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Ok, finally my boat is home...What a long strange trip it has been to get there.
This is My adventure
On the way into Beaufort, NC the boat blew a transmission. At first we thought it was a rope or a cutlass bearing to a dinged prop, based on the info we thought it was a piece of rope. Found and tighted loose engine mount bolts. No change, still the clunk cluck clunk. Drove to port under one engine. Handled great on single.
REPAIRS
Lay Up Day 1
After hauling her and changing the cutlass bearing we put her back in and the clunk clucnk was still there, so the next morning we set the spare shaft to get checked for trueness and proper facing.
Lay Up Day 2
The spare shaft was spot on and ready to go in. Then while inspecting the engine room getting ready for the spare shaft to go in, we noticed metal shaving littering the bell housing of the transmission. Because the trans oil was clear of metal we felt it was an external problem. When we removed the old shaft to further inspect there was a noticible 1/4 to 1/2 inch drop in the transmission output coupling and a pop-up on the prop shaft. Thought engine was way out of line. But wait, the tranny is bolted solid to the engine, how could it drop? Then off comes the bell housing to find the bolts to the torsion coupling had backed out. This was a mystery because thats supposes to be impossible, no matter how much vibration.
Lay-up Day 3
The air intake side including the turbo was removed so the tranny could be removed. The tranny was then delivered to Zf for inspection, while the internals showed no damage it was determined that the mounting holes were elongated from backing out and the input spline was damaged. Making the tranny unusable. Ok, new tranny on the shelf at ZF.
Layup Day 4
The new Tranny, ZF 280 was installed and the inspected spare shaft was installed but not mated to the tranny. The line cutters were removed to eliminate one more varible to vibration. A $1,700.00 original cost to install.
Layup Day 5
The shaft was aligned with the out put coupling by adjusting the engine mounts. The shaft was bolted up and the engine mounts were locked down. The starboard shaft was unbolted from the tranny so the one inch spacer could be removed(a one inch spacer was installed between the couplings to provide enough shaft area to mount the line cutters" and then mounted back up. All tolerances were with in the .001 per inch of coupling diameter. The air side was reinstalled and the engines started. A seatrial was next and everything went well, Towne Creek Marina gave her the blessing and she was ready for the ride north.
DELIVERY
Saturday May 14
6:00 am was wake up and prep to get the 7:00 am route 70 bridge. We were three minutes early. Headed out towards Cape look out saw the wild horse on the beach there and headed north east for 3.5 hours from there.Off of Hatteras we hit a 18 degree tempature break in a distance of a 1/4 mile and started fishing. Listening to the boys from Cat Island we heard of very little being cuaght, was very disappoints as we arrived a 10:30 or 11:00 and trolled south for an hour and then north for two. At one PM with very few reports of anyone doing well we stored the fishing gear and headed north. 110 miles to Rudee inlet. 5 hours fuels up at 7:00 Pm as Virgina Fishing Center (1/3 miles from the inlet mouth, thanks info Dad) had someone meet us after hours. Left her tied up at the fuel dock and had some great eats a Big Sams, lots of talent there too. ~ At 8:30 we leave the inlet in the dark and head towards the Cheasepeak and LBI just another 10 hours to go, at this time we have 15kt south west winds. Because the delivery Captain is a big visual guy he stayed up on the tower and I ran the electronics from down below. With the captain concerned with the effects of radar 36 inches from his nuts, we had limited use of the radar but we had With both radios on channel 6 and we communicated position and targets as we past the very busy entrance to the Cheasepeak. Visual spotting of targets proved more reliable then radar" I must get that checked". Then it was a bouy/flashing light check all the way up to the Deleware Bay entrance with as much if not more traffic then the Cheasepeak. Sea conditions were 15 or better out of the south and the bow high ride allowed us to have an easy time in the 4-5-6-7 foot following seas. Once past the DEleware Bay entrance the final 60 miles to long Beach Island and that sweet little inlet I know as Little Egg. So after what seemed like a convoy of 200 meter tow's and green over whites and blow boats with full mast head lights, and running gear lights, mast head runnging lights, with hull mounted ones too there was one final test, the inlet was covered with a thick fog. Havog over run the south entrace while stowing the bladder tank and anything loose on board we ran back south to the southern approach. Witht he dense fog and a few call to the coast guard reguarding the passability of the inlet we headed into the fog. With long blasts every two minutes we eased our way thru the fog to find dozens of fishermen stuck in the inlet, but in sunshine and warmth. Of course while running to the marina we learned the usually shallow Mordicai approach was even shallower this year. Luckily knowing the shallow spot, "thanks Capt. Bob" I was at idle speed as we went down to about three feet of water. I need 3.5. Into neutral we allowed the wind to drift us to deeper water and we re figured our approach and abandoned the intercoastal and took the east route around mordicai and into the slip we went. Finally tied up, we got off the boat, had breakfast and I spent the next 5 hours cleaning her up. A very rewarding ride and a sense of accomplishment. Finally some necessary bonding after riding her very hard for 24 plus hours straight.
A FEW NOTES
After 24 hours at sea we never even had water hit the wind shield. Sure it was a following sea 4-5-6-7 with a 15 to 20 kt wind, but still, I never ran the wipers once.
The Delivery Captain stayed watch up in the tower, lashed in from 8:30 to day light the next morning. IT was cold, it was windy and it was dark and it was up one wave and down the next. 10 hours of this tough duty and not a single bitch or desire to switch positions. Him in the tower and me running the electronics at the helm. That being my element.
With out a final diagnosis on the cause of the tranny failure, it was noted that a shaft log box replacement probably played a role in the tranny's failure.
