"Leoma" Projects

[JD-MDR]

Took her across the channel again this Labor day weekend. Often the NW blows 20-30 in the afternoons especially nearing the Anacapa passage. I really get drenched on this boat. I can't wait till the dodger is done. I have finished with the canvass. What I'm calling splash guards are really nice but the big water comes from forward. But they help and keep a lot of the wind off me. I guess some would have an issue with the aerodynamics. I'm not worried too much. I'm not a purist and if I can't make 2 -1/2 or 3 knots or if I need to get somewhere before dark. I start the motor. That causes water to splash in from the rudder post See the rust stains coming out of the steering box. I cleaned a big pile of rust out of there last year. It is from the steel bracket that holds the steering shaft and bearings. The bracket doesn't look like a problem yet . I wonder if that would be a good thing to rebuild with g-10. . Next is my chain backing plates. I haven't done the backstay plates or the mizzen shroud plates yet. I noticed on the other plates the rebar weld was pretty much gone. so I guess they probably don't serve their purpose . Whenever I get in some weather I always find lots of rust chips. I think I have a a couple weeks work in Monterrey and I want to sail up there but I'm wondering if the beating might be too much. Finally My Walters v-drive is always overflowing with oil. It overflows out of the breather vent. The engine looses about a half pint in 4 hrs. The v-drive gains about a half pint . There are no visible oil leaks anywhere. It's coming from my gearbox, reverse gear, reduction gear, transmission. What is the right term for that thing? Any way the Volvo mechanic believes the seals are bad on the gearbox. and the Walters guy thinks I should service the v-drive also. When I bought the boat the v-drive was full of water so they think It is probably pretty rusty. I haven't seen any water since. The engine, Md7a runs really nice. The surveyor seemed to think the hour meter is correct at 350. Seems unlikely for a 40 year old boat. Personally I don't think the previous owner used her much. I'm sure they never took her out of the SF Bay. So with the dodger, windvane steering, chainplates and the gears etc. I will probably spend another $15000. I hope I can do this in Three years. I will make the trip to Hilo and Kodiak. I'm not so sure about the Arctic Circle cruise. But how will I get to a Cape Dory rondavous? Oh, I moved the kill switch inside and put a shore power inlet in its place. I still have my instrument panel inside and I decided I really like it there and the kill switch. Its not any more effort to reach in if I need to start or stop the motor and I can peek in to see my tach etc.

[hilbert]

Whenever I get in some weather I always find lots of rust chips.

Not easy to judge from one picture, however it doesn't appear that the thickness of the plate in the picture has been too compromised.
If it is mostly surface rust and the plate is not brittle around the bolts or rebar, then the mizzen should be secure.
I like how the factory never used a short bolt when a very long one would do!

I'm not so sure about the Arctic Circle cruise.

If you have access to Amazon Prime, then watch "Red Dot on the Ocean, The Matt Rutherford Story".
He did the Northwests Passage and much more in a smaller boat that was probably not as seaworthy as yours.
If you commit to an East Coast CD rendezvous, then I will make an extra effort to finish my boat and join you.

Jonathan

[JD-MDR]

Thanks Jonathon,
That's what I thought and why I haven't work on the aft plates yet. I want to wait till next haulout August 2019. I watched the Red Dot video of the Albin Vega. I'm not so worried about the boat, more about not having any money for contingencies. I just read a story on cruiser forum about a yacht that got crushed. I guess they ignored the warnings and the passage didn't open up this year.
Hey Jonathon, are you on the west coast?

