Two spring commissioning questions

[Gin]

We have our Ranger Tug 27 (Echo) out of the water for a fresh coat of bottom paint. The boatyard is also going to buff and wax the entire boat (a job I'm having them do, instead of myself, because of oxidation above decks).

The yard welcomes owners to do their own DIY projects while their boats are up on blocks. I have no end of small projects, but most are as easy or easier to do with the boat in its slip. Still, while it is on blocks, I want to take advantage of that.

My list of things to check/do while it is out of the water has included:

• - General condition of underside of hull (checked and looks good)
  - Prop (also checked and looks good)
  - Anodes (replaced late last fall; still good)
  - Flush cockpit drain lines / check & clean scuppers (haven't done that before - saw it in an older thread)

Question #1: Is there anything else I should add to my "while out of the water" list?

Question #2: Does anyone know a good way to flush out the water system without working the pump to death? This will be done back at the dock, but as long as I'm asking questions . . . I leave the fresh water tank and system dry as possible during the winter. I don't fill it with pink stuff (Portland doesn't get that cold usually, and I keep heat on the boat and have a bilge heater). In the spring I fill the tank with water and a strong dose of chlorine, run it through the lines, let it sit several hours to a day in the tank and the lines, then run all that out of the system. Then I give it a fresh fill (or two) and run it through to get all the chlorine out. That is a lot of pumping for the regular pump. I've wondered if there is a way to take a water line off (say, back by the water heater) and somehow do a gravity feed out or use an auxiliary 120v pump of some kind to get the bulk of the water out of the tank without taxing the regular pump so heavily. Anyone done something like that?

Thanks in advance for any and all ideas on both questions.

- Gini

 

[knotflying]

Just thinking out loud here. I would say an auxilary pump has to be connected before the house pump. I would connect a hose fitting to the feed line before the pump. Then connect a self priming pump and pump away. perhaps inserting a "T" fitting with a hose thread and cap will make it easier for future use.
Always thought it would be nice to have a gravity feed with a valve from the water tank to the bilge would be nice.

 

[CAPTCRUNCH]

Could you take advantage of the boat being up on blocks by siphoning the tank through the deck fill? I think that since the top of the water tank is lower than the water heater (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7089&p=50431&hilit=wincrasher#p50431 (1/22/16 post, 4th photo down)), you'd have to roll the boat over to get any help from gravity.

 

[WA6BTK]

Hi Gin,

Has your waste tank been treated? Also, check the bolts for tightness on the swim platform, stabilizers, etc.

Stu

 

[SnugTug]

My 2015 R-27 did not have anodes on the trim tabs. I added 3" discs this winter (one on each).

You might want to do a check and clean in the thruster tunnels making sure the props move freely. I would also change out the small cone shaped thruster anodes even if they were replaced last Fall. Mine eat away much quicker than the prop zinc does - why take a chance for such a small price to replace?

I would also check all of the hardware beneath the swin platform.

 

[Red Raven]

Snug tug, I'm curious if you actually saw corrosion on your trim tabs without the anodes. Since the trim tabs and hardware are all stainless and not bonded (at least mine aren't) I wonder whether the anodes are really necessary or just added maintenance cost. Without dissimilar metals and no currents from elsewhere in the boat I don't understand how galvanic corrosion would occur on the trim tabs. My understanding is that it is caused by dissimilar metals and current paths. Maybe some other tugnutter can comment on why these anodes are necessary.

My trim tab anodes defintely see significant corrosion in one season of salt water but I wonder if it isn't a self created problem as the added zinc to stainless creates a galvanic battery that would not exist without the added zinc on stainless.

Bottom line question for all. Do the zincs on the non-bonded stainless tabs with all stainless hardware help or just create an added maintenance cost? Maybe the imperfections of stainless steel have some galvanic corrosion issues without additioanal dissimilar metals?

 

[nzfisher]

Check the screws on the exhaust flap. I replace mine every year after catching them nearly corroding into nothing- hard to get out when this happens. This year I also reversed the flap as it was getting floppy and not keeping out the flotsam. Regards bottom paint I have learned through advanced stupidity that a lot of effort can be saved if you water blast the slime off the hull while it is still wet when you take the boat out. Next year I expect to not have to do hull painting after learning this.

Oh yea, cut some cardboard circles to put in the forward thruster cavity so you can make sure the bottom painting guys get paint in the tunnel but not on the thruster prop.

 

[NewMoon]

FWIW,

I've been flushing my 36-gal FW tank 3 times each spring. Original FW pump lasted 14 years with lots of use every summer too.

 

[S. Todd]

I concur with NewMoon that running the freshwater pump to empty the tank should not be a problem. I believe the cycling on and off is harder on it than continuous running, as long as there is water running through it. Thus, I would open as many faucets as needed to get it to run continuously while empting the tank. I had one boat for 17 years and drained the tank that way all the time. That same pump may still be working for all I know.

 

[Gin]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I probably won't end up replacing the thruster anodes. They look like new. I think our boat benefits from a marina that isn't hot, plus we have a galvanic isolator. Between the two, the anodes have been lasting for upwards of 12 months. And I will want to a diver go under the boat in the fall anyway -- it is a good time to replace zincs, knock of the growth from the bottom (some is inevitable even with good bottom paint) and otherwise check everything out after the summer and before the Christmas ships season (and the dive service is owned by a friend, who checks it over with TLC for me).

But I will do a lot of hardware checking, and maybe flip the scupper covers around, etc. Good suggestions.

And I will probably just keep using the pump to do my multiple spring tank rinse-outs. Sounds like it should be up to it, and it will be easier than flipping the boat upside down for the gravity feed way of doing it. 😉

Here's to a good spring and summer boating season!

Gini

 

[SnugTug]

Snug tug, I'm curious if you actually saw corrosion on your trim tabs without the anodes. Since the trim tabs and hardware are all stainless and not bonded (at least mine aren't) I wonder whether the anodes are really necessary or just added maintenance cost. Without dissimilar metals and no currents from elsewhere in the boat I don't understand how galvanic corrosion would occur on the trim tabs. My understanding is that it is caused by dissimilar metals and current paths. Maybe some other tugnutter can comment on why these anodes are necessary.

My trim tab anodes defintely see significant corrosion in one season of salt water but I wonder if it isn't a self created problem as the added zinc to stainless creates a galvanic battery that would not exist without the added zinc on stainless.

Bottom line question for all. Do the zincs on the non-bonded stainless tabs with all stainless hardware help or just create an added maintenance cost? Maybe the imperfections of stainless steel have some galvanic corrosion issues without additioanal dissimilar metals?

Good question. I saw factory delivered tugs are now coming to my dealer with anodes on the tabs so I called the factory and they recommended. My marina is pretty "hot" and my thruster and prop zincs were seriously depleted after just 4 months.

Red Raven - I sent you a PM too so you didn't miss my reply.

 

[Cessna172]

[/quoat]Good question. I saw factory delivered tugs are now coming to my dealer with anodes on the tabs so I called the factory and they recommended. My marina is pretty "hot" and my thruster and prop zincs were seriously depleted after just 4 months.

Red Raven - I sent you a PM too so you didn't miss my reply.[/quote]

My thruster prop zincs are also shot after only five months (even with the boat boat stored on the hard). Imtra (supplier for the thruster anodes) states that the thruster anodes #SM31180A are made of aluminum. Does anyone know of an actual compatible zinc anode to extend longevity in salt water?

Thanks,
Gary

 

[rpmerrill]

Thank you nzfisher !
My exhaust flap screws were down to the point where I was lucky to get them out.
New ones in place.

 

[stwendl]

In a hot marina, perhaps it would be helpful to hang an anode over board connected with a wire to the framework. That anode would be easier to change then under water.

 

[Kaisardog]

re: water pump, blowing out the water system during winterization without over working your installed water pump:

we had a problem one year during winterization of our water system: the installed par jabsco freshwater pump quit. since we had to get the task done that weekend due to a freeze, and water was in all the lines from the water tank to fixtures in galley, head, shower etc, we recruited our Vioxx 12 v air compressor. ( we carry it for putting air into our rv tire which require 65 PSI and gas s stations usually only go to 50 psi..) so we took the out put hose off the non functioning pump, attached the output hose from the Viox to that supply hose, and opened a sink fixture. the vioxx blew out the line really early. close that line, open line into shower etc. till all fixtures were done... the vioxx is so much more powerful than the installed water pump, the job went much more quickly.