This is My adventure
On the way into Beaufort, NC the boat blew a transmission. At first we thought it was a rope or a cutlass bearing to a dinged prop, based on the info we thought it was a piece of rope. Found and tighted loose engine mount bolts. No change, still the clunk cluck clunk. Drove to port under one engine. Handled great on single.
REPAIRS
Lay Up Day 1
After hauling her and changing the cutlass bearing we put her back in and the clunk clucnk was still there, so the next morning we set the spare shaft to get checked for trueness and proper facing.
Lay Up Day 2
The spare shaft was spot on and ready to go in. Then while inspecting the engine room getting ready for the spare shaft to go in, we noticed metal shaving littering the bell housing of the transmission. Because the trans oil was clear of metal we felt it was an external problem. When we removed the old shaft to further inspect there was a noticible 1/4 to 1/2 inch drop in the transmission output coupling and a pop-up on the prop shaft. Thought engine was way out of line. But wait, the tranny is bolted solid to the engine, how could it drop? Then off comes the bell housing to find the bolts to the torsion coupling had backed out. This was a mystery because thats supposes to be impossible, no matter how much vibration.
Lay-up Day 3
The air intake side including the turbo was removed so the tranny could be removed. The tranny was then delivered to Zf for inspection, while the internals showed no damage it was determined that the mounting holes were elongated from backing out and the input spline was damaged. Making the tranny unusable. Ok, new tranny on the shelf at ZF.
Layup Day 4
The new Tranny, ZF 280 was installed and the inspected spare shaft was installed but not mated to the tranny. The line cutters were removed to eliminate one more varible to vibration. A $1,700.00 original cost to install.
Layup Day 5
The shaft was aligned with the out put coupling by adjusting the engine mounts. The shaft was bolted up and the engine mounts were locked down. The starboard shaft was unbolted from the tranny so the one inch spacer could be removed(a one inch spacer was installed between the couplings to provide enough shaft area to mount the line cutters" and then mounted back up. All tolerances were with in the .001 per inch of coupling diameter. The air side was reinstalled and the engines started. A seatrial was next and everything went well, Towne Creek Marina gave her the blessing and she was ready for the ride north.
DELIVERY
Saturday May 14
6:00 am was wake up and prep to get the 7:00 am route 70 bridge. We were three minutes early. Headed out towards Cape look out saw the wild horse on the beach there and headed north east for 3.5 hours from there.Off of Hatteras we hit a 18 degree tempature break in a distance of a 1/4 mile and started fishing. Listening to the boys from Cat Island we heard of very little being cuaght, was very disappoints as we arrived a 10:30 or 11:00 and trolled south for an hour and then north for two. At one PM with very few reports of anyone doing well we stored the fishing gear and headed north. 110 miles to Rudee inlet. 5 hours fuels up at 7:00 Pm as Virgina Fishing Center (1/3 miles from the inlet mouth, thanks info Dad) had someone meet us after hours. Left her tied up at the fuel dock and had some great eats a Big Sams, lots of talent there too. ~ At 8:30 we leave the inlet in the dark and head towards the Cheasepeak and LBI just another 10 hours to go, at this time we have 15kt south west winds. Because the delivery Captain is a big visual guy he stayed up on the tower and I ran the electronics from down below. With the captain concerned with the effects of radar 36 inches from his nuts, we had limited use of the radar but we had With both radios on channel 6 and we communicated position and targets as we past the very busy entrance to the Cheasepeak. Visual spotting of targets proved more reliable then radar" I must get that checked". Then it was a bouy/flashing light check all the way up to the Deleware Bay entrance with as much if not more traffic then the Cheasepeak. Sea conditions were 15 or better out of the south and the bow high ride allowed us to have an easy time in the 4-5-6-7 foot following seas. Once past the DEleware Bay entrance the final 60 miles to long Beach Island and that sweet little inlet I know as Little Egg. So after what seemed like a convoy of 200 meter tow's and green over whites and blow boats with full mast head lights, and running gear lights, mast head runnging lights, with hull mounted ones too there was one final test, the inlet was covered with a thick fog. Havog over run the south entrace while stowing the bladder tank and anything loose on board we ran back south to the southern approach. Witht he dense fog and a few call to the coast guard reguarding the passability of the inlet we headed into the fog. With long blasts every two minutes we eased our way thru the fog to find dozens of fishermen stuck in the inlet, but in sunshine and warmth. Of course while running to the marina we learned the usually shallow Mordicai approach was even shallower this year. Luckily knowing the shallow spot, "thanks Capt. Bob" I was at idle speed as we went down to about three feet of water. I need 3.5. Into neutral we allowed the wind to drift us to deeper water and we re figured our approach and abandoned the intercoastal and took the east route around mordicai and into the slip we went. Finally tied up, we got off the boat, had breakfast and I spent the next 5 hours cleaning her up. A very rewarding ride and a sense of accomplishment. Finally some necessary bonding after riding her very hard for 24 plus hours straight.
A FEW NOTES
After 24 hours at sea we never even had water hit the wind shield. Sure it was a following sea 4-5-6-7 with a 15 to 20 kt wind, but still, I never ran the wipers once.
The Delivery Captain stayed watch up in the tower, lashed in from 8:30 to day light the next morning. IT was cold, it was windy and it was dark and it was up one wave and down the next. 10 hours of this tough duty and not a single bitch or desire to switch positions. Him in the tower and me running the electronics at the helm. That being my element.
With out a final diagnosis on the cause of the tranny failure, it was noted that a shaft log box replacement probably played a role in the tranny's failure.
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