Start of the season?

[julians]

It must be about the time most people get their boats ready , anyone got any grand plans for this season?

Pics below of the boat getting pressure washed ready for new antifoul & engine service .

 

[Bouba]

Just discussing this now....the boat is in the water, and we have had some wonderful winter weather this year for staying on the boat...but she is due to go back to her summer mooring very soon. There we will have her engine serviced..then we plan some road trips..so we will take her out of the water May or June for anti fouling etc and leave her out until about July ready for the summer. That’s the plan so far...

 

[Hurricane]

We are heading out to SCM in a couple of weeks to do the annual lift.
We have a shaft seal to replace and repaint the waterline (Awlgrip).
Usually, I prefer late season cruising but this year I thought we might pop across to Mallorca late June/July for a few weeks.
We haven't been to North Mallorca for a while but the weather will probably dictate what we do - probably end up round Santa Ponsa and Palma side.

 

[julians]

- probably end up round Santa Ponsa and Palma side.

If you see someone waving at you from an axopar 28 in santa ponsa or palma nova bay (or somewhere round that way) , it'll be us....

 

[Hurricane]

If you see someone waving at you from an axopar 28 in santa ponsa or palma nova bay (or somewhere round that way) , it'll be us....

OK
However, I have a friend, who sometimes posts on this forum.
He has a holiday home in Santa Ponsa AND and Axopar 28 that he keeps in Santa Ponsa marina.
So I will have to be careful who I wave at!!

 

[Parabolica]

Mine’s been out since mid January.
- New teak to side decks, bow and bathing platform.
- Repainted the stern plus garage to a white from black for new look and to avoid hopefully, the need to repaint in the future.
- New shaft seals (its on V drives so a PITA)
- Same on the P Brackets
- Replace all sea cocks as all were seized open
- Anti foul
- New anodes
- Re upholster the cushions

This is my ‘welcome to the world of boating“ start to my first season although aside of shaft seals, was all factored in to my purchase price offer.

 

[Hurricane]

Mine’s been out since mid January.
- New teak to side decks, bow and bathing platform.
- Repainted the stern plus garage to a white from black for new look and to avoid hopefully, the need to repaint in the future.
- New shaft seals (its on V drives so a PITA)
- Same on the P Brackets
replace all sea cocks as all were seized open
- Anti foul
- New anodes
- Re upholster the cushions

This is my ‘welcome to the world of boating“ start to my first season although aside of shaft seals, was all factored in to my purchase price offer.

Are they Tides seals?
If so, make sure that you have spare lip seals on the shaft.
I've needed them twice.
If you are brave, you can change a Tides seal whilst in the water.

 

[Parabolica]

Are they Tides seals?
If so, make sure that you have spare lip seals on the shaft.
I've needed them twice.
If you are brave, you can change a Tides seal whilst in the water.

I just saw this and thought, shite. I didn’t know this, bet that hasn’t been done. WhatsApp’d the people in Majorca who are overseeing the work for me and just a response to confirm yes, spares have also been fitted.

Phew !

Everyday’s a school day. Thank you Hurricane !

 

[Hurricane]

I just saw this and thought, shite. I didn’t know this, bet that hasn’t been done. WhatsApp’d the people in Majorca who are overseeing the work for me and just a response to confirm yes, spares have also been fitted.

Phew !

Everyday’s a school day. Thank you Hurricane !

I wasn't sure what seals you had when I posted.
There are special covers that Tides make to go round the spare seals so that they don't get damaged before you need them.
If yours haven't got covers, they are supplied in two halves so can easily be fitted later.
Unfortunately, the split covers are quite expensive - but worth it.



In the above pic, you can see the Tides seal in the background and two spare lip seals in the foreground. The spares have the split covers fitted.

When we first had the boat, it was explained to me that:-

These seals are "fitted for life"
BUT JUST IN CASE, THEY PUT TWO SPARES ON THE SHAFT

Over the last 15 years, my port shaft seals have been good (never needed the spares) but I've used all the spares on the starboard one.
Hence the job next month to "pull that shaft" and fit some new ones.
In fact, I'm actually going to fit a completely new seal on that shaft as well - long story.
Actually (another long story) - the other shaft (port one) had to be pulled a couple of years ago so that one had a completely new seal and set of spares at that time.
It will be nice to be back to a full set again.

