Friday, October 20, 2006

Buz's Tips -- Things To Do At Haulout -- Winter Battery Storage, Winterization Checklist, Keel Bolt Torques and Maintaining Brass Seacocks

Hello sailing friends ,
 
Don Arvold asked me to find some info on tightening keelbolts and the  torque settings which I had recently done on DOUBLOON. Here is the info I came up with . During the search ,I came up with a few articles that should interest all you folks that are pulling boats this next weekend for the winter lay-up. best regards ,
 
Buz Branch ,
S/V DOUBLOON
 
 
Winter Battery Storage

 
Prior to placing batteries into winter storage make certain the electrolyte level is approximately 1.2" (13mm) above the top of the separators. The electrolyte level in very cold batteries will be lower than normal, so let batteries warm to a normal temperature before judging electrolyte levels. Once the electrolyte level is correct ensure that the batteries are fully charged. Ensure that the battery tops are clean and dry.
 
Now the choice is whether to leave the batteries aboard your boat or remove and store in a cool dry area. If the batteries are stored aboard the boat, disconnect the terminal cables. This will prevent premature discharge of the batteries due to a ground in the electrical circuits or failure to turn a piece of electrical equipment off.
 
If the batteries become discharged, the electrolyte can freeze when stored below +20 o F (70oC). Below shows temperatures at which electrolyte, in various states of charge, starts to freeze.
 
Specific Gravity(cor.to 80oF/26C)Freezing Temp
1.280 Spec. Grav.(cor.to 80oF/26C)-92F (-69C)
1.265 Spec. Grav.(cor.to 80oF/26C)-72.3F (-57.4C)
1.250 Spec Grav.(cor.to 80oF/26C)-62F (-52.2C)
1.200 Spec Grav.(cor.to 80oF/26C)-16F (-26.7C)
1.150 Spec. Grav.(cor.to 80oF/26C)+5F (-15C)
1.100 Spec. Grav.(cor.to 80oF/26C)+19F (-7.2C)
 
A 3/4 charged battery is in no danger of freezing. Therefore, batteries should be kept at least 3/4 charged, especially during winter weather.
 
The frequency of checking batteries depends greatly on temperature. The effect of temperature on self discharge for the average fully charged, new, conventional battery in good condition is approximately as follows:
 
At 100oF (37.8oC) .0025 Sp.Gr. per day
At 80oF (26.7oC) .001 Sp.Gr. per day
At 50oF (10oC) .0003 Sp. Gr. per day
 
A fully charged battery stored at 80oF (26.7oC) will take 30 days before it self-discharges 25 percent. At 50oF (10oC) the time period increases to 100 days.
 
This will give you an idea of how often a battery should be checked.
Some makes of batteries will have a higher and some a lower rate of self-discharge. This depends on the method of manufacture and purity of materials used.
 
Winterizing Checklist

The following checklist for laying up your boat is adapted from Nigel Calder’s invaluable Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual (Model 420323).
  • Change the engine oil, transmission oil and antifreeze.
  • Drain the raw water system, taking particular care to empty all low spots. Remove rubber pump impellers, lightly grease with petroleum jelly and replace. Leave the pump cover screws loose so that impellers won’t stick in the pump housings. Run the engine for a few seconds to drive any remaining water out of the exhaust. Wash salt crystals out of any vented loops.
  • Check the primary fuel filter and fuel tank for water and sediment. Keep a diesel tank full to cut down on condensation.
  • Squirt some oil into the inlet manifold and turn the engine over a few times (without starting) to spread the oil over cylinder walls.
  • Grease all grease points.
  • Remove the inner wires of all engine control cables from their outer sheaths; clean, inspect, grease, and replace. Check the sheathing.
  • Seal all openings into the engine (e.g., air, inlet, exhaust) and the fuel tank vent. Put a conspicuous notice somewhere so you remember to unseal everything at the start of next season.
  • Inspect all hoses for signs of softening, cracking and/or bulging.
  • If hauling out: Check for propeller blade misalignment and Cutlass bearing wear; tighten any strut mounting bolts; inspect stainless steel prop shafts for crevice corrosion; remove prop nut to check under it.
Batteries
  • Bring to a full charge. Equalize flooded batteries. Top up. Clean the battery tops. Unless the batteries are being properly float charged (via a solar panel or battery charger with float regulation) remove from the boat and store in a cool, dry place. Bring flooded batteries to a full charge once a month.
Electronics and Electrical Circuits
  • Remove electronic equipment to a warm, dry place.
  • Clean corrosion off all electrical terminals and connections and protect with petroleum jelly or a shot of WD-40 or other moisture-dispelling aerosol. Pay attention to all external outlets, especially the AC shorepower socket.
Toilets
  • Drain and/or pump system with 30% to 50% antifreeze. Break loose the discharge hose and check for calcification. Wash out vented loops.
Freshwater Systems
  • Pump out and clean tanks. Drain system and/or pump through a 30% to 50% propylene glycol antifreeze solution. Use a water heater bypass, if applicable. Inspect pumps (especially vane and flexible impeller types) for wear. Remove flexible impellers, lightly grease (with a Teflon-based grease), and reinstall.
Stuffing Boxes
  • If hauling out, repack. If wintering in the water, tighten down to stop any drip. Be sure to loosen before reusing the propeller or the shaft will overheat.
Seacocks
  • If hauling out, pull and grease all seacock plugs if possible. Dismantle and grease gate valves. If wintering in the water, close seacocks (except cockpit drains) and closely inspect cockpit drain hoses and clamps.
Stoves
  • Drain a little fuel from kerosene and/or alcohol tanks and check for water and contaminants. Close LPG or CNG gas valves at the cylinder. Renew filaments on filament-type igniters at least every two years.
Steering
  • Cable steering: Remove cables from conduits, then clean, inspect, grease, and replace them. Also, check sheave mountings and clean, inspect, and lubricate cable ends. Rack-and-pinion steering: Remove top plate and input socket screws; clean, grease and replace. Hydraulic steering: Top off fluid and check all seals and hoses for leaks and/or damage.
Compasses
  • Remove all oil filled compasses from the boat and store in warm environment.
Keel Bolt Torques

KEEL BOLT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL SIZE BOLT DIAMETER FOOT POUNDS SOCKET NUT
MEGA ONLY 3/4" 90 1-1/8"
C&C 40 1-1/4" 450 1-7/8"
ALL OTHER 1/2" 80 3/4"
MODELS 3/4" 250 1-1/8"
  1" 350 1-1/2"
 

Maintaining Bronze Seacocks


 
Sturdy bronze seacocks may look like impenetrable lumps of metal down in the bilge, but they are actually finely machined valves that must be lubricated periodically to prevent the tight-fitting surfaces from "freezing" mechanically. Many skippers, unfortunately, tend to forego the recommended inspections in favor of a somewhat less rigorous maintenance philosophy: "Out of sight, out of mind." The results are predictable. A poll of marine surveyors found that almost 42% of the bronze seacocks they inspected were mechanically frozen, either open or shut.

Question: How do these negligent skippers close thru-hulls in an emergency or when they will be away from the boat for extended periods? Answer: They don't.

Claim #911273. "During a period of heavy November rains, the vessel took on water. It should be noted that the vessel was not fitted with an automatic bilge pump. Although the head intake and discharge valves were fitted with seacocks, they appeared to be inoperable. With the valve in the open position and in conjunction with the heavy rains in this area, the vessel took on water to the point where the head back-siphoned into the hull and the vessel sank."

The first line of defense against flooded heads, burst hoses, and many other dockside calamities is an operable seacock. A 1 1/2" hole in the hull will admit 71 gallons of water a minute into the boat, which will quickly overcome a bilge pump. The good news, at least for skippers of boats with frozen bronze seacocks, is that a stuck seacock can probably be rejuvenated fairly easily. And if the seacock is already in good operating condition, it can be kept that way with only a few dabs of waterproof grease every spring. All you'll need is a wrench, a wood mallet, kerosene, an emery cloth, waterproof grease, and a few cotton rags. For a badly frozen seacock, you may also need a pipe that fits over the end of the adjustable wrench. And if the drum is badly scratched, you'll need a valve grinding compound.

