Freshwater Puffin - Albin 25

[Plum76]

Status update, plywood core fit and fiberglassed. I put a backer layer(s) on the inside of the cover, then layered up until I could overlap the lower fliberglass layer above, then I fitted the wood shown. I shaved the wood a bit, to provide a bit of room for long steam structural glass filler and fully bedded the wood in, then many layers of glass up to get to the finished surface (or close).

Not quite showroom quality (yet) but I feel confident it’s Structurally sound. I’m sure some cleanup at the top to fair it out, maybe even another layer of glass if it’s low after cleanup..





JP

[patclem]

I'm enjoying your posts. It's always good to see another boat owner suffering / enjoying some projects. I'm coming in late to the party, but my boat has a section of fiberglass tube a little smaller than a gallon paint can glassed to the hull with a small block on the inside to square it up. A PO mounted a transom transducer to the block, then I assume it's filled with mineral oil and it shoots through the hull. I love how they did it, but the lid could use some work. Someone just laid a coffee can lid on it. Less than ideal. Food for thought.

[Plum76]

I like a good project and 50yo boats tend to present all sorts of things to address. I am coming to appreciate the relative simplicity of these boats, nothing is overly complicated.

My thru hull transducers were fairly well done, one better than the other, and they didn't pose an immediate problem for me. I figured that I might as well suck it up and remove them now, while I'm addressing bilge paint, seemed like as good a time as any. The newer thru-hull transducers don't need this style, and i figured it was an unnecessary vulnerability point for leaks or rot as time went by.

Puffin is laid up for the winter at this point, so I'm just accumulating parts for springtime projects prior to launch. The fuel tank is out being addressed, the engine cover is out for me to complete the glass repairs and reinsulation job, as well as refitting all the questionable hardware, and I just got a new fuel pre-filter/water separator to install, much smaller than the unit in my boat, and I'm hoping I can come up with a better spot, hard to get under the unit that's there now for draining and filter service.

Jason

I'm enjoying your posts. It's always good to see another boat owner suffering / enjoying some projects. I'm coming in late to the party, but my boat has a section of fiberglass tube a little smaller than a gallon paint can glassed to the hull with a small block on the inside to square it up. A PO mounted a transom transducer to the block, then I assume it's filled with mineral oil and it shoots through the hull. I love how they did it, but the lid could use some work. Someone just laid a coffee can lid on it. Less than ideal. Food for thought.

[patclem]

Whew. I'm glad mine is in pretty good condition relatively.
I have a Racor 500 fuel filter on mine. I had to rebuild it because it was leaking like crazy. Even with new seals, the bottom "bowl" is hard to get to seat tight. Rotate it while tightening.
I'm accumulating parts too. I have an old NOS Sport Pilot auto pilot on its way.
I also have an Airtronic D2 heater I bought used, trying to get all the parts together to make it work.
I need to refinish the companionway and aft cabin doors. I bought the Sapele and I'm struggling with how I'm going to refinish them. I really hate varnish, but I love the wood look.
Currently I have the raw water side of my VP 2003 engine disassembled. I had an overheat on my last trip out, thought it was impeller bits in the heat exchanger. Now I'm not sure what the cause was, but I broke the main exchanger bolt and I'm waiting on materials to fabricate a new bolt. I'd love to have a Beta, but it would cost more than what I paid for the boat/trailer. If it ever dies, that's what I'll do.
Also going through and rebuilding the dash light under the "mast". The switch is no good, so I'm going to add a teak spacer under the fixture and add auxiliary switches for the anchor and dash light. Wish I could work in a red light, but the dual color marine fixtures are real expensive.
I'd also like to install an AIS VHF and a Chartplotter and connect it all to the Sport Pilot, but that's another day...

[Plum76]

I just received a racor 120rMAM 30 micron unit to use as a pre-filter. I have a separator in place of unknown manufacture, and i've been replacing elements with the same type that came out of it, but it's huge, mounted poorly and access to drain it is bad as well.

The new racor unit is much smaller. Thinking I may mount it in the same 'compartment' as the fuel tank if I can find adequate space, then just fuel lines into the engine bilge compartment. Possibly to the aft of the fuel tank? Otherwise, try to find a place to locate better in the engine well.

I have a number of minor oil leaks and have been working towards eliminating those. Remaining ones (That I can clearly identify) are the rear main seal on the transmission (drips lightly until it warms up and seals) and I have a developing leak on my injection pump, so kinda planning on having that rebuilt sometime in the near future, maybe after next season. Leaks are just enough to be frustrating..

Jason

Whew. I'm glad mine is in pretty good condition relatively.
I have a Racor 500 fuel filter on mine. I had to rebuild it because it was leaking like crazy. Even with new seals, the bottom "bowl" is hard to get to seat tight. Rotate it while tightening.

[WillieC]

No expert here on much of anything, but I have read of issues with the 2003 HX/manifolds. I would think that a little goggling will shed some light and plenty of heat.

