[Capt J]

Originally Posted by 35bert

so the stainless steel rudder housings got finished to day an were test fitted punching the whole ate 3 saw blades in each housing but its nice to have a set of solid rudder housings that will not flex or rot with time.. I also get my shafts back tomarrow, and I will give them all my info and have them give me a idea of my top speed with the new diesels. Even with all the extra outfitting on the boat I think the composits will still reduce my weight below the factory weight but will still use the factory weight for my base.
also got the dripples shaft and rudder seals. any one have a big prob with a dripples system?

The dripless seals are nice for a dry bilge. Although from what I've seen on two different boats lately, one was a 2000 and the other a 2001. The tideseal ate into the prop shaft 40 thousandths (525hours on the engines)and the shaft had to be replaced when replacing the seal, the portside shaft was ok. The other boat the tideseals ate into the rudder posts and the rudders needed new posts welded on, otherwise the new seal wouldn't seal properly. But I guess after ten years it's not a bad thing. I hear better things about the PST system over the tideseals.

[35bert]

Originally Posted by Capt J

The dripless seals are nice for a dry bilge. Although from what I've seen on two different boats lately, one was a 2000 and the other a 2001. The tideseal ate into the prop shaft 40 thousandths (525hours on the engines)and the shaft had to be replaced when replacing the seal, the portside shaft was ok. The other boat the tideseals ate into the rudder posts and the rudders needed new posts welded on, otherwise the new seal wouldn't seal properly. But I guess after ten years it's not a bad thing. I hear better things about the PST system over the tideseals.

Thanks for the info.

Why do you think the seal ate the shafts?
Was the cutlass insert worn out?
Was the shaft damage a twin engine set up?
Was there a cross over tube on the system if it was twin?
Was it run on one engine if it was a twin engine set up with no crossover tube?
Was the cooling line clogged?

Why do you think the rudders were damaged?
Was the cutlass insert worn out?
Was it there j type?
Was there heat damage or sine of Lack of cooling?
Did the rudder housings have play in them?


Both systems ran un-till they leaked?
Both systems were used 7 to 10 years?
Both systems were trailer or slip boats?
Both systems were used often or sat?



I am only asking cuz I just dropped a lot of dollars with tide for new shaft & rudder seals and rudder bearings Friday....

Thanks

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by 35bert

Thanks for the info.

Why do you think the seal ate the shafts?
Was the cutlass insert worn out?
Was the shaft damage a twin engine set up?
Was there a cross over tube on the system if it was twin?
Was it run on one engine if it was a twin engine set up with no crossover tube?
Was the cooling line clogged?

Why do you think the rudders were damaged?
Was the cutlass insert worn out?
Was it there j type?
Was there heat damage or sine of Lack of cooling?
Did the rudder housings have play in them?


Both systems ran un-till they leaked?
Both systems were used 7 to 10 years?
Both systems were trailer or slip boats?
Both systems were used often or sat?



I am only asking cuz I just dropped a lot of dollars with tide for new shaft & rudder seals and rudder bearings Friday....

Thanks

The material in the Tides that rides on the shaft is very very hard. The engine that had the tide that ate into the shaft was slightly out of alignment, which maybe caused the tide to bind slightly on it. No crossover tube. The engine with the leaking seal was always running when the boat was used, the cooling water line was not clogged. This was a slip boat a 2001 34' searay with 525ish hours, twin 8.1 liter mercruisers.

The rudders had some play which also was a tide bearing plate that held them from being loose near the top of the rudder. This was a slip boat 50' Post SF a 2000. Used often with 3500 hours on the engines. Both rudder posts had the same amount of wear. I think the rudders were damaged because of the hardness of the tide seals, and they're not water cooled or anything. I am wondering if they had a grease fitting if it would help.

[35bert]

Originally Posted by Capt J

The material in the Tides that rides on the shaft is very very hard. The engine that had the tide that ate into the shaft was slightly out of alignment, which maybe caused the tide to bind slightly on it. No crossover tube. The engine with the leaking seal was always running when the boat was used, the cooling water line was not clogged. This was a slip boat a 2001 34' searay with 525ish hours, twin 8.1 liter mercruisers.

The rudders had some play which also was a tide bearing plate that held them from being loose near the top of the rudder. This was a slip boat 50' Post SF a 2000. Used often with 3500 hours on the engines. Both rudder posts had the same amount of wear. I think the rudders were damaged because of the hardness of the tide seals, and they're not water cooled or anything. I am wondering if they had a grease fitting if it would help.

Thanks good to keep in mind...

[35bert]

Originally Posted by K1W1

Hi,

Bladder Tanks are very susceptible to chafe.

Make sure when you are putting in your bladder that there is nothing sharp or an edge it will rub on. You might find yourself replacing your Bladder more often that you thought if you do not.

JHartz- If you can open the floor up enough to get your tank out in one piece why not get a new Alu or SS one made and stick it back in as a metal tank?
Make the access hatch removable without a chop saw and you will have a long lasting maintainable replacement.

I have been giving this some thought and the real draw back to the bladder is not being able to have float for a water level gauge, other then going below and taking a look you can't tell. I think an alu tank covered with fiberglass glass may hold up with the tank filled with water. A tank coated like that will last for ever filled with gas but the gas fumes keep the salt air out. Diesel & water may not be the same but can tell you the alu tanks that I see rotted out are form the out side in.

Plastic now that's kind of nice thought for a water tank my head tanks looks nice at 10 years old and has had worse then water in it and do not think it was the fumes that prevented the rot on this one.. Plastic would need a vent but may not rot like alu or cost an arm and leg like ss or have to be float less like a bladder. it may also have its draw backs but its just a thought,,,

[35bert]

moving on the boat was moved next to me so it was time for a photo. shot 2 the fuel tank is painted and the un glassed alu svo tank is watting for a test fitting. shot 3 the salon floor is all down no missing hatch to fall into!!!!

[35bert]

so photo 1 is the two 60 gallon SVO tanks being glassed for to prevent rot. shot 2 of the seal installed and shot 3 is the bunks going in and the two shaft seals

[35bert]

shot 1 the first SVO tank is in place with a lot of room to get to the drip less seal. shot two both the tanks with there fresh coat of awlgrip are bolted into the glass bunks and ready for pluming. and the last photo shows the cruisair cooler installed in between the two SVO tanks..

Soon I be putting the stainless rudder housings and 3 cable master systems. And pluming the fuel, helm, and controls I have ordered & will be going with all 316ss tubing all in 1/2 inch for the helm and 5/16 for the controls all .035 wall copper is .032 and telaflex tells me it will work so photos soon. I be putting her in the drink to let the hull settle so I am happy about that

[Capt J]

I have not seen a plastic water tank fail yet. It is a good choice for water. Another good choice would be a stainless tank instead of aluminum. I would also prefer to have a vented tank over a bladder. They fill easier and can take water faster.

[35bert]

I do love stainless just not the cost of material and labor. I need to buy a tig welder and start to play with it. I payed more for the 1/4 inch stainless then to have the houseings made. but I think a tank will be the other way around.

the main tank has 5 alu panels inside it, they are as old as the boat are not bonded and have not rot at all I cut 6 holes 12x12 in my tank to inspect it for damage. there was no damage to the glass or the alu panels.

my thinking is that the gas fumes keep any salt air from being able to get in to the tank keeping the alu as fresh as it was over 30 years ago. this may or may not be the same for diesel and water or wast. maybe the green hose of an in closed tank dose not allow all the evaporation it produces to vent as fast as its created keeping salt air from coming in contact with the inside keeping the alu good as new or may be not.

on a nother note I pulled an old dart convertable down from some where to cut up. the only part of the car that had no rust at all was the floor I mean there was no top on it, it was drove on salted roads. well I'll tell you why the guy covered the floor with fiberglass resin no cloth just painted it on and know what... my torch met a lot of cars but this had the worse rust I have seen every panel but the floor was rotted and I mean every.... but the floor was rot free. who'd a thunk it.

[35bert]

so I got all three cablemasters installed two 30 amp and one 50 amp

[35bert]

I had some shots of the system with the cable in the systems as we pulled all the cables in but must have lost the photo

[35bert]

well I have to put the tower on to rig the pluming in the boats and I want a cockpit hard top to get me out of the sun and hold up the tower & 4 or 5 guys. so I started building it today. I used the inside of the fly brige hard top as a mold. I used the flybrige floor to make the flybrige hard top so it an exact copy and the cockpit hardtop will extend the floor 7ft when in the down poshion. Its 16mm nita core with 3 thick layers of glass on each side fallowed by 1/2 dyvinacel and 3 more layers of glass. the 1st shot shows the nita core with 3 layers of glass sitting in the hard top...more photos to fallow.. the 2nd shot is of the dyvincel foam core being pressed to wet fiberglass on top of the nita the 3rd shot show how it will fit plush to the fly brige floor or salon roof...

I flipped it over and glassed the top also to day but the rain starrted moving in and had cover the project till to marrow whel well test fit.....

[35bert]

with onl layer of glass on the top side of the hardtop we test fitted, the first shot shows the top sitting on some saw horses, the second shows how far to will extend and the third shot is of how it will line up with the existing top...

[35bert]

the first shot shows the two housings installed the second and 3rd shots show where the ram will end up and I will need to add a plate to bolt the ram on..