New to Me - MA 18 w/ Questions

[CRD Dawg]

14 hours ago, Wanaflatsfish said:

Sure does

Looks great because YOU designed it.....this stuff is NOT easy.....great to see your progress....I just got the Hydraulic lines in last night....

DC

Hey thanks. Slow and time consuming but fun to see progress. My thru hulls had the same issue. They were literally disintegrated so I pulled them before hull work was done.   

[CRD Dawg]

23 hours ago, whichwaysup said:

CRD, she is looking really really good.  I'd like more info on the battery tray you built, I have to address mine.   She will not ride bow heavy, and I think this is the perfect solution.   Yesterday, we had the release well full of water (and redfish) and I had to use a lot of tabs to keep the bow down at low speeds.   More on that trio in the "catch of the day section shortly).

Everything you are doing looks great and makes sense.  Nice work.   That bilge hose is going to bug you, but it looks like an easy fix if it does become problematic!

Thanks. I’ll see if I can’t sketch out how it’s laid out and supported. The forward most cranking battery is a tight fit for sure. It would be better if the bulkheads were the same height. Will try to explain with pics.

I may make the updated bilge exhaust configuration as a project for me. I think it will be a good project I can handle. Great idea. Thanks again.

 

[CRD Dawg]

So one item I’m not sure if I addressed from earlier. Well I guess I sorta did. Scuppers. Early in the project, we looked at the scuppers and decided to leave them alone at the time. The list was plenty long enough for the glass shop to address. The ones in the transom appeared to be seated well, so we left them alone. The deck scuppers were not as well sealed, at least from inspection around the deck. Those were kinda put on hold. When I got the boat back from hull work, I cleaned them up and resealed them at the deck. Also did a little trimming on the port deck scupper which had obviously been replaced. When I cleaned up the boat for the first time before taking for rerigging, I noticed some accumulation of about a 1/4 cup of water in both channels outside the stringers now visible thru my new access hatches in the starboard and port hatches. Thankfully I feel like I had done a pretty good job of sealing the holes I found on the back side of the trim tab pockets with epoxy. So I added this item to the list for the rigging shop. I asked the shop to remove the clamshells on the outside of the hull to see how the tubes looked where they exit the hull. Well, not great, you can see where I marked in red, where the sealant has dried out/separated.

Starboard 

Port - this one frankly is a bit of a mess. 

Red lines are basically where they appear to be leaking inside the hull as water exits, and I assume runs down that channel.

My 2 concerns are this:

1) I want to keep water out of that channel and away from the back sides of those trim tab pockets.

2) I’m sure there is foam I haven’t gotten access to that will get wet when water leaks inside the hull as water runs off the deck, thru the tube and down that channel. No bueno. 
 

Fix for this is pending more exploratory…

[smilemaker]

Those tubes were never pressed and sealed properly. 

When the copper tube is placed it is cut long. Then a flairing tool is used to compress  and flair the cut end to look like the other finished end.

This is the old system of installing drain plugs and is still used in smaller boats.

The problem here is that it is not a solid transom as in a drain plug but two separately flexing components and will be prone to separation over time.

An alternative is to use a thruhull fitting that is a threaded tube that screws into the other half.

[CRD Dawg]

9 hours ago, smilemaker said:

Those tubes were never pressed and sealed properly. 

When the copper tube is placed it is cut long. Then a flairing tool is used to compress  and flair the cut end to look like the other finished end.

This is the old system of installing drain plugs and is still used in smaller boats.

The problem here is that it is not a solid transom as in a drain plug but two separately flexing components and will be prone to separation over time.

An alternative is to use a thruhull fitting that is a threaded tube that screws into the other half.

Thanks for the feedback. The starboard tube appears to be original and I assume it’s how all deck scupper tubes were done on Mavericks from that era. The port side is definitely replaced, not sure what’s going on there. It’s like the tube on that end where water exits the hull is actually smaller in diameter and doesn’t even fully fill and fit to the exit hole cut into the hull.

For a possible solution, it sounds like you’re describing some sort of 2 sided set of scupper tubes that thread together from either end. It sounds like these would both have some sort of lip on either end, and I’m not sure the clamshell scupper cover would fit over that. 

Anyone have any solutions or ideas? I imagine this is an issue on all Mavericks and Hewes boats from that era with this design of deck drainage. My biggest concern is keeping water out of the channel on the outside of the stringers. I’m glad I now have pretty good access to monitor water accumulation there.

[CRD Dawg]

Could this work and fit underneath the clamshell scupper covers on the outside of the hull?

https://www.boatoutfitters.com/stainless-steel-cockpit-drain-scupper-system?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0uTo-7uY8QIVj8aGCh03TAQaEAQYByABEgJ1uPD_BwE#215=3571

[smilemaker]

Dawg

That is a simpler version of the plastic screw type that I have  used  in the past. 

It appears that you  slide one tube into the other with a  sealant. 

The way everyone  here uses 5200 if you put them together with 5200 the person re restoring in 20 years won't be able to get  them apart.

By far the best option I have seen for this ongoing  problem. 

[CRD Dawg]

Thanks again. As I think about it, it may be tough to find something that can span the length needed on the port side, due to the depth/width of the rod locker. Wonder if anyone with a MA 21 has ever done a scupper replacement job since both sides have rod lockers. 

[whichwaysup]

CRD, that tube and flange will not allow the flexing the cockpit and hull will naturally have, but I cant think of a better option.   I will look at this too and see what I can find.