The big sacrificial item on my Sendure cooled MD17C is the exhaust elbow. I pull mine (because I'm doing other stuff) and rod it out, hoping to extend its life. Surely this is superior to making the manifold/hx a 'consumable'. Nicely done, VP.

[dkirsop]

After I reconditioned my engine I found that there was no significant wear on the main mechanical components. Rings, bearings, journals, cylinders, etc. were all within specification. Mechanically, I think these engines will have a very long life based on intended use. Seals, gaskets and o-rings were a different matter. Many were carbonized after 50 years of service. A complete engine gasket kit included all the components necessary to seal the engine.

I left the injection pump alone as it was beyond my competency to service it. It did not take long to discover that there was a persistent oil leak in the unit. The cold start button, the oil feed and somewhere under the front all leaked oil. I sourced a seal kit from Star diesel for a Simms 3 cylinder injection pump. On close inspection I found that the AD21 injection pump is a modified Simms 3 cylinder unit with the centre port closed off! Star is an Italian company that does not do internet sales but they put me in contact with a US distributor who took my order. The Star part number is 31500/01. With parts in hand I then took my injection pump to a qualified service centre and had the job done to re-seal the unit. Here is a link

https://www.stardiesel.com/en/gasket-ki ... 6-805.html

Replacing the rear transmission seal is an easy fix. With the flex coupling removed and the shaft slid back there is enough room to access the nut that allows the drive coupling to be removed from the engine. The coupling is also the stub shaft from the reduction gear against which the seal rides so once removed you will have clear access to the seal.

[Plum76]

I've got oil coming out of my injection control lever (pump speed controller, basically my throttle lever on the end of my morse cable), plus an indeterminate leak under the unit, can't see it, but definitely oil under there if I put my hand under.

I had read about your rebuild and had noted the kit numbers. There is a pioneer diesel shop nearby that I was going to check in with for a rebuild. Also have a list of gaskets in my 'boat book' to put on order, I think I figured the decarbonizing kit from Albin motor was going to be the way to go.

I already have the rear seal in hand, and I'm going to order a new rubber isolator for the prop shaft as well, so maybe while I have that off, I'd do the seal at the same time. That leak is easy to monitor and it's pretty small, but it does fling a bit of oil on the engine cover back there. I have already replaced the oil return line (with a locally sourced, teflon lined braided hose and new fittings), and I have all the transmission gaskets here as well.

I think my motor was similarly reconditioned ~400 hours ago, but I'm not sure of the extent they got into it, and the quality of that work might also be suspect based on the amount of RTV sticking out of mating surfaces, but it seems to run just fine. It starts slow (lots of cranking), and with the oil leaks from the injector pump, I figure it's just a matter of time before I get to that unit and life will be better afterwards when it comes around.

JP

After I reconditioned my engine I found that there was no significant wear on the main mechanical components. Rings, bearings, journals, cylinders, etc. were all within specification. Mechanically, I think these engines will have a very long life based on intended use. Seals, gaskets and o-rings were a different matter. Many were carbonized after 50 years of service. A complete engine gasket kit included all the components necessary to seal the engine.

I left the injection pump alone as it was beyond my competency to service it. It did not take long to discover that there was a persistent oil leak in the unit. The cold start button, the oil feed and somewhere under the front all leaked oil. I sourced a seal kit from Star diesel for a Simms 3 cylinder injection pump. On close inspection I found that the AD21 injection pump is a modified Simms 3 cylinder unit with the centre port closed off! Star is an Italian company that does not do internet sales but they put me in contact with a US distributor who took my order. The Star part number is 31500/01. With parts in hand I then took my injection pump to a qualified service centre and had the job done to re-seal the unit. Here is a link

https://www.stardiesel.com/en/gasket-ki ... 6-805.html

Replacing the rear transmission seal is an easy fix. With the flex coupling removed and the shaft slid back there is enough room to access the nut that allows the drive coupling to be removed from the engine. The coupling is also the stub shaft from the reduction gear against which the seal rides so once removed you will have clear access to the seal.

[Plum76]

Alright, updates!

Part of my winter maintenance was to have the fuel tank repaired in the gauge area, the tank was too thin and the threads for the mount were compromised from years of (abuse) use. I had the local fabricator out in a new mounting flange consisting of 1/4” stainless plate and blind off the old fitting. One bonus of this was the ability to reposition the gauge to read correctly when facing forward and to move it so that it didn’t bottom out on the tank when nearing empty, leading to false readings (or no further reading) below about 1/4 tank.

As part of the mechanical pump being reinstated, I am also replacing the fuel/water separator, which was mounted in the engine well, on the aft/port corner, right over the exhaust. In addition to being huge, unsightly and poorly mounted, I didn’t have room below to actually drain the filter into a catch can, all I could do was hope not to make too much mess and dump it into the engine bilge to be cleaned up.

