Peche Promenade modifications - Many pictures

Major Catastrophe

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Right, First question to be answered, where do I keep my spare petrol?

On the Anatares and I expect on the MF 625, there is a hatch in the stern on the starboard side.

As you can see, I run the shore power lead out of there (It is fed through a pipe and into the boat to power outlets under the drivers seat) as well as keep the petrol can for Auxillary engine and the spare fuel can for the tender engine.

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As to the shelf, this is a picture of the forward area. On the left and right there are wooden ledges. I propose to build a marine ply shelf which will sit on the ledges, but which will hinge up, so that the center section can be hooked to the ceiling. Put bedding, spare clothes and other junk on to this shelf and push it up and out of the way.

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I made a crude drawing of the shelf.

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I hope it is self explanatory, but it will fit into the space and be afixed to the forward bulkhead and the centre section will lift on the hinges.

Next, the curtains, Made out of ripstop nylon, so they don't rot. I used Jenelle curtain rails. The side rails use the same screws that are part of the Antares window, so I didn't have to drill the window, but did have to drill matching holes in the rail. I know the MF625 windows are a different design, so you will have to be creative.

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The patio door curtain rail is screwed into pre drilled holes above the door.

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You can also see the other two lights.

The dark area is a blackout blind which is handy if you don't want your neighbours to experience a shadow striptease show projected onto your curtains when you get undressed at night.

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I screwed a nice mahogany batten I got from Wykes to the ceiling and it rolls up to be secured by velcro tabs. There is also a batten in the bottom of the blind, so it hangs right and is easy to roll up.

See, snug as a bug in a rug.

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The windscreens have blinds on them, which can be taken off completely, but by undoing the top velcro fastenings, you can peep outside without exposing yourself. They are backed with ripstop nylon.

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You can see my instruments. The trim gauge is on the port and the fuel gauge is on the starboard. I did ask why they didn't fit a white fuel gauge, but never got an answer. As you can see, I also have a fishfinder, which came as part of the package (That is the advantage of buying a the Boat Show)

The side windows also have blackout blinds which are simply velcroed on when needed.

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Finally, the 'cellar', as it is known in my family.

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Excuse the dirt, but it has been in the dealers boatyard for six months.

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I keep all the junk down there. You can see the fuel tank and battery. I also keep the tender outboard down there and engine flushing equipment. The short pipe - without the earmuff - is the flushing plug I bought so that I can flush the main engine after every trip. It just screws into side of the leg and you turn on the water.

One other thing, although I keep one can of spare fuel for the auxillary engine, it will not get me far, so I made up an emergency pipe, which plugs directly into the auxillary engine. All I have to do is cut the main fuel pipe and fit the emergency pipe onto the main tank feed. It is probably better than trying to syphon fuel out of the main tank at sea.

Other kit, is flares and a throwing line which is kept just inside the main door and is demonstrated to every new person who goes out with me, mainly so they know how to rescue me, if I go over!!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I also have a Waeco fridge/freezer.

The only other things to add, is an electric horn and a windscreen washer kit.
 
What a relief to see somebody else with as much "stuff" in their lockers, you have to be more organised on small boats don't you.
Not sure about the shelf plan though, have you considered a cargo net strapped to the bulkhead, can be stuffed with bedding, clothes etc... but not get in the way when empty.
 
Good Stuff!!

Maybe I'm a sad anorak, but we could be doing with more of these postings...It helps other non-creatives like me, to add that wee touch to our pride and joy.

Cheers
 
[ QUOTE ]
have you considered a cargo net strapped to the bulkhead,

[/ QUOTE ]

I have and I decided that it will not be ascetically complimentary to the junk room ambience of the boat.

Cargo nets. Good on gaff riggers and cargo ships, though.

I decided on the shelf as it would spend most of the time in the down position (Only need to clip it up if ferreting in the forward lockers, or if there are four people sat around the table. But, other than the berth itself, it would be the only large flat surface in the boat where I can store my charts flat and actually put things on that don't have to be constantly moved around.

You can even sleep with it in the down position - giving that pipe berth feeling!
 
MC, firstly thanks very much for the very detail post, and all the pics.

The MF 625 does have a hatch on the stern on the starboard side, the same as in your picture.
Shore Power, did you fit it yourself, as i don't think the MF has it, it is something i thought about fitting myself, along with a second battery that can be stored beside the main battery in the Cellar(as you call it).
There looks to be alot more space in your Cellar than the MF, the tank on the MF is situated forward in the space not aft, like yours.
That might be how you are able to open the hatch without folding the bench down unlike the MF which you have too!!

I now understand your shelf idea, do you propose to fold it up when you want to sleep on the boat? Or still be able to lie there with your legs underneath it?

Good idea to use the screws from the window to fix the rail up, it is the same sort of rail i had in mind. I fit curtain rails for a living as part of my job, so i am able to get all sorts of rails. Getting curtains made up by our sewer, we can have blackout lining sewn into it, so should do away with needing blinds as well. The front windows, also a good idea using velcro to fix, since its at an angle. You do seem to be full of good ideas. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The panel above the front window, you have your VHF on, again, i don't think the MF has that, i was wondering where to put the VHF!

The fuel feed that you talk about, will the feed to the main engine not disconnect and plug straight into the aux, as thats what i thought would happen, my spare OB was a fuel feed connector on the front, and i just presumed they will all be a standard fitment size?
3 engines on a boat that size!! Well done.

Now you have me puzzled, where do you fit a fridge on that boat???????

Do you find you need the windscreen washers????

Thanks again, for all the info.

Cheers

Al.
 
