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DtM · 02-12-2009, 20:37

I guess mine might be blocked. The only time I over filled it I got a bit of splash on the deck not out of any vent!!

Well now I have a couple of jobs for Friday afternoon.

d

jean1146 · 03-12-2009, 05:09

If I am not carefull mine will overflow every time....what a mess.I have had big following seas on our maiden voyage and never had any problems with water in fuel but I guess it would be a good idea to move it elsewhere.
JC.

DtM · 07-12-2009, 16:47

On closer investigation over the weekend I found a diesel leak that had been slowly dripping onto the engine and pooling in the bilge.

It is a return line that had corroded. Replacement on the way.

Thank you all for your help.

The weather was great, beautiful warm days and nights and a good breeze on Sunday.

Checked the fuel vent. clean as a whistle.

Jef & Marin, Netherlands · 12-01-2010, 03:12

Hi all, yesterday I modified my original filters according to Marks (Cotemar) excellent instructions. The job took about 5 hours all in all. But imagine using 20 air filters of 80 euros in the next 10 years, that is 1600 euros... Not a bad salary, and environmentally sound by producing less waste. And I succeeded in not cutting myself.

Mark's instructions are excellent, but of course I have some additions:
- Using a sheetrock knife, heated on the gas stove in the kitchen, worked excellently. Especially the glue of the original filter cuts like warm butter.
- I made the vertical cuts in the housing under an around 60 degree angle. Pressing the (newly made) lid thus closes the gap.
- I used a hot melt glue pistol instead of silicone to close the cut-off folds and the side of the half filter. Fast drying of hot melt glue is a big advantage. Adhesion to the filter material is excellent.
- I used self-sticking velcro instead of glueing velcro on.
- I cut away part of the last fold of the air filter near the inlet of the air filter, to facilitate air flow. It turned out that this fold was not functional: it was sealed at the bottom by the orange rubber rim material. See picture attached.

Mark, thanks for your great "invention"

I am investigating compatible air and fuel filters from cars and forklifts. Cheaper, and readily available. I will post this later, by making an update of Mark's engine parts document for the 20HP engines.

**Cotemar** · 12-01-2010, 14:52

Jef,

Nice Job on the Volvo Penta air filters
I like your idea's and will add some into the instructions for anyone else that needs them.

Jef is refering to our Blog Page 71, Post 1055
Volvo Penta part # 3809924 Washable Air Filter

If anyone needs the instruction just send a private e-mail.

Mark

muskoka · 12-01-2010, 19:33

This is a really great thread - thanks to those such as Cotemar / Jef & Marin et al for posting some truly useful and great tips on boatworks. We sail a Lavezzi but you folks have posted some fabulously innovative modifications (with photos!!).

Thanks!!

oranaman · 16-01-2010, 04:13

This is a very interesting amd informative thread about the Mahe which contains some very well thought out modifications which are freely shared with other owners - many thanks - some of which are relevant to other FP models. I have an Orana - which I maintain myself - there are quite a lot of similar parts and problems. We live in Sydney for the European winter and sail our boat in the Med in the summer, so our spares generally come from the UK. If you are thinking of commisioning a new FP in La Rochelle make sure you buy the parts elsewhere as the local marine shops are the most expensive I have seen in Europe. However La Rochelle is a very reasonable priced haul-out for a Cat. If you want to know more send me a PM.

If you are think of modifying the woodwork on the Mahe I came across this edging which is a 95% match for my boats woodwork - see photos. This is sold by a French DIY chain called Leroy Merlin (leroymerlin.fr/) we puchased ours in Spain so I am sure its widely available from their stores in France and Spain.

Due to the high cost of VP parts I have complied a list of replacement filters, the Perkins fuel filters are certainly relevant to the D1-20/30 engines. Most of these parts are only 30-40% of the VP parts in the UK. See the attachments for details.

