversed lorry which means the lifts both of them will put it in stern facing out -sea .
The yard is very busy - full at the mo .

Thanks for this but unfortunately I won't be there for the relaunch, I can't get down until tomorrow evening - so it will all have happened by the time I arrive. Are you local at the moment? If so, I wouldn't mind eyes on the relaunch, if convenient.

 

[Portofino]

Sorry J I have just left -otherwise I would have helped .
Arie D Boom guys are good and sea trial all the time .
The Yard gates closes 7 pm ish I think or what ever ,so if they moor it on the yard side and you arrive after lock up ,you may be locked out .
Alternative plan ( which you may have allready Sussed ) ? is ask them to moor it else where in the marina complex so you can get on it .
Anyhow good Luck. With it all

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Just for any once else using the Arie de Boom yard at La Rague, if you do arrive after hours they do indeed lock the main gates - but the pedestrian gate (to the left of the main gates) is left unlocked - so you can always get in.

Anyway: BA did their best to scupper my plans on Friday with a delay to my flight. As a consequence I was too late to catch the (very infrequent) train down to Mandelieu - but Coast 2 Coast saved the day by sending one of their pilot vans up to the airport to collect me. Very helpful.

Transport down and relaunch was all uneventful in the end, and after a couple of hours putting the goalpost, radar and aerials back on at La Rague, I headed back round to Port Vauban just as the sun was setting.

Here's a not-very-good wake shot, sort of, looking back towards La Napoule while heading towards the Lerins (in my own defence this was taken with my phone while doing 30kts...).

I spent the rest of the weekend generally unpacking and sorting things out on the boat. Unfortunately I do seem to have picked up a couple of issues, one of which is really baffling - stbd engine won't rev past about 3100 rpm (wot is 3500 rpm). I have recalibrated the levers, swapped the levers round, checked the fuel filters, and swapped the IAT sensors over. Nothing makes any difference. Any ideas anybody? Engines are Volvo Penta D6-350A-B running EVC-B2.

In between all the admin though I did get time for an afternoon at the islands yesterday, and a couple of hours at La Garoupe this afternoon. The anchor cam is just blimmin brilliant, esp when single handing (as I was this weekend). Check this out, for example:

The light coloured blob at the 2 o'clockish position is the anchor. Admittedly this is in only 3m of water, but nevertheless, for both deploying and recovering the anchor, the cam is amazingly useful. One of those gadgets that you don't realise how useful it is until you've got one.

 

[benjenbav]

This is probably as wrong as a wrong thing, but it couldn't be that with the new riser the ECU needs remapping in order to recognise a slightly different exhaust flow rate?

 

[vas]

This is probably as wrong as a wrong thing, but it couldn't be that with the new riser the ECU needs remapping in order to recognise a slightly different exhaust flow rate?

if LS1 chips in, he'd probably suggest fitting EGT probes and measure temperatures on both engines to check restrictions or flow changes leading to higher temps.
J, its the stbrd riser that was redone, right?

Is there any easy way in these el. engines to figure out if your governors are in the right position?

cheers

V.

 

[AllanG]

"Unfortunately I do seem to have picked up a couple of issues, one of which is really baffling - stbd engine won't rev past about 3100 rpm (wot is 3500 rpm). I have recalibrated the levers, swapped the levers round, checked the fuel filters, and swapped the IAT sensors over. Nothing makes any difference. Any ideas anybody? Engines are Volvo Penta D6-350A-B running EVC-B2."

Did you experience this problem on your trip to Brighton and back to Swanwick, James, or only since relaunch in the Med?

 

[RogerRat]

J, its the stbrd riser that was redone, right?


cheers

V.

Definitely, the Starboard side as the installation space was so limited.

Jimmy,
Did you have full working revs on the trip to and from Brighton?

I would imagine the filters were replaced during the works anyway. I only ever had reduced revs due filters once and that gave me an ECU alarm as well. Did you get an alarm sounding?

Roger.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Well in all seriousness I would definitely be up for it, I've biked down to the Alps a few times now, it's fab. You might have a job convincing the rest of your biker gang though, unless you organise a positioning delivery for them all.

Well actually I'm sure they'd all be up for it, Jimmy, especially with the promise of a trip out in your boat for a day at the end of it!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

How far under water? Is it possible to gather a group of fat blokes on the bow to push the stern up. I'm sure Deleted User would be first to volunteer

Nah, ljs, muscle is much lighter than fat

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

This is probably as wrong as a wrong thing, but it couldn't be that with the new riser the ECU needs remapping in order to recognise a slightly different exhaust flow rate?

Good point. I have no idea; it is certainly the case that RK Marine didn't mention this as a requirement when they asked me to get the riser modified.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

if LS1 chips in, he'd probably suggest fitting EGT probes and measure temperatures on both engines to check restrictions or flow changes leading to higher temps.
J, its the stbrd riser that was redone, right?

Is there any easy way in these el. engines to figure out if your governors are in the right position?

cheers

V.

I would very much like to hear from Latestarter on this one. And yes, it was the stbd riser. I'm afraid I don't know the answer to the governors question.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

"Unfortunately I do seem to have picked up a couple of issues, one of which is really baffling - stbd engine won't rev past about 3100 rpm (wot is 3500 rpm). I have recalibrated the levers, swapped the levers round, checked the fuel filters, and swapped the IAT sensors over. Nothing makes any difference. Any ideas anybody? Engines are Volvo Penta D6-350A-B running EVC-B2."

Did you experience this problem on your trip to Brighton and back to Swanwick, James, or only since relaunch in the Med?

Definitely, the Starboard side as the installation space was so limited.

Jimmy,
Did you have full working revs on the trip to and from Brighton?

I would imagine the filters were replaced during the works anyway. I only ever had reduced revs due filters once and that gave me an ECU alarm as well. Did you get an alarm sounding?

Roger.

No - same problem en route to RK Marine on Monday last week (which was the first time that I'd had the chance to try wot because of general sea state since the boat was relaunched). RK Marine suggested that the problem was caused by lever calibration and certainly their vodia tool suggested that at wot the stbd lever was only sending 94% to the ecu. However a recalibration has not solved the problem.

Regarding the fuel filters - yes, I've had the same experiences as you with low fuel flow - you get an evc warning for fuel pressure mismatch. No such warning on this occasion (no warnings at all in fact). And yes, all the filters are new at service.