Hi All,
Here is a more detailed description of all the work we did on Mystic Moon these past few months……and the list continues:
Transmission:
We decided to remove the transmission since we lost the transmission oil cooler on the way to New Zealand from Tonga at the end of last season. This was the second time we have lost this cooler, the first being while we were in the Bahamas. We were a little concerned about saltwater incursion doing some damage and after consultation with Twin Disc and others it was decided we should remove the transmission and have it serviced by the Twin Disc dealer in New Zealand. When we got back from the USA we moved Mystic down to Auckland, where Steve, from Category1 Marine and who services quite a few of the local Selenes here in New Zealand, would do the work.
What should have been a rather simple job of removing the transmission and lifting out the salon engine hatch was NOT. We thought the pillar installed in the Galley was removable allowing access to the hatch. However, it was not. We think the pillar was slid in before the mast was installed in Seattle as the pillar sits right under the mast for support. When the mast and other equipment were installed the added weight has made the pillar now unmovable. So, add another item to the list – modify the hatch around the pillar!!
Fortunately, there was no damage in the transmission from saltwater. However, after 4500 engine hours, there was some wear on the bearings, seals, inlet coupler (vibration dampener) and shaft. The clutch plates were fine. Steve and Twin Disc were a little concerned that we might not make it back to the Seattle area as we estimated we had another 4000 hours to go to return. So, we did the overhaul which took an extra couple of weeks longer than planned as some of the parts came from the USA and Australia. As a side note, we are finding the local dealers here in NZ do not have a large stock of inventory and rely on shipping parts in from other countries, mainly from the USA.
While in Auckland we stayed at the Viaduct Harbor Marina. Some of the time we stayed in Corybas’s slip while Ian and Agi had their boat in the Fiordlands. Since the repairs took longer than expected we eventually had to move Mystic sans main engine and rudder (i.e., just with the Yanmar get home engine and the bow and stern thrusters) to another slip. The marina was very helpful and had their security boat present to help if we had troubles turning into the slip but Mystic did just fine!!
Some of the other work we did over the last few months:
Cummins:
- Replaced the injectors – much needed per the shop that rebuilt them for spares
- Reset the valves – were not too bad
- Replaced the coolant
- Replaced several hoses
- Pressure tested the aftercooler, coolant, fuel and stabilizer heat exchangers (all passed). Since we lost the transmission oil cooler on our 5 day passage from Tonga I am a bit paranoid on these heat exchangers now…..we now carry spares for all H/. TG we had the spare for the oil cooler or it would have been really ugly coming to NZ on the get home and no stabilizers.
- Replaced the preheater solenoids that burnt up in Columbia – it’s cool enough in NZ we need to preheat the air!
- Moved the PSS cooling hose from the stabilizer H/E where the cooling water has been heated up (last in the loop before discharging) to the main raw water pump so it will be cooler!
Stabilizers:
- One of the actuator cylinders on the port side had a slight oil leak ever since Papeete Tahiti. Steve is also the Wesmar stabilizer technician so we had him rebuild both actuators.
Generator:
- Replaced injectors – we may have not needed to do
- Rebuilt the fuel injection pump
- Tested the coolant heat exchanger – passed
- Replaced the coolant
- New J-box motor mounts – wow, now I realize why it was vibrating so much – 2/4 were very cracked!!
- New front side motor mounts – the old ones were only 4 years old but had deteriated due to diesel and oil I guess
- Replaced the raw water pump with a new gasket that I think has stopped the pesky oil leak!!!
- Replaced the injector return rail – Steve had broken this while servicing the injectors and the NL dealer here had sold him a flexible hose replacement saying this was better – NOT. Leaked like a sieve. Had to get the solid rail from the USA!
Other Items:
- New AIS antenna: the old one had a leak and water had corroded the cable connection. While we were receiving ok, we had lost a lot of transmit range.
- New SSB antenna: same thing, water incursion corroding the internal cable connections. However, we did an SSB test with Minnie B at about 50 nm and we still had poor reception…..arghhhhhh!!
- SAT Phone: we attempted to lessen the irritating noise from the stabilized antenna that sits on the Pilot House deck. We made 3 attempts and while it is less it is still quite irritating. The noise actually is coming from the bolts that attach to the antenna. We now have a few more ideas to isolate the bolts – which we did with a starboard mount but the vibration/noise still transmits through the starboard and into the bolts. Another project for next year!
- Replaced the bad ram in the Big Bay computer. We soon discovered 2/3 of the serial ports have gone bad. We used a dual port serial to USB converter and after many hours of getting Nobeltec all reconfigured it is back up and running!!
- Serviced the Yamaha – we had not done so in two years and it needed some TLC!
…….and that is how we spent most our time in March/April…..
Pillar post over the hatch
Tranny decoupled from engine
Inching towards the galley hatch
Steve getting ready to lift the tranny up the galley hatch
Lifting oh so careful!!
Steve lifting the the tranny through the galley hatch
Steve and Graham being very careful
Out the cockpit onto the truck
