My 3 Months Aboard my F32

[bigralph]

I haven't been here in a few months, because I've been keeping a crazy travel schedule and work. I'm living on my 1990 F32 and have had lots of little projects. Got a couple questions.

The easy stuff-update stuff: I did my first (yes, owned since Mar 5) short voyage over the weekend. I took Invictus out about a mile, with some help with some friends. To date, I've been running the engines on average about every 2.5 weeks for about 15 minutes. Before I left, I put some gas shock in all four tanks. The forward tanks were drained and cleaned before I bought her, the aft tanks were supposed to be empty, but when I filled them they were about 1/3-1/2 full. So, the aft tanks are isolated, still. She did fine getting out, well, that's sort of lie. It felt like I was dragging an anchor almost the whole way out, but I could slowly feel the hull cleaning up and by the time we anchored I was moving pretty good. Anyway, no egnine or system perfomace problems on the way to anchor.

Anhored about 45 minutes. Initially, the port engine wouldn't start and it seemed like the battery was dead. At that moment, I had regular starting batteries and was running my 100 amp amplifier off the port battery. So, I initially suspected I killed the batter. I let the STBD engine run for about 5 minutes and the port engine started right up. (Detail pertininet in a second)

We headed for the first island on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel and made very short progress. With a goal of 2000 RPM, the STBD engine sputtered and oscillated between 1500-2200 RPM, then quit twice. On the way out, I noticed I couldn't get the power out of the STBD engine I could the PORT and throttled Port several times to keep even rudder and make straight line progress. So, we dorked with the STBD engine a few times and headed back to my marina when she was running. As soon as we got out of the Chesapeake and into the flat water of Little Creek Bay, the STBD engine handled perfectly.

So, yesterday morning, my first evolution was to swap out the starting batteries with brand new, West Marine (Sea Volt), Dual Purpose 810. While I was down there, I pulled off the STBD fuel filter and discovered that the o-ring, gasket combination on the old filter was different from the new. The new filter had a total of two new gaskets, one for the center fuel line, one for the area around the filter media with the 5 or 6 holes in the can and an o-ring around the perimeter of the can. The old filter had only the single gasket around the 5 or 6 holes in the center of the media. So, I thought maybe that was my problem with the STBD engine, asked 3 folks their opinion and all but one said they agreed. I installed all 3 new gasket/o-rings.

Started the STBD engine up and she purred like a kitten, first try. Perfect. Cool. Then, after swapping both batteries, I tried the port engine and got crikets. A buddy down below said he could hear a relay click in the center of the batteries.

I pulled and replaced the Emergency Parallel Solenoid that is in the disconnect box between the cells on my boat. Port engine started first try and had no problems.

Being the stupid engineer I am, I don't understand why the parallel solenoid prevented the motor start on the port engine. I don't have wiring diagrams, but if my logic serves, that solenoid only bridges the batteries when the emergecy switch is closed on the bridge, allowing the port battery to start the stbd engine. I have a full charge on the port battery, it seems that the port engine should start. I'm a little confused and want to make sure I haven't masked a problem that I need to troubleshoot further.

Now my list of many other questions:

Packing STBD Engine - very slow leak. I believe this is why my bilge pump cycles, though my original theory may still be pertinent of leaking pot water quest piping. Regardless, what is the right tool to tighten the packing nut on the shaft log? Any danger to just trying to goose that a little before I decide to try replacing packing in the water? Next question, replacing packing in the water on shaft logs - what's the worst that could happen, right? - a few folks told me it's possible. I'm just a bit concerned. This is not only my boat, but my home.

Gasoline fuel polishing - I have approximatley 100 gallons aft. Someone mentioned a service to polish the gas and that it is cheaper than dumping/refueling. I put shock in it. I'm wondering what the risks are to trying to run that gas without polishing and if anyone has had any experience on this?

Ok, I actually have a dozen more questions, but I'll leave it here for now. Thanks.

[BobCT]

Packing in the water is no problem once you get over the initial shock of water coming into the boat. It's not a huge amount, and will hardly trip the bilge pump in the amount of time it takes you to re-pack.

I prefer big pipe wrenches myself, you need two. They sell a "packing wrench" at WM but the adjustment on it is maddening. It's less precise than a pipe wrench if that's possible.

Bob

[Trojan26NC]

I can't help you with any of your questions but was wondering how is it to live on board?

[Molly Too]

Big Ralph, when i got my '87 F32, she had 5 year old fuel in all 4 tanks, they were about half full. I changed filters, put a double does of Startron gas conditioner in 2 of the tanks, and topped them off. Sitting in the slip, I burned about a 1/4 of that, and added another shot of Startron, and topped them off again. I also had removed the arrestors and cleaned them up with carb cleaner. Then took off the next day for 15 mile move to home port (Poquoson to Hampton) no problems at all. Later I did the other pair. That polishing stuff just didn't seem necessary to me.

With regards to the stuffing boxes, I've completely repacked the prop shafts and rudders while in the water. While it's unnerving to do so, I also never had enough water to cycle the bilge pumps.

In Little Creek? Would love to see her!