Henrietta: The Columbia River Gillnetter turned Downeast Lobster Boat

[lukes]

Chris,

I share your concerns, and only committed when I realized I could totally remove the aft wall, Stainless shield and all (right side on these pictures). 2 easily accessible screws, and that whole side comes out. 4 more and I've got the entire stove out.

These are the compromises of a much smaller boat than some....

And if it ever becomes a problem, that would give me and excuse to rewire the entire boat.

[cstevens]

Chris,

I share your concerns, and only committed when I realized I could totally remove the aft wall, Stainless shield and all (right side on these pictures). 2 easily accessible screws, and that whole side comes out. 4 more and I've got the entire stove out.

These are the compromises of a much smaller boat than some....

And if it ever becomes a problem, that would give me and excuse to rewire the entire boat.

See now, that's exactly the argument I would have gone with. Ok then!

[lukes]

I got a couple hours in this weekend, mostly working on the fuel pump side of things. I ran the main line back between the tanks, and mounted the pump, filter, and 3 way valve. I need to get a couple more lines in and I'll be done working on that end of the boat. When it's all buttoned up, I'll be able to switch the output of the pump to either the heater, or the other tank. For now the third output will remain plugged, but I might someday plumb it to the main filter with a couple shutoffs so Ican fill that bowl with diesel after a filter change. I learned the hard way that you have to do that, the first time I single handed the boat, just after launching at canal with a good South wind. Thankfully I was able to fend off as I blew into a neighboring dock... The things you learnwith your first wooden boat with a tractor engine.

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[cstevens]

Looking good lukes. You are a little ahead of me it looks like but I'm hoping to catch up on my own installation this weekend. Regarding the consequences of not priming the fuel system after a filter change... Yeah. I had my own similar experience. Years ago I forgot to switch over the return valve when I changed from the starboard to port tank aboard my old boat, Savona. Which worked fine right up to the point where I had pumped all the fuel from the feed tank into the return tank (luckily there was room) and the engine stopped. In the middle of Trincomali Channel. With my Dad aboard. Fortunately it was calm, sunny, and there were no B.C. ferries bearing down on us. But even so I was sweating while I got things sorted out, bled the fuel system, and restarted the engine. Not a mistake I'm likely to make twice!

[lukes]

Getting closer.

Left to do: Finish up the fairing block for the chimney, install the fuel pressure regulator in the supply line, put a coffee can under the overflow line, and fire her up! Just in time for nice weather.

Regarding the fairing block on top: I had thought about bedding in dolphinite, but I can't imagine removing it, and Dickenson suggests epoxy. I'm thinking hard about gluing it down with thickened epoxy, maybe running a fillet the radius of my index finger around it, and sealing the inside of the hole with some as well. Any reason I might regret this? 4 in pipe in a 6 in hole shouldn't be getting the epoxy up to burning temp, should it?

Thankfully my blower wires are all the same color, so I knew to do some trial and error to prevent it sucking smoke into the cabin, or I would have gone down a similar path to Chris. As with all 50/50 chances with wiring it was wrong initially...

Not shown here is how well the chimney lines up withe the pillar to the right of the windshield from the helm. For a stove directly fwd, it really does not impact visibility.

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And with the easily removed aft wall, removed to plumb the fuel lines:

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Once I get everything good and functional, she's really about due for a coat of paint, inside and out.

[cstevens]

That looks great lukes. Regarding the pad for the chimney deck fitting, I'm completely sure that it won't get hot enough to damage epoxy if you do decide to glue it down. I'd probably bed it in something and screw it down myself, just on the general principle that you never know why you might want to take it off at some point. Of course even epoxy isn't really permanent and you could always just cut it off if necessary so either way is probably fine.

[lukes]

So I finally got it done. I had just enough thin epoxy to soak the locust ring I made, and I just bedded it down in 5200.

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I left the chimney pretty long. I plan to go back and cut that piece in half before long.

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I lit the stove, and it smoked for a few and then had pretty clean exhaust. The thing I thought was odd was that it never seemed to get above the burner ring, and it only seemed to have fire on one side of the bowl. I didn't have more than about 15 minutes with it, but it never did seem right as I adjusted the fuel and fan. Any ideas? Other than that, it seemed fine, and the exhaust was clean, so maybe it's fine like this?

