SO WHAT DID YOU DO WITH OR ON YOUR C-DORY TODAY??

Today I changed the oil, oil filter, gas line filter, gear oil and lubed the steering cable. I smell a sort of funny now, and there is a bit of "kitty litter" in the driveway. Other than that, it went well. Cordell helped me. He got to use his favorite tool, duct tape. (he taped a container under the oil drain hole to catch the last few cups that would have dripped onto the cavitation plate) And, he got to take part in one of his favorite hobbies, buying new tools. He bought the strap wrench that he has always wanted. The gas line filter was a bugger to unscrew from the plastic bowl. It did the trick. In the words of Red Green, "if women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy". Cordell is certainly handsome, and darn handy to have around. Thanks

Robbi (I haven't had this much fun since I had a 1962 VW bug.)
 
Roberta Krumm":2m4q19sj said:
Today I changed the oil, oil filter, gas line filter, gear oil and lubed the steering cable. I smell a sort of funny now, and there is a bit of "kitty litter" in the driveway. Other than that, it went well. Cordell helped me. <text clipped> He bought the strap wrench that he has always wanted. The gas line filter was a bugger to unscrew from the plastic bowl. It did the trick. In the words of Red Green, "if women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy". Cordell is certainly handsome, and darn handy to have around. Thanks

Robbi (I haven't had this much fun since I had a 1962 VW bug.)
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I used a standard oil filter wrench with a few scraps of wood to take up the difference in OD between the small fuel filter and a typical oil filter. Worked like a charm for me....dammit an excuse to buy a new tool was missed..

Roger on the SeaDNA
 
Back from Mexico and attempting to get over my post vacation depression so spent some time on Shearwater getting things ready for the halibut opener.
Changed oil and filter on the kicker and pulled the carb off. The choke, accelerator pump and throttle were all stuck and needed to be freed up. Thing gets just enough saltwater inside to cause problems after sitting around even though I spray down the power head with fresh water after every use. Will rebuild the carb while I have it off and apart.
Pulled the carbs off the main motor to rebuild also.
Ordered new water pump kit, pump housing, bushings and thrust washers for the main, and carb rebuild kits for both motors from boats.net $200 including shipping for everything. Tough to beat the service and pricing, if I remember correctly a water pump rebuild kit from the Yamaha dealer was around $102, boats.net has it for $61 and change.
The Yamaha is still in good shape so will put off repowering for this year at least. $200 for maintenance parts VS. $15000 for a new etech just can’t justify it.

Changed the lower end lube on both motors. Been using Amsoil synthetic for the past three years, quit buying the overpriced marine version. The marine stuff is 80-140 while the standard is 75-140. There are no differences in the specs met between the standard lube and the marine lube. The manuals state hypoid 90W my feeling is that a 75-140 synthetic will out perform any standard 90W and even at 140W it’s thinner than standard 90W. Works for me at least.

Tested all of the electronics and Wallas (Tyboo scared me with his radar failure) all are working as advertised

Waxed the hull prior to my trip just need to finish the cabin and deck now. Have a long list of minor things to do in the next couple of weeks.

stevej
 
Thanks Ray, will no doubt see you in Newport for the opener will be good to hookup with you again. Have photos to post on the vacation and some on rigging ballyhoo for sailfish as done by captn Pete.
I will be moored at E5 this year at Newport.

Get your trailer axel yet?

stevej
 
More maintenance this weekend. Finished rebuilding the carbs. Lot of parts on the kicker carb required almost 2 hours to rebuild as opposed to an hour and a half for both of the 115 hp two stroke carbs.

Pulled the batteries and oil injection tank for inspection. No problems found. It's a PIA but needed to be done and always brings a degree of satisfaction knowing everything is in good shape. Dropped the lower end on the main to replace the water pump this next week.

The kicker is back together now, will mount the main carbs after I do a compression check in the next few days.

Getting ready for the Ocean season is a bit of an ordeal but like to feel things are as well prepared as can be.

