Author Topic: New to 323, quick question.  (Read 32870 times)

Dolce_Vita

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Re: New to 323, quick question.
« Reply #15 on: February 15, 2013, 04:48:42 PM »
...Question is, you must have a backflame arrestor on the Carb, correct?
I have to check my CG Regs, and NY State regs too, but I do believe it's mandatory.

Yes, the flame arrestor is there, a standard part of every A4. 


How long to you run the blowers before you turn her over?

5 minutes. I also usually leave it on when running just to help with the heat buildup.

Do you have an auto extinguishing system?

No.  Manual extinguishers in the cabin and sail lockers.  And a fireport on the engine cover so an extinguisher can be inserted without opening the cover.


A couple of other thoughts from my personal perspective (YMMV):

- Propane, butane, and dingy outboard gas are often still present on diesel powered boats, and have explosive potential. You still need to be careful.
- Every diesel sailboat I've ever been on has a faint reek of diesel fuel throughout.  It seems that if you spill one drop of diesel, you can never get it all up, and it smells forever!  With gas, if you spill it, once it's mopped up and evaporates, you're done with it. 
- Because of the low fuel pressures (2 - 3 psi) in the A4, fuel leaks are far less common than high-pressure diesel systems.
@(^.^)@  Ed
1977 P-323 #42 "Dolce Vita"
with rebuilt Atomic-4

Nautilus

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Re: New to 323, quick question.
« Reply #16 on: February 16, 2013, 09:56:00 AM »
Awesome!

Thanks for the input.

I'll keep you all posted.

All I need now is Neptune's grace and some stars to align!

Ed

Alma

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Re: New to 323, quick question.
« Reply #17 on: March 13, 2013, 10:32:57 AM »
RE rust coming from keel.

You'll find we all have water within our keels from leaks in bilge around mast step fasteners. The  rate of water passing through the step fasteners is very small but relentless. Add a rusty mast step and you've got a cocktail of rusty water sloshing around down there.

To repair- drill a small 3/8" hole about a foot up from the bottom of keel and let water drain out. Do this when it's not freezing weather.
You might hit the soft lead ballast- You may NOT. The ballast isn't always completely centered within the fiberglass keel. Mine sits against the starboard side and there is quite a hollow on the port side. This is visible when weather goes from very cold to moderate and humid. One can actually see the condensation caused by the massive cold lead and where it lays right against the keel...

After all the water has drained drill another hole 9" above the first one.
Using a wet-dry vacuum apply suction to top hole and drill slightly larger hole in bottom hole to ream it clean and then use a countersink to create cone-shaped hole to accept Marine -Tex or thickened epoxy. Do this while vacuum is sucking any debris or moisture from bottom hole.

Apply Marine Tex and then stop vacuum and smooosh fair the Marine Tex. Countersink the top hole (which should be dry) and apply Marine-Tex again.

When 'Tex is 3/4 cured use a surform to cut away high spots. Follow up with a sanding block.

I did this ten years ago and haven't had any more problems.

Stay tuned for my mast step repair and elimination of step fasteners that can cause this problem...

Dolce_Vita

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Re: New to 323, quick question.
« Reply #18 on: March 13, 2013, 05:38:02 PM »
Stay tuned for my mast step repair and elimination of step fasteners that can cause this problem...

Gene,

  I'm real interested in this, as I currently have my mast & step removed, and haven't re-attached the new step yet.

  How about we move this to a new thread under Hull & Deck Structural , or Interior Structural?
@(^.^)@  Ed
1977 P-323 #42 "Dolce Vita"
with rebuilt Atomic-4

Sea Haven

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Re: New to 323, quick question.
« Reply #19 on: June 10, 2013, 03:47:26 PM »
Well folks.........It's been a while but I'm back, in NEW form!

The user formerly known as NAUTILUS is now Sea Haven.

Just yesterday I became the 3rd and latest master of the sailing vessel Malambo hull no 124, now to be rechristened Sea Haven.

When I started this thread back in mid January I was looking at a 1980 323 with an old diesel and seeping keel, which I backed off from.
My former vessel sold and was picked up last week, and I took possession of my new to me 323 yesterday.

She's a 1978 build, Atomic 4 (rebuilt with 4 hours on her!), her bottom is very clean and has been barrier coated.  Some minor work to be done but that's expected on a 35 year old vessel like rebedding windows, stanchions  etc. Nothing immediate. No big deal anyway as I LOVE working on and improving my boat. She's Documented (lapsed, but I can fix that.)

Most of ALL, the Admiral loves her!

v/r
Ed


selene

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Re: New to 323, quick question.
« Reply #20 on: June 11, 2013, 02:35:14 PM »
Yay!

Many congrats on your new boat! 

She looks awfully clean/pretty on the hard...hopefully the maintenance work won't be too bad . . . I know that for me the first few months were expensive, but fun, as I got to know the old gal better!  We look forwards to hearing more of your adventures.

Sea Haven

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Re: New to 323, quick question.
« Reply #21 on: June 13, 2013, 03:40:41 PM »
Thank You Selene.

I'm not too worried about any maintenance. She got a great report from the surveyor regarding her deck and hull. With the engine rebuilt as well I'm actually sitting pretty as anything that needs to be done at this point is preventative. Along with a review and replacement of Electrical and Electronics, I'll start with rebedding the port lights and stanchions.

First among the first is installing her brand new Commissioning plaque! I've had one installed on every boat I've owned. Each with its own logo of my design as well as it's own motto. Comes from my day's in the Navy and perhaps watching too many Star Trek episodes. No, I will never use "To boldly go where no one has gone before...." lol



It's 8" x 10" 24 Ga Stainless Steel. The last ones I had were acrylic. But since I hope Sea Haven to be the final boat I own, I'm going stainless. I considered bronze and copper, but that entails polishing in this marine climate, unless you like verdigris! But she has very little brass on her anyway.

Now to find just the right spot.........

This Saturday she make the 65NM trip from the Shinnecock Canal in Hampton Bay's NY through the forks of Long Island around into Long Island Sound for her new home in Mt Sinai Harbor, NY. The plan is to motor it as the nav window is tight, but as I get close I 'll take any chance to try those sails! Tide looks more favorable than the wind at this time!

Again Thanks!!

Ed
« Last Edit: June 03, 2014, 12:35:06 PM by Sea Haven »

Alma

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Re: New to 323, quick question.
« Reply #22 on: June 17, 2013, 09:10:04 PM »
She looks GREAT!