Well, we finally made it to
Sydney and we are aboard our
boat at last.
33' Hartley Queenslander
Ferro Ketch.
Going to be quite a
project, but still good at the
price.
The
engine is a
Yanmar 2SE 2 cyl, 18hp which was last run a year ago we think. The motorgenerator was rebuilt some years back apparently and works fine, but the belts that drive the gen and turn over the
engine via the flywheel are slipping. Turns over ok with the
compression off, and I'll fetch some new belts for it tomorrow. Everything else looks ok, if a little rusty in places. No
leaks I can see.
Anyone have a manual or know where I can fine one, online if possible? Nearest I could find was a 2SG which seems similar. Still finding our way around the
boat. The start
battery connects via a starter relay which seems to have died. I hit the
motor side with the
battery cable direct and it spins over.
Anyone have any tips on starting? There is a pressure gauge at the back (fuel pressure I think) a throttle labelled in Japanese (guessing down is closed, up is open) There is a tap labelled LO and another labelled HI which seem to be part of the
fuel system.
There are
tanks all over the flaming boat. According to a 1997
survey report, there is a 140 litre
steel diesel tank, a 140 litre
stainless steel water tank and 2 140 litre integral
tanks (part of the
ferro structure) also for
water. The
wiring is a mess, the owner has cut and shut all sorts of things everywhere. Fortunately he's left the main panel alone so I am gradually figuring it all out. There are two pressurised water pumps, apparently one for the
shower, one for the
washing machine (a mains powered automatic believe it or not). And they seem to
work ok though I haven't figured out all the valving just yet. (there are no labels or instructions anywhere on anything lol - an adventure).
A question on
plumbing. The head/shower compartment is in the forepeak just behind the chain locker where you'd normally expect a v berth. I thought the front
bilge was full of water, as there is a cutout (which has a disconnected foot
pump - used to be for the shower) that lifts out and I could see only water below. When I pumped it out with a portable
pump, it turned out to be a sump of some kind, about 12" square and about 8" deep. Looks like a couple of things drain into it, but not sure where it goes or why. I've heard of wet sumps in such things, but not sure how it works. Anyone care to enlighten me.
I'm going to have to pull a lot of it apart when we get her home, just to find out where it all goes and what it all does. Seem to be 3 separate bilges, separated by frames. One aft, where the dead
electric pump is, one under the engine which doesn't seem to connect to that
bilge, and whatever is up forward, which seems to be the chain locker, forepeak (some empty space forward of the chain locker) and the head/shower/laundry compartment with the sump in the floor.
It's a Hartley Queenslander if anyone knows the design well enough to describe how the sump setup works.
The
head is falling apart (well, not really, but the pump seems to be sucking air - possibly a blocked inlet.) and the bolts that hold the bowl to the outlet assy have rusted through. I'm replacing it with a similar one the
broker is giving me (free!) just for the trip home. It will be replaced with a macerator system as part of the
refit. (straight pump out heads are not
legal in SA waters anymore and even macerators can only be used outside 3 miles.).
Depending on the cost and complexity, might look into a black water holding system, but the lack of pump out facilities in my home state make it somewhat pointless.
Any
advice appreciated....
We are heading for home in about a week (been on board since the 5th) once I am happy with everything.
AussieGeoff