The Nauti One, an Endeavor 32

[Cadence]

It is nice to hear someone has done their home work and apparently made out. I did not understand the tax write off comment? I thought donation to a non profit is where you got that?

[CareKnot]

Originally Posted by Tayana42

A live note from the original owner?

That's what I'm thinking. I wonder if they wonder where their baby went.

[CareKnot]

Originally Posted by Cadence

It is nice to hear someone has done their home work and apparently made out. I did not understand the tax write off comment? I thought donation to a non profit is where you got that?

Hi Cadence. The previous owner of the yacht owns a business in South Carolina. I think it has something to do with state taxes, but I'm not sure. However, based on his assurances, we both came out okay. Now you know what I do.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by CareKnot

Hi Cadence. The previous owner of the yacht owns a business in South Carolina. I think it has something to do with state taxes, but I'm not sure. However, based on his assurances, we both came out okay. Now you know what I do.

I know you did. I live in SC and donated a boat I had in Fla. to a non profit. Maybe he was concerned with capital gains?

Keep us updated on the trip home.

Roger

[CareKnot]

There was supposed to be a Bimini. Maybe a Dodger too. We will come back to that.

November came to a close. So did the previous owners slip rental. Though the boat wasn't ready and neither was I, a little late in the day start out. It wasn't exactly what you would call auspicious. But it was a start.

The weather was cool, the days short and Murphy was King. If it could go wrong, well, you know the rest. There was wind, but it always came from an uncooperative quarter. It seemed no matter which direction I traveled down the Intercoastal Waterway, the wind was always on the bow and variable to boot.

The first few days, I couldn't catch a break with tide nor current. The bright spot was that little Yanmar. Neither stutter nor grumble to be heard, it hummed to me while sipping diesel like a teetotaler.

Every bridge was an adventure. The two foot cord on the VHF had me leaping over the binnacle like a performer in Cirque du Soleil. I gave up and started to call from my phone.

"Something wrong with your VHF, Captain?"

As I said I got a late start. So I tried to make up for that by motoring through the night. It started off well enough; there were lights everywhere. But as I progressed past the glow of civilization, the 12 volt/USB adapter went up in smoke. No chartplotter, no torch and the kind of darkness that only heavy overcast can bring. It was time to toss a hook and get some rest.

The next day, I arrived in Georgetown. The last couple of hours was spent getting intimate which one of the scattered thunderstorms that decided to adopt me. You remember that Bimini and Dodge I was supposed to have? Yeah, me too.

The forecast was for more of the same, only worse. I made reservations for a slip. But they were closed when I got there and so I rafted up at the fuel dock. As the weather got worse, I decided to rest up for a day. Now there's an Arctic cold front on the way.

[CareKnot]

Tonight I rest near Charleston harbor. The moral of the above post is simply this. If you don't like sailing in uncomfortably cold climes, there is always Florida. In the meantime, Walmart has fleece pajama bottoms on sale at $8. I got 2.

[CareKnot]

I had gotten an invitation to stop in and visit sainted if I needed any help while in the area. He works at a Boatyard on the Intercoastal Waterway just outside of Charleston. Well, it so happened that I did.

While following the Intercoastal Waterway across Charleston Bay, I ran across some fairly steep waves and suddenly sat at the helm of a 6-ton hobby horse. The rocking motion agitated whatever (right?) was in this near forty-year-old diesel tank. Do you want to guess what happened next?

That's right. More fuel problems (this is after a complete fuel system overhaul by the previous owner). What followed was a mad scramble to get some sail up and get out of a shipping lane, an hour or so on the hook and at rest, a 10 mile BoatUS tow to a repair dock at Ross Marine (where sainted works) and a series of choices about treating the symptoms or the cause of the problem.

Changing the fuel filter is cheap but it doesn't address the underlying cause. Cleaning the tank is the most expensive option, but might not be the optimal solution. Then there is fuel polishing.

It breaks down like this: This is a 20 gallon diesel tank. It will cost around $200 to clean the tank, about $165 to polish the fuel, or about $45 to replace the fuel. Hmm...

