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Messages - AnaMeg

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1
Michael, I like your solution. And I feel your aches and pains moving that tank through the boat. I did something similar about 15 yrs ago. However, I used the existing bow tank. Your description reminded me of the struggles I went through trying to get the tank out. I finally gave up and used the bow water tank as is. I talked with Kracor and they said the construction was the same as they use for holding tanks so should not be a structural problem.  Although Kracor said it was a 40 gal tank, when I filled it with water it took 29.5 gal. No matter; that's enough. At that time PVC pipe was the talk behind the "proper" scenes so I used it. No problems... yet. Also no odor... yet.

Geoff

2
Engine and Drive Train / Re: Cold Start Button on Volvo MD11-C
« on: February 25, 2013, 06:29:44 PM »
My cold start button will stay engaged only if the throttle/control is at idle. But rbrtfeld, yours needs to be full open to engage. And Bill, you say it should be at 10-20% level. That makes me wonder if my aging brain has reversed my memory. It's been a few years since I sorted this out on my own engine; perhaps I have it all wrong. Nevertheless, when starting, I depress the cold start button with the throttle at low idle and it stays down. It starts a little bit quicker this way but still requires 10 seconds or more of cranking. In May when the shrinkwrap comes off I'll check it out again.

Does anyone know of a source for the remote cold start button control? It's quite a pain to search and reach in the dark every first start of the engine. Maybe rbrtfeld's idea of an orange button will help.

Geoff

3
Standing & Running Rigging and Fitting/Tuning / Re: Mast Pumping
« on: January 02, 2013, 09:32:24 AM »
That's interesting. My rig was new 4 years ago and the yard installed and tuned at the time. I've done nothing with it since. When close on the wind the leeward shrouds remain taught. The shrouds twang as Brian Toss says they should. My mast has a lot of rake... I think. Anyway when I look down the line of masts at the dock mine is more "leaning" than most in the line. The helm is near neutral until close hauled with 15+ knots. Based on this thread and your experience I'm guessing my rigging is too tight.

I've never tuned my rig. I'm a casual sailor; fun tweaking the sail trim but a bit too lazy to sail/stop/adjust repeatedly. I don't have a loos gauge. Perhaps should get one. Or perhaps get a sailor who's really into this to come along and help me.

Next spring when she is in the water I'll try adjusting the tension. Let me know if you find the magic result. Then I can follow your advice and retain my lazy attitude.

Geoff

4
Standing & Running Rigging and Fitting/Tuning / Re: Mast Pumping
« on: January 01, 2013, 07:36:17 PM »
Dolce Vita, did you solve the pumping problem? I have the same phenomena, pumps only at the dock at about 12+ knots of wind. Frequency of pumping is about 6/sec. Shakes the boat a bit and keeps me awake. I don't have a loos or any other way of assessing rig tension and haven't tried anything to alleviate the problem. If you have a solution I'll try it next season.

Geoff

5
Engine and Drive Train / Re: Cold Start Button on Volvo MD11-C
« on: April 10, 2012, 11:23:53 AM »
Now I'm puzzled. Not a mechanic so need a bit of education. How can a diesel run if it has no compression? Isn't it the compression that heats the air enough to ignite the fuel? With open compression levers do you turn the engine over a bit and then close the levers when it's spinning fast? But you said one was frozen shut, so are you starting on one cylinder and then bringing in the second?

Which brings up another thought; would it help to turn off the fuel and crank until the engine warms up and then allow fuel in?

Geoff

6
Engine and Drive Train / Re: Expected running temp MD11c?
« on: April 09, 2012, 12:48:24 PM »
I don't know. The mechanic did all the work and ordered the gauges. I'll ask him when I go to the boat in a couple weeks. I recall he noticed the low temp but wasn't too concerned about it. Unfortunately, I don't know much about his qualifications except that he was chosen by the marina and the marina is known for good work.

Geoff

7
Engine and Drive Train / Expected running temp MD11c?
« on: April 08, 2012, 05:39:39 PM »
What is the "normal" temp expected for the MD11c? How long at half throttle should it take to get to it? I had new gauges installed at a recent refit and can not get the temp above 135. It doesn't get there unless running at hull speed with significant squat. Is this correct? Water in water heater gets nice and hot.  Boat in Lake Superior, water temp usually in 50s.

Geoff

8
Engine and Drive Train / Re: Cold Start Button on Volvo MD11-C
« on: April 08, 2012, 05:31:15 PM »
Mine has the button on the fuel pump. It stays down until the throttle is advanced. i.e. If using it, I can not start at part throttle. Cold starting takes a lot of cranking and spits out a lot of grey/white atomized fuel before it starts. The cold start button doesn't seem to make any difference.

Nick, could you be referring to the compression release levers?

Does anyone know any magic for starting a cold MD11c?

Geoff

9
New Member Introductions / Re: Another new owner
« on: February 13, 2012, 12:17:47 PM »
I thought I had pictures, but of the 100s I took, I can't find any of the chainplates. Yes, they are straight, no bends. I think the middle one has 4 bolt  holes and the fore and aft only 3. If so, they are all of the same bar stock but not all the same length. Mine looked great when I pulled them. The wood core at their exit slot looked and felt good. I did not have them x rayed or ultra sounded because they looked so good and because everything on this boat seems designed at twice the necessary strength. Also because the nearest place was 3 hrs away and expensive.

