15 Steps To New Ports For The Boat

Newfound Metals sells some really nice ports.  Chuck and Susan on s/v Sea Trek take advantage of this to replace 4 of theirs.  Let's ride along with them as they take on this task in a well-documented write-up...

Our original 30 year old ports were really looking pretty shabby and a couple of them had begun to leak. We did some temporary caulking, which I don't like to do, but it was obvious that it was time to replace them. After a lot of research, we found some very good looking stainless steel ports at New Found Metals   and ordered the 5X12 Stainless with screens and all of the needed materials for installation. We have received a lot of positive feedback from other boaters that have installed their ports and were very happy. The price was pretty good, and the ports arrived in short order. It was time to start the replacement process.

Step 1. Removing the old ports is always a messy process. Ours had a teak trim ring on the outside that came off in pieces. It is hard to tell in the photo, but we used white duct tape around the trim ring so we could get a wide putty knife behind it and not damage the paint in the process. Beach House has had the cabin sides painted with AwlGrip so it is not just gel-coat.

Once the trim ring is removed, the old caulking and crud that has collected under it had to be thoroughly cleaned. We used Acetone and then carefully sanded where the new trim ring would go to help with the bonding of the new caulking.

Step 2. Next, the inside main section of the port had to come out. This is the worst one on the boat and also the one that began to leak again. (Not to mention the fact that it looked horrible.) That is why we started here. The screws came out fairly easily, but since the interior plywood is pretty thin, we had to be very careful to not damage the surrounding wood when pulling this off.

The wide putty knife was used again, and slowly and carefully, we coaxed it off without too much of the veneer on the plywood coming with it. It was actually surprising that it came off so easily. Next, the old caulking had to be gently removed and the wood repaired.

We taped a box over the opening in order to continue working without making a mess on the interior shelf just below the port.

Step 3. There were some spaces and gaps in the plywood core between the outer fiberglass and the interior plywood. We filled the space and gaps with an expandable water resistant foam. Once the foam had set, it was trimmed even with the old opening.

Step 4. We would need to make a template since the new ports were a different shape than the old ones. The new ports have a drain built in, and the corners are shaped slightly different. The overall size of the new ports is very close to the size of the old ones. We took a heavy folder and laid the trim ring on top. With a rubber mallet we tapped all around the trim ring and made an impression of the hub marks. This is where the fasteners will come through from the inside.

With the trim ring still in place, the ring is traced on the template materials. You can trace both the inside and outside of the trim ring, or do as we did, and only trim the inside. If you do this, take care to be sure the top of your template material and the trim ring are in perfect parallel. With the trim ring removed, trace out the locations of the hub marks. These will be used to drill your holes. Once the actual trim ring is traced, the inside perimeter will need to be offset about 3/16 of an inch as will the hub marks.

The template will need to be cut out and we used an exacto knife that can be found in any hardware store.

Step 5. Once the template is finished, it needs to be secured to the outside of the cabin. Take care that it is flat and will not move around as you trace it on the cabin side and also that it is lined up properly. You can take measurements from the surrounding area, or, as we did, use the top inside edge of the template and the top edge of the old cutout for alignment. The area for the drains and the minor adjustments for the corners were marked with a felt tip pen and the template removed. The minor cutting to make the new size fit was made easy with our new Dremel Trio. I have a feeling this is going to be one of my favorite tools. The holes for the fasteners are also drilled using a drill guide supplied by New Found Metals. The drill guide assures that the holes are drilled at the correct angle so that the outer trim ring and the port itself will line up perfectly for the fasteners.

Step 6. Once the opening was cut, we did a dry fit to make sure everything was going as planned. So far so good, and it was time to seal up the core between the outside fiberglass cabin side and the interior wood. This is a messy process so we make sure the inside is covered with duct tape to keep the epoxy off the interior wood and the outside is protected with heavy paper taped in place. The core is coated using West System Six10.  A two inch strip of fiberglass tape wetted with West System is carefully laid around the opening to completely seal it and add strength. This is the same process we used in repairing the windows.

