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While we’re talking about autopilots and possible failure points – it got me thinking about a blog I wrote while on my trip. It has to do with spares and advanced failure mode planning.
Hope you don’t mind…. it’s not that far off subject.“For months now I have been professing the need for spares. Not only for
your primary devices but also for your backup devices as well. Not only
do you need a Plan A for your primary device but you need a Plan A for
your backup devices also. When your primary device fails, breaks, gets
lost, falls overboard or you just plain forget how to use it, You need a
plan to fix, repair, find, retrieve or read instructions for that
device. The same holds true for your backup device as well because that now
becomes your primary device. So now you need to be able to recover from
the loss of use of that device as well. Get it?? So after 9 months and
close to 5000 miles, I have found out where my failings are (and trust
me there are many). The one that sticks out this morning is the failure
of the can opener. I can’t even begin to tell you how frustrating it is
to be offshore in 20+ knots of wind, seas running to 10 + feet and you
can hardly stand in one spot, to not be able to open a #*&^%G can
of beans. So let that be a lesson to all who go out to sea……. Must
be something in the tool box I can use to open that can………. a— On Thu, 3/17/11, skipmac wrote:
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Not much to think about really – if you hook the autopilot to the quadrant and the cables break, or loosen up and come off the quadrant or one of the pulleys, which happens all too frequently – you have no manual steering AND no autopilot. If you hook the autopilot to the tiller arm on the rudder post you can at least steer the boat thru the pilot. The chances of the tiller arm breaking, I would have to say, are slim to none given it’s size.
On a related note, at least on my boat – the keyway and key for the quadrant was long enough to catch the keyway in the quadrant. SO, I did not have to do a bolt through – which would have been a b***h to do given the size and material of the rudder post.
Just a thought
Alan— On Thu, 3/17/11, skipmac wrote:
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Connection to quadrant is really not the preferred method due to it’s weak construction. Need to mount it to the rudder post via a “tiller” arm. The tiller are can easily be purchased through Edson. This will also allow you to mount the unit lower in the boat. My ram is mounted to that large piece of lumber that surrounds the post.
alan— On Wed, 3/16/11, skipmac wrote:
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Plus one on spending the $$ upfront for a strong – reliable – fast pilot.
I have done 4 passages of 5+ days offshore. It’s nice to know that the pilot is up to the task, especially off the wind where the boat really slews around. (where the lock to lock time needs to be fast enough to keep up)
I use a RayMarine control head (X30) with an Octopus Hydraulic Ram. The nice thing about the Hydraulic ram esp. with Octopus is that it’s repairable with common tools at sea.
The Raymarine Linear servo uses a small plastic pinion gear to drive it and you have to send it back to have it repaired.
Mount the ram on an arm connected to the rudder post.
My 2 cents
Alan
UNABATED
#140— On Wed, 3/16/11, John Sommer wrote:
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Bob,
I can’t tell exactly where to put the davits. My PO had a larger dinghy so he placed the davits farther apart. I have a smaller dinghy (10.3.) I can tell you that it does not work too well having the arms far apart when you have a smaller dinghy. So, I guess it would depend on the size of your dinghy and where you intend to lift it from that will determine the distance apart.
alan— On Sat, 3/5/11, Robert Fine wrote:
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Rich,
You’re almost right….. they will be put in jail here… get their GED and a Law Degree….
alan— On Sat, 2/26/11, Rich Carter wrote:
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I agree with Tor, once you go offshore (leave the cocoon) you’re pretty much the master of your own fate. Isn’t that why we do it. To put yourself in in harms way, knowingly, and then blame a 3rd party when you fail to make proper decisions is irresponsible.
They have been many boats that have traversed those waters safely, in groups, with much preplaning. Safety in numbers as they say. That boat knowingly split off from the group they were with and went off on their own.
I feel very sorry for families for their loss.
There are areas of my own city I would not walk down at night ( or in the daytime for that matter. If I do, and harm comes to me…. who do I blame? The police can only do so much.
Alan
— On Sat, 2/26/11, Silverheels wrote:Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum
High temp NeverSieze (graphite)
— On Mon, 2/21/11, Robert Fine wrote:
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With the W58 and the way it’s tucked in there. I would probably just a block chain fall to lift up the back end of the engine enough to be able to slide the transmission off…… maybe a days work figuring I would not have to disconnect too much.
There is not that much to the damper… a plate and a few springs. I wonder if the springs are just to heavy and not allowing it to ” damper”
alan— On Fri, 2/18/11, John Stevenson wrote:
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What worries me now, is that the noise I am getting is from the VDrive, but because of a bad NEW damper plate.
Could be a B***** to replace now that I have engine back in….
alan— On Fri, 2/18/11, wrote:
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I am not sure what length you might need, but….. I believe a store bought sea anchor uses 1 in webbing (or larger) connected to a LARGE ring or shackle…. then 5/8 or 3/4 rode…. so those parachute shock cords better be strong…. I’m thinking
alan— On Wed, 2/2/11, Oldrodie wrote:
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++ on keeping the bilge deep. for the same reasons. When offshore for many days and blue water over the bow, water finds a way to get in and hopefully collects in the DEEP bilge. Also, I love standing down there and gazing up at the bottom of the galley….people on my dock are usually awe that I can get down in my bilge…. well I used to before I gained all this weight (mostly from drinking too much rum).
Alan
UNABATED
#140— On Tue, 2/1/11, Elaine Patton <> wrote:
<.. snip>
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Pete,
The folder with the cylinder information is on the boat (currently in Va. with me in western NY).
The company that I did business with is
http://www.roessel.com/Roessel_Files/partners.htm
The cylinder was manufactured by Clippard and was in stock and is a fairly common part in manufacturing – 3/4 in bore, 6 inches in length, spring return, single back end fitting, nose mount…… 5/16 rod (I think).
Sorry I can’t be more help till spring.
Alan— On Sat, 1/29/11, Silverheels wrote:
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Give me a day or 2 to find it. There is an industrial supplier here in Rochester. The cylinder make is a BIMBA….. just can’t remember the model… I am thinking is was around 20 bucks,,, but then again I am suffering from CRS.
I’ll get back to you…..
Alan— On Fri, 1/28/11, Pete Dubler wrote:
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Was it the cylinder rod leaking? Over the past 6 years I’ve had to replace mine 3 times. They are relatively inexpensive. We used them all over Kodak on our machinery because they were considered disposable. But they do make a mess when they leak…. red tranny fluid all over the place.
alan.— On Fri, 1/28/11, Joe Shimkonis wrote:
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