S/V ORCA Repower Report...A Few Surprises...

[Spin_Drift]

S/V ORCA is on the hard for few days.



The Hirshfeld Yacht Contractors pulled the shaft and the prop today. We found out that the hose that goes from the packing gland to the stern tube was split. If we didn't find that, it would have sent ORCA to the bottom really quick. This was the reason ORCA was hauled out immediately.

The prop was rotten. When the prop puller was put on it, they smacked the puller with a hammer and the prop popped out and hit the ground sounding like an empty milk carton. It had no ring at all. The prop fractured and pieces of it broke off.

*

Today Orca got a new transducer. Also, David has been removing old derelict electric wiring, fuel and oil filters and all the associated plumbing. The shift lever for the old crashbox was also removed.

*

He also had a look at the new Beta 38 today. He stood there with his tongue hanging out and tail wagging. The engine is beautiful. There will be 3/4 of an inch of free space all around the engine when installed. It s a tight fit.

Everything that is serviceable on the engine is easily accessible as it's located on the front.

Things to do tomorrow:

There will be power on the boat so he can work after dark. He will be replacing all the valves on the thru-hull because they are leaking around the valve stem. The Hirshfeld Yacht Contractors will come and install the new motor-mounts and the new supports for the stringers.

The bottom will be wooded and receive a new coat of bottom paint. David will be replacing zinks and he will be adding some new zinks as well, as he does not think that what is there is adequate.

He will also install sea strainer and Racor filter.

Also, Alan Hugenot, the surveyor will be there at two o'clock...

*

The tentative plan is that the prop, the new shaft and coupling should be there on Thursday after they are fitted and faced. Thursday after the shaft goes in, they are going to install the engine.

ORCA is really drawing a crowd. In addition to the regular admires, This morning when ORCA was leaving her berth, two old sailors in their seventies turned around and followed her to see where she was going. They came and milled around her for few hours (actually hours) and finally came and talked to David. They kind of shyly asked if they could come aboard and take a look inside. They really didn't want to ask, but they could not help them selves.

They thought it was like a suite, with all the mahogany, teak and yellow cedar finished bright, and all the bronze fittings. David had spent the whole weekend cleaning and oiling all the bulkheads and cleaning the varnished overhead.

He has a lot of pictures, but they will be given to me after he is back in Alaska. It would cost a fortune to send them on the Internet as the WIFI charges per each megabyte because he is out of state, and he rather spent the money on ORCA..

Will give you an up-date as we go along...

...and one more thing. According to the radio, the temperature is in the lower 40's. David has no heat on because he does not want the planks to start drying.

So sleeping bag it is...a small sacrafice on his part...

[Amgine]

I think I'd have been one of those milling about getting up the courage to ask if I could look below.

Thanks for the update! Looking forward to hearing more about the adventures.

I've had the Hirshfled brothers wrk on my boat, and they are first rate. Honest and straightforward. Evenwhen things go wrong ( and they ALWAYS do on a boat) they were straightshooters.

Sounds like you have a fun project. Good luck with it!

Bill

[Spin_Drift]

Originally Posted by Amgine

I think I'd have been one of those milling about getting up the courage to ask if I could look below.

Thanks for the update! Looking forward to hearing more about the adventures.

How nice ...and you would have gladly been shown...

Will tell you as we progress along.

[Spin_Drift]

Originally Posted by GreatKetch

I've had the Hirshfled brothers wrk on my boat, and they are first rate. Honest and straightforward. Evenwhen things go wrong ( and they ALWAYS do on a boat) they were straightshooters.

Sounds like you have a fun project. Good luck with it!

Bill

Thanks Bill.

We are also happy with the Hirshfeld Brothers. They are working fast and the quality of their work is excellent.

They are really professional and go up and beyond... We hold them in the highest regard...

They are also very accommodating, which is nice..

[Spin_Drift]

Work done on Orca yesterday.

Vacuumed the bilge. Put all the motor mounts in place. Had to widen the foot-print for the new engine.

Added extra support to the stringers.

Got the survey completed. She is very solid. No rot anywhere. Pulled some fasteners and all of them were shiny. Even the surveyor was impressed at how good of a shape ORCA is in...

Thru-hulls are OK.

David is still removing the old wiring and the old engine gauges, old oil and fuel filters etc... Made the space ready and prepped for the new gauges.

Installed a new Racor....and the new transducer is in place. It was dry fitted yesterday and today the installation is permanent.

Started working at about 06:30 and finished in between 21:30-22:00

[Stillraining]

Wow!..What an animal....my back dosent have 1/2 that many hours left in it for one day in an engine compartment..

Nice boat

[Spin_Drift]

Today:

ORCA got wooded and her bottom painted. The painting took a lot of time.

David has been reconstructing, cleaning and straightening out the bilge pump discharge hoses so they won't take up so much room and they are now nice and neat.

