Bertram33 User Forum

In case anyone stops by, have a Merry Christmas & a wonderful healthy & Happy New Year.
Al

Happy Holidays to all.

You too boys! Here's hoping the site catches on again like it did back in the mid aughts! Like many other things, the smart phone has killed the interweb forums.

It really has been quiet in here.
I had new 110V LED cockpit lights with custom amounts installed last year. This fall when I was shrink wrapped he never lowered them or covered them with foam. The Christmas storm here on the Cape produced 60-70 MPH winds and a 10year high storm surge cracking the base of one of the lights; the other popped through the wrap. I am sure we’ll have to replace the light$$$$. Anyone checked the price of impellers lately? I just received two Sherwoods they’re up to $60.00ea.

Happy & healthy New Year to all.

Tony, just checked defender for my Jabsco impellor & it has gone to $42. About $10 more. I have to replace elbows on my port motor & I can remember $100 shipped & now about $180 plus shipping.
Al

With the nice weather predicted this week. I’m planning on doing some general maintenance. Impellers, engine zincs, scrub out the bilge around the engine, check a steering leak in side wall above the starboard engine etc…… What I really want to tackle is freeing up the starboard shaft to check alignment but the bolts are rusted tight; it seems like an impossible task. When I replaced the port tranny a couple of years ago I had to cut the bolts, cutting between the coupler and tranny. That wasn’t a problem since I was replacing the tranny and also the coupler. I had the machine shop marry the coupler to the shaft and reassembled. On the starboard side I can’t do that without risking damaging the tranny and coupler with the grinder. Cutting the bolts won’t help since they won’t bang out once cut.
Open to suggestions.

Tony, here is an excuse to buy a new tool. Get an electric die grinder with some CARBIDE burrs & take the heads off the bolts. Two minutes for each bolt. Then you can pull the shaft back & work on getting the studs out. Of course you will probably have to pull the prop to get enough clearance.
So, the ??? is: how badly do you want to free the shaft.
Al

Happy New Year from the West coast!

Al, If I’m careful can not damage anything when using the die grinder? Didn’t mention I’m in the water at my winter slip. I’m not sure why you’d have to pull the prop; its aft the strut.

Hard to have a Happy New Year with the price of everything going up and investments going down!

I’ll try though and hope you all will also. Happy New Year

Tony, the die grinder with a double cut carbide burr is very controllable. I use a cone shape burr. With the tension off the bolts, sometimes you can just use vise grips to work the stud out. Actually I'm remembering I ground off the nuts on the back side of the coupling. I think I then used a 25" breaker bar on the studs that were corroded in place.
I happened to catch a sale on a set of Kodiak double cut burrs. Excellent US made quality & they don't get dull.
Al

Thanks Al,
Went down to the boat yesterday got both impellers changed, all engine zincs changed and opened the side panel above the starboard engine and found the leak in the hydraulic steering. It was just an O ring on the side bolt of the pump (.50); got lucky. Also scoped out the coupler job and decided it can’t be done while in the water. I’ll come out next spring for general maintenance and tackle it then. It looks like a ball of rust but we’ll be ok threw this coming season.

A little late, but Happy New Year everyone!

Sine Qua Non got new lights, props tuned, cutlass bearings, bottom paint and hull compounded for xmas. Looking very sharp.

All the best,
Scott