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Old 14-03-2014, 14:21   #46
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

On a sailing trip through Fiordland, a remote part of NZ's South Island, I let myself be caught off-balance while helming in a bit of a jobbly seaway, and slid down the cockpit T, impersonating a snowboarder.
My downhill foot landed upon the deckwash hose which was coiled down to leeward, breaking the Nylex-style (garden hose) plastic quick-connect fitting where it plugged into the brass outlet near the cockpit sole level.

I thought it was a bit vulnerable and might happen again unless we rigged up some sort of cage over it, but the skipper/owner didn't think so, so we fitted the only spare quick-connect adapter we had, and carried on.

Luckily it was him rather than me whose feet repeated my feat a day or two later.


I rifled through the fittings collection and found a larger cylindrical adapter which looked as though the item we wanted could be concealed within.

I explained my idea to the skipper, and instead of giving me that look most of my friends give me when I float such notions, he got straight to work, made a mandrel by wrapping electrical tape around the largest drill bit which would fit through the bore of the fitting.

Then, using his battery drill as a lathe headstock and his Leatherman's file in lieu of a turning tool, and his digital calipers to check on progress, and (sailing along a mile or two offshore) he sat in the cockpit and fashioned a replacement, complete with correctly sized O-ring groove, which worked as well as the original and lasted the rest of the voyage.

(I forget whether it was duly protected by an improvised cage, or whether we simply unplugged the hose religiously when not actively using it)
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Old 14-03-2014, 14:23   #47
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

And I guess my last post was hardly in conformance with the thread title, so to make amends, here's an improvised boat anchor, seen in Vanuatu (not my photo - taken by the same skipper from the last post):

click on the thumbnail to see it in its full glory...
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Old 14-03-2014, 14:37   #48
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

Originally Posted by minaret
Fun thread, great stories!

Our redneck dude version of this when broken down far out on logging roads one time was two pairs of leather boot laces, tightly lashed and then pissed on. Got us home!


Quote:
Originally Posted by Saltyhog View Post
Order of operations is important here.
Indeed!

And also thank goodness it is the "salty water" that shrinks leather... and not something else...
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Old 14-03-2014, 14:41   #49
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Troup View Post
And I guess my last post was hardly in conformance with the thread title, so to make amends, here's an improvised boat anchor, seen in Vanuatu (not my photo - taken by the same skipper from the last post):

click on the thumbnail to see it in its full glory...

Fair enough Andrew... It was neither questionable workmanship, nor overly humorous... (except for the part of you sliding on your backside) But a rather good story none the less !

But Your amends more than make up for it... If you squint hard enough making it fuzzy... You can almost make out a rudimentary plow...
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Old 14-03-2014, 14:52   #50
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Troup View Post
And I guess my last post was hardly in conformance with the thread title, so to make amends, here's an improvised boat anchor, seen in Vanuatu (not my photo - taken by the same skipper from the last post):

click on the thumbnail to see it in its full glory...
Andrew, I think that must be a production anchor, for we saw its mate on a canoe in Fiji some years ago. Note that the shank, while not made from Bisalloy, has a well engineered shape for good rigidity, and the toe is reinforced to avoid bending. They do need to add a swivel, though, and a shot of chain because of the coral in their cruising grounds.

Cheers,

Jim
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Old 14-03-2014, 15:04   #51
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

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..... nor overly humorous... (except for the part of you sliding on your backside) But a rather good story none the less !
....
I didn't go THAT far in impersonating a snowboarder - I remained on my feet, just an unintentional repositioning of said feet...
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Old 14-03-2014, 15:38   #52
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor View Post
Originally Posted by minaret
Fun thread, great stories!

Our redneck dude version of this when broken down far out on logging roads one time was two pairs of leather boot laces, tightly lashed and then pissed on. Got us home!




Indeed!

And also thank goodness it is the "salty water" that shrinks leather... and not something else...


We coulda just poured our beer on it but thought it would work better if we drank it first....
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Old 14-03-2014, 15:52   #53
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

Last summer on the SW coast of Ireland, far away from any yachtchandler, we broke one end fitting on the spinnaker pole. With a hacksaw, a battery-powered drill, cutting oil, some wire and pliers, I adapted a stainless key-pin shackle to receive the guy.

The repair held until we reached Brest one week later. Of course, gybing was slower than usual.

