Modifications, repairs and improvements, 28TE

[Norseman]

. You might want to try SS barrel nuts in place of the locknuts.

Never used those before, but will look into it.
Headed to my hardware store tomorrow, need 1 1/2” truss head 10-24s screws and have to order them. (1 1/4” will be too short.)

Is there anything preventing the barrel nuts from coming lose from vibration or
other stuff like settling caulk or temperature changes? (Like a lock type barrel nut? )

[Ben423]

The ones I've used have locking serrations on the underside of the head. I've never had a problem with them coming loose. You can also add a drop of Loctite 222 if necessary. The problem with barrel nuts is that they are very spendy at West Marine. They are available at lower cost from fastener supply houses.

[Norseman]

The ones I've used have locking serrations on the underside of the head. I've never had a problem with them coming loose. You can also add a drop of Loctite 222 if necessary. The problem with barrel nuts is that they are very spendy at West Marine. They are available at lower cost from fastener supply houses.

Yup, I also looked at the blue Locktite yesterday, but decided to stick with the 10-24 lock nuts: switching to barrel nuts I would have to drill another 60 holes, as well as another $30-$40 for the 60 nuts.
That and not being able to torque a bit now and then without breaking the Locktite seal I decided to go simple.
Good idea however, I considered it carefully but found the only advantage to be cosmetic: My boat is all about simplicity but, never the cheapest
solution.

[Norseman]

The porthole project is rolling along, did the through bolting and decided to use 2 thin washers to fill the indentation hole on the frame, inside, the best fit is 5 mm washers, $7.00 for a box of 100, not bad as metric stuff in the colonies are usually much more expensive.
Will use cap nuts to clean un the installation.
Here is 2 pictures from the inside:

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(Any way we can rotate these pictures 90 degrees? )

As for the outside, not too happy with the caulk:
Used LifeSeal, white:

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It does not feather out, it shrinks and it crumbles.
Big surprise as I have been using the clear LifeSeal on various projects since January and love it, easy to work with.
I thought the white version was just as good..Not.
Will have to re-do some of the external seams, hopefully it will sand good after curing.
(For the remaining 4 portholes I will consider a different caulk, this is BS.. )

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[Norseman]

Just learned something; Click on the pictures and they turn the right way:
They rotate to the correct orientation.

[Nancy]

I wonder if you got a bad tube of Life-Seal. It shouldn't do that. Might be worth an email to BoatLife w/ photo.

[Norseman]

I wonder if you got a bad tube of Life-Seal. It shouldn't do that. Might be worth an email to BoatLife w/ photo.

Yup, that would be my luck.
Not out ruling it of course, but I checked the date on the cartridge before
starting the project.
To dismantle everything now, clean up and start over again would make me very grumpy. (Wife and dog shoud,move a few counties over and go in hiding )

[Norseman]

Screw the white Life-Seal.
Will do another porthole tomorrow using this stuff.

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It can only be better.

Full report will follow, stay tuned.

[Norseman]

Third porthole in, used 4000 fast cure, much easier to work with and will feather out and clean with mineral spirits.
Going for a 5 day cruise to the Florida Keys before I do the 3 Starboard portholes.

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[Norseman]

Had a nasty chain rash on the 2 corners of my anchor platform:
The chain had knocked off gelcoat and eaten into the fiberglass.
Been planning to have SS brackets custom made and mounted with SS fasteners from the top, but for now decided to try Marine Tex:
It gets pretty darn hard and just may stand up the abuse.
After it cures I will paint to match the gelcoat.
Have a feeling the chain only ran wild and damaged the corners when in free-fall mode. Trying not to use it anymore, we shall see if normal power up/down will cause the same kind of damage: Should be easy to see if the paint wears off and the dark grey Marine Tex shows up again.

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[Norseman]

Nr. 4 porthole installed, this one was not easy, 2 guys, 3 hours but all done and the beer taste good now.
2 portholes to go on the Starboard side, in the lavatory, they should be easy: No shelves, no curvature on the cabin trunk, no nothing.
(Also 2 portholes between the 2 helm seats, not sure if I am going to replace those, but I may, just to keep everything consistent.)

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[Norseman]

Last 2 ports installed today.
Lots of prep work and sweating in the Florida sun. (Global warming is real. )

In a few days when everything is cured and settled, I will do the fire hose test from the outside, not one drop inside allowed.
Lots of work but happy with the outcome, besides it keeps me out of the bars.

Total cost for the ports and materials $1,100, plus another $240 labor to a friend of mine for his services helping me.

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[Norseman]

Ordered a new 12 volt helm panel recently, modern push button switches with internal lighting and breakers rather than fuses.

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Unfortunately it was not compatible with the old panel as there was no way to connect it. (The old Albin panel have power feeds to a hot busbar, a switchable busbar and a negative/ground busbar: In other words, the power to the equipment comes from the panel itself.)
The new panel was not equipped with any busbars and there was no way of hooking it up.
It was well made and oozed of quality and workmanship but could not be installed on my boat unless I re-wired the entire boat.

Called and emailed “New Wire Marine” with my concerns and a guy called back: First he explained how smart he was by stating he was a professional in the industry, a surveyor for 22 years, etc. Then he told me how dumb I was and that I did not really understand marine electrics: I used phrases to describe the problem that he would never use and it was really my fault that they had built me a panel I could not use.
He offered to send me busbars for me to instal, or to return the panel for them to modify so it would be usable for my Albin 28TE and what would I like to do?Told him to send me return label so I could return the panel for a full refund.

(I would have worked with them to modify the panel and make it work if he had not been so condescending and what I perceived as arrogant)

The panel was probably a good product but you need to remove the old panel and take pictures of the back with all the power feeds and busbars before ordering one.
They never asked me to do just that, the only request was a frontal picture of the old panel.
I sure would have liked a new 12 volt panel, but will look elsewhere, don’t need to be talked down to. (Too old and too cranky for that)
Goodbye New Wire Marine and you can kiss the $1,552.31 I paid for the panel and shipping goodbye as well.

[Tree]

Pretty sure Blue Seas will build custom panels but in all honesty, I’ve always built my own - it’s really easier than you think. FP2 is the first boat I’ve owned where I’ve not touched the wiring - one day I’ll get bored and rip it all out and start again I’m sure

[GSSeattle]

+1 for Blue Sea panels. They will build custom 360 Panels with their 'panel wizard', or there are some off the shelf that may work.

I'm in the process of figuring out the layout for a dash redesign so I can fit 2 - 9" MFDs in. Looking at doing it with off the shelf Blue Sea panels that include circuit breaker/switches/bus (and a way to separate the always-on bus and the switched bus) - I'll either use two of the Blue Sea 8371 panels, or one of the Blue Sea 1461 panel. I'm also using the Blue Sea 5054 circuit breaker block for electronics - in order to free up switches