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Ken,
Yes, a sea chest or seawater intake manifold is a container with its own
intake thru-hull, from which seawater is distributed to various devices that
use it – toilet, galley sink foot pump, watermaker, deckwash pump… even a
bilge washdown hose if you want one. To my knowledge, Pearson did not build
in sea chests, but could have by special order. Very few builders do that. I
don’t know why; it’s a smart idea. Be thankful your boat already has one,
with its own Groco strainer and thru-hull screen, as it should. I had to
design and build Silverheels’ seawater intake manifold from scratch (photos
attached), but am delighted with the results. And I agree that the engine
should have its own separate intake and strainer.Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
http://www.silverheels.us
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BTW, when I’m single-handing offshore and have to sleep, I use radar with an
amplified perimeter alarm and (more recently) send/receive AIS to keep an
eye out for me and to warn others of my presence. In my experience, those
gadgets can be more reliable than sleepy crew members on watch. Either way,
we’re all casting our fates out there to some extent. Maybe that’s why we
go.Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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Hey John,
You’re an experienced sailor and your opinions are valid. Still, if The
Fates ever put you in mortal danger, avoidable or otherwise, I hope you will
get past your problem of seeking help. We’d miss you.Single-handing is what it is, neither overly dangerous nor overly safe – in
my case, so far, so good – but it’s not for everyone, not for you from what
you say. That’s OK. Still, to infer that it’s irresponsible – that one just
casts one’s fate to the wind – is an image based on imagination, not
experience. When I sleep offshore, I do not rely solely on The Fates. I may
be crazy, but I’m not a fool. (Or is it the other way around?) I rely on
others to keep an eye out, human and electronic, on my own frequent
look-arounds, and on my own 6th sense, which has saved my butt more than
once. I do everything possible to ensure that I and others in that part of
the ocean wake up dry. When I sleep in port or on shore, it’s much the same.
We do the best we can with what we’ve got. And when the doodoo hits the fan,
I don’t rely anyone but myself. Never have. If someone chooses to assist me,
I thank them. I’d do the same for them, or you, when I can. If no one
assists, well, I’m a grown-up and I got myself here and it’s my dilemma. And
the fact that USCG personnel may voluntarily put themselves at risk, and
maybe even enjoy that risk (as you say), IS important. To them, to me, to
all of us. IMHO.I’ll look up DSC, since I recently got a new VHF. That may be important,
too.Thanks,
Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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Ken,
My former direct email address, , has recently been
harvested by the spammers of the world so I had to re-direct it through
SpamArrest. My direct boat address now is . Until the
spammers discover that one, senders will not have to pass through the
SpamArrest security check. So please use that one from now on for direct
communications.Tor
http://www.silverheels.us
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That seems like the best you can do. I hope you immediately filled it back
up with fresh fluid while you wait for the new cooler. Leaving the
transmission empty with an undiluted sea-watery oil coating inside could be
disastrous.My transmission had been totally, professionally rebuilt barely 600 engine
hours before my oil cooler failure. So it was in excellent shape inside, or
so I assume. That may have contributed to the success of my multiple fluid
changes early on. As I believe someone in this group mentioned already, if
your tranny was marginal with age an use when the oil cooler failure
occurred, this influx of seawater may be the proverbial straw that breaks
the camel’s butt no matter what you do. Do you know how long your
transmission has gone since it was either new or rebuilt?Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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John,
You raise several (to me) interesting issues, especially since I’m sitting
here waiting for the pasta to get done cooking. One, is sailing a sport? I
suppose that’s a matter of semantics and inclination. I don’t race. For me
sailing is a lifestyle, not a sport. Second, is it dangerous? Statistically
less so than driving a car on a freeway, or so I’ve heard. I suppose it’s a
calculated risk, but I don’t see it a inherently dangerous – unless you do
it dangerously.Next, I feel entitled to call on the USCG to help me if I really need their
help, even at the risk of their lives. I’m an American tax payer. I have
paid for that government service all my working life and (knock on wood) so
far never used it directly. As adults joining the Coast Guard, they have
accepted the risks of their profession. Everybody is grown up and accepting
responsibility for their actions. IMHO, that’s a good thing.And if a crewmember falls overboard and after exhausting your best efforts
you cannot save them and have to notify their family, should you feel that
you “lost their loved one?” Or did the loved one screw up, maybe chose to
participate in something beyond their abilities, or do something dangerous,
or just get unlucky? Call me calloused, but I think we are all responsible
for what we do, not for what other people do.And lastly, what’s a DSC radio?
Ah, the pasta’s done.
Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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Well, then, there you have one more good reason for single-handing. You never have to go back to pick up MOB’s.
🙂
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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Pete,
I only employ the first of your rules, with an additional caveat: If you do hit something, be going very, very slowly. (This mainly applies to docking maneuvers.)
Well, yes, #5, too.
I’m afraid I am one of the less safety-conscious skippers out here. I only wear my harness in extreme weather. Oh, well, it’s my choice and my butt. I do instruct new crew on most of the safety rules that I don’t follow, and urge them to do as I say, not as I do. I even supply them with ship’s safety harnesses and headlamps. But I also tell them what I tell myself. You’re an adult. You now know what the dangers and precautions are. How careful you choose to be is your call and your responsibility. To pee or not to pee, that is your question to answer. After that, I only admonish someone if I see them doing or about to do something dangerous. I guess I’m the Power Squadron’s worst nightmare. Amazing I’m still here at all.
Tor
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Alan,
Remind me to tell you my trolling for sharks story one of these days, with
me as the bait. That sucker was 12′ if it was an inch! (You know, maybe
Thatcher was right. Maybe I am just dumb lucky.)Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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Roger,
I believe your friend is only going to drown more quickly after dragging
behind his boat for a while. Suggest that he test out his grab line when his
boat is sailing 5 knots, fully clothed, with competent crew on board to
retrieve him afterwards. If he’s a Yankee sailor, he should do it in cold
water.As I single-hander for many years, I gave the possibility of falling
overboard a lot of thought. I came up with a way-better-than-nothing
solution that was published years ago in an Australian sailing magazine,
Cruising Helmsman. SAIL finally accepted it last year, but they haven’t run
it yet. Here’s a sneak preview: http://www.tor.cc/articles/last.htm .I’d be grateful for any useful suggestions for improvement from this group.
Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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Great story! Capn’ Tor’s Last Chance Trip Line
to the rescue. And it comes with a
bottle of rum.Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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Sometimes the old ways are the best ways. “One hand for the ship,” comes to
mind. I do believe I look like a lower primate when I move fore and aft on
the side decks. Even in calm weather I walk hunched over, from handhold to
handhold so that most of the time I’m using TWO hands for the ship. I may be
foolish, but I’m not crazy. (Or is it the other way around?)Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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I agree with Rich, only I changed mine a lot more than twice before it came
out 100% clear. I did catch it early. It didn’t need a rebuild.Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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If you fall off the boat, you’re a dead man…
Treading water in the middle of nowhere and watching your boat sail away
without you has got to be one of the lousier ways to go. So remember, most
guys lost overboard whose bodies are later recovered have their flies open.Tor
Silverheels, P-424 #17
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Good info, Bill. Thanks. Next time I’ll do it au natural.
Tor
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