I recall on removing the chainplates that I thought if I planned on crossing an ocean I would want to beaf up the mounting tabs. They were 3/4" ply with fiberglass tabbing to the hull. i.e the same thickness of the SS plates but not as strong. But I'm not going to cross an ocean.

I won't be back to the boat until late April so can't be of much more help. (4 hours away)

Geoff

10
Standing & Running Rigging and Fitting/Tuning / Re: halyards
« on: February 11, 2012, 06:24:31 PM »
Chelsea, I replaced my halyards with all rope. The sheaves were designed for wire with the central grove. However I've heard others say they work fine with rope but the rope wears a bit faster. I replaced my sheaves with Delrin sheaves from Zephyrworks. http://www.zephyrwerks.com/.

I used 1/2" line. I would recommend smaller diameter if you do not have to worry about the hand factor. This line is stiff going through the sheaves and the main will not fall below half way no matter how much lubricant I use. This summer I intend to replace the halyards with 3/8" line. I have a cabin top self tailing winch so the "hand" factor is less important.

Geoff

11
Boat Handling / Re: Backing up my P323
« on: February 11, 2012, 06:18:04 PM »
The posts here show much more seamanship than I have, but FWIW, here's the technique I've found useful. I'm in a starboard pier dock and have the diesel with strong starboard prop walk. I need to back to port to get out. (Haven't developed the courage to try backing in.) Using a 1/2" nylon 3 strand aft spring line (stretchy) I put the prop in forward idle speed, rudder to port. That tenses and stretches the spring line and holds the stern toward the dock. First mate takes off all other lines. I put it in neutral and boat starts moving in reverse. A one second full throttle reverse pulse gives it enough speed to make the rudder effective... usually. Then neutral and back, like a car, to port. If there's a wind of the starboard side more than 12k the bow is blown to port and nothing works. I back out of the fairway. When we have guests nothing works. I look rather dumb.

Geoff

12
New Member Introductions / Re: Another new owner
« on: February 11, 2012, 05:55:46 PM »
Eddie, the chain plates are easy to remove and inspect. There's a few screws holding the molding on that covers the aft 2 plates and they are easy to get at when the molding is removed. The foremost plate might require more work. I took mine out when the boat was gutted. Not sure if you can get at it by just removing the trim plate at the back of the top shelves in the head or not. If not you'll have to remove the cabinet face. That's not difficult unless th ere's a spaghetti bowl of hoses in there. The port side is easy to reach through the wet locker doors. When I took mine off they were pristine. The boat has spent about 2/3 of its life on fresh water.

I have a lot of pictures of the inside when gutted. I had everything out I could get out without destroying it. If you have a need for knowing what's behind something removable I may be able to help.

Lauri, I can give you partial measurements of the ice box. The fore and aft dimension is 23", The athwart ships (is that the right word for perpendicular to fore and aft?) is 25 1/2" at  the fore end and 17 3/4" at the aft end. This was taken about 10" above the floor. Because of the sloped side it will be larger further up. Unfortunately I don't have the depth. I can estimate 30+". I can not reach the bottom without standing on a riser. I'm 5'9" tall. If you know the height of the counter top that is close.

Geoff

13
I have a small well molded into the bottom near the mast on the starboard side that looks like it was for a transducer like now or never installed. There is a cover for it suggesting it might have held water or some other media for the transducer. My transducer was under the aft settee locker on the starboard side. It was external transducer but someone had made a little boat shaped box and attached it on the hull. It looked kind of silly and was obviously a drag. I got rid of it and now the transducer is in that same place (aft starboard settee locker near center line) but flush with the hull. I had the shop do it, not comfortable making or fixing holes in the hull. If you can get the internal transducer it would be an easy install.

Geoff

14
I changed mine a few years ago. The original sheaves are not good; will warp and chafe rope. I got new ones from ZephyrWerks. [http://www.zephyrwerks.com/] Ed was helpful and they were not expensive, I think around $60 for the two of them. Changing sheaves is quick and easy but my mast was down. If you do it aloft it will be easy to drop the sheave down the mast to rattle away at the base until you pull the mast. And if you drop the new sheave... oh how blue the air can get.

I put 1/2" line in for halyards. I'm going to change to 7/16" or 3/8". The 1/2" is stiff and seems to go over the top with difficulty. (I have other problems with raising/lowering the mainsail also.) I added a self tailing cabintop winch this year so the "hand" of the line is of little import. The halyards are run back to the cockpit. The 1/2" also leaves a very large and bulky coil of line to find a home for when sailing.

Geoff



15
Electrical Systems & Electronics / battery system
« on: September 18, 2011, 01:21:10 PM »
I have a set up similar to Dolce Vita. I use a Xantrex echo charger to charge both batteries from the alternator, a Xantrex charger on shore power with 3 battery capability. I don't recall what the echo charger cost, I think around $120. My master switch is a Blue Seas panel with separate switches for house and starter battery and an "emergency" cross over for use if the starter battery is dead.

My battery "box" was similar to Sea Fever's. I tore it out and made a box under the aft starboard settee that holds 2 4D AGM batteries. One problem is the weight of the house batteries is enough to cause a 2 degree list to starboard. The fit is near perfect. I removed the alcohol container and made a box for a Optima starter battery there.  AGM and gell batteries can be mounted in any position except upside down. The starter battery fits nicely in the space between the nav seat and the engine cowling when setting on end, posts forward for access.

Geoff

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