Elessar
Well-Known Member
Sorry this is a double post but a few of you have asked me to put it here so heregoes
Our new 390 is a project, having only done 20 hours in the last 5 years. But the price was good.
On the sea trial we spotted a few things more to be done, and beat him up a bit more on price. He agreed, but only in Euro notes. OK no odds to me I thought.
Actually, getting a wodge of euro notes that large takes more notice than the time I had. Eventually I arranged to collect them a Terminal 5 on Friday morning - we had a 920 flight. Mike, my business partner and co - owner of the boat was coming with me to collect her.
Maxed out luggage was squeezed into my wifes audi convertitible. Roof was put down to put the big cases on the back seat then put up again. Hand luggage was in the boot. We got to the airport drop off, put the roof down - it stuck. Won't go up, won't go down. There is a boot interlock so we couldn't even get passports etc out to go and get the money. I got the never used manual override handle out of the side of the dash. Roof was now securely shut but the boot wouldn't open, and the manual override handle snapped. I removed the back seats - but there is a metal bulkhead, and I couldn't get to the boot. One of the clever people in yellow jackets started his "can't park here" speech, but even he wasn't coming any closer in the mood I was in and left us to it. Just as I was looking for a very large hammer, mike found a hidden key hole and got into the boot. Hoorah.
Check in. Mike had booked in on line but it wouldn't let me for some reason. So I tried to check in and it rejected my number. Asking for assistance I was told the flight was overbooked. Wrong answer I told the lady, who can give me the right answer. I was sent to the other end of T5 and got myself a seat. Then got into the baggage drop queue. When they first opened T5 the baggage drop was proudly labeled "quick baggage drop". That irritated people so much they removed the word "quick". Removing staff that seem to work in geological time would have been better, but no, so we settle into the queue.
I run to the exchange place and tell them I'm here, but queueing. Yes we were expecting you they say, take your time, see you in a minute we'll get things ready.
So having done the same as everyone else and lied to the smiley lady asking pointless questions at check in, we went to get the money. The flight is in 40 minutes.
Mike watched them count it whilst I did the paperwork. Debit card declined. I rang the bank, thankfully my call is important to them, god knows how they treat the others. Ah you have a 30k daily limit on your card sir. OK wrong answer, put me onto someone who can give the right one. Then to lloyds credit, and I'm not giving them much credit after the whole saga of ordering euros and being given duff information, they put me onto someone with a brain. She asked me really obscure questions out of my credit check about places I lived years ago and people I knew years ago. She then removed the limit, I put the PIN in whilst she was on the phone, it was approved and she put it back again. My card was toast for the rest of the day but I could live with that.
So forms are done, money is paid for and counted. It is sitting just 2 feet from us. But we can't have it until a director has virtually signed the transaction because of the amount. He's in head office somewhere, having his breakfast. Flight is in 25 minutes. Eventually another director was found, we got the money and went through security, to the gate and get straight on the plane. No time for the loo even. But we made the plane.
We hired a car and drove to vinaros. We were very aware of the large quantity of 200E notes we had with us - we were certainly not stopping, there are a lot of car jackings.
We had lunch with the owner and broker, he then put us in his car to drive us to his office. I was on red alert, watching exactly where we're going and recording everything. We arrived at the offices of the same name in the ownership documents and I relaxed a little.
He had a machine to check and count the cash. It took 30 mins or so. Even so, to have a machine..... The greeks have a big problem with an underground cash culture - this is a guy with a car rental business I guess Spain is the same.
Back to the boat, get the power on, get the essentials working and off to dinner.
I wanted to change the fuel filter before leaving as they were full of bug. So we sourced new filters, and got them on. Took me a while to work out how to bleed the engines and the stbd engine kept stopping. Then we realised that tank had been syphoned.
Even with both engines fed from the full tank though, it kept cutting out. I had to keep rebleeding it, there was an air leak somewhere.
I thought I'd nailed it and we left for st carles, but I lost the engine soon into the trip. It was windy by now so berthing single engined was not ideal, and we elected to continue. At least in an MDL marina they speak English and could help us.
So I spent most of the trip in the engine bay. Seems there was an air leak to the bottom half of the glass bowl filter, I'd taken them off to clean them when doing the filters. The spare lid seal with the spare filters also fits the bottom half, I realised this only after I'd made a cardboard gasget.
