Refueler
Well-Known Member
. Beats my five, but mine are all depth...I think...Two of which we still have to deduce what they do and what connected to.
You wonder what previous owners did when sailing the boat ...
- Thread starter Refueler
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Two of which we still have to deduce what they do and what connected to.
14K478
Well-Known Member
I have thought a bit more about this. Fifty years ago, in 1973, my father and I shared a small wooden yacht.
She had a petrol engine and a twelve volt battery, a transistor radio for the weather forecast, an echo sounder, plastic fenders and dacron sails and running rigging. And some flares. Apart from that she was pretty much the same as the boats my father was sailing in 1923.
Not a lot of sailing time was spent trying to get gadgets to work. I suppose we spent that time scraping, sanding and painting, each Spring.
The late Ian Wright used to say that the greatest advances were plastic fenders and mooring buoys.
Is that still true?
Stemar
Well-Known Member
I think I'd argue for GPS, which meant I could choose which entrance to arrive at when I got to Cherbourg, rather than dead reckoning under a cloudy sky and hoping that's the Cotentin Peninsular coming into view.
14K478
Well-Known Member
I have to agree.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Before I had GPS on a boat - I had one of the Nasa Decca units ......
michael_w
Well-Known Member
My first experience with Decca aka 'Desmond' was a channel race, CH1 off Cherbourg appeared through the fog by magic. What a navigation weapon!
graham
Well-Known Member
I had the posh decca that had one waypoint.
Sometimes cold wet fingers and fogged up glasses would result in a waypoint several thousand miles adrift !
14K478
Well-Known Member
In 1989 I abolished Decca machines and Decca charts in my employers’s fleet and told all Navigating Officers to get themselves down to the nearest yacht chandlery and buy TWO Walkers Decca sets, one for spare.
There was considerable harrumphing but in the end everyone agreed I was right, particularly when they had looked at the extraordinary cost of paper Decca charts.
The last twiddle the dials Decca set that I ever saw was in the wheelhouse (curiously, not the separate chart room) of a Grey Funnel Line ship - a Batch 2 Type 22 frigate - in 1995.
Grey Funnel don’t pay for their charts, of course.
There was considerable harrumphing but in the end everyone agreed I was right, particularly when they had looked at the extraordinary cost of paper Decca charts.
The last twiddle the dials Decca set that I ever saw was in the wheelhouse (curiously, not the separate chart room) of a Grey Funnel Line ship - a Batch 2 Type 22 frigate - in 1995.
Grey Funnel don’t pay for their charts, of course.
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roaringgirl
Well-Known Member
We had strange battery/charging problems for a long time after buying the boat. Also, the (house) alternator belt would often work loose.
When I finally got to these issues on the list I found that the charging problem was due to the alternator being internally regulated, but also wired to an external regulator. The belt kept working loose because the alternator was for a double-foot mounting but had been bodged onto a single-foot bracket.
When I finally got to these issues on the list I found that the charging problem was due to the alternator being internally regulated, but also wired to an external regulator. The belt kept working loose because the alternator was for a double-foot mounting but had been bodged onto a single-foot bracket.
doug748
Well-Known Member
I had a "Dinghy Decca" ( Navstar? ). Luxury, it had a single resettable waypoint which had to be entered with about a hundred key presses.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
The Nasa unit was limited in its area due to lack of chain identifiers programmed in. It was also unreliable ..... sadly.I had a "Dinghy Decca" ( Navstar? ). Luxury, it had a single resettable waypoint which had to be entered with about a hundred key presses.
Great idea .. in fact the unit was amazing when you compared to a Ships Decca set. If only it was more reliable.
Alex_Blackwood
Well-Known Member
Are you 100% sure of that statement? Would it stand up in court?
14K478
Well-Known Member
Well, no doubt an “agency” has been created in order to spread the bureaucracy even further - they don’t do their own recruiting now -“Capita” do - but at the time - 1995 - they would have been paying themselves. I can’t see why else they would have carried on using twiddle the dials Decca and lattice charts, unless they were just living in a bubble, hopelessly out of date, and careless with the taxpayers’ money …
… oh, hang on…
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srm
Well-Known Member
I think it was the Walkers Decca we had. Single line display alternating Lat and Long p/ls. A great improvement on log and compass. Having a steel boat RDF was hit and miss, even with a mast head antenna. Decca was not so good off SW Norway though as all the p/ls were almost parallel. Cross chain fixing was possible with Decca's own sets but not with the digital yacht market sets.
