"Might as well...."

[damo]

\"Might as well....\"

Last year my boat was lifted to change the stern gland, so I had to remove the shaft, so I had to lift the engine, so I had to get the prop off, so I had to remove the rudder. So while it was out I might as well re-do the engine bay - strip, clean, paint, new soundproofing, 2 new sea-cocks, might as well replace the fuel lines, might as well put in new wiring because I had always wanted to re-route it to a new istrument console (which needed moulding), and I had always wanted to remodel the hatch and re-mount the autopilot motor and get at the bilge sump under the engine to replace the bilge hoses.

Instead of a week, the boat was in the yard for 8 months.

So what is the "smallest" job you have started which turned into building the QE2?.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[nimbusgb]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

A bit of a tidy up and a some re-varnishing.

So far its been a two year long refit.

Enjoyed every minute of it except perhaps rebuilding the head but even that was a rewarding!

 

[Csail]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

Rebuilding this house......still doing it after mmmmm 5 or 6 years.

 

[Rowana]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

[ QUOTE ]


So what is the "smallest" job you have started which turned into building the QE2?.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Every single one of them!

First year I had Rowana, I decided to fit shore power - 2 New batteries, which of course were not exactly the same size, so securing arrangements had to be altered; might as well have a fancy battery charger, so this meant the battery switch had to be moved, which meant a remodeling of the joinery work to suit.

Last year, the flexible water tank sprung a leak - Ended up with new deck filler, complete new filling pipework, plinth for new tank, outlet is in a different place, so new outlet pipework.

This year, I discovered a slight leak on the engine heat exchanger, thought a new "O" ring would fix it. No effin' way! This saga is still ongoing. I may make a seperate post once I get it sorted.


Shall I go on?


Keeps me out from under SWMBO's feet, though /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[matelot]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

Not boaty but I once owned a Triumph Stag. Worried about the well known cylinder head gasket proble I decided to lift one head of the V8 to have a look. Never occurred to me that you had 2 drain plugs one for each V so when I lifted the head, a load of water went down past the piston into the sump. The sump was belled upwards so no way could I get the water out without dropping it, and to driop it I had to remove part of the front suspension. Except it didnt end up as part but the whole lot because the bushes and bolts were rusted solid.

And the upshot of all this - no gasket problem in the first place. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Refueler]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

Vibration on shaft slowly increasing until it became a grumble. Put boat in for engineer - he found an engine mount failed. So OK - change them, do all actually as they are all old.

So :

1) Get yard chippy to cut all woodwork into sectional parts so that it can be removed and then replaced after work.
2) Get yard lecky to disconnect all electricals and engine leads.
3) Gas-axe old shaft and coupling as all old and corroded solid.
4) Remove rudder to exit shaft tail
5) While there - remove worn out rope cutter where previous owner failed to change spacer ring.

Oh I forgot to say boat of course had to be lifted out to yard !

6) Gas axe bearer fixings as mounts had bolts inserted from UNDER and were too long for engine to lift of after nuts removed.
7) Remove engine, bearers and mounts as one unit.

So now we have following to rebuild / replace ....

New bearers, old were oak beams - new substantial angle iron.
New mounts, old were Petter mounts holding a Perkins 4-99 34HP !! wonder they lasted the ~25 yrs ! - new Vetus jobs.
New coupling
New shaft
Refit and bed in shaft bearing unit in hull after being loosened by the vibration etc.
So all was slid back in with new gear, aligned and set-up. Furniture all replaced - now modular !!
Electrics reconnected.

What was expected to be a few hundred quid turned into substantially more ......... but at least I had a boat now that engine was not going to wreck itself !!

 

[snowleopard]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

Decided to buy a boat but couldn't find what I wanted so built it myself. 3 years.

 

[Saguday]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

Not boaty, but wandered into a newsagents to buy a magazine for some decorating ideas for our house in '94 from which followed a complex series of events culminating in us moving into a brand new self-built house in late '97.

And it's still not *quite* finished...

Tip: if you're looking for decorating ideas just buy Ideal Home and avoid Build-It and Self Build Magazine like the plague.

 

[Blueboatman]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

A friend of mine who is much smarter reckons DIY for him means Don't Involve Yourself!

 

[damo]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

I want a stern arch, but can't afford the grand or so to have one made, so I have acquired a large unwanted folding st/st canopy frame. This was just right for the curves, and with a bit of clever cutting I've got the arch components. So I borrowed a MIG welder, spent a bit on st/st wire and tips and a mask....and spent DAYS fettling the bl**dy welder. Turned out it wasn't just me it was the welder, so yesterday I bought a new one and welded the tubing. I've now bought grinding discs to cope with my welds /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

So what started as something that would just take some time and elbow grease and save loadsamoney.....loadsatime and I'm 1/3 of the way to £1k /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Mudplugger]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

Snap... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[damo]

Re: \"Might as well....\"

That sounds like something expensive just broke /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif