Day 256-257, Fixing wind instrument, installing AIS receiver and many small things.

24 small things was done in 2 weekend days

Radar installed

 

 Mast

• Check mast longitudinal angle.
  

• Portside lower shrouds - fix pin on spreaders root.

during stepping mast up pin holding lowers on port side slide out of the intended position. I had to easy lowers and push it back to place.

• Install VHF antenna and test SWR - (Measured SWR 1.3).

Just put antenna back to place.

• Install radar to the mast.

Simple, but it the bracket appeared slightly deformed and rear holes ended up not aligned and i had to drill them out to provide some gaps and be able to put bolts in. Other challenge - lift Radar to the mast safely, but it is round and has no features to tie rope to it ;-)

• Install ring camera to radar mount.
  

Drilled 3 holes and riveted mounting plate for Ring camera to be able to observe what is going on on the docks, especially when really bad weather hits.

• Put mainsail and sail pack back to the boat.

Just put them back and connected the pack lazy jack back up to the mast.

• Install mast step to the mast.

Need the step because the sail pack makes the boom unusable to step on. I put a foldable step a little bit above the boom height. Should be somehow ok to use it.

• Install wind instrument back to the mast.

Last time I found the instrument and mast top video camera did not work. I suspected a problem with wiring, but it appeared the connector on the mast top was connected in the wrong orientation. But I spent about 40 minutes on the mast-top to "ring" all wires to make sure everything is ok with wiring, then took the instrument down — rechecked it, and then my son put everything back. Mission completed successfully.

• Connect mast wiring under the deck.

Easy to say, but took 2 hours to play with it. Still need to fish 3 wires to the navigation desk to route the radar wire, Ring camera power and "spare" Ethernet from mid mast.

• Splice main sheet halyard

Planned to splice the halyard to the shackle, but after 3 unsuccessful attempts to splice it I gave up and put a knot. I suspect I hardened the rope while using it several times for climbing up the mast.

• Just a reminder

Need pin to keep tack on the main sail (5/16 - work length - 1-3/4)  

Engine room

• Check rudder sensor calibration.
  

• Check diameter of injector tubes - 6.4mm.

• Glue temperature sensor to shaft seal graphite block.

This simple thing turned into a messy task. I used JBWELD compound to mount the sensor, but it appeared not thick enough to keep the sensor in place by itself, or the cable is too stiff. So I ended up fighting with wet compound with a real danger of contaminating the polished surface of the drip-less seal.

Water/plumbing

• Fill front water tank and check waterline.

Simple — yes, if you have a second person on the valve willing to top the tank off. It ended up flooding the v-berth and rescuing the v-berth cushions to keep them from getting wet.

• Connect back front water tank gauge.
  

• Install water heater back. Add IP68 power connector.

Made and riveted an aluminum bracket to the heater front side mount ear to make it possible to easily remove the heater if needed. Original mounting required removing the electrical box each time to get access to the mounting screws. The new bracket is made to avoid loading the mounting screws with pulling force and apply only side load.

• Check black water tank input

Just pulled the empty black water tank and rechecked the input flange — it is 1.5" diameter.

Safety

• Add class-T fuse to house battery.

100Ah 12V LiFePO4 battery was installed several weeks ago, but not properly fused. Fuse connected to battery cable.

• Put garbage control sticker required by USCG

  Put safety wire to anchor shackles. 

  Put safety wire to coupler set screws.

When I assembled the engine to the propeller shaft coupler I did not find the right setscrews and made them from standard bolts. Unfortunately I was not able to drill them for safety wire. I 3D printed caps with tabs for the bolts and installed them, then put safety wire over it. Setscrews are installed with blue Loctite thread locker, and wiring them is just an extra safety check.

• AIS receiver installation.

Finally assembled Maiana AIS receiver and secured it to 6' SS tubing and mounted it in back rails. Protected the cable with heatshrink tubing and routed it to the cabin. Did not finish connection yet.

• Bilge pump switch.

Added 1/2" spacer under the bilge pump switch back to fix the problem where the pump does not have enough water to start pumping.

• Got mast top camera working.

Mast top camera connection set-up and the camera is working well.

Other

• Install MikroTik router.

• Switched the 4G router/WIFI AP to just modem mode to get internet connection.

MicroTik is needed as an Ethernet switch for the radar and I prefer to use it for WIFI as well. At least the mast top camera started working after I switched to MicroTik.

• Measure galley drawers.

• Add breakers blockers to main panel

Photos

Rainy evening on the boat, First overnight on Vira.

Kemah Boardwalk Marina, night after the rain

Vira at night

ClassT breaker installed. Maybe not the best installation.

Drill bits sets need to be updated.

1/16, 3/32, 5/32, 13/64, 15/32, 29/64 wanted; 3/16 just update

1mm, 3.5mm, 5mm, 5.5mm, 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm wanted

PSS seal and coupler setscrews safety caps and wire.

Water heater returned to place, new bracket do not require electric box disassembly to remove heater. 

Mast wires reconnected, need to be tide up and covers returned to place.

Breaker covers installed to prevent accidental switch off important switches 

 

New backstay is TOO LONG. Rigger promised to fix an issue.

 

 

SEE YOU IN 2 WEEKS