The one inch fiberglass strip should be trimmed with a utility knife along the edge of the opening, just before the epoxy kicks off completely. This is much easier than trying to cut and grind after the epoxy has hardened. Once the epoxy has set, it needs a thorough sanding and wiping down with water and a 3M pad. This removes the blush from the epoxy which can prevent anything from sticking to it and get the opening ready to accept the bedding compounds.

Step 7. The holes on the outside will also need to be counter bored about 1/2 inch to accept the trim ring. We also purchased the counter bore from Newfound Metals and it is of good quality. Be careful not to let the counter bore get away from you.

Step 8. The stainless trim ring and the port itself need a good cleaning with Acetone. This removes any dirt and residue left on the ports from the manufacturing process and assures that the bedding material will stick and seal the ports.

Step 9. The fasteners will probably be a little longer than they need to be and will bottom out before the ports are tight in the opening. We took careful measurements of how long they needed to be and cut them shorter with our handy Dremel tool and heavy duty cutting wheels.

Step 10. The bedding process is probably the most important step in the entire installation. Remember that beside them being ugly, they leaked and we did not want to go through this entire process only to have them leak again and start over. We did one final dry fit before applying the bedding compound. For bedding ports, our preference has always been butyl tape. The stuff is tenacious, lasts forever and is really really sticky. It can be found at most any RV supply store or it can be ordered with the ports. Newfound Metals recommends the ports be sealed really well on the inside and outside. We prefer minimal sealing on the inside and serious sealing on the outside. We want to keep the water on the outside of the boat. A single bead of the butyl tape around the inside of the port is all we used. The space under the drain portion of the port needs a few extra layers. This is more to hold the port in place than it is for bedding purposes.

We also put a thin bead of butyl tape around the hub marks on the trim ring to seal around our counter bore holes.

Step 11. The main section of the port needs to be clamped into place. It is very important that the port line up properly with the holes drilled for the fasteners and the outer trim ring. The port and trim ring should be lined up in place, the port clamped and the trim ring removed. Do this before you put the butyl tape on the trim ring. Tighten down on the clamps. The strip of butyl tape that was placed on the post should squeeze into the opening and allow the clamps to be removed for a short period of time to position the trim ring. But there is a little more that needs to be done first. Once the port is positioned where it should be, the space between the port and the opening in the cabin side has to be filled in with butyl tape. We added two complete rings. Running a ring around the entire port by using the paper that the tape comes on and a plastic handle from putty knife, we forced the butyl tape into the opening. Unfortunately, I was too busy with the project to take a photo. At a minimum, two rings should be forced into the opening. We pushed it in as far as we could, being careful to not leave so much along the outer edge of the port that when we installed the trim ring, it would squeeze out all over the port and ring.

Step 12. With the butyl tape added to the hubs wrapped with butyl tape, the rest of the trim ring needs to be well caulked. For this, we used 3M 4000 UV just in case we will ever have to remove the trim ring in the future. I can't caution enough on the butyl tape. Use enough to completely seal everything, but not so much that it will squeeze out from behind. The stuff is really sticky and hard to clean off.

Step 13. Remove the clamps and bolt the mainframe of the port and the trim ring together. We put a dab of 4000 on the beginning of the threads and a dab of Tef-Gel just under the bolt head. This seals the threads in the trim ring and keeps the head of the fastener from seizing when it comes down to tightening. We tighten down each fastener a little at a time, going round and round until the port and trim ring are tight. We try not to over tighten so that all of the bedding will squeeze out. There should be enough bedding to form a gasket.

Step 14. The 3M 4000 should be applied so that it DOES squeeze out from all around the trim ring. For that, we tape around the ring and the mainframe flange to make clean up easier. But the excess caulk needs to be removed right away before it dries. We use a caulking knife to remove most of it and then Acetone and lots of rags for the final clean up. If any of the butyl tape did squeeze out, it can be cleaned up with metal polish or car wax.

