RUNNING AGAIN

Danga Bay Marina

I may not of been the speedest in engine work but after 18 days I finally suceeded in getting Miss Perky back together and running.  I had managed to install a new front oil seal, a rebuilt freshwater circulating pump, rebuilt raw water pump and another rear oil seal, yes the transmission and other assorted stuff on the rear of the engine had to be removed. Lots of gaskets were made and used, engine parts repainted etc. etc.. Finally time to turn the key and start. No, Miss Perky was a bit FUSSY!  I think she enjoyed being coddled over. I must have been spending to much time attempting to be a mechanic as I instantly recognized the problem. The "kill" switch needed to be readjusted, that done Miss Perky started and so far now with an hour or so time is purring along. No leaks so far!

I have now moved on to other items on the endless list but enough of that. Instead of reading about my endless jobs lets just take a look at some photos from the past.

LEAVING CALIFORNIA 2004

A FINE OLD DUDE

A DANCER IN A VANUATU VILLAGE

GOING THRU THE PANAMA CANAL 2001

FLYING SAILORS

A GOOD BEER, INDONESIA

WAHOO!! and BLUE CAT IS READY

HAPPY KIDS

PAINTING SOMEWHER IN THE SEA OF CORTEZ

DANCE LEADER MARQUESAS, FRENCH POLYNESIA

OK, since we originally left back in 1999 you can see that it has not all been boat work. As our old friend Butch Ditmer would say "lots of things I've seen and done but ain't never had to much fun".We're, along with a bit of work, trying!!

PLUGGING AWAY

Danga Bay Marina

It's a bit over a week since Kathy has returned to the states for shopping and grand babies. I get to stay and fuss over my favorite baby, Miss Perky, our faithful auxiliary engine. In this part of the world which seems to lack an important ingredient for sail boats,WIND, Miss Perky has been our primary manner of propulsion.
On our trip down from Langkawi we developed a coolant leak, such that as soon as I filled the heat exchanger it was seen to be dripping out the front. The front oil seal was another problem  along with the rear main oil seal, that we had just re-done in Langkawi. So my first order of business was the front of Miss Perky. Perhaps a bit of liposuction!! OK just pull the freshwater pump apart and replace seals and bearings. Not so easy as it seemed half the engine had to come apart ,well I did need to get to the front oil seal too.

Lots to dismantle. Exhaust manifold/ heat exchanger, oil cooler, alternator, thermostat housing, etc. etc. Now I don't claim tohave much mechanical knowledge but I can take most anything apart.

 Lots of pieces and most need cleaning and new paint.

 On dismantling the water pump I found the bearings worn and the seal almost non existent the shaft scored so as to not take a new seal. Off to find a machine shop! Ten or more places of business later I finally located someone to do the work. Two days and 80 RM later, $28 US, A new shaft was turned on a lathe, bearings and seals pressed back in and Miss Perky had a new freshwater pump.

 Next it was the removal of the various pulleys on the front of the engine to access the oil seal. I managed to borrow a few necessary tools from a fellow yachtie and soon had more parts to clean, paint ant re-install.



THE COLOR IS GOING BACK TO PERKINS BLUE



I'm sure all the new paint will make things run better. Today I finished putting most all of the parts back on the front end. There is still a raw water pump to be re-built before it goes back on, I'll head back to the same machinist, along with some other stuff. It's useless to do to much as next is the back of the engine and then deal with alignment issues. Hey aren't you glad you didn't ask. 


Tonight was voucher night, meaning I got fifty RM worth of food at a local restaurant. I'm stuffed!! A great burger and fries, then a pizza to go, lunch tomorrow, a beer , 46 RM. Now back on the boat a rum as I write for my fans. I'm sure there must be some out there! Tomorrow it's back to twisting wrenches as I remove the transmission, bell housing, starter, flywheel, etc to get at that pesky rear oil seal. Hey at least the parts were all cleaned and painted two months ago so I won't have to deal with that.

Stay tuned for the next installment, there may be more then just engine work.

DANGA BAY BOAT WORK

Danga Bay Marina, Johor Bahru, Malaysia


For us cruising boat owner's we seem to have a never ending list of necessary projects. It matters not that we spent the month of April hauled out for work ,it just never ends. This is especially true when we are secure in a marina with water and power. We're now in the marina just over two weeks and it's been BUSY!

The first order of business was to get hooked up with electricity. Sounds simple, not! Being a US vessel all our power stuff is 110 volts where most of the rest of the world is 240 volts. Our old step down transformer had died so I had to locate a new one. Thanks to the internet I found an expats blog giving me the address of a store here in Johor Bahru where I was able to purchase a new one. We can now power our battery charger and other electrical appliances.

Kathy was due to fly back to the states to visit grand babies on 5 June but there were a number of things that needed her special talents before leaving.

.

 First some repair to the head of the staysail. Next it was finishing sewing on our newly constructed shades along with some other repair work.

 Kathy especially likes "water jobs" We removed the staysail and it was given a good scrubbing of the"Danga Dirt" that had accumulated from our last visit here. It was during this time that we discovered the need for some sewing repair too. Next on the list was re-bedding the glass on our 14 poutlights. This was last done 2004.

REMOVING OLD COMPOUND

NEW SEALANT

LOTS OF PIECES AND TOOLS

 Next was a bit of refurbishing of our canvas dodger. Back in 2006 we were expierencing leaks thru the sumbrella material. At that time we glued vinyl to the top of the dodger and were once again rain repellent. It was time to strip the old vinyl off add replkace with new.



NOTHING LIKE CONTACT CEMENT

We spent the last few days before Kathy's departure getting bags packed. The big item was our wind vane steering system. We had removed this when on the hard in Rebak and Kathy was transporting it back to the states to sell. We never really used it in the 8 years it was installed so perhaps we can recoup some of it's original cost.

5 June we taxied to Changi airport in Singapore for Kathy's flight home. 3 hours to Manilla, Philipines and then 14 hours to LA. I then spent the afternoon shopping in  the ship chandleries in  Singapore.

Now back on the boat without my "lifesaver" who keeps me fed and cleans up after the messes I make it's back to the never ending list of boat jobs. First it's back to being a mechanic! The oil seal repair that was made in Langkawi did not work and needs to be redone. Our faithful engine has also developed a leak from in the cooling system, so those are my immediate jobs. When here last year we started rebedding the face frames for the portlights. We got four done so I need to finish the other ten

No this lifestyle is not kicked back sailing in tradwind breezes with a margarita fresh from the blender but it is great fun and with that I'll have another sip of rum.