Me? Well my parents and sister came on down on Sunday to help move something out of the engine room so that I can have a lot more space. What was it that we moved?
THESE!
What the hell are those? Well the big tank looking thing with the wheel is the original compressor that was installed in Pathfinder from 1954 (most likely). It weighs, we guess, at least 500lbs. The big grey motor was on the compressor before I removed it on Saturday so that the compressor would be lighter. Would removing that make much of a difference? Yes. Very much so. It’s a 115 Volt (so 120 basically) electric motor that is most likely explosion proof given how much metal cladding is around it. For a bit of a comparison the other motor below it in the photo is a more modern version of the same thing that has a higher rpm rating. So ya. A bit of armour. When we got it out (using a variety of pulleys, hoistes, a giant crowbar and lots of sweat) and up onto deck the ships balance was affected. Normally we listed slightly to starboard. Now with the compressor out and on deck it lists noticeably to port. Just a bit heavy eh?
I wanted this done so that I could convert the space that it was taking up into storage for tools and gear that we don’t use during winter (like bikes) in the engine room. So now we have this space available.
Once the rest of the brackets have been removed along with some levelling of the deck in there I’ll be installing a floor to put stuff on and store it. Below the deck I’ll put some concrete or water tanks to trim the ship a bit.
Before that I had been pumping out the bilge in the engine room of which I don’t have photos but just to give an idea of what WAS in the bilge there was over a foot of diesel, glycol, oil, lake water, salt water, grey water, steering fluid and god knows what else floating around in there. I pumped all that out into barrels to be taken away as hazardous waste and I’m now in the process of drying out the bilge properly before I scrub it, scrape it, and paint it. Hopefully this’ll cut down on engine room smell among other things.
In a raw showing of skin here’s a photo of me rather dirty and shirtless after moving the compressor out.
Look out ladies… An exceptionally pale and dirty stallion has arrived. (Warning: The glare off my untanned body may cause snow blindness)
8 Comments
What no mention of Dad the Ox????? man that was heavy. We could have used an Army Platoon to help move that.
Ya no kidding. 😛
Hi Bob – Just curious Is your transmission still pneumatic? What are you using to shift her now? Best Wishes
Hey Bill,
In all honesty I’m not 100% sure if it’s pneumatic or not. From what research I just did on what a pneumatic transmission is, how it looks, and works I’d say that I don’t have one. I could take some photos and send them too you if you’re interested. If it helps I only have 3 options with the current set up gear wise; forward, neutral and reverse. Again though I’m not entirely sure.
Hi Josh,
I was curious how Pathfinder was doing and have been perusing your site for the past hour. It brings back memories of 4 years of self inflicted torture, but fun. I really loved that boat, and the way she looks.
I’ve got a ton of photos which I’d be happy to share with you showing how she looked when I bought her and the transformation. I spent 7 months in a shipyard with 2 to 3 full time workers and many more hours over the next few years. Wish I could have seen her through to completion, but I had bought another house, and needed the money for that when I sold her to the Army Capt. Would look forward to hearing from you.
You should have seen the diesel day tank, took a crane to get it off the deck.
Best regards,
Hal
Hey Hal! Long time no hear.
Ya. As you can see on this site (the US T-Boat site has yet to update my link) work is still on going. You’re not wrong about the torture/fun going on.
Sure! Any photos you have I’d like a copy of. Are they digital or should we arrange some form of mail?
I can believe needing a crane to get a fuel tank off the deck. Pretty much anything we’ve needed to remove from the boat requires a lot of pulleys etc.
Josh
That compressor was 110 Volt DC and used for ships air to start the engine with an air starter. I never did use it having installed a 12V starter. In fact the windlass is 110 volt DC motor and one of the best made. I was researching a converter (vs inverter) to power it from 110 AC ( or 120 or 130 AC) Hal
Sadly we couldn’t get that one to kick over or even turn once the motor was off. We’ve since bought a new (smaller) Windlass that’ll be installed this summer.