So What Did You Do On or With Your Ranger Tug Today?

[Island Ranger]

Spent part of yesterday upgrading the shelving on Island Ranger. Bought some trim, a soap dispenser holder, a utensil holder and a magazine rack, and mounted them in the galley area. I think it came out great! Pictures? Still trying to put them here, but otherwise they are in our album under misc outfitting. Countdown to departure for Alaska - less that 5 weeks!
Mac

[Island Ranger]

OK, so I'll try to post a picture this time. I also got the graphics for Island Ranger from Boat US - and installed it. Here's the pic (I hope)

[Pat Anderson]

Mac - you posted the thumbnail - easier to see if you post the full size image!

[Island Ranger]

Thanks Pat...now how do I do that? I tried everything, and could only get that small, wimpy picture....

[Island Ranger]

With nothing better to do on a beautiful Monday afternoon, we took a short cruise over to Port Ludlow for dinner. We found Gigi tied up to the dock, then found Sarge and his family in the restaurant. Great to see Sarge & his son again (we had met at Lopez) - and met the rest of the Family as well!

A beautiful cruise!

Mac

[captd]

Made the trip around Middle Thompson lake, about 5 miles. Mrs Dee has a C-80 Raymarine. I think I can convert the track to a route and have the autopilot follow without having to steer. Guess I need to crack the instruction book to get it right. This tiny lake is a good place to practice. Those trusters are great, I wouldn't want to be without them.
Capt D

[K7MXE]

Took the little tug out the the day after the Holiday, July 5 and ran
up to Little Sucia island in the San Juans and turned around and came
back arriving today the 10th. Nice weather but lumpy seas and
fairly windy afternoons. Only problem changing from to perfect to
not perfect was the note on the windshield of my tow vehicle saying
that they had banged my fender on my trailer and left me a phone
number to call. First dent and first time in salt water. Guess its used
now. This run gave me a change to hone those C80 skills and its a
big book with lots of info in it to learn. Tomorrow its off to a lake to
flush out the motor and get some fresh water in it.. Bob Heselberg
Eatonville Wa

[C-Sick]

50 hour service on CR 25 110 hp turbo 735.00

Engine & Tran fluids & filters

Shaft alingment

6 hrs @ 90.00 and. 100.00 in parts.

How Does this square With the rest of you?

[Old Dog]

I think that's more than I paid for the same work (fluid / filter changes, valve adjustment, shaft alignment, etc - 50 hour maintenance) in Portland. I can't be absolutely sure how much more (maybe 10 - 20%) since I had some additional work done at the same time and the bill doesn't split it out very well.

The good news is that it's quite a while before Yanmar recommends any preventative maintenance that I can't do myself. Didn't like the bill for 50 hours but didn't expect it would need shaft alignment either which I certainly couldn't do.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

[thataway]

I would learn how to do these proceedures yourself. None of this is difficult. Is the boat in the water? The engine alignment needs to be with the boat in the water for several days after launch.

Buy a Jebsco or Sureflo pump on a bucket or a vacuum chamber to remove the engine oil. You can easily put a fitting on the pan drain plug, which remotes the drainage, and allows all of the fluid to be pulled out of the pan. There are also built in systems for draining oil--Reverso is one of these. I have not had as good luck with the hand pumps, or pumps checked into a drill.

We would change engine oil (with larger amounts of oil) at sea when crossing oceans. If you have the right set up, it is not messy and easy to do.

I think that the number of hours is excessive--Unless, the engine was not properly aligned at delivary. It should be the responsibility of the delivering dealer to be sure that the engine is properly aligned. Again, this means after the boat has been in the water for several days.
I would want to check and be sure that my dealer's technicians know how to align the engine.

Engine alignment--several sites to check on general problems:
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/alignment.htm
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/Alignment2.htm

A good book for all inboard diesel engine owners is Nigel Calder's book "Boat owners Mechanical and Electrical manual" and "Marine Diesel engines."

To check the alignment, loosen the bolts on the coupling--put a feeler guage between the coupling faces--it should be within .006 inches in four quadrants. You will have to raise or lower the mounts, and move the engine right and left at each engine mount until it is within tolerance. But--the engine should not change unless there has been some major problem.

[C-Sick]

I forgot to add the valve adjustment. How difficult?

[Pat Anderson]

Wow, it seems like an outrage...who charged you this much for the 50 hour service? I think we all want to avoid that place like the plague.

[Old Dog]

Frankly, as Thataway points out, none of this maintenance is all that difficult with the right tools. There is a lot of info out there that explains the processes including to a limited extent the books that he mentions, which are part of my on board library.

Certainly we all probably know how to and do change our own fluids and filters. If you cruise any distances, it's all pretty routine. Although I am still puzzled as to why marine diesel designers can't all come up with a way to mount the oil filter vertically instead of horizontally. Gives us a reason to cuss them, I guess.

Whether you want to do engine alignment or valve adjustment seems to me to be more a matter of personal choice, time and desire. Many years ago I would have done it for the challenge - plus I couldn't have afforded to have it done. Of course at that point we would probably have been talking about a Volkswagen bug not a boat. More recently I would have done it just for the experience. Today, I'd probably leave it to the professionals. All a matter of choice.

I'm a strong believer in having the appropriate tools, spares and knowledge to fix the things that are most likely to go wrong in your boating envrionment that need to be fixed. What that amounts to varies a great deal depending upon local conditions. In the northwest, if you are boating in Lake Washington, almost any problem other than a fire is no more than an inconvenience. Most of Puget Sound - a lot more dangerous possiblilities but generally rescue is close at hand. Much of Alaska or the west side of Vancouver Island, you better be pretty self-sufficient.

All about choices -

[lloyds]

There is a good Yanmar mechanic at Seaview West boatyard. He is independant of the boatyard, just has a shop there. He is pretty good and I always found him to be reasonable. His name is Mark. Don't remember the company name. The shaft alignment is probably one of the easier chores on a diesel tug. It takes a little time but is pretty straightforward. I would rather do that than change the darn oil. Being a turbo might complicate things a bit, but have never had one. The naturally aspirated Yanmars are pretty simple, and I do not claim to have mechanical abilities. Digging in and doing it yourself will prepare you for doing it when an emergency arises. There is a small book out there on basic diesel mechanics that I found valuable. I will look on the shelf tonight and try to post the name of it tomorrow.

[captd]

C-Sick,
That is outrageous, 50 hour service should be less than $200. Fluids and filter. If the engine was out of line , the dealer or factory ought to pay for it. It probably would be twice as much as a diesel pickup just because it is a boat. I don't think my 50 hour service took more than an hour. I also had two bilge pumps installed on the port and starboard side.
I will avoid that outfit.
Captd