I would like to take a fuel transfer pump and feed input and output lines through the tank fill port, to create a flow and agitate the fuel that is in the tank. Then, using a diverter valve, slowly bleed off the agitated particles and the contaminated fuel (but this is just me thinking out loud).

However, my druthers aside, I think that the best option I have here is a pump out. I haven't put a price to that yet.

I am really impressed with this facility called Ross Marine. Not so much by its appearance, atmosphere or attributes, but by something more subtle and unique. I'm going to have to give this some more thought. Enough for now to say that I have never been in a boat yard quite like this one. I like it.

The sunset was beautiful, but it's going to get very cold tonight. I am extremely thankful to my hosts for their gracious hospitality (which includes Shore power to my heater 😁 ).

More to follow...

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by CareKnot

I had gotten an invitation to stop in and visit sainted if I needed any help while in the area. He works at a Boatyard on the Intercoastal Waterway just outside of Charleston. Well, it so happened that I did.

While following the Intercoastal Waterway across Charleston Bay, I ran across some fairly steep waves and suddenly sat at the helm of a 6-ton hobby horse. The rocking motion agitated whatever (right?) was in this near forty-year-old diesel tank. Do you want to guess what happened next?

That's right. More fuel problems (this is after a complete fuel system overhaul by the previous owner). What followed was a mad scramble to get some sail up and get out of a shipping lane, an hour or so on the hook and at rest, a 10 mile BoatUS tow to a repair dock at Ross Marine (where sainted works) and a series of choices about treating the symptoms or the cause of the problem.

Changing the fuel filter is cheap but it doesn't address the underlying cause. Cleaning the tank is the most expensive option, but might not be the optimal solution. Then there is fuel polishing.

It breaks down like this: This is a 20 gallon diesel tank. It will cost around $200 to clean the tank, about $165 to polish the fuel, or about $45 to replace the fuel. Hmm...

I would like to take a fuel transfer pump and feed input and output lines through the tank fill port, to create a flow and agitate the fuel that is in the tank. Then, using a diverter valve, slowly bleed off the agitated particles and the contaminated fuel (but this is just me thinking out loud).

However, my druthers aside, I think that the best option I have here is a pump out. I haven't put a price to that yet.

I am really impressed with this facility called Ross Marine. Not so much by its appearance, atmosphere or attributes, but by something more subtle and unique. I'm going to have to give this some more thought. Enough for now to say that I have never been in a boat yard quite like this one. I like it.

The sunset was beautiful, but it's going to get very cold tonight. I am extremely thankful to my hosts for their gracious hospitality (which includes Shore power to my heater 😁 ).

More to follow...

Get out another blanket for tonight. The news last night said 28 tonight but they give airport temp. which is a few mile inland.

I'm not familiar with Ross Marine, is it on Young's Island? Finding a boat yard is difficult today.

[Steadman Uhlich]

CAREKNOT,

I am frugal, so I understand it may seem painful to pay for cleaning your boat's tank and fuel.

If I were you I would bite the bullet and do the following:

1. Pay to have the tank thoroughly cleaned (spotless as can be)
2. Pay to have the fuel from the tank polished
3. Buy several extra fuel filters.

IF you spend $380 dollars doing this, you will have a:
A. Clean Tank
B. Clean Fuel
C. Extra Fuel Filters just in case
D. Peace of Mind, less stress, and greater likelihood of reliable engine on your voyage which will likely depend on the engine for most of the voyage.

While $380 may seem like a lot, especially if you already have the fuel in the tank, I think having the clean system is worth it. You may be motoring alone for 38 days, so that is like $10/day for more reliability of a critical system for your voyage, which I think is money well spent.

Alternatively, IF your boat's fuel tank has a large enough access port (it may or may not) you could do the tank cleaning yourself after pumping out the 20 gallons into jerry jugs which you could then filter later. IF the boat's fuel tank does NOT have a big enough access port for you to do the cleaning yourself, I would pay to have it cleaned.
Good luck and Bon Voyage!