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[cstevens]

The flame should definitely be higher than that. But 15 minutes isn't all that long to get everything warmed up I think. And that's also a lot of stack to heat up. I'd see how it does after a longer warm up period.

[J.Madison]

Flame not rising above the ring either means too much diesel, effectively flooding it, or not enough heat. The part with the four legs should be hot enough to vaporize the fuel, and it won't ignite until it is above the ring.

Did you have it closed up? Mine won't run right unless the door is sealed. Maybe try starting on alcohol to rule out starting problems. Possibly the metering valve is gunked up and you need more fuel for longer to get enough heat going.

[lukes]

Got it running much better earlier this week. It seemed to not be getting enough fuel so I stuck a shim under the set screw on the knob, effectively lifting the knob allowing more fuel in.

Here's the question: Should I take the metering valve apart, or should I just run that little set screw down so the needle lifts higher on all settings? How hard is it to rebuild the valve, and do I need to get a kit of new o rings etc, for that to work out well?

[cstevens]

Got it running much better earlier this week. It seemed to not be getting enough fuel so I stuck a shim under the set screw on the knob, effectively lifting the knob allowing more fuel in.

Here's the question: Should I take the metering valve apart, or should I just run that little set screw down so the needle lifts higher on all settings? How hard is it to rebuild the valve, and do I need to get a kit of new o rings etc, for that to work out well?

Ok, I'm curious... why wouldn't you just be able to open the valve further rather than adding the shim? Do you mean that it's not getting enough fuel even at the highest setting? If that's the case then there is definitely something wrong as the stove should burn well at most settings. And I agree with J.Madison's post above, that the original problem seemed to be that it was burning too rich rather than too lean. Adding fuel might create a larger flame but I would not expect it to make it burn hotter or to vaporize the fuel more effectively - which I believe is what makes the flame burn higher in the burner.

There are a couple of things you could try before tearing into the fuel meter. First, I would try running the stove at a medium fuel setting, no shim, and experiment with the draft assist fan to see if increasing draft helps. If that doesn't do anything then I would try reducing the height of the stack above the deck fitting. That's counterintuitive since more stack should increase draft but I wonder if the top of the stack isn't getting hot enough to sustain a draft (I don't know if that's a real thing that happens, but it's something I notice that is different about your installation so worth looking into).

I would also talk to Dickinson about that fuel valve. For their newest valve they publish flow specs so that you could test it before you pull it apart. I think they have moved to that valve for all of the Sigmar products now. For the valve you have, which I suspect is an older Sigmar-specific design, they may have different specs that you could use. Or they may just recommend that you upgrade to the new valve. Which is not a bad idea since I suspect that rebuild kits will be easier to source and support will be more readily available. New valves are under $150 so while it's not exactly a cheap fix I think it still beats fiddling around with the old one.

[lukes]

The guys at Dickenson are being really helpful despite the fact that this Sig stove predates their merger. I'll go through the troubleshooting guide they gave me and get it running before winter comes. Worst case is a new valve.

You've got it right about the shim. It's on 9, and then I slide the clip off a pen under it to turn it up to 11! Works for now, especially with the warm weather on the way.

And now here's the dilemma that I think all of us face from time to time, especially you Chris:

I saw a bigger shinier boat that I can't afford unless I sell Henrietta. I don't really want to sell my boat, but I do really want to own the other boat. All that to say, if any of you have been lurking, wishing you owned Henrietta, PM me. She's not exactly for sale, but I suppose she's not NOT for sale either.

And I'll just keep on hemming and hawing, and getting ready for Puget sounds most absurd fishing season: Spot Prawns. 4 hours of utter pandemonium on the water! Should be fun.

[cstevens]

The guys at Dickenson are being really helpful despite the fact that this Sig stove predates their merger. I'll go through the troubleshooting guide they gave me and get it running before winter comes. Worst case is a new valve.