Step 15. Give the entire stainless mainframe and trim ring a good cleaning with a quality metal polish. The finished port will look fantastic.

The interior wood had suffered some damage and the teak had been water-stained from the leaks. No matter what we did, it was not going to look nice, and with the new port, we did want it to look good. Since this area is a storage shelf and in a corner, we decided to try and paint just this area and see how it would look. It could not be any worse. We were very pleased in how the paint turned out, and except for some wiring that needs to be covered, we are declaring this project a success. So, one down and four more to go.

Mustand Survival Issues Voluntary Recall

As it is a safety item, I feel it is important to get the word out as widely as possible.  I'm sure Chuck and Susan would agree.  Here is their posting  (thanks to Chuck and Susan on s/v Sea Trek for this information)

We have been users of the Mustang Inflatable vests for many years and have been very satisfied with them. But we recently have been made aware of a recall due to a problem that might keep them from fully inflating. Here is the official recall notice...

MUSTANG SURVIVAL ISSUES VOLUNTARY RECALL NOTICE ON MD2010 & MD2012 model 22LB Inflatable Personal Flotation Devices

In keeping with Mustang Survival’s commitment to the highest levels of product quality and safety, we are voluntarily recalling all model number MD2010 and MD2012 inflatable Personal Flotation Devices (PFD’s) sold in the United States during 2011. To determine if you are impacted by this recall please reference the images below:
Image 1: Any inflatable product with multiple white sewn on safety labels on the back is OK and is not affected by this recall.





Image 2 If your inflatable does not have white sewn on safety labels, please check for model number MD2010 or MD2012 on the back of the PFD, then refer to Image 3.











Image 3 MD2010/MD2012 models with an “MIT” (Membrane Inflatable Technology) stamp (in black or color) above the CO2 cylinder are OK. Any MD2010 or MD2012 missing the “MIT” stamp should be returned to Mustang!
This recall is being issued for the inspection and repair of an inflator installation inconsistency that may prevent some units from fully inflating.  Mustang Survival has developed a solution that corrects any affected product and prevents re-occurrence of this issue.  The inspection and repair can only be performed at a Mustang Survival factory.
This recall notification is for only the MD2010 and MD2012 22LB buoyancy inflatable PFDs.  No other Mustang Survival products are affected as they utilize different inflator mechanisms. 
All MD2010 and MD2012 PFD’s without the stamped MIT logo as shown in Image 3 (above) should be returned to Mustang Survival for inspection.  All other Mustang PFD’s are okay for use.
Distributors and consumers are urged to contact Mustang Survival’s Customer Service department at 1-800-526-0532 between 7:30am and 4:30pm PST, Monday through Friday for specific shipping instructions.  If you have questions, please first refer to the Frequently Asked Questions below:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Why do I have to return the product?
A: Our QA team has discovered an installation inconsistency with the inflator system that needs to be tested and corrected if necessary.
Q: How do I know if my inflatable is one of the affected products?
A: The model number is screen printed onto the back panel above the UL mark and will begin with the characters MD followed by four numbers. Affected products are MD2010 and MD2012
Q: When will I get my product back?
A: We are striving to have all products returned to dealers and consumers within 3-4 weeks (including shipping time to and from Mustang).
Q: What are you doing with my returned product?
A: All units will be tested and if necessary, repaired, before being returned. We will stamp the inside of the product above the CO2 cylinder with “MIT” to indicate that it has been tested and is OK.
Q: Are the re-arm kits affected by this recall?
A: Re-arm kits are not affected by this recall. The problem is isolated to the inflator assembly on the inflatable PFD.
Q: Is this a problem caused by the M.I.T. (Membrane) technology?
A: No, the problem is with the inflator installation on < the affected units.
Q: Does this recall impact any other Mustang inflatable PFDs?
A: No, the recall is limited to only the MD2010 and MD2012 models due to its unique inflator components and installation method.
Q: How do I return my product?
A: Contact Mustang Survival’s Customer Service department at 1-800-526-0532 between 7:30am and 4:30pm PST, Monday through Friday with any questions or concerns regarding this voluntary recall notice.
Q: What are the shipping and repair costs?
A: Mustang Survival will pay for all testing, repair and shipping costs.
Q: How are you notifying the public about this issue?
A: A detailed communications plan is being executed to notify all affected dealers, distributors, consumers and industry partners.

