7/30/2008
11:47AM
This morning I met Tom, from Boat Savers down at my used trawler, the Patricia Ann. It had been 4 weeks since he had last checked on her and he wanted to get a status of where he was.
On Monday of this week I had a survey on another boat and my surveyor let me use his moisture meter to get a look at the hull readings. I subsequently called Tom to report that the numbers looked good.
The moisture readings were quite low, below 15% in most areas. There were some "hot" spots but Tom explained that that was to be expected. It was impossible to get all of the moisture out. But he went on to say, he's done over 1000 boats and can touch the hull with his hand and look at the hull to know when it was ready to put back together.
And yes, he said, we're ready to go on to the next step.
Tom's coming back in two weeks to begin step 3; sand the hull with 36 grit paper. The next day, step 4, he'll fill the bottom then the next day the bottom will be faired, step 5.
It will be exactly 10 weeks and two days when Tom will begin putting her back together.
Stay tuned, I'll be posting more photos so you can see whats happening.
Mike
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sewage Treatment
7/28/2008
5:45AM
My last post was concerned with the hoses used with on board sanitation systems. Today's post takes marine sanitation to the next level.
Marine sanitation devices are divided into three groups. These groups are:
Type I- Flow-through device (maceration and disinfection) may be used on boats equal to or less than 65 feet in length. The effluent produced must not have a fecal coliform bacteria count greater than 1000 per 100 milliliters and have no visible floating solids.
Type II- Flow-through device (maceration and disinfection) are used on boats greater than 65 feet in length. The effluent produced must not have a fecal coliform bacteria count greater than 200 per 100 milliliters and suspended solids not greater than 150 milligrams per liter .
Type III- Holding tanks may be used on any length boat. This MSD is designed to prevent the overboard discharge of treated or untreated sewage.
The Patricia Ann was designed and built with a Type III system aboard. It has served us fine over the years. But, while she's been on the hill we've decided to upgrade her to allow us to cruise without the constant need of pumping out. The change will also allow us to cruise and/or anchor in Federal No-Discharge Zones such as those we have in the Keys.
So how are we going to do that? We're installing an Electro-Scan waste treatment system on the aft head in the master stateroom. The Type I system generates its own natural disinfectant from salt water with coated electrodes that use salt water to kill bacteria and viruses without the addition of harmful chemicals. The unit discharges overboard with treatment levels that are safe for environmentally sensitive.
In addition, we are plumbing the forward head directly to the holding tank with no overboard discharge.
So in normal conditions, we will use the aft head but in sensitive areas, we'll use the forward head.
5:45AM
My last post was concerned with the hoses used with on board sanitation systems. Today's post takes marine sanitation to the next level.
Marine sanitation devices are divided into three groups. These groups are:
Type I- Flow-through device (maceration and disinfection) may be used on boats equal to or less than 65 feet in length. The effluent produced must not have a fecal coliform bacteria count greater than 1000 per 100 milliliters and have no visible floating solids.
Type II- Flow-through device (maceration and disinfection) are used on boats greater than 65 feet in length. The effluent produced must not have a fecal coliform bacteria count greater than 200 per 100 milliliters and suspended solids not greater than 150 milligrams per liter .
Type III- Holding tanks may be used on any length boat. This MSD is designed to prevent the overboard discharge of treated or untreated sewage.
The Patricia Ann was designed and built with a Type III system aboard. It has served us fine over the years. But, while she's been on the hill we've decided to upgrade her to allow us to cruise without the constant need of pumping out. The change will also allow us to cruise and/or anchor in Federal No-Discharge Zones such as those we have in the Keys.
So how are we going to do that? We're installing an Electro-Scan waste treatment system on the aft head in the master stateroom. The Type I system generates its own natural disinfectant from salt water with coated electrodes that use salt water to kill bacteria and viruses without the addition of harmful chemicals. The unit discharges overboard with treatment levels that are safe for environmentally sensitive.
In addition, we are plumbing the forward head directly to the holding tank with no overboard discharge.
So in normal conditions, we will use the aft head but in sensitive areas, we'll use the forward head.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Oh Those Toilets!
7/13/2008
11:05 AM
I got a call from a recent customer of mine earlier today who wanted to know how to maintain his toilets on his used boat; specifically, what needed to be done to keep the lines free? His call prompted this posting.
Toilets are an issue we rather not talk about but they are a requirement on our boats for sure. On the Patricia Ann, they have never been a real nuisance but I have heard the horror stories from others. So what can go wrong with marine toilets?
There are basically three type of toilets, the manual flush, the electric flush and the Vacuflush. Manual type heads have valves that need servicing or replacement occasionally, electric toilets have macerator impellers that can fail and Vacuflush heads can have water flow or vacuum pump issues. These are further defined as Type I, II, or III sanitation devices.
But the topic of this article is not the heads them selves but the hoses used with them. Yes, the hoses.
When I am searching for used boats for a buyer, one of the questions I ask in my Prequalification Disclosure is how salt-water flushing heads are maintained. The question does have a right answer which is that the heads are treated with Muratic Acid on a regular basis. If I don't get the right answer, I look to see if the heads flush at all.
When salt water is used to flush marine heads, salt water reacts with human urine to create a hard calcium deposit, calcium carbonate, said to be the same material as kidney stones. Over time, these deposits will build up on the interior hose walls much like you hear heart arteries do. Eventually, the passage is so small, little can flow through the line. Now you have a problem! On one boat I know of, the problem was so bad that the hoses had to be replaced.
You can find recommendations online for using vinegar; forget it, vinegar doesn't have the horsepower to do much. Mary and I used vinegar for years but discarded that idea after we began using Muratic Acid. Muratic Acid is a diluted Hydrochloric Acid solution; be careful as it is poison and can cause blindness.
If you have never treated your lines, pour about 2 cups of acid into your head and flush. Be sure you are pumping overboard and not into your holding tank, The acid will immediately began to react with the deposits producing a foaming action back into the heads. No to worry, just check occasionally and if the foam is too high, flush a bit more. It took me 2 gallons to initially treat my two heads on my 40 foot trawler. Now I use a cup or so each month to maintain them clear.
The acid is neutralized by the calcium so there is no environmental concern. If you flush with fresh water, you will not have this issue to deal with anyway.
I hear of people changing over from salt water flushing to fresh water because of the sulfur smells. It's not the water that smells, it's what is inside of your intake hose. I discovered this myself, quite by accident some years ago.
Close the sea cock on your intake side and disconnect the hose. Look inside of the hose. You'll probably find that the hose is lined with a black decaying matter of dead grass and algae. The smell you find from your toilet is from decomposing organic matter which gives off hydrogen sulfide gas.
Marine heads when properly maintained do not smell at all. If yours does, you need to investigate.
Well that's enough for now.
Till next time,
Mike
PS - Checked on the Patrica Ann this morning and she's doing fine. The moisture levels are dropping nicely.
11:05 AM
I got a call from a recent customer of mine earlier today who wanted to know how to maintain his toilets on his used boat; specifically, what needed to be done to keep the lines free? His call prompted this posting.
Toilets are an issue we rather not talk about but they are a requirement on our boats for sure. On the Patricia Ann, they have never been a real nuisance but I have heard the horror stories from others. So what can go wrong with marine toilets?
There are basically three type of toilets, the manual flush, the electric flush and the Vacuflush. Manual type heads have valves that need servicing or replacement occasionally, electric toilets have macerator impellers that can fail and Vacuflush heads can have water flow or vacuum pump issues. These are further defined as Type I, II, or III sanitation devices.
But the topic of this article is not the heads them selves but the hoses used with them. Yes, the hoses.
When I am searching for used boats for a buyer, one of the questions I ask in my Prequalification Disclosure is how salt-water flushing heads are maintained. The question does have a right answer which is that the heads are treated with Muratic Acid on a regular basis. If I don't get the right answer, I look to see if the heads flush at all.