[JD-MDR]

Ok I just spent a lot o money servicing my v-drive and reverse gear and haven't solved the problem. Oil flows from the reverse gear to the v-drive even when the engine is not running. It flows freely and levels off together so The v-drive is always way full almost overflowing out the breather and the reverse gear barely registers on the stick. I pulled the v-drive again and shipped it to NJ for them to service. I had it serviced here locally and it looks like they broke the case and welded it. Walters Machine ( v-drive manufacturer)adamantly opposes any welding on their units so I sent it in to them. The local guy says they didn't see any thing broken and definitely did not weld anything. I believe him . It must have been like that from a previous owner. I just didn't see it. Maybe just imperfect casting. Anyway the photo shows a hole at the bottom of the reverse gear. Oil pours out freely. I don't see that hole on any of the parts diagram. The Walters guy mentioned a plug under the spline that the mechanic probably didn't know about. I hope that is the case and I can solve this problem. I did find a piece of rubber. It looks like a part of a seal that would go around a plug that would fit in that hole. I don't think that explains how the oil gets into the v-drive. The v-drive should have it's own seals. I think I am wasting money on this when I should be saving to repower. The md7a runs so good though. I have gone thru everything but the crankcase and it starts first revolution and doesn't leak a single drop.

[Jim Walsh]

Under these circumstances I would have done the same thing. I think you are making the right decisions. As always, good luck.

[ghockaday]

It should be easy enough to feel for threads in that hole. No threads, no plug. the plug would have to be flush doesn't the cast cover go partially over this hole? if this part is gasketed it may should have oil in this section but not running through the shaft to the vee drive. I don't remember, I don't think I pulled that cover off when I pulled the stuff off of mine. If I remember it had a plastic coupling on one end and that shaft stuck out of another cover. I found a picture with the bell housing on, it does look dry in that section. I never took that part off. If they haven't picked up the dumpster, I can check. Dennis

Side note, do you know what length ladder that is on the back of her? I am wanting to add one. Do you have a picture of Leoma from the stern? I was planning to bolt on below her name and above the port. Is that where your's is? Thanks, Dennis

Reversing gear 2.JPG (52.5 KiB) Viewed 667 times

[JD-MDR]

Hi Dennis. I'll get a photo this week. I moved my ladder to the side because of the windvane.
I couldn't easily separate the v- drive from the bell housing . It came apart at easy at the gear. I was thinking also that that area might need lube . I'll hear from Walter's Co. Wednesday or so. It's really hard to get any advise around here. The shops all have a receptionist and the mechanics are never around. Besides the motor is so old nobody know anything about it they can only tell me what they see in the manual. Catching them at the shop and getting them to open the manual to help is practically impossible.

[ghockaday]

No photo needed if you have moved it. Thanks

[ghockaday]

I looked there is no plug, the housing gasket covers it and well as the housing. The only plug is external under the belly. I hope you can get it resolved. If engine oil was going in the V drive I would think it has to be going through the shaft seal in the transmission.

I have worked on tractors that have a plug in the bell housing where the clutch is between the rear and the engine so you can check for oil coming through a seal. I am curious now, I think I'll pull it the rest of the way a part this evening to see what's in there. I'll take some pictures and post them if you are interested. Dennis

[JD-MDR]

Yes I'm interested. Thank You.. Volvo Guy says that hole was intended to lube a volvo part but Walters adapted their gear to it. they told me I could use a freeze plug. I'm gonna wait till I hear from Don at Walters Gear next week.

[ghockaday]

just the gasket between the housing sealed it. Does not look like any oil is suppose to cross over. I'll know more tomorrow.

[ghockaday]

Mine was defiantly blocked and sealed by the gasket and housing. This is a dry area on mine. It would make no sense to have oil migrate through if each have its own dip stick and oil sump. Have you tired keeping the oil level low in the reversing gear, below the shaft? I guess the gears pick up the oil and it migrates down the shaft to the dry chamber and fills it up and then migrates to the reverse gear. If that was the case it would be one dip stick and one sump.

Its a shame I wasn't closer and shipping so high, I'd give you what I had. I bet you could have dropped in this reversing gear and v drive and not spent another dime on a rebuild. oh well, otherwise I'd keep adding oil and save for a re-power. Dennis

[John Stone]

Ugghh. I read this and wonder why I put an engine in my boat. You guys are killing me.

[ghockaday]

John, sometimes I wonder about spending what I did on an electric motor and batteries and then I look at the sparking white bilge, sailing year a round in Virginia with no concern for freezing and motoring without the diesel making me sick. BUT if I cruised like you did I'd probably want a diesel. Dennis