Engine Installation on the Far Reach

[John Stone]

Applied second coat of fairing on the through-hulls. They are looking good.

As part of the engine rebuild I am incorporating LED nav lights. I looked far and wide. Found some I really thought nice and well regraded but would not fit with the FR’s classic looks so I kept looking. My friend Kaj Jacobson recommended some lights he found for his FC 34 Astrid, made in Italy. Very nice brass lights. They may in fact be bronze. Anyway they require a LED conversion which some folks in the forum told me how to do.

The challenge is where to put them. I don’t have a bow pulpit. They did not look right where the kerosene lanterns had been. But they looked good on the dorade boxes. Not a perfect place but the best I could come up with among the various options. Plus, the wires can run through the box and through a small blue seas clamshell then through the deck (still inside the dorade box) into the space between the boot of the cabin top and the overhead panel. From there I can route the wires back to the DC panel.

The problem with locating them on the dorade is they could get blocked by sails on the deck so I’ll have to be attentive to that possibility. But also there is camber in the deck and the stays'l or jib sheet could get caught under the light and rip it off.

To solve that problem I designed and milled a small teak pad to sit under the light. I think it looks good and should prevent snagging line issues.

[Keith]

Hi John,

Love the light fixtures and good solution on the location. I was thinking that they might be better on the leading edge of the dorado box. If they don't block the drain hole. It looks like it might be close though.

Food for thought.

Keith

[John Stone]

Hi John,

Love the light fixtures and good solution on the location. I was thinking that they might be better on the leading edge of the dorado box. If they don't block the drain hole. It looks like it might be close though.

Food for thought.

Keith

Thanks Keith for the reply. Unfortunately, the blocks do block the drain holes. It also occurs to me the fixture set back a little the leading edge of the box might provide standoff protection from a slapping jib sheet cracking the lens.

I’d prefer them set back where the kero lights were but it had its own set of problems. This seems the lest troublesome.... Compromises.

[John Stone]

Added last batch of fairing to recessed/flush through-hulls. Sanded smooth. Very nice.

Determined location for Nav lights. Drilled holes and removed core. Backed filled with epoxy. Drilled, tapped, and chamfered for 1/4-20. Milled caulking grooves in underside of block. Taped everything off (didn’t have my reliable 3M 233 tape). Acetone wipe down. Loaded caulk gun with teak colored caulk. All dried up. Dang. Switched tubes. Dried up too. Double dang. Called home. Unopened tube in supply box. Will have to till tomorrow. Done for the day.

Order 100’ spool of 16/2 marine duplex wire for the nav lights, three Blueseas 15 amp breakers, three Blueseas wire clam shells from Defender Monday. Hopefully that stuff will arrive this week.

[Jim Walsh]

I heartily agree with your photo comment “ keep the water on the outside”. It make life aboard so much more enjoyable....even if it’s nasty above decks. Nice work.

[John Stone]

Thanks for the kind words Jim.

No bedding compound today. I decided I would not open a 10 oz cartridge to use 2 oz. So, I ordered some more teak colored bedding compound and included in the order a small 2.8 oz tube. It’s just ridiculous a 2.8 oz tube costs half the price of a 10 oz tube. But, I don’t have anymore immediate caulking needs. So, I reckoned I would come out ahead money wise to use the over priced small tube to avoid opening the large tube.

I figured out how to cut the spacer blocks for the forward tabs on the fuel tank. I conjured up all kinds of elaborate schemes to cut the angle necessary to capture the 85° bevel in both blocks. But, at the last moment the light bulb came on! Palm slap to forehead. Could not have been simpler. It’s so easy to make things complicated. Anyway, I used doug fir and now I just need to get the correct size 1/4” bolts.

I also installed the drip catch made over the last week or so. It turned out to be pretty simple too...providing it works as well as I think it will. I used PVC pipe which I ripped with a jig saw. Then I cut two pieces of 1/4” fiberglass sheet stock in a crescent shape and used Gflex epoxy to glue it to the PVC. I also epoxied a 1/8” thick fiberglass wing on to it. I epoxied a 1/4” thick piece of fiberglass tab to the hull and drilled through the wing into the fiberglass tab. I tapped the hole for a single 10-24 machine screw. I bought a 3/8” MPT tap and drilled and tapped for a tapered hose barb. Once satisfied with everything I primed the drip catch with plastic spray primer and the sprayed two coats of white semigloss spay paint. I’ll connect the 1/4” hose later but it will lead to a separate container or the grey water tank. Once I’m sure it’s positioned exactly right I’ll drill and tap for two more fasteners.

[wikakaru]

I love the drip catcher, John! It may be too late, but you might want to consider making it longer to run farther aft. Water has a funny way of running along the surface of an object and dripping off somewhere other than the actual source of the leak. From the photos I can't see exactly what's going on farther aft, and I should know better than to second guess your thorough, thoughtful build process, but I thought I'd toss out the suggestion on the wild chance it hadn't already occurred to you.

