Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Dad`s Boat


I apologize that no new articles have been posted in some time and I will try and write one in the next couple of days....


Up here in Garden Bay the boat the Wyndover III is well-known..And lately the old girl is feeling little rundown, that is about to change..



What started as routine maintenance has turned into a complete engine rebuild, anyone familiar with boats knows there is little room to work with, this boat has twin 350 chevy motors with all the extra added marine devices, such as heat exchangers...

It was running rough, checked carb..checked plugs and distributer, finally removed valves covers to discover a bent pushrod...oh oh..

That means blood, sweat and tears, and a bunch of money(which I don`t have but will manage)...

Everything has to come off and be taken apart..intake manifolds off, exhaust manifolds off, water pump, heat exchangers, crankshaft pulley, balancer, heads off, in other words..

There is no way to hoist an engine out of this boat and I have not the money to hire experts with equipment to do the repairs..

I am not a mechanic but I can think, read and watch youtube videos, ...

This was Dad`s boat and...

And I know he is looking down on me and is proud, all this stuff he taught and to do and the traits he passed on, that being dogged determination to git er done..

So besides getting the heads milled, I am putting in new manifolds, heat exchanger, water pump, ...with engines apart spent days removing rust, then degreasing, engines painted, engine rooms painted..

So having taken on this project...I decided to do it all...Meaning the outside too..Days of sanding weather and wood stain off of the old growth fir sides..

Trim removed, glass taken out, a new back fiberglassed deck, this 37 foot boat is being restored to its former glory...

Old school, beautiful wood sanded and oiled with teak oil, new trim and polished and waxed fiberglass....

Like so many other boats of time gone by, and not just boats but cars, hobby projects, homes and the like, children and offspring let go the past, they sell, dispose of and move on, or just let it rot to the ground...

That will not be permitted to happen..

I don`t know how much money it will cost....hundreds of hours of back-busting labour and counting, I`m far from done..

Having dad looking down smiling with fatherly pride..

Priceless..


The Straight Goods

Cheers Eyes Wide Open
at

9 comments:

  1. North Van's GrumpsSeptember 3, 2013 at 2:07 PM

    Dad retired at 55 in the 1960's and spent a lot of time, and energy, ensuring that his ArtCraft (Art Pilling) boat was always in Number one Condition, besides, it kept him out of trouble.

    The Bhd aft of the Cabin was removable so that the engine could be installed last/uninstalled later, if need be.

    As in your case Grant, the lifting requirements are expensive, nothing has changed, except Dad solved the problem by thinking outside the box (hull).

    To raise/remove the Engine for servicing, he built two "A" frame Tripods (different heights because of different deck heights) with a horizontal short (10") large diameter pipe on top. The Fwd Tripod top pipe was Threaded, the other end just was large enough to allow a 6" dia Schedule 80 pipe to slide on through from Aft to Fwd. Then he put two set screws in the Aft one to stabilize the device. Rock Solid.

    Then he mounted a "figure 8" roller on top, side strapped and through bolted on the roller's centre , loose fit and another Bolt below the Pipe which allowed for a come-along attachment to lift the engine.

    This idea may be a one-off for you... but think of the potential for others..... BBC's Mother of Inventions

    ReplyDelete
  2. Grant GSeptember 3, 2013 at 2:28 PM

    Thanks for that, with a permanent fiberglass fly bridge, it can`t be removed, 37 foot canoe cove, 14 tonnes dry, can`t be moved except with semi trailer rig, or boats weighs, or boat lift, then you need a big forklift and a couple of strong men..

    If I had money...New heat exchanger $1000.00..exhaust Manifolds..$500.00..Water pump $200.00..New alternator..$300.00..

    Heads milled..?..Hoses, clamps, paint..

    Times everything by 2..

    $10,000.00...Without labour..

    Bought new carbs last year, new starters..

    Fiberglass back deck..New Fir boards, teak boards, tools, tools, tools, sprays, paints, goops, gadgets..bandaids, stitches, stress releasers??

    Need a bank loan to fix the boat..LOL..

    Anyway, without boat lift, fork lifts and hired labour..

    Two marina places up here..Madeira marina, labour rates are $100.00 per hour..

    Every bolt, frozen, rusted, stripped, wire brushing, easy outs, hammering on one size smaller sockets..

    Thanks for the comment..


    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  3. Grant GSeptember 3, 2013 at 2:34 PM

    I added a picture of the boat..the engines are right under the fly bridge, the straight-out transmissions start at about 3 feet inside of the fly-bridge..

    ReplyDelete
  4. ron wiltonSeptember 3, 2013 at 6:41 PM

    Having blown a few headgaskets myself, I am reminded of that tired but true statement that the happiest two days in a boat owners life is th day she was boyght and the day she was sold.

    I failed to fully absorb the sign on my uncle Jerry's cottage wall that defined a boat as "A wooden hole in the middle of the lake through which you pour money."

    ReplyDelete
  5. Grant GSeptember 3, 2013 at 7:31 PM

    B.O.A.T. .

    Bring OUT Another Thousand.

    Yes indeed, just ordered three pieces of bronze glass..

    $635.00 with taxes.

    My memories and most pleasurable times were boating with dad, it`s only money and..

    And who knows, after my home burnt down I don`t have many possessions, maybe I will load up my few items, and new cats and just take off..

    There is stove, fridge and generated power, Tofino..Campbell River..

    Maybe even travel north for an Enbridge Kitimat blockade..

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  6. Don F.September 3, 2013 at 7:56 PM

    Grant, if it were me i would try simply replacing pushrod if only one and maybe lifter, I have had luck with that in the past.
    Don

    ReplyDelete
  7. Grant GSeptember 3, 2013 at 8:43 PM

    I did try that, no luck, stuck valve...Penetrating oil, heat, .

    Manifolds had frozen bolts all rusted, problem was the heat exchanger, Dad should have replaced it ...It sprayed water many times(salt water)on the port engine..

    Everything is going to be new, shiny and silver..

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousSeptember 4, 2013 at 10:19 AM

    For you? Your Dads boat is a labor of love. I bet your Dad is laughing at, your cuss words too.

    I am not too sure about your cat's, living aboard your boat though? When my cat got even, a small drop of water on her, she would scrub herself for at least 10 minutes.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousSeptember 4, 2013 at 12:13 PM

    O man Grant, what another huge job for you (and if I WERE a man) I'd be there in a flash to help so I could repay a little of what we owe you for all your work keeping us so well informed!

    Thaaaanks,

    Jean

    ReplyDelete