Now my question for those more knowledgeable: the most convenient location for the new racor unit appears to be adjacent to the tank, mounted on the bulkhead just ahead of the tank. I have room below to drain, and as a bonus, it drastically reduces the amount of rubber fuel line running past the pump aft, then back from the filter in its prior location. The question I have is that it will be higher (relative to the old position) in relationship to the tank, with the top of the filter housing at/just below the top of the tank, and I’m not sure that will be an issue. It has a vent port, so I can bleed it there as well, so it seems like it should live ok there? Any thoughts on that from the group?

Yeesh, sorry for the blue photos, still have the shrink wrap on for the wet spring..

Proposed location:



Prior location:



Thanks all!

Jason

[NickScheuer]

Very nice work, outstanding boat! We have loose plans to tow our DuNORD up to Lake Leelanau to visit Rockford Power Squadron friends who summer up there. Perhaps we can get together on that trip.

[WillieC]

The floorboard above the fuel tank is not particularly easy to remove, mainly because we have little reason to practice that maneuver. I also like to be able to glance at my ancient racor to see if there is any mud therein. Easily done as ours is under the engine hatch in the same place yours was located. We pull the hatch daily as we are rigorous about checking our old engine. Small leaks become biguns left unseen. The only difference is we have starboard exhaust with the original VP engine. Perhaps there is room on your starboard side, opposite the exhaust, but I see cables intruding. Just my two cents.

[Plum76]

Yeah, cable and wire entry on the STBD side, plus longer fuel line runs and crossing the propshaft, so I had mentally eliminated that location. I am also in the habit of having the engine cover open daily for inspection, I have a number of nuisance leaks that I monitor, as addressing them likely means pulling the motor out, which would be a good time to do motor paint and reseal the engine cradle, but that's a whole other can of worms.

My floor not so bad to remove, and I think my expected check on the separator is when I get fuel, which is more on the timeline of weeks, not daily. After having the tank out and doing bilge paint underneath, I'm well practiced with pulling that floor..

I think I'm going to mount near the tank and see how it works. In reality, it's only marginally higher than the old location, due to the compact size of the new unit vs. the old monster, which was high enough to require the insulation in the engine cover to be removed right over it. Less in the engine compartment to get grimy too, and rubber fuel hose length is probably cut in half, if not 1/3, so should be a little easier on the pump..

The floorboard above the fuel tank is not particularly easy to remove, mainly because we have little reason to practice that maneuver. I also like to be able to glance at my ancient racor to see if there is any mud therein. Easily done as ours is under the engine hatch in the same place yours was located. We pull the hatch daily as we are rigorous about checking our old engine. Small leaks become biguns left unseen. The only difference is we have starboard exhaust with the original VP engine. Perhaps there is room on your starboard side, opposite the exhaust, but I see cables intruding. Just my two cents.

[Plum76]

Sounds like fun, have not explored launching in Lake Leelanau, as we are typically moored in east bay (Traverse City). Have not spent any time on the water up in Leelanau, but it is a nice place. Would love to compare notes with other owners and see how things line up..

Thank you for compliments, sometimes I look at this old boat and wonder about my sanity.

Very nice work, outstanding boat! We have loose plans to tow our DuNORD up to Lake Leelanau to visit Rockford Power Squadron friends who summer up there. Perhaps we can get together on that trip.

[WillieC]

Just move the exhaust elbow, muffler and exhaust hose to starboard. Problem solved!

Seriously, it is all about the routine you establish. Having pulled the engine cover every running day I admit I have never seen any problem with the racor. The problems I see with the racor are problems I create myself when changing filter. I don't proceed until it is bone dry

If they weren't so dang expensive and as long as they continue to make replacement filters for the perfectly functioning racor I have, I'd change it tomorrow. (The o-rings are a nightmare to install since they come pre-wrinkled in the package.) I do like the see-through housing so am hesitant to install a metal canister style filter. Any suggestions out there for alternative filtration on these small diesels?

[Plum76]

I didn't see a lot of options, ended up with the smallest racor (rating wise) I could find, and it's still something like 15 liters/hr filtration rated, so pretty far above what I need. Mine is the metal bowl, as I think the clear (plastic?) ones are not quite USCG compliant anymore? Not that I'm getting inspected for charter, but anyway. The clear cover would be nice for inspection, but it wasn't as available when I was ordering.

I had few issues with the filter setup I had, so I don't expect to have any with the new one, and I'm confident in my plumbing skills, so leaks shouldn't be an issue. One downfall of having it outside the engine cradle is that the bilge under the diesel tank (and where the filter will go) drains to the main bilge, potentially making a big mess, but not a lot I can do about that. I suppose I could plug off the bilge drain and isolate it, but I don't think that will be necessary, and it'll be nice to drain water out regularly.

Sometimes, I get caught up with over-thinking these things, and in the end it'll likely be just fine, but it's easy to get wrapped up in the minutia and not make any progress at all, which is just as frustrating.

Plum