Mechanical advantage is your friend

Chuck and Susan aboard s/v Sea Trek have taken some of the grunt (and pain!) out of getting the dinghy ready for use.  And they have reduced the risk of giving the outboard a saltwater bath in the bargain!

During our cruise along the south coast of Cuba several years ago, I did a really dumb thing. We were Med-moored to the dock at Santiago, next to our friend's Vagabond 47 and there was a bit of swell running in the harbor. We both decided to set out an anchor from our bow to keep us from banging together and used our dinghy to do just that. I sat in the dinghy with our CQR 45 and about 50 feet of 3/8 BBB chain in my lap ready to deploy the anchor, and that is when it happened.

It was right about then that I heard the loud pop, and the pain shooting up my back was excruciating. It almost ruined what turned out to be the best cruising we have ever done. From that moment on, it meant I had to be very careful when doing any kind of lifting. That has not stopped me from forgetting over the years and doing more stupid things to aggravate my back problem from time to time. A few weeks ago, we wanted to get out and use our new dinghy for a trip around the local waters. This means lifting the dinghy from a bracket on the stern of the boat, down onto the swim platform and then onto the stern of the dinghy. This is something I have only done a couple of times. then paid for it later with back pain. If we did not resolve the problem, it was obvious we would not use the dinghy very often and there would always be the potential for disaster. Our outboard was given to us by a friend. It looks rough, but runs like a champ. It is a vintage 1999 Johnson 6 horsepower and is pretty heavy to be lifting around on the swim platform.

After considerable research and feedback from other boat owners, we decided that an outboard lift was the answer to our problem and the savior of my back. We decided on the St. Croix 175 Little Crane mounted on the stern corner of the boat just above the outboard. It was not the least expensive, but we liked the sturdy build and the ease to disassemble and stow it when not needed. Another trawler owner highly recommended it and has been using the same model for years. We found the best price on-line at Marine Warehouse in Miami and it arrived about a week after we placed the order.

The installation is very simple and straightforward, as straightforward as anything on a boat can be. The first obstacle to overcome is the mounting bracket that holds the upper part of the lower mast pipe. This is designed to be used on a one inch horizontal rail and or course our rail is teak. But after a little study, I concluded that it would still work on our rail with the use of some slightly longer bolts. You can see how it luckily fit very well and was pretty sturdy.

The next step is to mount the base bulkhead bracket to the combing on the stern. This was thru-bolted to a substantial piece of teak as a backing plate and large fender washers. A healthy dose of caulking behind both the bracket and the backing plate on the inside will keep the water out.

 Once these two brackets are installed, the section of the mast pipe with the notch in the bottom to accept the bulkhead mount is slid into the rail mount and down to the bulkhead mount. The mast is a fine piece of polished stainless and looks very nice. It is also thick walled to handle the weight of the outboard.

The upper section of the mast pipe is fitted into the top of lower section. Both of these can easily be removed and stowed away until they are needed, which is one of the points we liked about this unit.

The lifting arm is, again, a separate piece and can be very cleverly attached and removed if not needed. There are two tabs welded to the top of the upper mast section, and the arm is inserted in the tabs. The arm will swing over and allow us to use the lift on the side of the boat as well as the stern. The crane arm has about a 30-inch reach, and both the arm and the upper section of the mast will swing and rotate as needed.

The final steps in the process is the lacing of the line provided through the three rollers at the end of the arm and the 3-purchase block, also provided. There is a clear diagram in the instructions that makes it easy. A snap hook is attached to the block or can be left attached to the outboard. That is all there is to it. Careful consideration needs to go into the exact location for mounting. I always check and recheck everything before drilling any holes. The outboard is heavy so everything is through bolted and not screwed. All that is left is to hook it to the outboard and lift away. Except that the one thing I forgot was the strap that is attached to the outboard to lift it off the bracket. Oh well, another trip to the supply store. Until next time.

