Steel boat build - Almarine 1200fa
- Thread starter JOHNPEET
- Start date
Seastoke
Well-known member
AbsolutelyAbsolutely
GravyStain
Active member
Just finished binging this thread at my desk...
I, like many on here have done projects (cars, houses etc..) but this really takes the biscuit. Your attention to detail and trade level skills across so many disciplines is mind bogglng.
Most of all though I applaud you for your vision and persistence. Without those all the skills in the world are worth nowt...
She's a beauty, Congratulations!
I, like many on here have done projects (cars, houses etc..) but this really takes the biscuit. Your attention to detail and trade level skills across so many disciplines is mind bogglng.
Most of all though I applaud you for your vision and persistence. Without those all the skills in the world are worth nowt...
She's a beauty, Congratulations!
JOHNPEET
Well-known member
You are very kind with your words!
BruceK
Well-known member
I was most discouraged to find you were on your boat as I passed Monday. Not because you were in, but because I had 3 other boats in tow and was concerned your funbox might not stretch more than a few rounds. As such it wasnt a missed opportunity, rather a postponed one. We will stop one day to invite ourselves aboard.
JOHNPEET
Well-known member
Was aboard from Sat until Tuesday. Still sorting out a few issues that have reared their heads with the boat in use. Also did some fishing and the odd bit of chilling! We had another unexpected visitor to the boat on Monday evening too……….
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
Fixed these for you
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
Mr Googler
Well-known member
Looking at that photo…..was one of the problems you ran aground?
Boathook
Well-known member
Interested as to the few issues.
It is nice that wildlife feels at home on your boat and obviously waiting for the fishing rod to produce some instant snack.
JOHNPEET
Well-known member
Cheers! Really annoying that the photos randomly end up on their sides!
JOHNPEET
Well-known member
so I mentioned in post#532 that I had a high exhaust gas temp alarm on the port engine on the way over from Conwy. I swapped out the sea water pump impellers which improved the situation but the exhaust temp was still much higher on the port engine than the starboard one. The exhaust injection points are identical on both engines and from my recollection, i‘m convinced that the temps were almost identical on both engines when I ran them on test back in the boat shed! The only difference being that the water was being drawn from a bucket in the engine bay fed by a hose pipe as opposed to being drawn in through the intake, sea cock and raw water strainer etc. So I’ve been chasing that down. Stripped all the intake pipe work to ensure there are no partial blockages - all was good. So because I had no where else to go with this, last weekend, I removed the section of exhaust with the injection point and have taken it back home to do some testing and alterations, which I have completed today. Just to say that with the engine running, the exhaust only felt hot to touch for about the first 150mm of rubber hose and only the upper half of it for that length. After that, the exhaust is cool to touch throughout. So my aim today has been to alter the injection point to obtain a more even mix of sea water at the injection point. Adjustments completed, I’ll be taking it back to the boat for refitting and testing on Friday.
Ive also now had the turbos back from Midland Turbo and refitted those - initial testing ok, need a run now to see how things go.
I’ve also completed an oil and filter change to both engines.
The other issue that I’m still trying to resolve is the pump for emptying the holding tank, which just doesn’t want to prime! Having great fun with that!
Elessar
Well-known member
Holding tank situation normal. Welcome to boating.
Elessar
Well-known member
And you had to be persuaded to start the thread because you didn’t think anyone would be interested.
JOHNPEET
Well-known member
It’s been a while since my last update!
After carrying out a modification on the injection point on the port engine exhaust, the pipe work was refitted to the engine and I am very glad to say that the exhaust gas temp on the port engine now runs a few degrees lower than the starboard one! Photo below of the injection point on the exhaust. The original point is the one at 90 deg on the bottom of the pipe. Whilst the pipe work was off the boat at home, I gave myself two further options to try - the one at 90 deg on the top and the one a bit nearer the outlet at 45 deg. Following my testing at home, I chose to use the 45 deg option and plug the others off . I still need to change the plugs for stainless ones yet.
With regard to the holding tank pump - I had originally fitted a Shurflo 24vdc macerator pump which according to its spec, should have been able to self prime up to 3metres or so and run dry for a limited period whilst doing this. I have a holding tank of approx 150 litres with a dip tube outlet which sits about 10mm off the bottom of the tank. The outlet then goes to a changeover valve and then to the macerator pump which is mounted about mid point height wise in relation to the tank. The outlet from the pump rises about a metre to an anti-siphon loop and then drops down to the through hull fitting. Well after much messing about with the macerator pump including the installation of a sea water feed direct into the pump (tapped off the forward heads flush water feed) and replacement of the original impeller (which I probably cooked), I have ditched the Shurflo electric pump and replaced it with a Whale manual diaphragm pump which works perfectly. Not quite as easy as opening the sea cock and pushing a button - but it works!
