Engine Oil Filter (March 1997)

The original Atomic 4, was not equipped with an oil filter. Indigo Electronics made available a by-pass- flow oil filter kit, #AT-4F, for this engine. We obtained and installed this kit and have been satisfied with its performance. In our usage the oil stays clean for a complete season. We change the oil and filter yearly, even though it may not be required.

Relocate Engine Instrument Panel (July 1996)

The original equipment instrument panel was located in the cockpit footwell, on the forward bulkhead. This was a convenient location for the wiring and the engine choke because the main electrical panel is directly forward and the engine is below this location. However, to start the engine, a person must be positioned low and forward in the cockpit. This means that the throttle and gear shift lever which are located on the steering pedestal are barely within reach. 

We decided that the most available and convenient location for the controls, at least for a right-handed person, would be aft, on the starboard side of the cockpit coaming.

The instruments, switches and choke cable are mounted directly into the coaming surface.  We drilled suitably sized holes, using a carefully made template. The original panel included an ammeter. In order to eliminate a long run of heavy-gauge wire, the ammeter was moved to the inside, main electrical panel. In its place, a new volt meter was installed in this remote panel.  The teak surround is made with half-lap joints and is held in place with screws that are driven from the inner side of the coaming. The hinged, polycarbonate cover is from the original panel. Only a new wiring harness and a longer choke cable were required.

We were fortunate that there was sufficient space inside the coaming to clear the hardware and provide space for access. This space is not the easiest place work in. However, the old, bridge deck location was even more difficult since one would have to lay on top of the engine to access the back of the panel. The new location is also drier because the bridge deck drain was directly above the panel.  

The bridge deck bulkhead required fiberglass work to fill the holes. We champfered all the edges to bond the new work to the old. The new show surface was smoothed and gel coated to match the original. The result is shown here. Still looks great, almost 20 years later.

Lessons Learned:

1. It is useful to “think out if the box” to find a solution to an annoying problem. It helps to keep your mind open to the things that you may see at a boat show or in a magazine.
2. Make sure that you consider all available spaces even if, at first glance, they appear to be too small or inaccessible.
3. This project returned rewards in comfort that far exceed the effort that went into it.

12 X 6 Two Blade Propellor Replaced with a Two Blade Campbell Sailor Propellor (November 1995)

The Campbell Sailor design features a cupped blade that is wider near the tip. They claim that forward thrust is improved and reverse thrust is very much improved. We found this to be the case and have been very happy with the performance of this propellor.

Bimini (July 1995)

For many years, we endured hot, sunny and almost windless days in the cockpit. We were jealous of those people on boats that had Biminis and awnings to protect them from the elements. After a thorough investigation, including sketches of the installation of stock Biminis, we bought a stock, aluminum-framed vinyl Bimini from M&E marine. I drew this sketch, based on the dimensions provided by M&E.

The Bimini has three bows and is as wide as the stern rail. It is hinged from the mid rail of the stern rail and provides over 6 feet of head room. It is about 6 feet long in the fore aft direction. As shown, there is clearance for the boom to pass over. The back stay passes through a zippered slot that is aft of the center bow. The back stay supports it when furled. Fore and aft straps support the Bimini when it is open. This is a photo with the Bimini deployed.

We also designed and sewed, from Sunbrella fabric, a zippered cover for the furled Bimini. The original vinyl fabric was replaced with Blue Sunbrella fabric, by the Dockside Canvas Co., in 1998.

{Lessons learned:

1. Comfort is aways important. Discomfort can mar a good sailing trip.

2.You, sometimes, do not need custom made, expensive components. Search for available standard equipment.}

Replace all Cabin Widows (May 1994)

The original plexiglas cabin windows (lites) were trimmed with a plastic ring and mounted to the hull with sheet metal screws. The plastic ring was about one inch wide and served to hide the view of the white hull below the plexiglass. The rings and lites were, faded, scratched and cracked.

We replaced them with 3/8 inch thick acrylic panels. A black paint masking, about one inch wide, was applied to the inside surface of the new lites to hide the hull color, caulk and the inside wood trim. 3M Press-In-Place™ caulk was applied to the inner surface of the paint line.This caulk seals against leaks between the lite and the hull as well as around each of the screws. All of the holes in the new lites were drilled in the original locations so that the old mounting holes in the hull could be used. The holes in the lites are drilled to fit the aluminum-tube spacers which surround each screw. The spacers are slightly longer than the thickness of the new material. to prevent over-stressing of the plastic. The spacers are also slightly over size to allow for thermal expansion.These windows seldom leak and when they do, it is quickly cured by a little tightening of the screws. The lites are now 20 years old!

{Lessons learned:

1. Do anything that you can to prevent little leaks into the boat interior because they are really annoying.
2. Do not attempt to control leaks by smearing “goop” around the window, it never will work.
3. Again, look at all alternatives and consider the aesthetics.}

 

The Great Muffler Mystery (May 1993)

From the time that we purchased the boat, 1987, the engine seemed to run rougher than expected and after a sail that involved significant heeling, the engine would be hard to start. On these occasions, we would find the engine oil to be “milky” (we found out later that this meant that there was water in the oil). We would change the oil and the go on to repeat the process many times. At one point, we thought that the cylinder head gasket was leaking and went through the trouble to, needlessly, replace it.

It was not until 1993 that we found the root cause of the problem! We had an occasion to examine the forward end of the Vernalift muffler. We saw the word “outlet” printed on it. At that point we realized that the muffler had been installed backwards at the time the boat was built. This caused water to collect and return through the engine exhaust manifold and valves into the crankcase when the boat was heeled. We reversed the muffler so that the engine exhaust went in the inlet and and the water/exhaust-gas combination went out the outlet. Problem solved: the engine runs smoother and we have not had water in the engine oil since that time. Just a shame that it took fourteen years to solve the mystery.

The view on the left, from a Columbia Yacht Corp. drawing, shows the correct routing for the engine exhaust. The drawing also shows the internal parts of the Vernay waterlift (#7) with the inlet pipe in the correct position. This helps to explain why the engine ran roughly. The exhaust is under water with the muffler reversed. The photo on the right is of the forward end of the waterlift after we reversed its position in the boat. This view shows the inlet, engine, side of the muffler.

Mirror in Head (April 1993)

Originally, the boat had an  framed, plexiglass mirror on the aft bulkhead in the head compartment. We made a new teak frame that included a hand carved dragon on the upper part of the frame. Carving a dragon-topped teak frame is a good winter time project. The pictures, below, show the complete mirror and a detail of the dragon.