MiToS re-built/fit- versilcraft Mystery43

[rafiki_]

Looks a lovely day there Vas. We have had no snow south of Birmingam yet. Lovely sunny day at Portishead today, sorry, no pics as it had gone dark by the time I had finished the chores. I have a couple of leaks that have emerged over the winter, the hatch over the main cabin, and the windscreen. Have been active with the Captain Tolleys a Creeping Crack Cure. Hope it works!

 

[Divemaster1]

Happy New year Vas...

Yes....believe window slides in a U shaped seal there... Will take some pics this week-end..

 

[petem]

guys, got some leak on the stbrd side salon window aft. Rain water gathers in the slide where the window normally opens and some of it manages to go IN rather than OUT from the gutter. Always thought it was a sealant issue, but now that I got both frames properly sealed and bolted down, I get some water dripping in serious downpours. Now following pics show the slide/gutter (call it as you wish) where the window pane moves. I can see some holes on the U formed ss strip (maybe 3mm dia) they seem to be 3 pairs iirc along the length of this section.
Now, I wonder if there was meant to be some sort of synthetic material to help the glass pane slide and doubling as a sealing agent for this strip. I vaguely remember removing some rotten/disintegrating "thing" out of that gutter when I was cleaning the frame in the summer and I wonder if the water coming in is due to this thing missing.
So guys, could you please check when you're next there if there's something in there? A few pics would be nice

This is what this gutter looks like now:

next pic you can see the slide marks either side of the holes as the glass rubs down there:

Happy New Year to ALL!

V.

Hi Vas, Happy New Year. Regarding the seals, I have heard many good things about http://sealsdirect.co.uk/ so they would be a good source of advice if Alf/MM and others can't sort you out. If you need new seals then obviously they are a good supplier.

Hopefully you'll get the the boat back in the water this year!

Cheers, Pete

 

[James L]

I recently took out one of my windows to fix a similar leak, once it was out I realised it was impossible for the water to leak in that way as it was all welded, after further investigation I discovered that the water was coming in through a wire hole in the flybridge, pooling in a pocket above the windows and then running down inside the lining, onto the window and out as if it was leaking through the window.
Very difficult to find until it had some damage done, but in my case I'm replacing the lining anyway.

Might not be relevant, but worth looking for next time it happens.

 

[Divemaster1]

Vas ... Forgot my mobile when I was up, but definitely runs in a U section ...believe they are called "Glass Run Channel"... something like this one..

will take some pictures next time I'm up as it may be a double channel ..

 

[LittleShip]

Vas, when I replaced the window channel I used the same as you have. Unfortunately the metal under the felt was mild steel and left, like you have rust marks.

This time I replaced with rubber felt like this

http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/p-1487-window-channel.aspx

I also increased the size of the drain hole to remove water from the channel ASAP. All the wood under and around the channel was epoxy coated then painted before refitting the new rubber window channel.

Tom.

 

[harstonwood]

Weather improving
Tried to spot your excellent boat from the air yesterday

 

[vas]

Hi Vas, Happy New Year. Regarding the seals, I have heard many good things about http://sealsdirect.co.uk/ so they would be a good source of advice if Alf/MM and others can't sort you out. If you need new seals then obviously they are a good supplier.

Hopefully you'll get the the boat back in the water this year!

Cheers, Pete

thanks Pete, hopefully there are two companies in Athens doing custom seals at very competitive prices, will check their catalogues online and pay a visit next week.
Better get MiToS in the water this time, it's getting too long now (and not much time to do any work atm!)

I recently took out one of my windows to fix a similar leak, once it was out I realised it was impossible for the water to leak in that way as it was all welded, after further investigation I discovered that the water was coming in through a wire hole in the flybridge, pooling in a pocket above the windows and then running down inside the lining, onto the window and out as if it was leaking through the window.
Very difficult to find until it had some damage done, but in my case I'm replacing the lining anyway.

Might not be relevant, but worth looking for next time it happens.

sure, good thing is that all salon ceiling lining is out so there's no way i'd miss that
My mistake was that I didn't check the frames when I had them out for painting the superstructure. I stupidly assumed that water ingress was from leaking seal between the ss frame and the plywood and it aint! Will sort it out (as all the other things...) eventually.