Smoked up a bunch salmon, halibut and sable while doing boat work. Nothing like a good beer and smoked fish ....

stevej
 
Cruised another 70 miles up the Tennessee River, up the Pickwick Lock, and out to dinner at Pickwick Landing. Had beavers slapping the water around us in Cub Creek last night while we swung on the hook. Dogwoods are in full glory back here.
 
stevej":1bh0hote said:
Thanks Ray, will no doubt see you in Newport for the opener will be good to hookup with you again. Have photos to post on the vacation and some on rigging ballyhoo for sailfish as done by captn Pete.
I will be moored at E5 this year at Newport.

Get your trailer axel yet?

stevej
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Stevej, I got the axel. Need a flat place to swap it out and a few tools etc. Mine are in the motor home and it os over the hill having it's generator installed.
It looks like I am going to skip the Halibut opener in Newport this year. Too many financial issues and not enough time in a day to complete everything that needs done.
I did pick up the axel and it is at my shop.
I still need to remove the fuel cell again and deal with the bolts that tore out. I need to install my trim tabs, find a way to get an kicker bracket so I can still use a kicker with the tabs, replace a bilge pump and go through the wiring on the main panel. I need to clean up the install on the downrigger, replace a bolt on my radar mast, have my VHF tested and on and on and on.
Lots to do and too little time and funds to get it done.
 
Got on the road yesterday for my usual trip to work and found the George Washington Parkway and all the secondary roads leading to it jammed up. An accident somewhere early in the morning had screwed up traffic in a big way. I had a meeting mid morning that I really had to attend. So I drove to the marina, launched the Otter (I am in my suit and tie, of course, trying not to get my feet wet) and cruised up the Potomac to Washington Harbor in Georgetown. At certain places I could see the cars on the Parkway at a standstill. Left the Otter all locked up at the wall and took a short cab ride to the Department. Came back and picked it up at about 4:30 and cruised home. Called into the the daily 5:00 PM wrap up conference call from a pretty little cove on the way home. Told them I was calling in from "a remote location" (just like the Vice President after 9/11 -- if they only knew!) It was a great commute. Wish I could do it that way every day!
 
Wish I could, but it isn't legal and it isn't safe. The wall at Washington Harbor in Georgetown is "owned" by the National Park Service and supposed to be just for the use of boaters tying up for short periods and remaining nearby. I am sure if I did it every day, the Park Police would notice and ticket me. Of even greater concern is the high volume of pedestrian traffic. In addition to dog walkers, joggers, and other upstanding citizens, there are homeless folks, gang members, addicts, and - worst of all - college students (!) who frequent the area. What is the nautical equivalent of coming back after a long day at work to find your beloved C-Dory stripped and on blocks? Or just drifting in the weeds across the river because some drunk frat boy (believe me, I know of whom I speak!) untied the lines on a day when the wind was from the east? I wouldn't be any good at work because I'd be worrying about my Otter in distress.

This commute though has gotten me thinking. There is a marina off of Maine Avenue in SW DC with new docks and controlled access. I may just approach them to see if they would consider some kind of commuter arrangement.
 
Judy and I took the Lynn Marie back to the water today and made our first sturgeon trip of the year. Anchored up about 11:30 and fished till 1:30. Never even had a bite and we loved every minute of the trip. The river was flat calm with little other boat traffic so we weren't even bounced around by boat wakes. What a way to start the fishing season. Returned to the dock after and got all the lines checked out and the charger plugged in and all seems to be in order. All this after baking in the mid day sun in the cock pit with a hot 78 degrees.

Now at home and even got the truck washed so all that's left for Sunday afternoon is to wait for Happy Hour. Life is good.

Tim
 
Too much wind to go out of Whittier today so went to Kenai Lake. Easy launch at the Quartz Creek Campground (we couldn't find any place where they wanted money so the launch was free). Light winds on most of the lake and some parts with 3 foot chop. 20 miles down to Primrose and 20 miles back. A couple of nice beaches to stop at, some bear and wolf tracks on one beach both seeming to follow some moose tracks. Saw two other boats and found the deepest point at 580 feet. Seems to be a good windy day alternative.
 