[CareKnot]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

CAREKNOT,

I am frugal, so I understand it may seem painful to pay for cleaning your boat's tank and fuel.

If I were you I would bite the bullet and do the following:

1. Pay to have the tank thoroughly cleaned (spotless as can be)
2. Pay to have the fuel from the tank polished
3. Buy several extra fuel filters.

IF you spend $380 dollars doing this, you will have a:
A. Clean Tank
B. Clean Fuel
C. Extra Fuel Filters just in case
D. Peace of Mind, less stress, and greater likelihood of reliable engine on your voyage which will likely depend on the engine for most of the voyage.

While $380 may seem like a lot, especially if you already have the fuel in the tank, I think having the clean system is worth it. You may be motoring alone for 38 days, so that is like $10/day for more reliability of a critical system for your voyage, which I think is money well spent.

Alternatively, IF your boat's fuel tank has a large enough access port (it may or may not) you could do the tank cleaning yourself after pumping out the 20 gallons into jerry jugs which you could then filter later. IF the boat's fuel tank does NOT have a big enough access port for you to do the cleaning yourself, I would pay to have it cleaned.
Good luck and Bon Voyage!

Hi Steady, it's always great to hear from you. Yours is good advice, however my assessment of the situation was faulty. By the way I have a whole bag full of filters. If only I had that whole bag of money! 😉

I examined the fuel filter and the fuel. Both were clean. Not even the tiniest bit of crud in the bowl. After tossing about like that, were there any sediment in the tank, I'm sure some of it would have shown up in the filter. The real culprit turned out to be the electric fuel pump. But that is a whole different story that I will share later.

I hope to be back to cruising early tomorrow. As always, thank you for your kind concern.

[CareKnot]

Update: Well, it seems as though there was a primary filter after all. By all evidence, it was installed by a devious midget. Probably a skinny one too. It is only visible from an unlikely vantage above or by hanging upside down in a lazarette. No way a six foot 240 pound man can service it. If I stick one arm and my head through the battery box access hatch, I might be able to do it blind. I think I will let the Boatyard do this one. They have skinny midgets on staff.��

By the way, the electric fuel pump was also faulty. I managed to get that installed without too much difficulty. But the entire fuel system from the tank to the lift pump will need to be relocated. Another project for another day.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by CareKnot

Update: Well, it seems as though there was a primary filter after all. By all evidence, it was installed by a devious midget. Probably a skinny one too. It is only visible from an unlikely vantage above or by hanging upside down in a lazarette. No way a six foot 240 pound man can service it. If I stick one arm and my head through the battery box access hatch, I might be able to do it blind. I think I will let the Boatyard do this one. They have skinny midgets on staff.��

By the way, the electric fuel pump was also faulty. I managed to get that installed without too much difficulty. But the entire fuel system from the tank to the lift pump will need to be relocated. Another project for another day.

Sounds as though you may have found some relatively minor issues that, hopefully are all you will find, caused the great price.

[CareKnot]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Sounds as though you may have found some relatively minor issues that, hopefully are all you will find, caused the great price.

Well there is one more thing. It seems they let the fuel sit in the tank for three and a half years. I am having the tank vacuumed, paying for the fuel disposal and buying fresh fuel. The boat yard is also changing the element in the Racor filter. At this point, all total they are projecting $300 - $400 in parts, labor and fees.

The last 30 days have cost me over $100 a day. Ouch!

[Tayana42]

Oh the joys of boat ownership [emoji8].

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by CareKnot

Well there is one more thing. It seems they let the fuel sit in the tank for three and a half years. I am having the tank vacuumed, paying for the fuel disposal and buying fresh fuel. The boat yard is also changing the element in the Racor filter. At this point, all total they are projecting $300 - $400 in parts, labor and fees.

The last 30 days have cost me over $100 a day. Ouch!

At your purchase price that's not bad. Hopefully you are getting to the end of finding problems.