Paul Gwiz
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2013
- Messages
- 160
- Status
- OWNER - I own a Hatteras Yacht
- Hatteras Model
- 43' DOUBLE CABIN (1970 - 1984)
Hi All,
I'm posting here in tech because all these repairs were very technical for a guy like me. We started with a ton of minor issues & one major problem. The starboard heat exchange needed to come off & the rebuild was pretty simple , Sam's has the kit. taking it off & reinstalling was a real challenge. After I figured out that 2 bolt had to be loosened to get on the 2 top bolts on the HE . putting it back on was a challenge due to the weight & bulk of the HE . I put 2 bolts in the lower hole & used a bunge cord to hold it in place whilest I attempted to reinstall the 2 upper bolts. The space is very tight between the HE & the block. That was just the beginning of all this fun. I replaced all my hoses & made another set for the port engine. The impellers were simple to replace. Then we splashed in & what a event that was, My nerves were shot, this being the first time I was present for such an event. Just the idea of that big monster grabbing it and picking it up , it poped creeked and it seemed like it would just fall over at any second. IT DIDN'T . Wow...Then the splash.
The skiff wouldn't start so it sat in the sling for an hour or so, The yard guys were pissed about the skiff , it just had got a new motor so these things wouldn't happen, yet they did. They asked if Mine would run & all I could say was I hope so , then the yard guys said We could just drive it over to the slip.Those Detroits fires right up & sounded Great. That sounded great but I had never driven this size boat & my nerves were shot out. No way Batman..... not a chance, he laughed and backed it out, then surprise ,NO STEERING.....I'm like holy shit.... then the old salt said no big deal it's got twin screws so he didn't need the rudders .
We tied it up & I proceeded to become a hynautic steering expert... This system needed to be bled, No big deal right ? WRONG.... It involved countless trip to the bridge , helm then all the way down to what I call the ass of the boat. The bleed block is all the way aft in the lowest most difficult place on the boat to reach & there was so much air in the system it took my 2 days to get it all out & working properly......I though the bridge had a problem with the steering pump, the book call for turning 25-35 times in the same direction at each station, start at the highest helm & work down....
After 2 days of trying I was sniveling at the old yard salt, & he finally gave up the ghost.....He said to just turn the bridge till it stopped, By this point I'm already turning 50-60 spins, I told him this & he said it didn't matter I should turn it 100-200 times till it stopped. ......he was right on... the book said 25-35 turns .... I lost count after 150..... It's working now , but what hell to get it there...
She leaked....the stuffing boxes leaked a slow steady drizzle , I was told that they would swell & the leaks would stop.... the starboard side did stop , but the port continued to drip.... this last trip I finally got around to fixing that issue to.... at 1500rpm she leaked like a pig... at this point I have become seasoned enough it didn't even bother me, Mrs. G on the other hand was concerned.....so now I'm a stuffing box expert also... The old salt came to my rescue with the tips only a yard man would know.....Who would think all it involved was a hammer& mabe a monkey wrench... Use the wrench only if you have to.... Hit the lock nut on the very edge down on the port , port side of the nut, it should be able to be turned by hand, He was right.... Got both shaft tightened & leak free....But The boat was still pumping out more than I liked , I checked all the thru hulls & no leaks, it's pumping out so it has to be coming in somewhere.. I even thought it could be from the shore water , nope no leaks & that system takes some crawling around in tight places...
Turns out after much sniveling at the old yard salt, he ask if I checked the rudder shafts.....Wow I totally forgot about them... popped off the cover panels & there it was...A beautiful leak pissin water like a stuck pig......I was amazed at how happy I was to see water flowing in.....Now those stuffing boxes are placed I don't believe a wrench would ever get on either nut... It's a hammer trick with a long bar.... I used a socket extension a a few loving hits later all my leaks are gone for now....But when they return I know how to fix them.....
So that is all kinds of techey stuff straight from an old sea salt , kinda.....Hammer to fix a boat ? who would have thought...?
The old salt has been a wealth of info & a great help Another one of his great idea was to let Mrs G. take the helm on a good long piece of water & run WOT & go down below a & just look around & see whats going on...... More great advice, I found where the drip of oil was coming from.. Just a single tiny drip that was making me nuts, it showed up on the top of the trans box Just a tiny little line... under the impeller.... & a mist was coming out of the port sea strainer.....I order the kits & will install them on the next trip.