SOG: Save Our GPS

This is a public service announcement, copied from s/v Sea Trek's blog:

There has been a lot of discussion recently on how the U.S. government could possibly allow LightSquared, an independent 4G LTE provider,  to put up 4,600 transcievers sending broadband data services in the L band with such power that could significantly interfere with nearby GPS frequencies. Possibly causing complete failure for a high quality civilian GPS like your automobile GPS, even under an open sky, and for critical units such as those used in aviation. The GPS units on our boats that we have become so dependent on can also be affected according to major GPS manufacturers that have been doing extensive testing. There has been quite a discussion over at the Panbo Website for a few months now and there is a lot of details on the current status. This morning I received an email from the Coalition To Save Our GPS with an urgent Call To Action. I think everyone might want to read this and consider responding.

With all of the twists and turns presented by Lightsquared, it may be time for all of us as boaters to voice our concern and let our Representatives in Congress know we are less than pleased with the possibilities. Here is Mary Hanley's email.......

We hope will take a moment to file your comments with the FCC about the LIghtSquared proposal. Please also feel free to share the information below with your employees, members, colleagues and other concerned GPS users. The link provided will take them to an easy-to-use express filing form. If you want to file more extensive comments at this link you can do so at this link: http://www.fcc.gov/ecfs-expert. Be certain to personalize your comments. The FCC may discount mass and duplicate submissions. The Coalition to Save Our GPS will also be filing comments. The “reply to comments” period is August 1-15.

HELP SAVE OUR GPS!

Please Submit your Comments to the FCC by July 30

Background

In January, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) conditionally allowed a company called LightSquared to offer wireless broadband services in radio frequency bands adjacent to those used by GPS receivers.  Based on feedback from public and private sector GPS users, the FCC told LightSquared that it could not launch service until testing could be completed to determine the extent of the problems that LightSquared would cause.  The report of that testing was submitted to the FCC on June 30^th and it showed that there would be massive interference to GPS from LightSquared’s proposed operations.  The FCC has asked for feedback from the public on the report. Comments will be taken until Saturday, July 30.

What can I do?

Everyone who cares about GPS should let the FCC know about the threat that LightSquared poses.  In writing to the FCC, we encourage you to cover the following points in your own words:

·         How you use GPS technology in your business and/or personal life

·         What would happen to your business/personal life if GPS became unavailable or unreliable

·         While more capacity for wireless broadband services is important, it should not come at the expense of GPS, which is critical to our country’s economy

·         The results of the testing that were performed at the FCC’s request are conclusive – they show that GPS reception would be wiped out by LightSquared’s proposed service.

·         Now that the test results have shown interference to GPS, the FCC shouldn’t allow LightSquared to keep trying out modified versions of its plan to use the spectrum near the GPS band.  LightSquared’s operations and GPS are fundamentally incompatible and the FCC should order LightSquared out of that band.

How do I tell the FCC to save GPS?

The FCC has an easy-to-use portal on its website to submit feedback on the testing results:

(1)  Click on this link for the FCC’s Electronic Comments Filing System (ECFS):  http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/upload/begin?procName=&filedFrom=X  

(2)  In the box which says “Proceeding Number,” type:  11-109. It is important to include this docket number with your comments.

(3)  In the designated boxes, enter (a) your name or your company’s name, and (b) your mailing address/city/state/zip.

(4)  In the box which says “Type in or paste your brief comments,” do so.  Click “Continue”.

(5)  A review page will load listing all of the information entered.  If correct, click “Confirm.” (6)  If you have trouble, contact the FCC ECFS Helpdesk at 202-418-0193 or e-mail at ecfshelp@fcc.gov.