So that was reassembled, but where to get 2 litres of diesel to fill it and prime the system?
I removed the diesel return from the stopped engine and switched the return valve to Both engines to port tank. That way the fuel return from the running engine pumped into my can. Is there a pleased with myself smiley
I bled the system and popped my head up for the first time, and st Carles was in sight.
I had to moor in a brisk side wind, no bow thruster and the throttles are so stiff in and out of gear they take 2 hands. Med mooring as well, which I'm OK with but it was new to Mike.
On the 3rd attempt we were in. We sat in the cockpit for a while and watched 3 Spanish boats end up broadside against moored anchors. We'd done alright, but with 1 engine it would have been hopeless.
A shower, then large cold beers ordered in the club house and a pizza. As a starter.
next morning we had a few essential jobs to do knowing that the next trip would be with our wives. One of which was to fix the forward loo. The motor went but it was obviously blocked, and blew the breaker.
So, down into the bilge I went to trace the pipework. I took it off at the sea cock first. Jubilee clips off, pipe as predicted wouldn't move. So I cut it, there was loads of slack. There was in fact a dip in the pipe which was puddled with liquid. Very old, concentrated and very very smelly liquid. But the blockage wasn't this end. I took the pipe off the other end and water passed freely into the bilge. Pipe OK.
Next take the motor off. To do this I had to remove the loo so it took a while. It wasn't blocked either. Now I'm confused.
The rubber flap on the outlet pipe however seemed not right, it has a weight on it which had corroded a bit. And it was stuck. No spares but I cleaned it off and it seemed fine. So I reassembled it all, and hey presto it worked.
For 15 seconds, and the breaker blew.
I checked the wiring diagram, and they'd wired it into the shower sump circuit. So unsurprisingly, the breaker does it's job and blows.
So the conclusion is this loo has never worked properly, and the flap got stuck due to lack of use.
The owner had paid to have 2 electric loos fitted, and they were bodged.
This is not the last bodgism we're going to have to fix. But the boat is basically sound, good moisture readings (especially so for a med boat) so no osmosis, and everything else can be done.
I had every intention of sailing her back, but I have had a contract come up that will keep me completely busy for 7 months, so I don't have the time. With deep regret therefore I had to book a lorry.
Our new 390 is a project, having only done 20 hours in the last 5 years. But the price was good.
On the sea trial we spotted a few things more to be done, and beat him up a bit more on price. He agreed, but only in Euro notes. OK no odds to me I thought.
Actually, getting a wodge of euro notes that large takes more notice than the time I had. Eventually I arranged to collect them a Terminal 5 on Friday morning - we had a 920 flight. Mike, my business partner and co - owner of the boat was coming with me to collect her.
Maxed out luggage was squeezed into my wifes audi convertitible. Roof was put down to put the big cases on the back seat then put up again. Hand luggage was in the boot. We got to the airport drop off, put the roof down - it stuck. Won't go up, won't go down. There is a boot interlock so we couldn't even get passports etc out to go and get the money. I got the never used manual override handle out of the side of the dash. Roof was now securely shut but the boot wouldn't open, and the manual override handle snapped. I removed the back seats - but there is a metal bulkhead, and I couldn't get to the boot. One of the clever people in yellow jackets started his "can't park here" speech, but even he wasn't coming any closer in the mood I was in and left us to it. Just as I was looking for a very large hammer, mike found a hidden key hole and got into the boot. Hoorah.
Check in. Mike had booked in on line but it wouldn't let me for some reason. So I tried to check in and it rejected my number. Asking for assistance I was told the flight was overbooked. Wrong answer I told the lady, who can give me the right answer. I was sent to the other end of T5 and got myself a seat. Then got into the baggage drop queue. When they first opened T5 the baggage drop was proudly labeled "quick baggage drop". That irritated people so much they removed the word "quick". Removing staff that seem to work in geological time would have been better, but no, so we settle into the queue.
I run to the exchange place and tell them I'm here, but queueing. Yes we were expecting you they say, take your time, see you in a minute we'll get things ready.
So having done the same as everyone else and lied to the smiley lady asking pointless questions at check in, we went to get the money. The flight is in 40 minutes.