Vas ... Forgot my mobile when I was up, but definitely runs in a U section ...believe they are called "Glass Run Channel"... something like this one..

will take some pictures next time I'm up as it may be a double channel ..

Thanks Alf, will try and source something hopefully coming Monday in Athens.

Vas, when I replaced the window channel I used the same as you have. Unfortunately the metal under the felt was mild steel and left, like you have rust marks.

This time I replaced with rubber felt like this

http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/p-1487-window-channel.aspx

I also increased the size of the drain hole to remove water from the channel ASAP. All the wood under and around the channel was epoxy coated then painted before refitting the new rubber window channel.

Tom.

Tom,

yes I vaguely recall some fabric texture like felt. Maybe that was the norm in 1976. My worry with the rubber ones will be thicker and the window doesn't seem to have much space top/bottom to slide on, so maybe sticking
Sliding glass is straight pane of glass, no frame around it. Will get a few metres and try it out not much to loose tbh!

BTW, dear all, don't expect any updates from for the rest of January, let's hope that JTB keeps us all busy with his update. Weather down here is nice and sunny but day starts with -2 and goes up to 5-6 midday. Light to moderate N winds (with snow clad Pilion on the NE) means I don't even bother going to the boatyard. Focusing on admin work atm so that i can spend some time finishing off bits when the weather warms up.
Only real update was an ebay purchase of an AutoAnchor AA550C for the shocking sum of 37quid. Hope it works

Planning to get the portlights dismantled so that Alekos can paint in the workshop the fix bits mat dark grey and I can fit them and seal the whole thing.
Didn't even have time to check the order for the tinted glass for the new rear sliding door, nor the matresses that I've placed and order and prepaid three months ago... Have to catch up at some point.


cheers

V.

 

[vas]

Weather improving
Tried to spot your excellent boat from the air yesterday

have to admit I'm struggling to figure out where the places in the pics are...
You sure you were in the right hemisphere, continent, country, county and city?


gave up after fifteen mins between google maps and your pics!

cheers

V.

 

[moonraker 36]

little ship is right.
clean drain hole or even make bigger.
the channel felts are really only their to help the glass side better.you will have to get the right size felts or it will nip the glass, or you will have difficulty moving the window.

if anybody restores classic cars in your area they may have the felts in stock as it was also used in car door frames for the door glass.

 

[harstonwood]

have to admit I'm struggling to figure out where the places in the pics are...
You sure you were in the right hemisphere, continent, country, county and city?


gave up after fifteen mins between google maps and your pics!

cheers

V.

Ok
First pic looking North East from a position just west of Athens
Middle pic looking south east towards Athens heading towards old Athens airport and onward towards Egypt
Last pic looking towards the east from just west of the old Athens airfield

 

[rbcoomer]

Ok
First pic looking North East from a position just west of Athens
Middle pic looking south east towards Athens heading towards old Athens airport and onward towards Egypt
Last pic looking towards the east from just west of the old Athens airfield

Can you zoom in a bit next time please? My eyesight isn't quite as good as it once was...

 

[vas]

Ok
First pic looking North East from a position just west of Athens
Middle pic looking south east towards Athens heading towards old Athens airport and onward towards Egypt
Last pic looking towards the east from just west of the old Athens airfield

oh, ok, was checking around 200miles north
When you're next over Magnesia, Volos and the mount Pelion give us a shout (or take a few snaps at slightly higher rez and zoom plz

Can you zoom in a bit next time please? My eyesight isn't quite as good as it once was...

R., you need a bloody good eyesight to see 200miles away and off field from a digital snap!
imagination would be more useful tbh

cheers

V.

PS. nice and sunny, sitting at my office window, sun hitting me through the window and it's burning hot. However outside temp is 1 and with chill factor -2

 

[rbcoomer]

oh, ok, was checking around 200miles north
When you're next over Magnesia, Volos and the mount Pelion give us a shout (or take a few snaps at slightly higher rez and zoom plz



R., you need a bloody good eyesight to see 200miles away and off field from a digital snap!
imagination would be more useful tbh

cheers

V.

PS. nice and sunny, sitting at my office window, sun hitting me through the window and it's burning hot. However outside temp is 1 and with chill factor -2

The bright shiny spot where the sun reflects off of that fabulous paint-job would surely give the location away!

