SEA ELF...2001 Modifications and additions

****************
Re-powering
****************
Most of 2001 was spent removing my old gas engine and installing the newly
rebuilt Volvo MD11c. While doing it I also worked on other projects that
had been on the back burner. With the old engine out, I was able to
throughly clean and repaint the engine compartment. The engine stringers
had to modified and beefed up a bit too. (The old footprint from the
Atomic IV was about 6 inches too narrow and made of fiberglass. The new
stringers are aluminum.) Originally I was going to have the system be
fresh water cooled. I got the pump and made a bracket for it. I had one
belt driven from the flywheel to the alternator and f/w pump. One thing
that was holding me up was the expansion tank. I found one from an old
engine that someone at the marina had taken out of their boat. It was the
right size and basically ready to install. One problem I had though, was
finding a spot for it without making too many mods to the engine compartment.
After much thought and dry fitting, I located the spot. It was going to be
tight, but it was the best place and its location by the fuel tank in the
starboard cockpit locker made it easy to top up the anti-freeze. After
spending all morning on this, I discovered that the brazing on the fill
where the pressure cap screwed down was cracked! Right then and there
I made the decision to go with raw water cooling. What took all morning to
do, took less then twenty minutes to un-do and I felt much better. A
separate drip pan was glassed in place above the original. This keeps the
oil out of the bilge and away from the water that drips out of the
stuffing box. After reinstalling the engine, I replaced the exhaust
hoses along with the shift and throttle cables. I added new instrument
gauges and placed these in the cockpit instead of below behind the
companionway ladder like the old ones were. The cutless bearing was replaced
as was the shaft. (While the engine was out, I replaced the round hatch in the
floor of the cockpit and will be adding an 8 inch inspection port to access the
stuffing box quicker. The flange that supported the hatch was also replaced due
to the tapped aluminum plates corroding. The hatch itself will be held in place
with toggles that can be twisted out of the way via the inspection port. Also, I
replaced the two forward drains in the cockpit with larger ones. The shelf along
the port side of the engine was modified and painted. I have a 12v pump for draining
my water tank mounted above this shelve and for the time being, the engine battery
is located here also.)

****************
Water Tank
****************
We were having a problem with the water tank contaminating our fresh water.
It was due to the "ruptured blisters". I had asked the Association
members for suggestions and finally decided on re-coating the inside of the
tank with epoxy paint especially made for potable water. I removed the
water fill from the top of the tank and was able to reach most of the
inside but ended up cutting an access where the suction and vent lines are
located in order to get to the rest of the tank. I used alcohol to wipe
the inside out prior to sanding. I used 60 grit sand paper and tried to
sand as throughly as possible. Grinding was not necessary in my case.
I ordered a gallon of Devoe epoxy paint and got my fans and resperator
ready. Laying on my belly, I was able to use a combination of roller and
brush to coat the inside--where I wanted it on heavy I used the brush.
It took three days to put three coats on. I left the tank open and put a
fan on the inside to help draw the fumes out. It took a few weeks for the
strong smell of epoxy paint to disappear. While working on the water
tank, I replaced all the hoses. I now have a "brand new" water tank. I
just wished we had better water to put in it!

*****************
Locker under C/T
*****************
I am not sure what the original "Lockable Liqueur Cabinet" looked like, but
on Sea Elf, it had been changed around using bits of scrap wood. This year
I removed everything and cleaned and painted the area. I tried to make use
of the available space by installing several shelves of various widths, all
having fiddles along the outside edge. The bottom shelve includes a few
recesses for the Scotch and Wine bottles.

*****************
Kerosene Heater
*****************
After purchasing my Force10 Cozy Cabin Heater last year, I had hoped to
make the tank myself out of some stainless we had laying around our shop
at work. Also, I wanted to practice my welding. Well this year I decided to
purchase the proper tank made for the heater! The tank comes complete and
ready to mount. I chose to put the tank between the head and the main
bulkhead. They included a bracket and I provided the copper tubing and
other needed parts. I drilled a small hole the size of the tubing down at
the bottom of the bulkhead and snaked it through and up to the base of the
heater. I used plastic wire clamps to hold the tubing in place. For
pressurizing the tank, I use a bicycle pump.

I have used the heater several times so far since launching SEA ELF late
this year. It really is nice to have a warm and cozy cabin on a cold
night. The only thing I need to do to really make things nice is to
insulate the main cabin. That will be one of my winter projects.

*****************
Cleaning Teak
*****************
Joan and I also started to clean the teak down below. It had gotten very
dark and "sticky" feeling and I tried a few things to clean it up. I
found the the best product to use is something called Simple Green. This
sprayed onto a dampened Scotch-Brite pad really cleaned up the wood. So
far we have about half of the main cabin done. It really looks nice
natural, but will finish it with soft satin varnish.

******************
Weather Cloths
******************
One other project that I recently finished was to sew up a set of weather
cloths for the cockpit. I wanted them to extend forward just ahead of the
cockpit coaming, even with the jib sheet block. It runs aft to the first
stanchion of the stern-rail. Each piece of treated canvas when sewn measured
8 feet by 21 inches. Brass grommets for 1/4in. rope were evenly spaced along
the edge. For lacing, the upper lifeline was used in standard fashion, but
below there was nothing. I didn't want to fasten anything to the teak toe-rail
so I decided to seize a length of vinyl covered s/s tiller cable to the
lower portion of the stanchions. To make the lacing off, a stainless ring
was seized to the lifeline and now the 1/4 inch Dacron rope could pass
through it and made off with a slippery hitch.

******************
Misc. Projects
******************

While I was working on the engine, Joan repainted the inside of the pram
and also cleaned, sanded and put 3 coats of Captain's Varnish on Sea Elf's
teak. We have found that the Captain's Varnish holds up much better then
when done with Deks Olje. We had tried that when we first bought the boat.
 

click HERE to see 2003 interior mods

click HERE to return to the main page