Mary F. Hanley

Prism Public Affairs

1825 Eye Street. NW – Suite 600

Washington, DC 20006

O: 202-207-3664

C: 202-258-9048

mhanley@prismpublicaffairs.com

www.prismpublicaffairs.com

Generator extension: 4 easy steps

In a nicely layed out How-To, Chuck on s/v Sea Trek shows us a way to hook up a larger fuel tank to your Honda generator.

One of the pieces of equipment on our to do list is a generator. We much prefer to anchor out when cruising and at times we can get weathered in for days. During those extended stays we still like coffee in the morning, still have the need to recharge the batteries and like to watch TV. All of this uses power and we have been using our handy Honda 2000 portable generator until we can have a more permanent installation. The Honda will handle most of our power needs, with the exception of the air conditioning system. But that suits us just fine for now. One of the things I don't like to do is to fill the built in tank every day when the generator is in constant use and for long term when charging that batteries it might mean shutting the generator down, filling the fuel tank, and starting it again. It is also hard to fill the tank without spilling gas on the deck, especially if the boat gets waked. So, the need for a remote extended fuel tank. To build one of these only takes a few inexpensive fittings, a fuel tank and about an hour of your time, at the most.

The first thing that I did was to buy a spare cap for the built fuel tank in case I messed up doing this, or if I wanted to run without the extended tank. I found it locally for $15.00 from a Honda dealer in the area. Next was to get all of the miscellaneous parts. We decide on a 3 gallon tank instead of the larger 6 gallon since we don't run the generator that much. We already have a 3 gallon tank for the dinghy outboard so this could also be used as a spare. We also decided we wanted to be able to use the same fuel line as the dinghy outboard so we would not have to carry different fuel lines and again it could do double duty. To accomplish this we would need the attachment fitting that would be the same as on the one on the dinghy tank and on our Johnson Outboard. The two fittings totaled about another $15.00 and then another $4.00 for a brass hose barb. The plastic fuel tank was another $25.00. The assmebly was pretty easy.

Step 1.
Remove the inner workings of the fuel cap and drill out the center to fit the connector. Be careful to not drill the hole too large. It should be slightly under sized to allow the fitting to be screwed into the plastic cap.

Step 2.
Fill a thin amount of epoxy around the threaded base of the fuel line fitting inside the cap and screw on the female brass hose barb. Allow the epoxy to dry and then replace the rubber gasket inside the cap. The hose barb may or may not be needed but it makes the connection fitting stay in tight and I beleive it will help to draw the fuel into the generators built in tank.

Step 3.
Install the second connector fitting into the fuel tank.

Step 4.
Fill the fuel tank with gas, fill the generator built in fuel tank with gas, connect the fuel lines and start the generator. Be sure the vent on the fuel tank is open. That's it.

It is very important that the cap be completely sealed. If any air can leak at the cap, the generator will not pull fuel from the extended tank. As the vacuum builds up in the internal fuel tank for the Honda, it will pull fuel from the extended tank. Mark the generator tank so that oil will not get added to it by mistake like the outboard tank. The Honda does not require a fuel/oil mix. The Honda will now run for a much longer time and annoy your neighbors for hours.

There are many variations for doing this, using a 6 gallon tank, installing only hose barbs, putting an inline filter in the fuel line. But the basics are the same. This should work just fine for us until the permanent genset is installed.

No chips

Today, Chuck on s/v Sea Trek demonstrates how to install a switch in a wood panel without destroying the panel in the process.  A very nice tutorial.

With the main electrical panel now replaced, there were a few small things that were unfinished and now is as good a time as any to get those done. The bilge pump switch for the secondary mid-ship bilge pump has been out for some time now. It was temporarily mounted in the forward hanging locker after the smaller secondary electrical panel was installed, but it was not convenient to get to. We did the installation for the anchor windlass some time back, but the helm switches to raise and lower the anchor from the steering location had not been done.