Smooth sailing,

Jim

[John Stone]

I love the drip catcher, John! It may be too late, but you might want to consider making it longer to run farther aft. Water has a funny way of running along the surface of an object and dripping off somewhere other than the actual source of the leak. From the photos I can't see exactly what's going on farther aft, and I should know better than to second guess your thorough, thoughtful build process, but I thought I'd toss out the suggestion on the wild chance it hadn't already occurred to you.

Smooth sailing,

Jim

Thanks Jim for the suggestion. I don’t really know what will happen till I test it. I can reposition it fore and aft a bit. The photo is a little deceiving as the aft end actually extends to just behind the forward end of rubber hose. I spent some time repositioning it before I epoxied in the tab thinking about how the water might behave. I reasoned that the drips should not be able to make it past the locking nut. They would have to defy gravity. But I have seen stranger things.

[John Stone]

Moving. So. Slow. Four straight days of rain.

Removed the overhead panels and took them home for a coat of paint. Without the white overhead the boat is as dark as a dungeon. Anyway, running the 16/2 duplex wire for the LED nav lights along the outer edge of the overhead. You can see the wire hanging down from the underside of the dorade in the photo below.

Bedded the teak pads for the nav lights next to the dorades today. Drilled some holes to run the wire. I’ll be glad when the overhead panels are back up. I hate seeing the boat in such disarray....

As soon as the panels are back up I’ll start in on the 12v panel project. Then, go pick up the engine. I need to order my 2 blade folding prop from Flex O Fold.

[John Stone]

Painting wherever the situation requires.

[John Stone]

I got the wiring sorted out today for the LED nav lights. It’s mostly installed now. I installed the Blue Seas clamshells inside the dorade boxes. I drilled a hole in the bottom of the nav light flanges to drain any water that gets into the back side of the housing. I also drilled for and shortened the bolts that secure the light’s housings To the dorades but I couldn’t install them because I forgot my Titebond III glue needed to install the wood plugs in the teak base. Dang.

Then, I decided I needed to contemplate the back of my eyelids for a bit. More tomorrow.

[John Stone]

I took a couple weeks off to deliver a 58’ ketch from Beaufort, NC to Boston, MA. But, now I am back to work on the FR.

Today, I began the work on the new electrical panel to replace the small one I used for the last five years. I will reuse the 8 breaker Blue Seas 12 V panel. I only used four of the breakers before: 12v accessory plugs, LED lights, AIS, and compass light. I’ll move the panel from its previously hidden location to under the bridge-deck and combine it with the Beta Marine instrument cluster, battery monitor, and battery switch. The new panel will be hidden by a sliding door.

The panel will be hinged at the bottom and be a panel door style construction. Walnut rails and stiles which I intend to leave bare will frame the panel itself. The panel part will be solid mahogany with 7-8 coats of varnish.

I cut a piece of doorskin ply to represent the usable part of the panel then made templates for all the instruments and components to be mounted on it. Everything seems to fit.

[Jim Walsh]

Is that new template the same size as the template you posted on page eleven? Orion also has her electrical breaker panel under the bridge deck. It’s an out of the way yet immediately accessible spot. My engine instrument panel is in a niche in the cockpit, adjacent to my round, spoked, tiller

[John Stone]

Is that new template the same size as the template you posted on page eleven? Orion also has her electrical breaker panel under the bridge deck. It’s an out of the way yet immediately accessible spot. My engine instrument panel is in a niche in the cockpit, adjacent to my round, spoked, tiller

Aye. That it is, minus that which constitutes the rails and stiles and a small amount of additional trim molding. So add three inches to the over all length and width. Got to have substantial rails and stiles since it is a true panel door that allows the panel to float within the frame. If I had any 1/4” mahogany ply I would just band it with hard wood. Much simpler.

[John Stone]

Well, I’m moving about as fast as pond water. Days and days of rain here in coastal NC. Like the great flood. A little sunshine today.

Finally, I got started. I milled a 5/4 28” long 12.5” wide piece of mahogany down to about 5/16” thick after multiple passes through my thickness planer. It was a shameful waste of wood but I don’t own a band saw to resaw the wood. Wish I did. No room. Someday.

Its a beautiful piece of quratersawn mahogany. It’s larger than the final product. I’ll cut the walnut rails and stiles tomorrow. Once I am sure I have those dimensioned correct by test fitting in the boat I’ll cut the mahogany to fit and begin positioning the gauges and components.

A thought I want to offer to those following this thread—the mahogany I milled today cost about $15-$20. The walnut about $10. My labor was free. It would probably cost $300-400 to pay someone just to fabricate the panel and glue it up. It’s not rocket science. True, there is some overhead in tools. Not as much as you think. This is how I built the FR. My labor is free. My time would have been wasted watching TV or staring blankly at you tube or Face Book if I didn’t choose to walk this path. This is how I rebuilt the Far Reach. Pennys on the dollar. Maybe disingenuous to suggest anyone can do it, but I think most people can if they want to bad enough. Being able to rebuild, modify, or visualize what you want and then make it to a high standard is liberating and thrilling. So if you have the desire, I encourage you to break the bonds of being a consumer and beholden to those that seek to separate you from your money and present you with an inferior product.

Let’s see what happens tomorrow.