Alain
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Old 15-03-2014, 07:17   #54
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

Quote:
Originally Posted by minaret View Post
We coulda just poured our beer on it but thought it would work better if we drank it first....
Only us true experts knew without saying... That it was actually a 3 step procedure... Thanks for enlightening the masses!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hydra View Post
Last summer on the SW coast of Ireland, far away from any yachtchandler, we broke one end fitting on the spinnaker pole. With a hacksaw, a battery-powered drill, cutting oil, some wire and pliers, I adapted a stainless key-pin shackle to receive the guy.

The repair held until we reached Brest one week later. Of course, gybing was slower than usual.

Alain
TOTALLY worthy repair!!!

Kudos on the captive pin shackle choice! With conveniences like these, it's hard to place the proper repair before the more enjoyable cockpit activities!
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Old 15-03-2014, 07:20   #55
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Cate View Post
Andrew, I think that must be a production anchor, for we saw its mate on a canoe in Fiji some years ago. Note that the shank, while not made from Bisalloy, has a well engineered shape for good rigidity, and the toe is reinforced to avoid bending. They do need to add a swivel, though, and a shot of chain because of the coral in their cruising grounds.

Cheers,

Jim
+1 on the humor post of the day Jim!

No bending debate for that shank for sure...
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Old 15-03-2014, 13:50   #56
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

My father told me that not long after WWII he'd stopped to help a guy with a broken-down ex-Army BSA M20 motorcycle.

Fella said he was riding home after just buying the bike at auction. No compression at all so my dad helped him whip off the head - turned out the PO(S!) had made a wooden piston to get it through the auction as a runner. And it had run - for a couple of miles apparently.

Evil thing to do but pretty good MacGyvering?
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Old 15-03-2014, 21:49   #57
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

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My father told me that not long after WWII he'd stopped to help a guy with a broken-down ex-Army BSA M20 motorcycle.

Fella said he was riding home after just buying the bike at auction. No compression at all so my dad helped him whip off the head - turned out the PO(S!) had made a wooden piston to get it through the auction as a runner. And it had run - for a couple of miles apparently.

Evil thing to do but pretty good MacGyvering?
that's über-MacGyvering. Totally rad !

(Don't think I'll try this on a diesel donkey, though !)
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Old 21-03-2014, 00:47   #58
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

What a great idea for a thread! I am amazed by the genius repairs and workarounds everyone has pulled off.

My first sailing MacGyver move was in Antigua. We had come back from racing and had just finished eating and drinking and needed to take the trash ashore. We were already in the dinghy when their gas cap fell overboard while fueling. I ripped off a piece of trash bag and poked hokes in it with a pen in my purse, then took off my hair tie and secured it with that. It wasn't pretty but started right up and worked perfectly. My French crew members nodded and seemed somewhat impressed.

The next year (same Jeanneau 44) the radar unit started wobbling like it was going to fall off so the bowman climbed the mast while underway racing and secured it with lots of duct tape.
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Old 21-03-2014, 01:15   #59
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

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Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor View Post
Holy Crap!

Are you serious???? You had a 3???

I have HUNDREDS of TR3 stories!!!!
Had a '60 TR3A... plus other TR's

First one being the look on my mothers face when I brought it home on a trailer... 2nd story is priceless.... The look again....

My brother and I were trying to unfreeze the engine by towing it behind our motorhome (picture a giant 70's thing... ridiculously hideous, with white, yellow and lime green stripes.... ).... And repeatedly dropping the clutch leaving 30 or so 10' skid marks all over the street!!!

Another method was required...

(Pics taken of an album... just before a car show... I'll find/scan more)
45 years ago I drove a TR3 - 1953 editon - serial number 1974. Great goddamn car. I still think about it occassionally and wish I had it.
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Old 21-03-2014, 01:23   #60
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Re: Bad MacGyvering ! Questionable Funny Repairs

I will add a MacGyver story. Some years ago, my wife and I were traveling in the Okawonga Delta in Botwana. Far from anywhere (it always is-isn't it?), our little truck began smelling like gas.

It turned out that the fuel line connection on the low pressure side of the fuel pump had snapped.

It took a while, but I managed to hook it back using a bobby pin from my wife (who NEVER wears bobby pins, but did that day because her hair had been getting in her eyes).

The repair lasted the nex three days until we managed to get back to civilization
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