 

[Parabolica]

Thank you again. I’ll be sure to get down and see what I have in place when i get over to check and approve the re-works done. This should be in the next week or so. It’s also good to see the cathodic protection linked to the shaft as I wondered how this was done, or is that brush assy for something else ?

 

[tico]

You have to be REALLY brave to change them in the water!
I bottled out and did it on a lift/hold.
The problem comes in getting the old seal out of the housing.
Just had both shafts pulled back (and needed couplings removing) to replace both active seals and the 2x spares.

 

[Hurricane]

You have to be REALLY brave to change them in the water!
I bottled out and did it on a lift/hold.
The problem comes in getting the old seal out of the housing.
Just had both shafts pulled back (and needed couplings removing) to replace both active seals and the 2x spares.

Actually, after doing it in the water, it becomes less of a worry, the more you do it.

My first one was done "professionally".
We went into a marina that had a big enough travel hoist available if needed.
But the guy who did the job didn't need the travel hoist and all was well.
I watched him so that I could do it myself another time.

I say "all was well" - well until the next time (last summer) when that same seal needed replacing.
We had one lip seal left on that shaft so I had a go myself.
It was only then that I discovered that the "professional" guy had damaged it when he did the job the first time.
He had broken the surround/flange that holds the lip seal in place.
So, there we were.
Water pouring in whilst we tried to fix the broken part.
Thanks to help from SWMBO and friends, we managed to keep the boat dry and do a repair that got us going again.
The girls got a system working - using a wet vac to empty the water and keep the bilge dry whilst two of us worked on fixing the broken seal.

In fact, getting the old seal out was relatively easy.
Sliding the new seal down was also easy.
And I could hold the new seal in place whilst the water stopped.
But I couldn't get the new lip seal into its recess.
Every time I pushed one side in, the other side popped out.
It needs the flange to push the new lip seal in squarely (if you know what I mean).
The flange contains screws that you can gradually tighten.
In our case, we managed to re-assemble the broken flange (now in two parts).
Once in place, it was a simple matter of gradually tightening the screws.
It is a lovely feeling as you tighten the screws and watch the water flow stop.

Anyway, having had those experiences, I would certainly do it again (in the water) but I would make sure that it wasn't broken before removing the old seal.

Best to have a contingency though (travel hoist available etc)
That last (difficult) experience was in San Antonio where there isn't a travel hoist big enough to lift us.
Unfortunately, we had no option because the old seal was leaking badly.

So, thats the long story - why I need to have a completely new seal fitted next month.

Sorry for the thread drift.

 

[Hurricane]

It’s also good to see the cathodic protection linked to the shaft as I wondered how this was done, or is that brush assy for something else ?

Yes it is galvanic protection to protect the props.
Electrically joining the props to the ship's main anodes.
Tides once told me that this was a modification that they did for Princess but after talking to them last year I think it may be more standard.
The rear half of the shaft contains a brass stud that passes through a hole in the front half of the seal.
Wires are attached to the rear of the stud connect to the ship's electrical ground thus electrically bonding the shafts.
The electrode (brushes) simply attach to the brass stud.

Here is a photo of the other shaft which shows the bonding better.
I fitted new electrodes recently as well.



In fact. that is the seal that is going to be replaced - even though the outer part of the flange is broken, the lip seal is perfectly dry.

 

[Parabolica]

Well, it won’t look like this for long but it’s great to look at for now !

 

[Hurricane]

Whats the yellow treatment?

 

[Parabolica]

Propspeed. Previously a green was used but this golden colour is much nicer to my eyes.

 

[julians]

Propspeed. Previously a green was used but this golden colour is much nicer to my eyes.

Is it supposed to be painted on the hydraulic rams of the trim tabs(and Hilo bathing platform)? Won't it either just come straight off when you lift the tabs or damage the hydraulic seals and cause them to leak?

 

[Parabolica]

The image isn’t clear on here but those parts are masked off and this tape will be removed before she goes back in of course.

 

[julians]

The image isn’t clear on here but those parts are masked off and this tape will be removed before she goes back in of course.

gotcha - obvious really!

 

[Hurricane]

Propspeed. Previously a green was used but this golden colour is much nicer to my eyes.

Sorry, I can't remember where your boat is located.
Please keep us posted with the results of the Propspeed