When salt water is used to flush marine heads, salt water reacts with human urine to create a hard calcium deposit, calcium carbonate, said to be the same material as kidney stones. Over time, these deposits will build up on the interior hose walls much like you hear heart arteries do. Eventually, the passage is so small, little can flow through the line. Now you have a problem! On one boat I know of, the problem was so bad that the hoses had to be replaced.
You can find recommendations online for using vinegar; forget it, vinegar doesn't have the horsepower to do much. Mary and I used vinegar for years but discarded that idea after we began using Muratic Acid. Muratic Acid is a diluted Hydrochloric Acid solution; be careful as it is poison and can cause blindness.
If you have never treated your lines, pour about 2 cups of acid into your head and flush. Be sure you are pumping overboard and not into your holding tank, The acid will immediately began to react with the deposits producing a foaming action back into the heads. No to worry, just check occasionally and if the foam is too high, flush a bit more. It took me 2 gallons to initially treat my two heads on my 40 foot trawler. Now I use a cup or so each month to maintain them clear.
The acid is neutralized by the calcium so there is no environmental concern. If you flush with fresh water, you will not have this issue to deal with anyway.
I hear of people changing over from salt water flushing to fresh water because of the sulfur smells. It's not the water that smells, it's what is inside of your intake hose. I discovered this myself, quite by accident some years ago.
Close the sea cock on your intake side and disconnect the hose. Look inside of the hose. You'll probably find that the hose is lined with a black decaying matter of dead grass and algae. The smell you find from your toilet is from decomposing organic matter which gives off hydrogen sulfide gas.
Marine heads when properly maintained do not smell at all. If yours does, you need to investigate.
Well that's enough for now.
Till next time,
Mike
PS - Checked on the Patrica Ann this morning and she's doing fine. The moisture levels are dropping nicely.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Let's Go Fishing
July 5, 2008
1;30 PM
Several months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman after he called me about a used boat. We met and one thing led to another, I find out he's an accomplished entertainer. He's an up and coming Jimmy Buffett type that loves to sing about boats, the Bahamas , an occasional rum and coke and fishing. His work uniform is a pair of sandals, shorts and a shirt. Jimmy's my kind of of man; us Parrotheads of Florida think he's the best. As a boater, I'm sure you will too.
He writes and performs his own songs; this one from his new collection titled "Let's Go Fishing" . Every tune has a history.
As an offshore fisherman myself, I can relate to every word in the song; chasing those billfish from dawn till dusk . Over this weekend, I just decided to put some photos with Jimmy's song; I hope you like it.
Visit Jimmy Parrish's website at http://www.jimmyparrishonline.com/. Review his schedule; if you are down our way, drop in. You can get is songs from Itunes.
1;30 PM
Several months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman after he called me about a used boat. We met and one thing led to another, I find out he's an accomplished entertainer. He's an up and coming Jimmy Buffett type that loves to sing about boats, the Bahamas , an occasional rum and coke and fishing. His work uniform is a pair of sandals, shorts and a shirt. Jimmy's my kind of of man; us Parrotheads of Florida think he's the best. As a boater, I'm sure you will too.
He writes and performs his own songs; this one from his new collection titled "Let's Go Fishing" . Every tune has a history.
As an offshore fisherman myself, I can relate to every word in the song; chasing those billfish from dawn till dusk . Over this weekend, I just decided to put some photos with Jimmy's song; I hope you like it.
Visit Jimmy Parrish's website at http://www.jimmyparrishonline.com/. Review his schedule; if you are down our way, drop in. You can get is songs from Itunes.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Sunrise Over the Atlantic
7/3/20086:34 AM
Living aboard a boat has a lifestyle all of its own.
But what attracts us to the water in the first place? The feeling of independence,
open spaces, fresh breezes and the smell of the ocean.
Rising at dawn and an early walk on a beach brings it all into perspective. Many dream of the lifestyle; few actually ever achieve it. We have a lot to be thankful for.
Mike
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