Tranona
Well-known member
Another milestone on this project achieved. After 6 weeks out of the water relaunched this afternoon. Major work was fitting the new Beta 30 with all new stern gear, installing a bow thruster, blasting and epoxy coating the bilge plates revarnishing all the external teak, polishing the hull, re rigging and new sails plus a new cockpit cover to mate up with the new sprayhood. Not all fully complete, mainly waiting for the rigging to be finished.
New Featherstream and Stripper also showing the redesigned rudder which I made over the winter to add some balance forward. Design based on the rudder fitted to the last 4 GHs built by Mark Urry. Challenge here was to ensure that the blades of the prop would not hit the rudder, particularly when hard over. I had drawn it out full size using blade templates provided by Darglow. Relieved that the actual clearance turned out exactly as per my drawing!
The bow thruster is a Sidepower 55. It is a bit further back from the bow than I would have liked, but inevitably there was bulkhead in the way. First picture is the tunnel and second the motor inside. The forecabin has an unusual layout with a single wide offset bunk which means that the motor fits inside the underberth locker but still on the centreline. It is powered by a bow battery that also does the windlass and controlled by a wireless remote which does both the windlass and the thruster. There is also a joystick control but not wired yet because it needs to run the length of the boat so will do it when I wire the B2B charger which goes the other way through the bilge.
The Beta 30 is mounted on new bearers which I built inwards from the original that once carried a Lister 20 then a Perkins M30. biggest challenge here was getting it back as far as possible while still using the high rise exhaust. The underside of the cockpit is the constraint. Mike Wills whose company installed the engine and bow thruster did a brilliant job modifying the pipe to keep most of the raised water injection point, but decided to put in an anti syphon valve as well.. Because the engine is shorter than the Perkins plus the modified exhaust we managed to get the engine box about 70mm further aft which together with a new engine box and steps will create more floor space in the galley and chart table area. The first picture shows the general engine installation and the partially constructed engine box and the second the top step panels as they will look. The centre one will be hinged.
Mike came with me for a run up the harbour to test the engine. We first ran it in Wednesday but immediately the fuel filter filled with crud. The boat has been sitting bow down for 6 weeks and all the crud had gone down to the front bottom of the 2 tanks where the outlets are. We got 2l of crud out before the fuel ran clean. Cleaned the filters and the engine ran fine for 15 minutes or so. Yesterday we got a further 3l of water and crud out and dosed the tank with some stuff that absorbs the water so that it burns with the diesel.
The engine ran perfectly this afternoon. Key thing was to test speed and revs. A last minute change of gearbox meant that the prop probably has too much pitch and that proved to be the case, making 2900 and 6.5 knots whereas I was aiming for 3200 and 6.9 knots. Reverse is a different pitch and as expected with the new gearbox is too low with little thrust at low revs and a bit fierce when revved up. I will get the pitch stops changed when I haul out next spring. What was pleasing is the lack of prop walk in reverse which the low pitch is designed to achieve and the fact that I could actually steer going in reverse - combination of prop and the added balance area on the rudder.
All these mods were aimed at making it possible for me to get in and out of my berth on my own, as I could with my Bavaria. Mission accomplished as although there was only maybe 8-10 knots of wind it was north which for my west east berth is the worst as the bow gets blown off as I reverse in. The combination of the boat being more resistant to blowing off and the control of the bow thruster made it easy to steer backwards and my only concern was the lack of thrust low down in reverse. Important thing is that I felt confident that I could keep control over the boat even though (or maybe because) it is completely different from the Bavaria with a tiller and low mounted engine control.
Looking forward to getting the rigging finished, sails on and hopefully a few more trips out before the weather goes.
New Featherstream and Stripper also showing the redesigned rudder which I made over the winter to add some balance forward. Design based on the rudder fitted to the last 4 GHs built by Mark Urry. Challenge here was to ensure that the blades of the prop would not hit the rudder, particularly when hard over. I had drawn it out full size using blade templates provided by Darglow. Relieved that the actual clearance turned out exactly as per my drawing!
The bow thruster is a Sidepower 55. It is a bit further back from the bow than I would have liked, but inevitably there was bulkhead in the way. First picture is the tunnel and second the motor inside. The forecabin has an unusual layout with a single wide offset bunk which means that the motor fits inside the underberth locker but still on the centreline. It is powered by a bow battery that also does the windlass and controlled by a wireless remote which does both the windlass and the thruster. There is also a joystick control but not wired yet because it needs to run the length of the boat so will do it when I wire the B2B charger which goes the other way through the bilge.
The Beta 30 is mounted on new bearers which I built inwards from the original that once carried a Lister 20 then a Perkins M30. biggest challenge here was getting it back as far as possible while still using the high rise exhaust. The underside of the cockpit is the constraint. Mike Wills whose company installed the engine and bow thruster did a brilliant job modifying the pipe to keep most of the raised water injection point, but decided to put in an anti syphon valve as well.. Because the engine is shorter than the Perkins plus the modified exhaust we managed to get the engine box about 70mm further aft which together with a new engine box and steps will create more floor space in the galley and chart table area. The first picture shows the general engine installation and the partially constructed engine box and the second the top step panels as they will look. The centre one will be hinged.
Mike came with me for a run up the harbour to test the engine. We first ran it in Wednesday but immediately the fuel filter filled with crud. The boat has been sitting bow down for 6 weeks and all the crud had gone down to the front bottom of the 2 tanks where the outlets are. We got 2l of crud out before the fuel ran clean. Cleaned the filters and the engine ran fine for 15 minutes or so. Yesterday we got a further 3l of water and crud out and dosed the tank with some stuff that absorbs the water so that it burns with the diesel.
The engine ran perfectly this afternoon. Key thing was to test speed and revs. A last minute change of gearbox meant that the prop probably has too much pitch and that proved to be the case, making 2900 and 6.5 knots whereas I was aiming for 3200 and 6.9 knots. Reverse is a different pitch and as expected with the new gearbox is too low with little thrust at low revs and a bit fierce when revved up. I will get the pitch stops changed when I haul out next spring. What was pleasing is the lack of prop walk in reverse which the low pitch is designed to achieve and the fact that I could actually steer going in reverse - combination of prop and the added balance area on the rudder.
All these mods were aimed at making it possible for me to get in and out of my berth on my own, as I could with my Bavaria. Mission accomplished as although there was only maybe 8-10 knots of wind it was north which for my west east berth is the worst as the bow gets blown off as I reverse in. The combination of the boat being more resistant to blowing off and the control of the bow thruster made it easy to steer backwards and my only concern was the lack of thrust low down in reverse. Important thing is that I felt confident that I could keep control over the boat even though (or maybe because) it is completely different from the Bavaria with a tiller and low mounted engine control.
Looking forward to getting the rigging finished, sails on and hopefully a few more trips out before the weather goes.
Last edited:
