Hi all
This will be my
refit thread for my
Islander 32 mk2
I’ll be
posting in this thread so others can...
1-Share in the experience without getting dirty much less going broke!
2-comment on my work/share their optioned advise/feelings
3-(the fun day one) tell me how to spend my $$$
The
work has begun...
We acquired double Dubya in Tampa Bay Fl and planned to sail her home to
key west, shaking her down towards ft Myers then cross
Florida straits as she was navigable serviceable coastguard Documented Vessel up to date
registration...could’ve sailed her away that day... it didn’t...
1sr
project...
She’d been repowered with M25 universal
diesel which was fed directly by slave tank? Original 30gallon alum tank was there, 40 yrs just
fuel lines went to slave tank as owner explained he’d been clogging up
fuel filters on
motor, this went to slave tank mode...
So this was our very first
project
So I climbed into the
engine room (port
cockpit locker hatch) and disconnected
battery, cut the original
fiberglass matting straps (2) and
head dove the starboard side
cockpit hatch where straps were closer together as quarterberth extendes deep, atop it is shallow tray for
gear reached easy from tiller...
During this process I realized just how huge stern is on Double Dubya, HUGE like room for a
diesel generator,
water maker, bins of
parts,
battery banks, rollup
inflatable & space for 2hp
Honda on said rollup & pretty much the garage of the vessel...
So, emptied
engine room making space to sneak
fuel tank out, easily disconnected all lines, wires, and got ready for the real fun...tank had about 5 gallons of some bong in it so I elected to just bring it topside with the tank...a man and his plans!
Tank screached when I broke her free, started sliding her off her pedistol throne where she’d sat for 40yrs...
Man handled her out to engine room into my lap, then thrust her overhead out the locker
hatch into the co knit floor without much mess???
Up in the cockpit I drained her into readied diesel cans, using a strainer I emptied her...black as molasses poured thru strainer then semi fine strainer
screen clogged? This happened 5 times filling 4.75g into 5g can??? Originally sand, a few smaller rocks and a few bigger rocks almost size of fuel filler hose??? We took fuel gauge out and used that hole to drain tank btw...
Once emptied I loaded tank into thick leave lawn trash bag, doubled and loaded it into Panel Truck Cruiser (AKA “Lil Frosty”) I’d bought for my Godkid but his folks refuse forbay me to gift to him as of now???
Loaded diesel can into lil frosty too, as off to Air Force base where I have privledges (retired military) and they have a auto craft shop where I do maint on my land vehicles.
So we drove 40 miles there, listening to kid rock live trucker album windows wide open and get there, present credentials get on base and to auto craft shop. First we washed tank, more dirt crime and yes more rocks? Did this about 5 times, let out all the intakes w/compressed air and more dirt dust so we washed tank anther 3 times? Satisfied we loaded tank back into leaf bags and back in hatch of lil frosty then grabbed our waste fuel and went to waste tank...this is where fun began, wish I’d grabbed my
phone and recorded this part!
I started pouring and too was black molasses like cake outta tank till half way, then turned Milky white (ok I thought,
water contamination) but turned clear last 1/3 into bright clear
water??? So clear like Yosemite river water above Yosemite falls ???
On way home we stopped at west
marine and got gouged for $200 for a
racor medium sz filter separator system and extra filter element, fitting and diesel proof thread tape to do job right.
Back at double Dubya we went to
work, assembled fuel level, prepped lines (cleaned the fuel hose from
deck fitting to tank and tank lines, snuck tank back in place & mounted
racor fuel filter/water separator system on port engine room wall so it’s level with
fuel tank line out tank and middle of tank and M25 diesel
motor, routes intake and return lines together zip tide pretty...
Then over next few days I’d fill my two diesal cans and start filling the 30g fuel tank. I also took this time to do
oil change, filters on motor (oil and fuel) adjust her belt as well as redo/reroute some
cooling hoses which looked suspect of failing soon. Also looked at tranny which seemed good...also reglassed fuel tank back on her thrown/pedestal.
3 days later I had 20g in tank, bled the lines from racor which has a primer
pump feature, separator drains water on bottom of plastic sight glass...and reconnected battery
cables...
Excited I climbed out eng room, turn key on and hit preheat button like owner showed me, then bumped starter button and double Dubya pounded to life yah! Looked at my fittings for
leaks and let her purr for 15 min? She barely climbed any on temp gauge but did raise some...
Later when departed marina for repositioning to
haul out yard she ran great well within operating temp, I was amazed her
power as I left with tide coming in as she powered her way against
current into Tampa Bay...I was finally underway!!!
Spent next 3 hours under sail playing with her rig the whole 5 miles towards
haul out yard...best three hours of my life prolly last 2yrs?
Very happy with my new toy/project we relunctly made way for haul out yard as time was prominent for our attempt to take 5.3ft
draft through shallow channel enterance at 1.2ft high tide just turning and I wanted little resistance pushing me back should I ground on my approach and
navigation thru shallow channel to haul out yard...
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