 

[vas]

Right, no progress whatsoever but I'm (occasionally) designing /sketching and definitely thinking about work to be done on MiToS. I also realize that I wont be able to spend enough hours working for at least another month

Anyway, just came back from George's workshop, checking out the mod for shifting the stereo to the salon so that Bluetooth connection to phones streaming music to it from the aft deck wont be horrid with breaks etc. Mod should be ready on Monday, check and cut the stereo slot and get on with painting it all again.
Tomorrow will check how I'm going to sort out the storing space around the chart table and decide where I'm going to fit the classic Sailor VHF. BTW, anyone know where I can get a new base/hook/howeveryoucallit for the handset?

Bart promised to sent me pics and sketches with dimensions for BA f/b seating bench. No fancy recaros here, just a bench long enough to seat me and the two kids. The box under the seating will be storing space for canvases and the propane gas cylinder 20-25cm high, one + one spare - not going electric anytime soon. I also want to get this fwd/back shifting backrest as per BA.
Finally this construction will possibly work as the port side support for a smallish and very simple hardtop where I want to get a p/v panel. One after another my boatyard (and marina) neighbours are installing p/v and the life of the batteries extends dramatically (will be installing new batteries as well, but that's another issue altogether)

Seating arrangement on the f/b has this bench starting 600mm from port and ending at the far strbd end of the railing. Vertical to it and going aft is going to be another bench (open and not enclosed-at least that's what I think). This bit is puzzling me as railing at the f/b is fairly low and with the way superstructure is designed is narrowing as it goes meaning that bench will shift towards the middle leaving an awkward space. Will take some fresh pics tomorrow and post them.
This bit of seating I've not sorted yet

Another issue for the f/b seating is HEIGHT of the seats. My friends' Princesses seem to have rather low f/b seats (and rather high aft deck ones for some odd reason...). lack of lumbar support is another thing to get into the equation especially since railing height is fixed in the f/b and looks like i'll use that for securing any cushions for that task.

Plan for the month is to sort out the salon window leaks so that I can get the salon furniture in place and start measuring for the extra sofa on stbrd side and decide/measure the cushions.

Other work to be done (without me spending awful lot of time that I don't currently have) is the painting of the portlights matte black - the colour the rings already bolted on the stbrd side and the engine vents are. Catch is that portlights need to be dismantled, hinges are ss tubes pressed on the alloy portlight hinging it to the alloy framed glass opening. Plan is tomorrow to remove the ones I've test fitted and get them all ten to the machinist to do it for me. then off to Alekos for painting and then fitting. Hinged inner part is nice and clean, new clear silicone for the glass and ss through bolts for putting it back in place. Doable by stealing a few evenings from admin work.

At some point I need to remove all heat exchangers, clean them, get new seals and refit them. will start with port engine which has the turbo out for refurbing and most coolant is out already.

See how things work out.

Ah, if Pete or MystereMarcus is reading, wouldn't mind a nice flat (no perspective distortion) high resolution pic of the side lettering Versilcraft Mystere to trace them and correct some of the letters. And a height measurement for the two words would be nice

cheers

V.

 

[MarieK]

Vas I missed the post (presumably at the start of this thread) on the status of the engines. What sort of condition are they in? Similarly for engine mounts/shaft seals etc.

 

[vas]

Vas I missed the post (presumably at the start of this thread) on the status of the engines. What sort of condition are they in? Similarly for engine mounts/shaft seals etc.

Stuck somewhere in the thread, don't even dare to attempt finding it.
Engines are IVECO 8061SRM33 (iirc) 6.something lt straight 6, 330 turbodiesels, have 450h, installed 14yrs ago now replacing the original Detroit diesels.
They are generally in good nick, except for the dodgy exhaust elbows that messed up one of the turbos (already reconditioned) that are scrapped.
So got new ss exhaust elbows, new 127mm dia rubber exhaust hoses to fit.
Also got to remove all exchangers and clean them, replace seals etc
A friend will help with shaft seals as I've not done it before and it's better if I see how it's done.

W/e was so knackered that didn't even make it to the boat, George did the sofa mod for the stereo and tonight sorted out the mounting of the stereo in there. Looks v.good, made sure the "lid" is shifted another 40mm aft so that when the lid opens it wont be smashing the stereo fascia and imho it blends very well with the whole setup.

next pic shows where the stereo will fit, looking at it now it would probably be better (for the stereo) to place it lower, will check tomorrow if George hasn't cut the hole tonight after I left the workshop.

