New Boat Inspection

[wikakaru]

Congratulations on your purchase! I know I'm a little late in replying, but here are some thoughts:

* That's not a gate valve you were worried about--it's a ball valve. Looks like an Apollo to me. A gate valve is one like on your garden faucet that is twisted some indeterminate number of times to turn on and off. A ball valve swings through 90 degrees to turn on or off. Definitely a ball valve. Don't worry about it unless it is seized.

* Unless they are badly corroded, you should be able to disassemble the bronze seacocks, lap them, grease them, and re-install them.

* The water stains on the teak backing plates are not necessarily an issue. You indicated that you sounded the deck with an epoxy mallet and determined that the coring is intact. If that is really the case, then all is good. You mentioned that you will repair by over-drilling, filling with epoxy, re-drilling, and caulking, which is the correct fix if the area in question is cored instead of solid glass. When you do the over-drilling, you will be able to verify whether there is any rot in the core, and whether filling and re-drilling is all that is needed, or if water damage extends to the core and more widespread repairs are necessary.

* Water damage that has caused rot on bulkheads is an issue. I didn't see any in the videos you made, and I expect you would have mentioned it if you had seen that.

* The depth transducer mounting block is not all that unusual in a vintage boat. The idea is to make a wedge shape so that the transducer points straight down when the boat is level instead of at an angle. It adds extra drag compared to a flush-mounted transducer but improves the performance of the depth sounder. It would have been nicer if the wedge were built out of thickened epoxy instead of wood, but that's how things were done 40 years ago. Nowadays depth sounder manufacturers make transducers with an angle built-in to avoid just such a problem. Some boaters instead mount their depth sounders inside the hull encased in epoxy to avoid a hole in the hull, but that can reduce the performance of the depth sounder. Search the board and I'm sure you will find several descriptions of depth sounder projects.

* You will want to change the machine screws on the impeller cover to bolts so you can loosen them with a wrench. Those Phillips heads are all stripped out. Or you can buy thumb screws from SpeedSeal if it is hard to get a wrench in there.

* Someone else earlier in the thread commented on the radar-only situation. In the past there may have been a chart plotter, and when it failed they just switched over to iPad or tablet instead of paying the bucks for a marine chart plotter. I wouldn't lose any sleep over that one.

You will learn a lot about the boat and its systems as you start working on it and using it. Good luck and enjoy your new boat!

Smooth sailing,

Jim

[fritz3000g]

Search the board and I'm sure you will find several descriptions of depth sounder projects.

Will do thanks!

You will want to change the machine screws on the impeller cover to bolts so you can loosen them with a wrench

Also will do!

[Jim Walsh]

or you can buy thumb screws from SpeedSeal if it is hard to get a wrench in there.

Speedseal has been out of business for a couple years or so. It was a British one-man show and ceased operations.
Knurled head screws are an option and available through McMaster-Carr https://www.mcmaster.com/thumb-screws/h ... e~knurled/

[fritz3000g]

Knurled head screws are an option and available through McMaster-Carr https://www.mcmaster.com/thumb-screws/h ... e~knurled/

Thanks!

Why thumb screws vs hex or torx?

[Jim Walsh]

Knurled head screws are an option and available through McMaster-Carr https://www.mcmaster.com/thumb-screws/h ... e~knurled/

Thanks!

Why thumb screws vs hex or torx?

http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37642

Just passing on an option originally posted by John Stone.

[John Stone]

Knurled head screws are an option and available through McMaster-Carr https://www.mcmaster.com/thumb-screws/h ... e~knurled/

Thanks!

Why thumb screws vs hex or torx?

http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37642

Just passing on an option originally posted by John Stone.

I wanted to be able to quickly replace the impeller if necessary and not be fumbling for a tool. The speed screws make it easier. But at a minimum I would get hex head. Just something to consider. Not critical as long as you can get the cover plate off and then back on.

[fritz3000g]

I've been looking at Knurled Head thumb screws at McMaster-Carr, and the one challenge is that don't have bronze/brass M4-8 screws like the ones on the engine.

Do they really need to be bronze/brass, or would stainless or plastic work for the impeller cover? Does anyone know if the screws area actually bronze vs brass, or if the difference matters?

[BernieA]

In addition to all the comments, hire a marine surveyor to go over the boat. They don't inspect the engine, so your mechanic should look that over. Having the boat on the hard will be a benefit because the surveyor can inspect everything. Since it's an old boat, insurers often require a survey before covering it. Generally the cost is about $400, but from my perspective, it's money well spent.

[John Stone]

I've been looking at Knurled Head thumb screws at McMaster-Carr, and the one challenge is that don't have bronze/brass M4-8 screws like the ones on the engine.

Do they really need to be bronze/brass, or would stainless or plastic work for the impeller cover? Does anyone know if the screws area actually bronze vs brass, or if the difference matters?

Mine are SS I think. Most bolts on an engine are not aluminum or bronze or brass or SS. They are steel. I would not want plastic.

[wikakaru]

I'm pretty sure the screws I've had on Speed Seals in the past have been stainless.

--Jim

[fritz3000g]

Ordered some stainless thumb screws. Thanks!

The screws were definitely bronze-colored, and seemed to deform more easily than steel. I think certain grades of steel are slightly bronze-colored, so it's possible that's what I have.

[fritz3000g]

Got the tumb screws and they work great thanks!

[ch.ocallaghan]

The 1982 Yanmar 1GM on my 25D is still going strong. No idea how many hours.

They are loud but pretty pretty much indestructible.