Diving off your own boat

[matt_unique]

That implies something wrong with the venting system on your fuel tank, and THAT is downright scary. If the gas ( I assume it's gas powered) tank can't vent and the temp rises much youcould find it forcing gas out via the fuel line/carb and even with running bilge blowers before starting, experience a very large BANG. I check all hoses, hose clamps, etc each spring before we launch. All though hulls below the water line and most other hoses, if the nipple has space, have 2 s/s hose clamps on them, not just one.

Many problems can be experienced with a clogged fuel vent line as you point out. I need to stop assuming the most complicated fix to what can be a simple problem/fix. If I would have just opened my gas cap I would not have required any assistance. I learn every year. Tow Boat US is now part of my standard boat equipment.

--Matt

 

[Groundhog246]

Tow Boat US is now part of my standard boat equipment.

--Matt

While tow boat coverage (too bad we don't have something similar here in Canada) is an excellent idea, not getting stranded is even better. I approach boating with near the same level of caution as I do diving. I make sure I have the necessary equipment on board, that it's working properly and that I have suitable tools and common spares (impeller for the water pump and a new thermostat for example). Of course mine sail, so unless there's no wind, I don't need an engine till I make port and I have docked under sail (just because I wanted to). It depends somewhat where you boat I suppose, but you can't pull your boat onto the shoulder and wait for a tow and radios and cell phones are not 100% guaranteed to work. In all my years of boating (30+), I have never been towed in. The only tow I've ever had was off a beach (lee shore) once when my anchor dragged (dragged on Sunday, bought new anchor, larger and of a better design on Tuesday of the next week). I was preparing to row the dinghy out a rest the anchor to kedge off when my father in law showed up and offered a tow, which I happily accepted (although I'm quite sure I could have gotten off by myself, it would have been a lot more work).
Besides fuel tanks, I saw the aftermath of a holding tank bursting when the vent hose got crimped and the internal pressure built. Nasty hardly describes. I have two 3/4 vents on the new holding tank I installed last spring.

 

[matt_unique]

While tow boat coverage (too bad we don't have something similar here in Canada) is an excellent idea, not getting stranded is even better. I approach boating with near the same level of caution as I do diving. I make sure I have the necessary equipment on board, that it's working properly and that I have suitable tools and common spares (impeller for the water pump and a new thermostat for example). Of course mine sail, so unless there's no wind, I don't need an engine till I make port and I have docked under sail (just because I wanted to). It depends somewhat where you boat I suppose, but you can't pull your boat onto the shoulder and wait for a tow and radios and cell phones are not 100% guaranteed to work. In all my years of boating (30+), I have never been towed in. The only tow I've ever had was off a beach (lee shore) once when my anchor dragged (dragged on Sunday, bought new anchor, larger and of a better design on Tuesday of the next week). I was preparing to row the dinghy out a rest the anchor to kedge off when my father in law showed up and offered a tow, which I happily accepted (although I'm quite sure I could have gotten off by myself, it would have been a lot more work).
Besides fuel tanks, I saw the aftermath of a holding tank bursting when the vent hose got crimped and the internal pressure built. Nasty hardly describes. I have two 3/4 vents on the new holding tank I installed last spring.

I'm the same with equipment on my boat, but of course you learn something new every season. This year I added a kicker and bracket to allow at least headway speed should my engine quit. The small engine will be primarily used to power my dingy.

--Matt

 

[Groundhog246]

Yeah, we talked about getting a small inflateable and an outboard for it. If we do, I plan to add a bracket on the stern of the type that allows youto raise and lower the motor. The boat was originally powered by a 9.9hp o/b, until the previous owner upgraded to an inboard diesel saildrive. Not only will it be a convenient place to store the outboard, if the diesel acts up, then I have a backup. My wife just rolled are eyes when I discussed this plan, doesn't see it as necessary. Could hang there for years and never power the "big" boat, but if we need it even once, then it'll have been well worth the effort.

 

[matt_unique]

Yeah, we talked about getting a small inflateable and an outboard for it. If we do, I plan to add a bracket on the stern of the type that allows youto raise and lower the motor. The boat was originally powered by a 9.9hp o/b, until the previous owner upgraded to an inboard diesel saildrive. Not only will it be a convenient place to store the outboard, if the diesel acts up, then I have a backup. My wife just rolled are eyes when I discussed this plan, doesn't see it as necessary. Could hang there for years and never power the "big" boat, but if we need it even once, then it'll have been well worth the effort.

I was thinking about the retractable bracket as well. The more I thought about it, I decided I wanted the fixed bracket. We usually have choppy seas around here and I expect the engine to be jogged around quite a bit. I also decided to keep the weight of the kicker closer to the center or toward the bow of my boat for trim. More weight in the back means more purpoising of course. Especially for a smaller boat like mine. I will mount the bracket and set the engine on when I need it. When underway with the primary engine I will keep the kicker stowed in the cabin. I picked up the fixed bracket at West Marine this past weekend for $75. This will hold up to a 15hp (but not a 9.9 4 stroke). This is what is reads on the box. The retractable mount was $130.