Disassembling the Seacock

With the boat out of the water, remove the large nuts at the end of the barrel (opposite the handle) and tap the stem lightly with the wood mallet until the barrel is loosened. (If all you have is a metal hammer, use a block of wood to absorb the blow.) Resist the temptation to clobber the stem, as this could damage or bend the threads. If tapping fails to dislodge a stubborn drum, you can reassemble the seacock and use a large wrench (not the bronze handle) at the end of a long pipe to get sufficient leverage to loosen the drum. You can also try tapping the wrench or pipe with the hammer. Be forewarned, however, that unless the seacock has a wide, flanged body that sits on a backing block (contoured and bolted snugly against the hull), you run the risk of seriously damaging the fiberglass. It would be wise to replace the seacock with one that is properly flanged and backed (see diagram).

Lubricating

Once the drum is removed, use the kerosene and rags to clean salt, old grease, gunk, etc., from the drum and seacock passageways. Scratches and roughness, if any, should be smoothed with the emery cloth. Deep scratches can be smoothed by spreading a valve-grinding compound evenly on both the drum and the interior of the seacock. The grinding can be done by reassembling the seacock and moving the handle back and forth a few times. Too much grinding may do more harm than good. After grinding, use the emery cloth to smooth the drum. As an alternative to emery cloth, you can use wet sandpaper, starting at 220 grit and going to a finer 600 grit paper.

Once the drum is reasonably smooth (slight scratches and pitting can be tolerated), you should clean the surfaces again with kerosene and then wipe on the waterproof grease. Teflon is also acceptable. Be liberal; the grease not only keeps the drum limber, it also helps prevent leaking.

To reassemble, tighten the nuts sufficiently so that the seacock will still be operable but the drum won't be loosened by vibration. Make sure two stainless steel hose clamps are used to secure on the hose. Finally, a soft wood plug tied next to the seacock is excellent insurance against an unexpected catastrophe.

Greasing without Hauling

Between annual inspections, a grease (zerc) fitting screwed temporarily into the seacock's drain hole will allow you to lubricate the drum with a grease gun while the boat is still in the water. This should be done with the seacock open, or the grease will just empty into the hole. A grease fitting that will fit the drain hole (typically 1/8") can usually be found at an auto supply store.

Defining a Proper Seacock

All thru-hulls below or near the waterline must have a valve that can be closed in an emergency or when the boat will be left unattended for more than a few days. Traditional bronze seacocks are acceptable, but gate valves and many plastic thru-hulls should not be used at thru-hulls below the waterline.

Gate valves have internal parts that deteriorate and snap off. And unlike a seacock, which has a handle that is clearly open or closed ("positive action"), a gate valve's wheel may or may not be closed. Even turning the wheel will not confirm that the valve is closed. The internal mechanism could have become jammed open by debris, for example, but feel as though it had been closed.

Plastic seacocks are brittle and can be easily broken by an errant foot or a stowed anchor. The exception is Marelon thru-hulls, which are made of glass-reinforced plastic and are acceptable for thru-hull installations below the waterline. Marelon seacocks have been tested (most sizes) and approved by Underwriters Laboratories. While probably not as prone to mechanical freezing as their bronze counterparts, Marelon seacocks must also be taken apart, inspected, and lubricated periodically.

Finally, some boat builders have recently been installing ball-type bronze seacocks that use a Teflon-coated ball (either plastic or stainless steel) instead of traditional tapered drums. These newer valves are acceptable, especially if they have a flanged base and are mounted on a backing block. The ball valves are not inclined to mechanical freezing, but the models that can be taken apart (some can't) should be inspected occasionally to make sure they haven't become clogged by debris.

 
 

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