We‘ve now had a few short trips and I’m happy to say that the overhaul of the turbos has been a success - in particular, the black smoke on the starboard engine that we experienced on our inaugural trip from Conwy has gone. We still have some white smoke when starting the engines from cold, but I don’t think that I will get these lumps any better than they currently are once warmed up! I’ve also spent quite a bit of time checking and re- checking the injection timing on that starboard engine too!
Most recently (Tuesday this week), we have now moved from our swinging mooring at Rowen Bay in Port Dinorwic, to Victoria Dock in Caernarfon, which will be our base for the winter.
Apologies that the first photo is upside down - again!
After carrying out a modification on the injection point on the port engine exhaust, the pipe work was refitted to the engine and I am very glad to say that the exhaust gas temp on the port engine now runs a few degrees lower than the starboard one! Photo below of the injection point on the exhaust. The original point is the one at 90 deg on the bottom of the pipe. Whilst the pipe work was off the boat at home, I gave myself two further options to try - the one at 90 deg on the top and the one a bit nearer the outlet at 45 deg. Following my testing at home, I chose to use the 45 deg option and plug the others off . I still need to change the plugs for stainless ones yet.
With regard to the holding tank pump - I had originally fitted a Shurflo 24vdc macerator pump which according to its spec, should have been able to self prime up to 3metres or so and run dry for a limited period whilst doing this. I have a holding tank of approx 150 litres with a dip tube outlet which sits about 10mm off the bottom of the tank. The outlet then goes to a changeover valve and then to the macerator pump which is mounted about mid point height wise in relation to the tank. The outlet from the pump rises about a metre to an anti-siphon loop and then drops down to the through hull fitting. Well after much messing about with the macerator pump including the installation of a sea water feed direct into the pump (tapped off the forward heads flush water feed) and replacement of the original impeller (which I probably cooked), I have ditched the Shurflo electric pump and replaced it with a Whale manual diaphragm pump which works perfectly. Not quite as easy as opening the sea cock and pushing a button - but it works!
We‘ve now had a few short trips and I’m happy to say that the overhaul of the turbos has been a success - in particular, the black smoke on the starboard engine that we experienced on our inaugural trip from Conwy has gone. We still have some white smoke when starting the engines from cold, but I don’t think that I will get these lumps any better than they currently are once warmed up! I’ve also spent quite a bit of time checking and re- checking the injection timing on that starboard engine too!
Most recently (Tuesday this week), we have now moved from our swinging mooring at Rowen Bay in Port Dinorwic, to Victoria Dock in Caernarfon, which will be our base for the winter.
Apologies that the first photo is upside down - again!
Bouba
Well-known member
I didn’t know one was upside down....I thought one was port and the other starboard ??
JOHNPEET
Well-known member
No, both of the modified port engine injection point.
The construction is a pipe within a pipe. The interstitial space is approx 3mm into which the cooling water from the engine flows via the injection point. The inner pipe which carries the exhaust gases from the turbo, ends about 50mm beyond the injection point
Graham Jolliffe
New member
Hi John, I found your blog recently and loved it! I thought you'd be interested in a photo of 'Ocean Legacy' - my Almarine AK 12.00 which I'm finishing off at the Folly in Cowes. Single Engine, folding top for European Canals and a lot of work still to go! I bought the boat from Alan Sharples, who built her in a field near Peterborough 3 years ago, brought her across under her own steam to the Isle of Wight and have been working hard to get her up and running whilst also having to work full-time. It would be great to compare notes sometime! Best wishes (and a very happy New Year!), Graham
Dufton
Member
She looks great!
JOHNPEET
Well-known member
Hi Graham, Happy New Year to you and your family too.
Its really nice to see the photo of your boat. Just prior to placing the order for my steel kit from Bonito Boats, I had been put in touch with Alan Sharples by Hans Alma. I went down to meet with Alan and his wife Alice and they very kindly gave me a tour of their boat - obviously now your boat! This was around 2009 and they were in the process of painting the boat having completed all of the welding. The information and advice that Alan provided on that visit was the final tick in the box for me and gave me confidence that I was doing the right thing with proceeding with my build! Alan had Achieved a really high quality on his build of the hull and that was quite inspiring for my project. I’ve been in touch with Alan and Alice ever since and their support was invaluable through the build of my project.
The whole of my project was completed whilst I was working full time too and I spent on average about 20 hours a week for 12 years working on the boat. Very hard work, but now it’s launched - it all seems worthwhile ?
Your boat looks great and I hope that you get to complete the outstanding work asap so that you can start to enjoy her.
More than happy to share experiences, ideas and other info.
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