[whichwaysup]

Hmmmmmmm, just had a thought.  What if the tube and flanges were completely separate, but connected by a flexible tube between?   The flanges would have to have very small lips, but could be sealed to the hull/cockpit, and then the diameter of the tube between would be less critical.

 

http://www.bainbridgemarine.com/Item.aspx?Item=PRD-000481&PartNo=Q038091

[smilemaker]

Unfortunately there is no working  room for a flexible tube.

Have not seen the rod locker side so it may have  more options.

[CRD Dawg]

13 hours ago, whichwaysup said:

Hmmmmmmm, just had a thought.  What if the tube and flanges were completely separate, but connected by a flexible tube between?   The flanges would have to have very small lips, but could be sealed to the hull/cockpit, and then the diameter of the tube between would be less critical.

 

http://www.bainbridgemarine.com/Item.aspx?Item=PRD-000481&PartNo=Q038091

Interesting idea. Wonder if something like that would work. I plan to go by and check on a few things tomorrow and will see what ideas the shop has had. More to come.

[CRD Dawg]

So I went back to look at the boat today and talked more about the scuppers. We think the best option will be cutting out the port side tube and running a thin walled pvc pipe all the way thru the hull, so the pipe can then be measured and cut at the right angle where it exits the hull. We’re thinking maybe having the tube protrude on either end by about 1/16 or 1/32 of an inch to give a groove to spread a decent bead of sealant on. We’ll have to see what would fit under the clamshell scupper cover. Shop has ordered some tools they think will be needed to extract that tube. More to come.

[CRD Dawg]

Outboard is back on, working on placement of trolling motor, and it appears batteries do fit. Hey Which Way, will try to get some info up on the tray soon.

[CRD Dawg]

So the battery tray and batteries are installed and wired. Approximate dimensions are noted in the crude drawing below. The only issue is that the center bulkhead and forward bulkhead that the tray is mounted on are not the same height, so the tray does not sit flush on the top of the 2 bulkheads. The angle is not as steep as noted in the pic, just trying to illustrate that point. The red line in the upper drawing is the tray from a side angle. The red shape below is the tray from top view. 

 

The tray edges are also supported by the inner walls of the hull. Tray is 1/2” starboard.

Close ups showing how it’s supported on the sides too, not just by the 2 bulkheads.

 

A few more random pics…

[CRD Dawg]

We decided to do some work on the lower unit and skeg as it was a bit scuffed up. Also, as noted at the beginning of the thread, the outboard was a lightly used power plant off a bass boat, and the prior owner had put some sort of fin on the skeg I assume to reduce torque steer. We felt it was not needed and likely frothed up the water in front of the prop and needed to go. Not sure if anyone here has had experience with these, but we decided it was best to remove it. Rivets were drilled out, holes were welded close, lower unit sanded, prepped and painted. Not a premium job, but much better than before.

[CRD Dawg]

Decided to replace the nav lights. They were original and needed replacement. Found these in black. We’ll see how they perform. Can always be replaced with conventional silver units. 
 

[jim33042]

If those are the marpac brand, you will not be disappointed.

[CRD Dawg]

Great, thanks. Yes, they are Marpac. We had originally gotten stainless TH Marine, which were nice, but they were actually about a 1/4” or so smaller than the original ones, so impressions from the old ones were visible. Started looking and found these which appeared to be slightly larger, and better covered the footprint of the originals. Will probably show some water spots, but I thought they went well with the predominantly blacked out theme I had going. 

[whichwaysup]

CRD, I have replaced mine in two different MAs with Marpacs.  Have been very pleased.   

 

Now stop tinkering with that thing and use it, will you??

[CRD Dawg]

On 7/16/2021 at 6:51 AM, whichwaysup said:

CRD, I have replaced mine in two different MAs with Marpacs.  Have been very pleased.   

 

Now stop tinkering with that thing and use it, will you??

Hahahahaha! True-er words have never been spoken. It has hit the water, initial sea trial done, waiting on prop and working thru some punch list items now. 

[CRD Dawg]

So circling back on the deck scuppers, we pulled both, and as noted earlier, the port side tube had been replaced at some point and poorly done. After a fair amount of thought we decided that pvc and 4200, or whatever was originally used, would never create a good seal. So we decided to try fiberglass tube and epoxy. We knew that would bond and be water tight. Only issue is that it wouldn’t have any flex, but we decided to give it a go. Here are pics and finished product. Port side deck took a beating apparently when previously done, we uncovered damage that had been smoothed over with 4200 or 5200. Any lines you see in deck pics are reflections, made sure there was a good smooth glossy bead around the perimeter of the tube, these are now more water tight than they came from the factory. We’ll see if they hold up. Unlike some other areas of the boat project, not really concerned about cosmetics here.

Tube epoxied in place. Port hull exterior. Pics here are after initial install, these were sanded, cleaned, and another application of epoxy added around the perimeter of the tube, before clamshells were reinstalled.

Port deck with gelcoat damage noted. Not pretty but water tight.

 

Starboard deck. Small nick in bottom of scupper opening from sawzall blade.

 

Finished product. We’ll see how they hold up.

[CRD Dawg]

Couple pics and video splashing her for the first time in 8 months.

 

[SW Skif]

Dawg where did you get the fiberglass tubes? 

What are the dimensions of the tubes?

Nice work on the boat!

[jim33042]

Great job, good looking boat!