The list of works for Saturday was essentially “make progress to not being in the way of the engine re-installation”.
- Install nyloc nuts on the linear drive
- Connect the linear drive to the rudder arm
- Install the rudder reference sensor
- Connect the reference sensor to the rudder arm
- Pull the cable for the reference sensor to the ACU
- Pull power and clutch cables from the linear drive to the ACU
- Connect the power and clutch cables to the linear drive
- Remove the trunking from the underside of the cockpit sole
- Re-arrange power/data cabling ready for sound insulation installation (p-clips and long screws)
- Get the old anchor off so it can go in the garden
- Get the new anchor, chain, rode on board
We visited Screwfix on the way to get some hole saws – a 51mm and 92mm. Didn’t use them this weekend, but I’ve confirm that they’re the right size for the work, and thus don’t need returning.
Far fewer photos from the last few posts, as there was a lot of work in cramped spaces with not much to show for it. However, the listed works are done. The first job was getting the nylocs on, now that we had full access to the heads of the bolts.
I noted previously that the yard had put in the old linear drive “upside down”, so that the rose joint on the end of the arm went over the pin from below, not above. I now know why – had it been on top, it would have been out of spec for the 5 degree restriction (no more than 5 above or below horizontal (page 9)), and it probably would have bound with the rose joint from the drag link of the Whitlock helm. The unit could have been lifted further up the bulkhead to bring it back to horizontal, but that would not have solved the binding issue.
For the first attempt at getting the rod end on to the pin, and clipped into place, I tightened the lock nut up so that the pin was held securely in the rudder arm. Unfortunately, this resulted in an installation where the R-clip would go through one hole, but not pop out the other side – it was binding on the edge of the washer. After a lot of faffing, and K trying to put it together as well, we ended up with me going into the cavern (I wish it was a cavern, I’ve got the bruises to show it isn’t) to hold the rudder arm up while K tried to get the pin in. After that failed, I concluded the problem was the bushing of the linear drive rod end was angling down sufficiently to block any attempt at installing the R-clip.
So, the final solution was to back the lock nut all the way off, assemble the rod end rose joint onto the pin, install the washer and R-clip, and then hold the assembly in place and K ratcheted the lock nut back on. Simple once you work it out, and had we done it that way from the start, it would have been about 5 minutes instead of over half an hour.
For the rudder reference, it turns out the yard that built Blue Opal hadn’t bothered to cut the threaded rod, and Raymarine haven’t changed the length of the rod either. This meant that the existing holes for mounting the reference unit are in the right place, and it was a simple matter of bringing the rudder to amidships, screwing the rudder arm end piece in place (previously bolted, but the screws seemed to work just fine), clipping the threaded bolt into place, and then getting the two slightly visible marks on the base unit and the swinging arm to line up so that the first screw could be tightened to hold it all in place.
It looks like the run of the SeaTalk ng backbone from helm to ACU is more than 5 metres – the cable stops short 2/3 of the way along from the back bulkhead of the heads to the bulkhead of the sink assembly. I might just cut and splice the 20 metre cable (though perhaps I could try flogging it instead) or I might order an extra 1 or 3 metre backbone cable from SVB in Germany, and a backbone joining connector. The rudder reference has enough length on it (I think it’s a 7 or 10 metre cable) to reach the ACU, and the power cables have been laid in too (though not connected to the ACU – ran out of time).
For the main power feed from the ACU to the linear drive, I’ve opted for 4mm2 cable, and for the clutch I’ve used 2.5mm2 (since that’s what I’ve got). According to the installation manual, the 2.5 would probably have been enough for the main power feed, but at a potential 20 amps of pull, having some more copper doesn’t hurt. The 4mm2 has been terminated with Power Pole connectors, and the 2.5mm2 has been terminated with standard spade and spade-receiving. As with the tank sender, I’ve set up the clutch cabling with one spade and one spade receiver on each side, so the polarity can never be reversed.
All of the wiring has been re-sorted, the trunking has been removed, and the various parts of the under-sole area marked up for where sound insulation should/could be installed. The yard has my approval to purchase the insulation (it’s not cheap at ~100 EUR/panel), and that should get installed soon.
At this point, the diesel tanks can be reinstalled, the sound insulation can be installed, the engine can go back in, and maybe I’ll add a flexible coupling between the gearbox and the shaft end. Waiting for the yard to confirm whether there’s space to fit it.
Finally, the new anchor, chain, and rode have been pulled up on board, and the old CQR has been consigned to the garden. I attempted to cut the 8mm chain of the old anchor with a hacksaw, and someone wandered over and offered me a set of bolt cutters that were going in the bin. Two snips and the chain was cut ever so neatly. Now I just need two shackles for the chain to anchor connection, and to run the chain up from the locker and over the windlass chainwheel, and the anchor will be in place for the launch.
My bruises have bruises.