This man is ORGANISED! What a pity you live so far from where we'll be moored, which in case I hadn't mentioned it, is on the Hamble near Deacons yard. Re the previous "thread" (that is what it's called, isn't it) I'm glad - in the nicest possible way, of course - to hear that someone else was nearly in the market for a new pair of undies, 'cos I know I will be! I just hope no-one's watching me when it's time to take her out by myself. Like the shelf, I think I can do that on the MF and some curtains are a must. Cheers from Mad Ian.
 
YOu do realise mad Ian, that you have to take plenty of photos and make sure swmbo catches the moment you fall in, and report all with pics back here on the forum for us all to laugh at, i mean congratulate you!! don't worry, it'll be fine, we've all been there!! And yes, most of us have fallen in while launching, including me. One thig, if it has a bung, make sure its in, before launching, i forgot once, never forgot again after that!!!

Great boat, you'll have loads of fun.

Cheers

Al.
 
Shore Power, did you fit it yourself, as i don't think the MF has it, it is something i thought about fitting myself, along with a second battery that can be stored beside the main battery in the Cellar(as you call it).
<span style="color:blue"> No, I bought some flexitubing, fed it through the same channels as the engine controls, threaded the cable through and terminated it on a four gang block with RCD. The tubing prevents any wear on the live cable. Make sure you have enough cable to reach any dock power outlets as an outboard boat is usually berthed bow in. I have never needed a second battery. </span>

There looks to be alot more space in your Cellar than the MF, the tank on the MF is situated forward in the space not aft, like yours.
That might be how you are able to open the hatch without folding the bench down unlike the MF which you have too!!

<span style="color:blue"> I mentioned that in the orginal post, and it was one of the reasons I went for the Beneteau, other than the fact it was £2,500 cheaper. Couldn't understand why they set the hatch back so it was obstructed by the bench. </span>

I now understand your shelf idea, do you propose to fold it up when you want to sleep on the boat? Or still be able to lie there with your legs underneath it?

<span style="color:blue"> A good 18+ inches clearance. </span>

Good idea to use the screws from the window to fix the rail up, it is the same sort of rail i had in mind. I fit curtain rails for a living as part of my job, so i am able to get all sorts of rails. Getting curtains made up by our sewer, we can have blackout lining sewn into it, so should do away with needing blinds as well. The front windows, also a good idea using velcro to fix, since its at an angle.

<span style="color:blue">I decided not to line the curtains as it means you have plenty of light in the morning. It is very cosy and light once I take the blackout blinds down. Remember that the front windows are not square, so you need to measure them carefully. I even mark the blinds Port and Starboard so I know which window they fit. It takes all of ten seconds to put up both blinds</span>

The panel above the front window, you have your VHF on, again, i don't think the MF has that, i was wondering where to put the VHF!

<span style="color:blue"> I think you are correct. I am not sure if the Beneteau piece will fit the MF 625. It is a moulded glass fibre box that screws onto the facia with eight screws. Power/aerial cables are completely hidden</span>

The fuel feed that you talk about, will the feed to the main engine not disconnect and plug straight into the aux, as thats what i thought would happen, my spare OB was a fuel feed connector on the front, and i just presumed they will all be a standard fitment size?

<span style="color:blue"> No, the fuel and connections are hard 'wired' into main engine. The emergency fuel pipe I made up, has a connector one end that fits into aux engine and the other end has a plastic pipe inside, with spare jubilee clip ready to fit into cut end of main fuel pipe. It is for emergency only. If the main engine goes dud out in Liverpool bay, I only have limited fuel in aux engine and spare can. By the time that runs out, main engine will be cool and after clipping off the fuel pipe, I can cut it and connect the emergency rig. I doubt I will ever have to use it, but I have peace of mind that I don't have to press the DSC button on the VHF or syphon fuel at sea.</span>

3 engines on a boat that size!! Well done.

<span style="color:blue"> I had four at one time, but found the 4hp Johnson too heavy to lift on and off the tender!!! </span>

Now you have me puzzled, where do you fit a fridge on that boat???????

<span style="color:blue">It is a Waeco CF-25DC compressor fridge freezer.
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It sits on the loo cover and is brilliant. In harbour I power it off the mains and at sea off the 12 volt system. As it is compressor driven, it is cold in minutes. They cost £400 now, though. </span>

Do you find you need the windscreen washers????
<span style="color:blue"> It is a wheelhouse boat, so you can only steer looking through the windscreen. Get spray on window during hot weather, or even ordinary weather, when it dries, windscreen wiper use will smear the glass. You end up throwing water at it out the side window.

One other thing, if you get an auxillary engine and have to use it, you can lock it off and use ships wheel to steer the boat using the main engine as a rudder. I do this at least once a month during the season, to run the old petrol out of the auxillary engine tank. </span>
 
Great report MC, Am i glad you came back to the forums! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The fridge looks good, but one hell of a price!

Did you fit the washer system yourself?
Your fuel idea is a good one, and as you say hopefully means you don't need to press the DSC alert button.

Thanks again for all the info, i will let you know if we order the boat!

Cheers

Al.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Did you fit the washer system yourself?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's still on the to do list. Will go to Halfords and buy one off the shelf and it will spray dowm from under sunshield. Have to find place for water bottle though.

The fridge/freezer was an impulse buy at LIBS, the day I bought the boat. I think it was £349 back then, but I haggled the salesman down to £329.

It is great as we can bring home prepared frozen meals, which gets over the limited galley facilities.

I found it also keeps beer cool, which was a bonus.

It also senses low battery power and cuts out if the available power is too low. But, it has never done that and works all night off the one battery and the engine still starts.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Excuse the dirt, but it has been in the dealers boatyard for six months.

[/ QUOTE ] Ha ha. That is a quite normal amount of dirt. Without some dirt on your boat people may get the idea you are a bit obsessive.
Do not worry, and do not go cleaning it.
 
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