Mike watched them count it whilst I did the paperwork. Debit card declined. I rang the bank, thankfully my call is important to them, god knows how they treat the others. Ah you have a 30k daily limit on your card sir. OK wrong answer, put me onto someone who can give the right one. Then to lloyds credit, and I'm not giving them much credit after the whole saga of ordering euros and being given duff information, they put me onto someone with a brain. She asked me really obscure questions out of my credit check about places I lived years ago and people I knew years ago. She then removed the limit, I put the PIN in whilst she was on the phone, it was approved and she put it back again. My card was toast for the rest of the day but I could live with that.
So forms are done, money is paid for and counted. It is sitting just 2 feet from us. But we can't have it until a director has virtually signed the transaction because of the amount. He's in head office somewhere, having his breakfast. Flight is in 25 minutes. Eventually another director was found, we got the money and went through security, to the gate and get straight on the plane. No time for the loo even. But we made the plane.
We hired a car and drove to vinaros. We were very aware of the large quantity of 200E notes we had with us - we were certainly not stopping, there are a lot of car jackings.
We had lunch with the owner and broker, he then put us in his car to drive us to his office. I was on red alert, watching exactly where we're going and recording everything. We arrived at the offices of the same name in the ownership documents and I relaxed a little.
He had a machine to check and count the cash. It took 30 mins or so. Even so, to have a machine..... The greeks have a big problem with an underground cash culture - this is a guy with a car rental business I guess Spain is the same.
Back to the boat, get the power on, get the essentials working and off to dinner.
I wanted to change the fuel filter before leaving as they were full of bug. So we sourced new filters, and got them on. Took me a while to work out how to bleed the engines and the stbd engine kept stopping. Then we realised that tank had been syphoned.
Even with both engines fed from the full tank though, it kept cutting out. I had to keep rebleeding it, there was an air leak somewhere.
I thought I'd nailed it and we left for st carles, but I lost the engine soon into the trip. It was windy by now so berthing single engined was not ideal, and we elected to continue. At least in an MDL marina they speak English and could help us.
So I spent most of the trip in the engine bay. Seems there was an air leak to the bottom half of the glass bowl filter, I'd taken them off to clean them when doing the filters. The spare lid seal with the spare filters also fits the bottom half, I realised this only after I'd made a cardboard gasget.
So that was reassembled, but where to get 2 litres of diesel to fill it and prime the system?
I removed the diesel return from the stopped engine and switched the return valve to Both engines to port tank. That way the fuel return from the running engine pumped into my can. Is there a pleased with myself smiley
I bled the system and popped my head up for the first time, and st Carles was in sight.
I had to moor in a brisk side wind, no bow thruster and the throttles are so stiff in and out of gear they take 2 hands. Med mooring as well, which I'm OK with but it was new to Mike.
On the 3rd attempt we were in. We sat in the cockpit for a while and watched 3 Spanish boats end up broadside against moored anchors. We'd done alright, but with 1 engine it would have been hopeless.
A shower, then large cold beers ordered in the club house and a pizza. As a starter.
next morning we had a few essential jobs to do knowing that the next trip would be with our wives. One of which was to fix the forward loo. The motor went but it was obviously blocked, and blew the breaker.
So, down into the bilge I went to trace the pipework. I took it off at the sea cock first. Jubilee clips off, pipe as predicted wouldn't move. So I cut it, there was loads of slack. There was in fact a dip in the pipe which was puddled with liquid. Very old, concentrated and very very smelly liquid. But the blockage wasn't this end. I took the pipe off the other end and water passed freely into the bilge. Pipe OK.
Next take the motor off. To do this I had to remove the loo so it took a while. It wasn't blocked either. Now I'm confused.
The rubber flap on the outlet pipe however seemed not right, it has a weight on it which had corroded a bit. And it was stuck. No spares but I cleaned it off and it seemed fine. So I reassembled it all, and hey presto it worked.
For 15 seconds, and the breaker blew.
I checked the wiring diagram, and they'd wired it into the shower sump circuit. So unsurprisingly, the breaker does it's job and blows.
So the conclusion is this loo has never worked properly, and the flap got stuck due to lack of use.
The owner had paid to have 2 electric loos fitted, and they were bodged.
This is not the last bodgism we're going to have to fix. But the boat is basically sound, good moisture readings (especially so for a med boat) so no osmosis, and everything else can be done.
I had every intention of sailing her back, but I have had a contract come up that will keep me completely busy for 7 months, so I don't have the time. With deep regret therefore I had to book a lorry.