Tomorrow we'll work and plan the ex chart table layout now that stereo and vhf wont be there. Need to figure out what type of storing space I'll create there. Chart table will be lined with the 10mm thick leftover iroko strips from the rubbing strake (I love recycling exercises...) I want it to be removable (in order to be able to repair upholstery which is stapled under it) so it will all be epoxy/pressed on a 6mm MDF or ply whatever we come about at George's workshop, sanded and probably lacquered or treated with Danish oil.

cheers

V.

 

[vas]

morning all,

4h worth of headscratching, cleaning and shifting things about, I now am ready to decide the new use for the old chart table and sort out the dash.
Lots of wasted space there far out of reach unless you've got incredibly long arms (but you're not even 6ft tall)

Main plan is to cut the original triangular dash stretching the whole width of the helm area (and a bitch to fit and remove!) reducing it to the central area (front of galley cabinet on port to helm station to stbrd). That will be symmetrically done, upholstered with the black fabric I used everywhere (that's how it was originally lined anyway) and elevate it to JUST under the two windscreens, leaving around 350mm useful space underneath. Now on the ex-chart table, this 800mm wide by 600mm deep (towards the bow) and 350mm high area is ideal for a drawer that will shift back giving access to a large volume of storing space.

On the port side, I'll create a "box" lined with black fabric yet again that will have an iroko "lid" and will follow the side window lines effectively slanting downwards towards the bow. Height will be 360 by the galley cabinet down to 260 under the windscreen.
Width will be approximately 560mm slightly narrowing to 540mm at the bow.
Plan is to have this iroko lid opening and folding flat the central part over the port side. This limits the length of the lid to approx. the elevated central dash as anymore forward and the 260mm wide lid wont be able to fold over as it will foul on the slanted screen.

Now if you followed thus far (I'm impressed!) I've got a couple of questions as I've not seen similar layouts and not sure how you compartmentalize and effectively utilize the space. I need to get pots and pans as well as plates and some glasses in there (although I've got another space I'll use above the sink for glasses). I understand I cannot (well I could...) just stack plates one on top of the other and systems employed in my friend's Princesses wont fit around here (or will waste massive space). I also don't like the original setup with open top upholstered "bins" to dump things in there (was an ugly mess)

Material use it's going to be upholstered underscreen central dash, upholstered upright elements, iroko owatroled worktop and port side slanted lid


Following pics show a mock with the iroko strips placed where the lid of the port cabinet will be. The two thin upright bits of iroko define the upholstered cabinet panel to port and the drawer fascia towards the bow:

Next pic features an upholstered strip on top of the VHF showing the aft ending of the upholstered dash:

Note the space above the stairs going towards the cabins. Another wasted space where I'm thinking of sticking the old Sailor RT143 (iirc) classic VHS with it's handset (seen in the pics) but not convinced yet.

Helm area will be sorted once a few more bits and pieces are in place in Feb. Struggling to find a reasonable way to organize the engines gauges and the Garmin 3006C plotter in a decent ergonomic setup due to the dodgy wheel and engine controls dash design.


cheers

V.

PS. for what it's worth I was sorting out pics on my server and currently have 4.5K highish rez (depends of the mobile phone used) pics archived at around 7GB on my server, whereas this thread has 1600 (800pix wide) pics or 150MB

 

[rafiki_]

Interesting Vas. I think on most Flybridge boats, there is quite a lot of unused space on the opposite side from the helm. Ours has the helm on the RHS, and nothing on the LHS a other than the skylight for the shower cubicle in the heads. It is quite a long way to clean the screen on the LHS, even for a 6 footer! If you can find a way of utilising this space better on Mitos, then I think this is a bonus for you.

 

[BartW]

Bart promised to sent me pics and sketches with dimensions for BA f/b seating bench. No fancy recaros here, just a bench long enough to seat me and the two kids. The box under the seating will be storing space for canvases and the propane gas cylinder 20-25cm high, one + one spare - not going electric anytime soon. I also want to get this fwd/back shifting backrest as per BA.

these are the seats

Vas, pm me your email and I'll send drawings and pics