We are planning on bringing her home on our next trip up.... We Fly out on the 23rd.... I did get round trip tickets just in case ...You never know , it's a boat.......
I'm posting here in tech because all these repairs were very technical for a guy like me. We started with a ton of minor issues & one major problem. The starboard heat exchange needed to come off & the rebuild was pretty simple , Sam's has the kit. taking it off & reinstalling was a real challenge. After I figured out that 2 bolt had to be loosened to get on the 2 top bolts on the HE . putting it back on was a challenge due to the weight & bulk of the HE . I put 2 bolts in the lower hole & used a bunge cord to hold it in place whilest I attempted to reinstall the 2 upper bolts. The space is very tight between the HE & the block. That was just the beginning of all this fun. I replaced all my hoses & made another set for the port engine. The impellers were simple to replace. Then we splashed in & what a event that was, My nerves were shot, this being the first time I was present for such an event. Just the idea of that big monster grabbing it and picking it up , it poped creeked and it seemed like it would just fall over at any second. IT DIDN'T . Wow...Then the splash.
The skiff wouldn't start so it sat in the sling for an hour or so, The yard guys were pissed about the skiff , it just had got a new motor so these things wouldn't happen, yet they did. They asked if Mine would run & all I could say was I hope so , then the yard guys said We could just drive it over to the slip.Those Detroits fires right up & sounded Great. That sounded great but I had never driven this size boat & my nerves were shot out. No way Batman..... not a chance, he laughed and backed it out, then surprise ,NO STEERING.....I'm like holy shit.... then the old salt said no big deal it's got twin screws so he didn't need the rudders .
We tied it up & I proceeded to become a hynautic steering expert... This system needed to be bled, No big deal right ? WRONG.... It involved countless trip to the bridge , helm then all the way down to what I call the ass of the boat. The bleed block is all the way aft in the lowest most difficult place on the boat to reach & there was so much air in the system it took my 2 days to get it all out & working properly......I though the bridge had a problem with the steering pump, the book call for turning 25-35 times in the same direction at each station, start at the highest helm & work down....
After 2 days of trying I was sniveling at the old yard salt, & he finally gave up the ghost.....He said to just turn the bridge till it stopped, By this point I'm already turning 50-60 spins, I told him this & he said it didn't matter I should turn it 100-200 times till it stopped. ......he was right on... the book said 25-35 turns .... I lost count after 150..... It's working now , but what hell to get it there...
She leaked....the stuffing boxes leaked a slow steady drizzle , I was told that they would swell & the leaks would stop.... the starboard side did stop , but the port continued to drip.... this last trip I finally got around to fixing that issue to.... at 1500rpm she leaked like a pig... at this point I have become seasoned enough it didn't even bother me, Mrs. G on the other hand was concerned.....so now I'm a stuffing box expert also... The old salt came to my rescue with the tips only a yard man would know.....Who would think all it involved was a hammer& mabe a monkey wrench... Use the wrench only if you have to.... Hit the lock nut on the very edge down on the port , port side of the nut, it should be able to be turned by hand, He was right.... Got both shaft tightened & leak free....But The boat was still pumping out more than I liked , I checked all the thru hulls & no leaks, it's pumping out so it has to be coming in somewhere.. I even thought it could be from the shore water , nope no leaks & that system takes some crawling around in tight places...
Turns out after much sniveling at the old yard salt, he ask if I checked the rudder shafts.....Wow I totally forgot about them... popped off the cover panels & there it was...A beautiful leak pissin water like a stuck pig......I was amazed at how happy I was to see water flowing in.....Now those stuffing boxes are placed I don't believe a wrench would ever get on either nut... It's a hammer trick with a long bar.... I used a socket extension a a few loving hits later all my leaks are gone for now....But when they return I know how to fix them.....
So that is all kinds of techey stuff straight from an old sea salt , kinda.....Hammer to fix a boat ? who would have thought...?
The old salt has been a wealth of info & a great help Another one of his great idea was to let Mrs G. take the helm on a good long piece of water & run WOT & go down below a & just look around & see whats going on...... More great advice, I found where the drip of oil was coming from.. Just a single tiny drip that was making me nuts, it showed up on the top of the trans box Just a tiny little line... under the impeller.... & a mist was coming out of the port sea strainer.....I order the kits & will install them on the next trip.
We are planning on bringing her home on our next trip up.... We Fly out on the 23rd.... I did get round trip tickets just in case ...You never know , it's a boat.......