These are the kinds of small projects that I like to do over the winter months to have everything ready for any spring cruising we might want to do. The bilge pump switch will be mounted directly over the sub panel for the Air-Conditioning. The switch was originally mounted where the electrical panel is now, but whoever installed the switch did a really sloppy job of cutting the hole, and that was another consideration when deciding where to mount the AC panel. But I did want to keep it close to that location because it was easy to see, and I can reach the manual switch, even when standing in the front of the engine compartment. And because this is a toggle switch, it will be behind the steering wheel, so it can't get bumped accidentally.

The first thing that I did was to make a template out of a piece of cardboard so that I could get the hole exact and have everything lined up straight. With the template in place, I can trace out the area that needs to be cut out for the switch and LED light with a marker. I then tape around that area with easy release tape so that the wood is not damaged when the cuts are made. Teak plywood can be tricky to cut, and if you are not careful, the plywood will splinter and leave a ragged edge. So I first score the plywood surface with a utility knife to eliminate splitting and chipping, and drill a hole in the center of the cut out area.

The next step is to cut the hole, and my favorite tool for this, and many other small projects, is my Dremel Tool. I have the saber saw attachment that can be used directly on the Dremel or can be attached to the
flexible shaft attachment. I am always careful to make my cuts inside the area that I scored with the utility knife. This is the method I use for mounting any switches, electronic displays or gages.

Once the hole is cut I like to insert the switch to be sure there is enough clearance for the inner workings and that the switch can be aligned with everything around it. One work of caution, BEFORE drilling or cutting, check the area behind the spot to be sure you will not drill or cut any plumbing or electrical wiring. Once I am satisfied with everything, a thorough vacuuming is in order. Usually Susan is standing next to me with the vacuum running as I am cutting, sanding or drilling. But this time she was not on the boat, so I have to do a good job in the clean up.

Next step is to connect up all of the wiring. The tools are basic - a good pair of wire strippers, wire cutters, crimpers, my multi-tip screw driver, some wire ties, my favorite wire tie cutters (fingernail clippers), and a tube of silicone grease. With all of the electrical work on the boat, a good coating of silicone grease is added to both sides of every connection. We have almost never had a corrosion problem with any connections over the years using silicone grease. Just as with the larger electrical panels, before I removed the wires from the switch, I labeled them so it would be easy to put them back correctly.

I also like to be sure all of the wires are just long enough that should I have to work on the switch again, I can pull it a distance out of the hole to make working on it or rewiring easier. A bit longer length of wire allows for repairs should the need come up to cut and replace the ends with new connectors. At this point, everything is secured with wire ties to keep it neat.

The final step is to mount the entire switch. I use a small carpenters level to be sure it is aligned and mark the location of the screw holes. I then drill a small hole where the screws go to keep the wood from splitting. Everything is mounted and looking just as I planned.

The next switch is the anchor up and down switch, and the process to locate and install that is exactly the same as the bilge pump switch. This one needs to be in a location that is easy to reach while at the helm and since both of us are right handed, the right side of the helm seemed natural. We can also reach it from just outside the sliding door to the main salon, at the steering station. This one took a bit more wiring, since it needed to be run to the reversing switch for the windlass. But it was still simple and straightforward, and now two more items are off the to-do list. On to the next one.

Safety underfoot

Footing aboard m/v Beach House is more secure now that Chuck and Susan have completed this project.

Safety when moving around the deck under way has always been important to us. We have had to deal with sails and rigging in gale conditions and anchors during late night storms. A trawler with a flybridge is a new experience for us, and running up and down from the flybridge was a concern. The steps are teak with stainless hand rails and we like our teak finished. If they are wet, they can be slippery, and a fall could be serious. A simple and logical solution is good old-fashioned vinyl or rubber stair treads. But boy are they hard to find anymore. We first tried to apply them with outdoor carpet tape which is sticky on both sides, but as soon as the sun warmed them up, they slid off the step. Our solution was to use aluminum strips like those used at the edge of carpet or vinyl flooring to secure the treads. This worked out better than we expected, as it made the steps even more slip proof. It also does not look too bad.