Power Winch

This shows some detail on the power winch modification.  I am using what turned out to be a windlass motor/gearbox.  To mate it up, I needed this coupler (dark piece at bottom), a spacer, not shown, and the light gray flange (between the bronze mount and the coupler) had to be drilled and tapped on a wider spacing.  That is all done and ready to mount.  The winch is installed but some fiberglass work needs to be done to seal off the mounting area. After that I can install the motor-gearbox, contactor relay, deck switch, 100 A breaker, and run the heavy cables to serve it.

Bilge Pumps Complete

I am back from a trip to the west coast.

After completely removing and re-wiring my bilge pumps I was stunned to find them not working properly.  Well, I've fixed everything. It turned out there were two bad circuit breakers, and I also discovered that when power is applied, to the automatic circuits, the pumps run for 6-8 seconds.  I was scratching my head wondering why they came on in an empty bilge.

So--both pumps are mounted, set on automatic, and I have two independent circuits for manual operation.  I can trust my pumps are working--for the time being.  I still would like to update these in the future to a smaller lower pump to remove more water, and a higher volume non-submersible pump, and a also an engine driven high volume pump. 

@@#$% Bilge Pumps

I have a leak somewhere and the water level rose high enough to short out my automatic circuit on one bilge pump and something is wrong on the other.  I might have mis-wired it. 

As I am going out of town, I need to get at least one automatic pump working.  I've also shut all my though hulls.  I need to check my cockpit drains.  Water could be coming in through there also.

So much for bad news, and it's really not bad news.  I need to find every problem and fix it now, not later when I'm offshore or someplace inconvenient.

On other fronts, two of the chain plates have been re-bedded, Marco pulled two more and has started repairing the decks in those areas.

Most of the stanchion basses have been re-attached.  The gate stanchions are Y shaped with two bases.  They need to be bent for a better fit.

I have not had much luck with getting my welder friend to repair my bow pulpit.  This is causing all sort of delays.  I can't operate the boat without this replaced, and now I have decided to pull the pushpit for repairs--perhaps this will work out better, he can come out for one trip only, and do everything I need done.

I've added two more sub-panels on ECHO to break up some of the wiring and reduce wiring to the main panel.  One sub-panel is in the galley area and will serve that side of the boat, the other is above the engine bay to serve the aft cabins.  I am debating adding one more for the port side, while that is close to the main panel, I would like to move the main panel to a more protected area aft at some point. 

I purchased more parts to make the plumbing system more reliable. I will defer that work for the short term.  First I need to ID the leaks.

I am talking to cabinet makers about finishing off the salon.  If I can't find someone local to do the work then I will need to take ECHO south.

At this point, moving ECHO south seems less likely this year.  I will be traveling for the next ten days, so things will slow down a bit.  Much depends on what I can get done in the following six weeks.