After Decca was turned off around Europe it still hung on in other regions for a few more years.
After Decca was turned off around Europe it still hung on in other regions for a few more years.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Previous owner had been cutting and taping a good headsail - trying to get to a prime foot length to suit his style. As I understood - he was considering it for the self-tacker.
The sail as he said was finalised for size and would be a template for a new sail.
We sailed boat across Baltic using the full genny that was on board as well .... plus main was rigged - but due to wind direction etc, was not needed. We were still finding out about the boats handling etc as well.
Once 'home' extra sails were removed and I found the cut / taped sail in its bag ... what a mess. He must have spent a fortune on sail tape ... there was no way I could ever think to hoist it to test.
Its folded up in my sail loft ... too embarrassed to let anyone see it.
Few days ago - weathers terrible - so I spent some time in the loft with what I expected to be the other full genny (seller said there were two full gennys, two full mains) ..... pulled it out and found its most likely the actual self-tacker sail .......
My sail loft is not quite long / wide enough for such sails ..... floor is only half of 3rd floor ... this is sail folded :
And the give-way detail - the self-tacker clew ...
The grotty bit cutting across above it - that's my old genny from other boat underneath - the glue line left after removing the UV strip.
The sail as he said was finalised for size and would be a template for a new sail.
We sailed boat across Baltic using the full genny that was on board as well .... plus main was rigged - but due to wind direction etc, was not needed. We were still finding out about the boats handling etc as well.
Once 'home' extra sails were removed and I found the cut / taped sail in its bag ... what a mess. He must have spent a fortune on sail tape ... there was no way I could ever think to hoist it to test.
Its folded up in my sail loft ... too embarrassed to let anyone see it.
Few days ago - weathers terrible - so I spent some time in the loft with what I expected to be the other full genny (seller said there were two full gennys, two full mains) ..... pulled it out and found its most likely the actual self-tacker sail .......
My sail loft is not quite long / wide enough for such sails ..... floor is only half of 3rd floor ... this is sail folded :
And the give-way detail - the self-tacker clew ...
The grotty bit cutting across above it - that's my old genny from other boat underneath - the glue line left after removing the UV strip.
thinwater
Well-Known Member
Yup.
And on the other hand, sometimes details only make sense 5 years into it. Just a few months ago I figured out one small detail of the original reefing procedure that I'd better dinner the last two owners didn't use. It only took me 6 years.
That said, I then modified it a little, since there was room for improvement.
The first boat I bought, the new battery dies within just a few days. I then found that he had attached the engine charging leads across the -/+ terminals on the battery switch. It "charged" when the motor and everything was off, and was a dead short when the battery switch was on. Pretty sure he'd had no functioning electric system for years. I found some other oddities and shorts while rewiring the boat.
And on the other hand, sometimes details only make sense 5 years into it. Just a few months ago I figured out one small detail of the original reefing procedure that I'd better dinner the last two owners didn't use. It only took me 6 years.
That said, I then modified it a little, since there was room for improvement.The first boat I bought, the new battery dies within just a few days. I then found that he had attached the engine charging leads across the -/+ terminals on the battery switch. It "charged" when the motor and everything was off, and was a dead short when the battery switch was on. Pretty sure he'd had no functioning electric system for years. I found some other oddities and shorts while rewiring the boat.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Yup.
And on the other hand, sometimes details only make sense 5 years into it. Just a few months ago I figured out one small detail of the original reefing procedure that I'd better dinner the last two owners didn't use. It only took me 6 years.
The first boat I bought, the new battery dies within just a few days. I then found that he had attached the engine charging leads across the -/+ terminals on the battery switch. It "charged" when the motor and everything was off, and was a dead short when the battery switch was on. Pretty sure he'd had no functioning electric system for years. I found some other oddities and shorts while rewiring the boat.
In another thread - I mentioned previous owner had an extra FW tank installed. We could not get FW to work on board - but SW did ...
We opened up under the bunk and found the new FW flexi tank .,, plumbed in and full ...
