Messages

331

Electrical Systems & Electronics / Re: OEM Cabin Light Bulb Replacements

« on: March 16, 2013, 12:27:59 PM »

I have some of the original bulbs. I installed LED lighting behind the wooden panels that access the fasteners for the rigging and sheet tracks. PM me if you want new old stock lightbulbs.

You can see the installation details in Cruising World Magazine June 2012

332

Boat Handling / Re: New to 323, quick question.

« 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...

333

Deck Mounted Hardware / Re: Coaming Box Teak Trip

« on: November 19, 2012, 12:07:10 PM »

I still have the router patterns for my one piece Starboard pieces!

334

Deck Mounted Hardware / Re: Coaming Box Teak Trip

« on: November 17, 2012, 08:50:32 PM »

I believe they are all the same size and made from templates at the factory. Some of the other Pearson models have an identical coming box trim.  I have new ones I made from starboard.  They are one piece instead of the original 3 piece trim. They are four years old and still like new.

335

Plumbing and Galley Systems / Re: Seacock Maintenance

« on: November 04, 2012, 02:13:06 PM »

Some early Pearson Yachts and Allbergs had no seacocks on the cockpit scupper drains. They had fiberglass pipes on the hull with no seacocks! My 323 has an Atomic Four and the same Wilcox Crittenden tapered plug seacocks you have but they are mounted further towards the stern. I'm able to loosen the tapered plugs and clean and lube them but I am also restricted from complete dissembly from within the engine space. I had them out of the boat when I first got ALMA 12 years ago because they were seized open. At that time I had a marina remove and restore them for me. Now I am able to keep them operating and leak free by greasing them in place. I haven't needed to take them out of the boat again. It looks from your photo you may be able to do the same. If they leak-  just removing the plug's nuts and slipping sandpaper between the plug and housing to lap them next haul-out should do the trick for you. Be sure to rinse them very well after the sandpaper treatment. Removing the hose and it's barbed fitting helps. You can find the rubber washers at a good plumbing supply. The original W-C washers were leather. Remember to buy spare washers! I think it would be more difficult to clean grinding paste from them than sandpaper grit. I've had good luck with the 320 grit sandpaper taking the contour of the tapered plug and it's seat. If they are seized and won't come apart you'll need to R&R them next haulout. You may read about using a hammer and hard wood to separate the cone from the housing. You risk destroying the cone doing this. 'Better to use patience and PB Blaster or heat. A heat gun is superior to a torch. If the housings are installed in the boat don't heat them. Once they are refurbished your annual maintenance will keep them working well. When my boat was made all the underwater metal was bronze.  I never wanted to introduce a ball valve because of it's stainless parts and corrosion issues. Now I have a stainless prop shaft so the introduction of a stainless ball valve isn't so important. If you are lucky enough to still have all bronze underwater equipment it's worthwile to try to keep it that way. Once you introduce stainless you'll be setting up a galvanic cell. If you have stainless prop components or shaft already...ball valves would be a convenient replacement. I wouldn't call them an upgrade. Ball valves are not as durable as the W-C valves and are popular because they are cheaper. This link has a lot of good info about tapered cone seacocks.  http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/tapered_cone_seacocks

336

Engine and Drive Train / Re: P323 shaft struct

« on: June 11, 2012, 10:39:09 PM »

You'll find under the strut mounting holes (you must remove the fuel tank to access the fasteners) inside the pocket the strut lays into is a fiberglass wafer. This piece is really an adapter used by the factory to make up for differences in the bronze casting manufacture. You may be able to grind the wafer to custom fit your new strut. Or fabricate a new wafer from roving and resin to make the strut fit.

337

Electrical Systems & Electronics / Re: Alternator Wiring

« on: June 11, 2012, 10:34:19 PM »

I believe some battery switches have field-disconnect switches to protect the alternator from destroyed diodes in case of a battery switch being set to "off" position while engine is running.
This is a good idea when kids or inexperienced folks might turn the switch.

There are "automatic" devices available called "spike stop" or something like that that do the same thing with a switch that has no field disconnect.

338

Electrical Systems & Electronics / 323 LED lighting piece in Cruising World Magazine this month

« on: June 11, 2012, 10:30:02 PM »

You may like my piece in Cruising World about the LED lights I made for my 323 salon.
It's in the June issue.

Gene

339

Engine and Drive Train / Re: Seawater Intake Valve

« on: November 10, 2011, 11:37:10 PM »

A simple ball valve will work on the stock seawater inlet. It's unlikely you would step on this valve and shear it off so you might want to go this route. Moving the seawater intake is easy. Repairing the old hole with a 12-1 patch is tedious. You'll get advice the flanged seacock is necessary- I don't use one for the engine intake.

340

Interior Structures / Re: replacing plastic storage liners

« on: June 17, 2011, 04:39:05 PM »

I simply pulled mine out and made new lids from tech-ply with white formica laminated tops. You'll get tons more storage
(especially under port-side vee berth). I still use a cut-down bin under my nav-seat. Be sure to make them ALL at once so you can make them match. I glued a 3/8" piece of basic plywood underneath to locate the new hatchcovers in the enlarged lid holes. Use care and a file to square up the existing saw cut holes so the lids fit well. It is a perfect winter project makinf the lids in a home workshop.

341

Plumbing and Galley Systems / Re: Fresh Water Cooling HX Location

« on: June 17, 2011, 01:27:58 PM »

I put blue construction foam on the bulkhead where the valves for the fresh water live. The icebox is right behind this. Then I cut out the foam and inlayed a piece of plywood to accept the mounting angle iron from the heat exchanger. Once everything was checked for fit I installed a thin sheet of mirror aluminum sheet to reflect the engine room heat away from the icebox. Now my heat exchanger is very accessible and my ice lasts 3 times longer. I found that when I installed a new BALMAR alternator it's cooling fan created such a wind in the engine compartment the engine heat is now greater than before. All that wind blowing on the engine heats up the engine compartment more than it used to. I have the Atomic ventilation hose routed right to the alternator to try and supply cooler air to the windings.

342

Engine and Drive Train / Re: Poll: Shaft sizes

« on: June 17, 2011, 01:21:13 PM »

I believe 1-1/8" inch is the standard size. I had replaced my bronze shaft years ago. Just two years ago I needed another shaft and bronze wasn't available so I had to use stainless.

343

Electrical Systems & Electronics / Pearson 323 Electrical panel

« on: June 17, 2011, 01:15:38 PM »

I made a new 12v electrical panel for ALMA last year so my old one is available if anyone out there needs one.