I got roped into going to the Crab Festival today, and we saw how nice the water was on both trips across the bridge. On the way home, we drove through the marina lot and saw the Lynn Marie sitting down in the C-Dory section all lonely like. So, this evening I took another green CD down to join her. They both seem happy now.

Tim - did you happen to note the water temp out there today? Them big fishes like it a bit warmer than it probably is yet. Mid 50's or so before they get active down low.

We saw a display for Stone Wolf wine at the Crab Fest. Art wasn't there, but I did ask the guys to tell him hi from the C-Dory fleet.
 
Didn't get out today but spent most of Saturday washing and waxing. After the Cathlamet trip, I got feeling really guilty about my boat's condition relative to all the other C-brats so I needed to get it really taken care of. Made the mistake of trying to use some Turle wax paste for polishing the roof. Couldn't hardly get the damn stuff off and the polish was not impressive. Should have known better after reading a recent thread on waxes but didn't. Was a bit too lazy to drive the 12 miles to West Marine to get Collinite wax so I ran down to a boat/ski shop in Kenmore to get some McGuires Mirror glaze wax. Also bought some McGuires oxidation remover. Worked for about 1.5 hours on the roof alone - about 1/2 the time was removing the Turtle wax and oxidation, the other half waxing and polishing.

Bought a great little random orbital polisher from Shucks auto - made by Coleman was only about $20 (+ $10 for extra pads). Short story long, what a difference it makes to have the right products (McGuires) and the right tool!. Was pleasantly surprised that a number of black marks that I thought were scratches in the gel coat were actually scuffs ON the gel coat that were easily removed with the McGuire's oxidation remover and the buffer. After going over the roof and hull with the oxidation remover and the buffer, I switched to the wax. She's a thing of beauty now. Not exactly in factory shape but pretty good. Now to wire the new tow vehicle (a 1984 Ford F250 I recently bought with 117k on it - in great shape!) to operate the winch and I'm ready to go for the year. Once that's done, I'll have a 2000 Isuzu Trooper with about 50k on it for sale. That's what I've been using to tow the boat to date. I have a 5000 hitch on it and a nice Yakima roof rack. I'll post a separate for sale on that later.
 
Hi Mike,

Glad to hear there will be some company at the dock. Past Harv fro the Virgin Sturgeon on our way out, he'd been above the bridge with the same luck we had. Can't say that the water was all that cold when I reached over the side to wash a little hand scum off and I got to admit I didn't check the meter out.

Looks like one more trip next Saturday before the closure unless I can sneak out one evening. May have to take a river cruise up Young's Bay while they are closed just to get some water time and yes, I do enjoy that new hydraulic steering. The other was ok but this is great and is a lot less work in terms of course correcting.

Tim
 
Roger - unless things have changed, you won't find Collinite waxes at West Marine - I think the exclusive area dealer is Lummi Fish Supply, Inc., or LFSI. The main store is in Bellingham, and I think there is one in Ballard as well.


rogerbum":2sba1f7b said:
Was a bit too lazy to drive the 12 miles to West Marine to get Collinite wax s
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Kathy was away this weekend so I had to find some fun Daddy stuff to do with the girls. We were out on the water most of the day on Saturday and overnighted on the boat. Two girls and three big dogs make for a very cozy nest in the v-berth -- didn't even have to fire up the Wallas with all that body heat. Took the Otter back home on Sunday so I could give it a good (and much needed) scrubbing. I found trail mix in nooks and crannies I didn't even know existed!
 
Went down to our river place this weekend and dewinterized the Honda's. When I laid them up in Sept prior to my knee surgery, I fogged them well and injected some fogging oil directly in the cylinders and replaced the plugs. They started fine but boy did they smoke!! :smileo :smileo

Only for about a minute though, then settled down to a nice steady run. Sure is nice to have them! Will probably get her hull wet next weekend when we go down. :thup
 
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