He replaced all the ball valves of the thru-hull.

*

Eli, an old friend of mine whom I haven't seen in about 15-20 years, showed up and asked for a permission to come on board...He was greeted by grinning David. "Permission granted"

This was their first meeting. It turned out to be a nice relaxing day for David. He has been working so hard and long hours, it was nice to unwind and relax a bit.

Eli brought home made vegetable soup, celery, red bell peppers, clementines, bread, wine and lemons picked fresh from his Mother's lemon tree. "Medicine to prevent scurvy", he said.

They sat out on deck and had lunch. Sun was shining and it was a beautiful day.

David doesn't know the area so Eli took him for a ride, a little tour around downtown San Francisco.

First hey went to Presidio, the military base which was established 1776, as the most remote military base of the Spanish Empire in North America at that time.

Then they went to see the National Cemetery.

After that they drove to the Telegraph Hill famous for it's wild parrots. Interesting area but they saw no birds.

Then they toured the Italian part of the city.

Then to the China Town and had dinner there.

Looked around some more and ended up back on Telegraph Hill-North Beach area- They stopped for coffee in a little joint called Cafe Trieste. A jam-session was starting. A wonderful female jazz singer, Marguerite Mariama, performed. She could really belt out the tunes. Without a microphone, her voice carried through out the room.

They stopped at an art gallery for the opening of a show.

Next stop was at R. Crumb's Books & Comics, a store where all the "beat nicks" used to hang out in the 60's. Beniamino Bufano and R. Crumb included.

Then the tour was over. They drove through Broadway where all the strip clubs were...

On the way out of town Eli showed David where the city's oldest Jazz Club was.

Then David got back on ORCA, and here we are.

That was a full and fun day....



"Yeah...A little bit or shore leave is good for the head" David says...


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[Spin_Drift]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

Wow!..What an animal....my back dosent have 1/2 that many hours left in it for one day in an engine compartment..

Nice boat

Thanks...


"What an animal"...you say that, and you haven't even seen his picture yet.

That's about what he looks like...

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by Spin_Drift

Today:

ORCA got wooded and her bottom painted. The painting took a lot of time.

David has been reconstructing, cleaning and straightening out the bilge pump discharge hoses so they won't take up so much room and they are now nice and neat.

He replaced all the ball valves of the thru-hull.

*

Eli, an old friend of mine whom I haven't seen in about 15-20 years, showed up and asked for a permission to come on board...He was greeted by grinning David. "Permission granted"

This was their first meeting. It turned out to be a nice relaxing day for David. He has been working so hard and long hours, it was nice to unwind and relax a bit.

Eli brought home made vegetable soup, celery, red bell peppers, clementines, bread, wine and lemons picked fresh from his Mother's lemon tree. "Medicine to prevent scurvy", he said.

They sat out on deck and had lunch. Sun was shining and it was a beautiful day.

David doesn't know the area so Eli took him for a ride, a little tour around downtown San Francisco.

First hey went to Presidio, the military base which was established 1776, as the most remote military base of the Spanish Empire in North America at that time.

Then they went to see the National Cemetery.

After that they drove to the Telegraph Hill famous for it's wild parrots. Interesting area but they saw no birds.

Then they toured the Italian part of the city.

Then to the China Town and had dinner there.

Looked around some more and ended up back on Telegraph Hill-North Beach area- They stopped for coffee in a little joint called Cafe Trieste. A jam-session was starting. A wonderful female jazz singer, Marguerite Mariama, performed. She could really belt out the tunes. Without a microphone, her voice carried through out the room.

They stopped at an art gallery for the opening of a show.

Next stop was at R. Crumb's Books & Comics, a store where all the "beat nicks" used to hang out in the 60's. Beniamino Bufano and R. Crumb included.

Then the tour was over. They drove through Broadway where all the strip clubs were...

On the way out of town Eli showed David where the city's oldest Jazz Club was.

Then David got back on ORCA, and here we are.

That was a full and fun day....



"Yeah...A little bit or shore leave is good for the head" David says...


.

Allright fess up...you guys are in your twenties arnt you...Thats not a day off thats a 12 hour work shift...

[Spin_Drift]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

Allright fess up...you guys are in your twenties arnt you...Thats not a day off thats a 12 hour work shift...

Twenties...nah...older than that...

[Spin_Drift]

Oh boy...

Husband was not a happy camper last night...

[Spin_Drift]

ORCA is back in the water...


Yesterday's problem with the prop was fixed.

Will tell you more as soon as I get the full report from Husband. He has no internet connection at the present.
It should be working again in the morning...

.

[Spin_Drift]

They will have to pull ORCA out of the water Monday morning. There is a leaky seam.

There is 5 operational bilge bumps on board, but only one running and it's keeping up with the leak.
Water is not getting high enough to have to use the other ones.



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[Spin_Drift]

Wow, just heard how high the bill is...


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