Jef & Marin, Netherlands · 17-05-2010, 07:30

Hi all,
Last 2 years we have been sailing around with 2 folding bicycles in their cartons on a bed, considering how to store these. This spring I solved the puzzle; I think in an elegant way which is maybe interesting for others. See the pictures.
The bikes are Dahon Curve 3-gear models, which are around 9 kg. They are almost fully aluminium and stainless steel except for the luggage carriers and minor parts.
Each bicycle goes to the starboard side of an engine room; the red bicycle in the port hull, the white in the starboard hull.
Out of oak wood, multiplex and tropical wood I have made supports. For each bike:
- One block with a hole in it (at a funny angle) to support the saddle pin. Bolted to the fibreglass polyester part that supports the engine. In the fibreglass I put rivet nuts 6 mm. Much better than screws, which will be pulled through at some inconvenient moment.
- One wood construction glued to the hull. It is a kind of box that accomodates the pedal with a very good fit. On port this small box is simply glued to the hull; on starboard there are distance pieces, required to keep the bikes free from the exhaust
- A small wooden bar, pushing the rear wheel to starboard against the hull. This piece is also bolted to the engine support polyester part with rivet nuts.

The wooden pieces are painted with bilge paint, two layers.

We have sailed with it and it works perfectly. The bikes are completely stable. If they would ever fly out it is easy to add self-sticking velcro to the pedal supports.
On the rim of the engine room I have make a protective rim (rubber with metal inside) to prevent chipping the gelcoat when taking the bikes in or out.
This stuff costs below 3 euro/meter. I have also mounted it on the sunshade next to the mast. Here we had some chipping due to shoes when stepping on the roof.

Advantage of the bicycle mounting system is that it is very small:
- Almost no weight
- Not blocking when you work on the engine. The most protruding part, on starboard, can even be removed with screws.
- No permanent boat-damaging construction

Next I will try to figure out whether there is still space for the outboard....

Eleven · 17-05-2010, 07:54

I haven't been back to this thread since I started it. So good to see the Mahe is pleasing so many folks and with so little hassle. If this is all you have to complain about then you are a very lucky bunch of owners.
Hope also this is being fed back, or at least monitored, by FP. That diesel vent sounds like it just needs to be bigger then it wouldn't clog so readily.
Budget lead me to my boat, probably pretty close to Mahe, but 30 yrs older design and build. (43hp engine but hull speed is 6 3/4kts so not as fast or as slippery. I do like my hull side kitchen and higher level saloon though. Not keen on cooking in the lounge!

**Cotemar** · 31-08-2010, 08:05

Mahe’s

I have always been concerned that I have a bit of water in my starboard engine room bilge.
My Port engine room bilge is always dry as a bone.

I investigated and found the water to be coming from the pressure relief valve on the bottom of the hot water tank. I played with the relief valve a bit to re-seat it, but it still drips when the starboard engine runs for a few hours. I assume that we may need a pressure relief valve with a slightly higher rating or maybe just a new one. For now I just put a hose on it down to a container that I can easily empty.

Now my bilge stays dry and I can just dump the container every few weeks.

Mark

MKB53 · 31-08-2010, 16:04

I have also had a little water there. Initially I was also getting a bit of a leak from the deck shower which did not always seal fully, especially if the head was not put cleanly in the holder.

It is a bit frustrating that there is no sump for the bilge pump and the last half a litre needs a sponge. I have been thinking of making an insert to create a sump.

Anyone tried that yet?

Cheers
Martin

Minggat · 31-08-2010, 17:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cotemar

I investigated and found the water to be coming from the pressure relief valve on the bottom of the hot water tank. I played with the relief valve a bit to re-seat it, but it still drips when the starboard engine runs for a few hours. I assume that we may need a pressure relief valve with a slightly higher rating or maybe just a new one.

A pressure relief valve is a safety device, which is NOT dessigned for more than one ... relief. If it should NOT drip after one lift off it's seat, you're ahead of the game. They are cheap. Like $12.

A guy in my former marina replaced his from WM. Paid $72 if I remember correctly. When I told him about the normal retail price, his response was, "well, at least I got marine grade", to which I just smiled. Go to your local hardware store and get yourself the same "marine grade" PRV.

**sarafina** · 31-08-2010, 17:51

yep. we have on demand water heaters at the house and every few years the relief valves need to be replaced. So that in the case of a malfunction in the heater the water flows and cools it down BEFORE something melts down.