--Matt

--Matt

 

[Groundhog246]

4 stroke's weigh a lot more than 2 strokes. In many outboard lines, 9.9 and 15 hp engines are almost identical except for the carb/porting and/or stroke. I know some Evinrudes you could take a 9.9 and replace the card with one of a 15 hp and you had a 15 hp. So most 9.9 4 stroke, weigh the same of within a pound or 2 of a 15 and 40% to 50% more than same HP 2 stroke.
Be very careful moving a motor from cabin to bracket (or back) in any kind of seas. I'd advise a tether is case it slips (rather than diving for it). Not sure how big your boat is re" weight on the stern. My 26ft would hardly notice it. I was worried when we loaded 4 Al80's, 2 ST72's and all the rest of the gear for 3 divers in 7mm suits (somewhere in the 50 to 60 lbs of lead), along with filled water & fuel tanks and food, etc for 3 days. The only thing empty was the holding tank.

 

[matt_unique]

4 stroke's weigh a lot more than 2 strokes. In many outboard lines, 9.9 and 15 hp engines are almost identical except for the carb/porting and/or stroke. I know some Evinrudes you could take a 9.9 and replace the card with one of a 15 hp and you had a 15 hp. So most 9.9 4 stroke, weigh the same of within a pound or 2 of a 15 and 40% to 50% more than same HP 2 stroke.
Be very careful moving a motor from cabin to bracket (or back) in any kind of seas. I'd advise a tether is case it slips (rather than diving for it). Not sure how big your boat is re" weight on the stern. My 26ft would hardly notice it. I was worried when we loaded 4 Al80's, 2 ST72's and all the rest of the gear for 3 divers in 7mm suits (somewhere in the 50 to 60 lbs of lead), along with filled water & fuel tanks and food, etc for 3 days. The only thing empty was the holding tank.

Yeah I definitely plan to keep my brand new engine tethered when it will be placed over the side. My boat is 19' long so I have to manage weight carefully for optimum trim. I take a max of three divers and one non-diver at a time. You must have no problem taking three divers on your boat. I'm sure you could take 5 divers depending upon how your cabin is organized.

When does your boat go in the water for the season? I am planning on April 9.

--Matt

 

[PoorManDiving]

I know this is probably obvious, but when you mount the bracket..... MAKE SURE THERE IS PLENTY OF RE-INFORCING!
This is both inside and outside the hull!

I was once on a boat which had a bracket mounted securely to the hull with the largest possible piece of thick marine ply as re-inforcement on the inside of the hull. The engine was getting bounced a fair bit when the mounting punched straight through the hull and the auxillary dived under the water aiming straight for the prop of the main outboard. I jumped to grab it and nearly ended up getting pulled over as the skipper decided to open the throttle to get to harbour. As soon as he backed off the wake caught up and gushed in through the hole! Darn motor was padlocked to the bracket, and despite an efficient colour coding of locks, do you think we could undo the padlock?!!!!

Incidentaly, when fitting a bracket on another boat there is no plenty of external s/steel re-inforcement built into the bracket. (West-marine drop-down type). After that episode I now prefer the outboard to take up space in the cockpit than bounce around with all that force when doing 40 knots!

reinforcement:reinforcement:reinforcement!

 

[Groundhog246]

You must have no problem taking three divers on your boat. I'm sure you could take 5 divers depending upon how your cabin is organized.

When does your boat go in the water for the season? I am planning on April 9.

--Matt

I might be able to squeeze in a fourth diver (hope so as we have a 12yo who's planning to dive). Not sure whre to put 2 more cylinders (maybe we can get away with one, give him an AL80 and he can probably do 2 dives with it between fills, since he'll have a limit of 33 feet (1 ATM). With 3 divers, we rigged the bc's in the cockpit one at a time and dressed in our wetsuits "downstairs (it's 4 steps down from the cockpit to the cabin sole) which has the advantage of being out of the sun, then carefully one at a time put on BC's fins, masks and over the side, with one person helping. We've got wheel steering on the boat, which has it's good points, but the downside is the amount of cockpit space you lose. I'd be just as happy with a tiller. We can (and do) remove the wheel and set it below to free up some space.

As far as this season, our boat is spending it on the hard. Normally we'd go in Mid May (we're usually ready for the Canadian May 24 weekend, so usually rig the weekend prior). It needs a fair bit of work, some issues like the rusty fuel tank are urgent, others not so. Being a boat and limited room/access, I have to pull the engine to get to remove/replace the fuel tank. And the engine is a saildrive, removing it leaves a 12" diameter hole through the bottom, so can't do it afloat. Other projects are a new rudder (improved design), new lifelines (including new stanchions and bases), reworking the stern rail to make it stronger and to create an opening in the rail at the stern (currently when re-boarding you have to climb over the stern rail) and a new ladder, which is stronger and reaches deeper into the water. That along with re-bedding all the rest of the deck hardware and I figure it'll take me till early to mid July (working weekday evenings as we'll be diving weekends :54: ). I've got 2 weddings (one my older daughter's, the other in PEI, 1600km away) to attend in August. So very little time to sail, so we made the decision to travel and dive more and take a year off sailing. I do expect we'll sail a couple of weekends on friends boats (including on another couple's who also dive)