I emptied the tank .... so next day we would remove and look for the problem.
Next day went back and found tank full again .... but from where ?? Its 100lt - so not some small affair.
Tracing pipes was not easy as fwd section under the bunk was expanded foam and pipes passed through that. We eventually found that the tank had not been plumbed to the existing FW system - but actually to the SW inlet !!
Good job we didn't pull pipes apart day before !
SW inlet closed .... emptied tank again .... cut the piping - swapped over and reconnected in line with existing FW system ... joined SW line bypassing the tank ..... all fine then - apart from FW foot pump kanckered ! Replaced that.
No wonder he had a 20lt drum under the sink for FW .....
The Q
Well-Known Member
The motor boat,
had a rat's nest of wires all over the place most of which did nothing.
The galley sink waste pipe had rotted out it's bottom and dumped its contents into the bilge.
There are some pipes that seem to do nothing that are routed under the shower I've yet to find out where they go, but the showers due for a refit so I'll find out soon.
had a rat's nest of wires all over the place most of which did nothing.
The galley sink waste pipe had rotted out it's bottom and dumped its contents into the bilge.
There are some pipes that seem to do nothing that are routed under the shower I've yet to find out where they go, but the showers due for a refit so I'll find out soon.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Finally weather let up and I got on board again. Measured the distance furler to self-tacker rail = 3.70m .....
The sail above measured : Luff 12.61m ... foot 3.61m ... so why did previous owner cut and ruin a good sail trying to produce a selftacker ?
Onto next item : under the port side main cabin bunk - the fwd section stowage has been filled with expanded foam ... stbd side not. Thinking to dig it all out and regain stowage volume. It is a pain as pipes and cables pass through / under the foam ...
The sail above measured : Luff 12.61m ... foot 3.61m ... so why did previous owner cut and ruin a good sail trying to produce a selftacker ?
Onto next item : under the port side main cabin bunk - the fwd section stowage has been filled with expanded foam ... stbd side not. Thinking to dig it all out and regain stowage volume. It is a pain as pipes and cables pass through / under the foam ...
mattonthesea
Well-Known Member
I think the trick with trying to work out what the previous owner was doing is to try and put yourself in their place and the way they thought, and look for clues to their level of skills in the various areas. For instance, my boat's previous owner was obviously not a hardy sailor. The boat was clearly set up for day motoring short distances around the coast. She had a good paint job and was very comfortable (beautiful plumage). One of the clues was the chart plotter set up: a temporary suction fitting to the bulkhead and a tangle of wires through the companion way and plugged into various bits of the chart desk! So my surprise wasn't total to find that the electrics were a jumble of chocolate box multiple connections in a complete rainbow of wire colors. Probably the most sensible item was the use of a nut and bolt as a bus bar.
So this led me to think that the previous owner wasn't very practical and perhaps didn't know that much about the mechanics of boats. So I investigated the systems on the boat. And sure enough there were things that needed addressing, like single inappropriate jubilee clips on through holes, anti siphon valves etc. Surprisingly, the exhaust elbow was in very good condition. There were six impeller blades in the heat exchanger while the impeller was only missing three!
Unless I get around to it before then, the next owner will wonder why I didn't label the new wiring. Actually I did but all the labels fell off! If they could see inside my head they'd see that I try to do things right but sometimes get it wrong; and that I hesitate to take professional joinery and cabinet making a part because I know I will never put it back together as nicely. They'll also be able to see the maintenance schedule even if it's not in the neatest form.
So this led me to think that the previous owner wasn't very practical and perhaps didn't know that much about the mechanics of boats. So I investigated the systems on the boat. And sure enough there were things that needed addressing, like single inappropriate jubilee clips on through holes, anti siphon valves etc. Surprisingly, the exhaust elbow was in very good condition. There were six impeller blades in the heat exchanger while the impeller was only missing three!
Unless I get around to it before then, the next owner will wonder why I didn't label the new wiring. Actually I did but all the labels fell off! If they could see inside my head they'd see that I try to do things right but sometimes get it wrong; and that I hesitate to take professional joinery and cabinet making a part because I know I will never put it back together as nicely. They'll also be able to see the maintenance schedule even if it's not in the neatest form.
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