You've got it right about the shim. It's on 9, and then I slide the clip off a pen under it to turn it up to 11! Works for now, especially with the warm weather on the way.

And now here's the dilemma that I think all of us face from time to time, especially you Chris:

I saw a bigger shinier boat that I can't afford unless I sell Henrietta. I don't really want to sell my boat, but I do really want to own the other boat. All that to say, if any of you have been lurking, wishing you owned Henrietta, PM me. She's not exactly for sale, but I suppose she's not NOT for sale either.

And I'll just keep on hemming and hawing, and getting ready for Puget sounds most absurd fishing season: Spot Prawns. 4 hours of utter pandemonium on the water! Should be fun.

A friend of mine with a really big Olympic stove (this thing seriously belongs in a diner not a boat - and in fact the boat was built for a guy who owned a restaurant chain) had been having problems with it not burning correctly. He tried everything with no success and was about to buy a new Dickinson valve but first he used compressed air to clear out the line from the pot to the meter. That did the trick and now he's going through something like five gallons of diesel a night. Just something to add to the list of possibilities.

I hear you on the bigger, shinier dilemma. I hope that all works out and will be interested to see what's caught your eye.

[lukes]

Not exactly wood boat related, but in gearing up for the 4 hour bonanza of a shrimp season, I got my pot puller out and it made a tremendous noise. Sort of a combination squeal / grind that really sounded bad. So I took it apart. The motor dumped a few teaspoons of unidentified dust, and the gearbox spit out water/grease/metal shavings. In the market for a new one now.


Below is where the motor was mounted. Notice the pile of 'sand'
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Why can't anything boat related be cheap?

[lukes]

Today's question: What should I use to paint the underside of my engine?

The engine sits low, nearly against the keel, and has definitely had seawater up above the oil pan before. I can see the paint on the pan has corroded off in sheets in the bilge. I plan to haul out soon, remove the engine and work on it in the yard next to the boat.

I don't think I want to go through the many steps of a system like POR15, but I could get talked into it if someone has had a good experience.

I think I"m more inclined to wire brush what I can, degrease as best I can in the yard (no detergent then fresh water rinse allowed. I'm thinking brake cleaner in a can instead). Then hose bare metal down with ospho a couple times, and then prime with something that has zinc in it, and top coat with a rattle can of generic "engine paint". I"m not too worried about matching colors, and I only plan to paint the bottom half of the engine that has corroded.

I'm going to try to use this opportunity to add a couple frames in this area, and get a coat of bilge paint down as well.

Pic below of one of the engine mounts which will all be replaced.

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[cstevens]

I think that sounds like a reasonable plan Luke. It's what I've contemplated doing on Petrel. But if you are concerned about preventing rust you might give POR-15 another look. I've used it before and it works well in my experience. I don't think that the prep requirements are all that challenging... From their site:


"POR-15 is a rust-preventive paint designed for application directly on rusted or seasoned metal surfaces. It dries to a rock-hard, non-porous finish that won't chip, crack, or peel, and it prevents rust from re-occurring by protecting metal from further exposure to moisture. POR-15 is sensitive to UV light (sun) and must be topcoated before prolonged exposure to sunlight. POR-15 is cured and strengthened by exposure to moisture and will dry faster under extreme humidity, but moderate to dry atmospheric conditions are most desirable when applying this product,because extreme humidity may cause an immediate surface cure, trapping carbon dioxide gas below the surface. When this happens, bubbling may occur. Extreme humidity at the time of application may also interfere with proper adhesion of the POR-15 coating to metal because it's almost impossible to keep metal dry under such conditions."



...adheres better to rust and dries in the presence of moisture. Can't really ask for more than that! But I'll admit I've only used it for anti-rust coating on cars so I don't know how well it would do for your application.

[Boatsbgood]

Something to keep in mind:
For really rusty cast iron or steel that has been saltwater soaked: the metal ends up sort of porous, and salt lives/lurks in there. Even after sanding and or wirebrushing, it's salty in there, and will attract water, which has the effect of making the metal surface sweat. Perhaps before hauling, several iterations of freshwater rinse and dry would help the durability of the eventual coating, whatever that turns out to be. In any case, I applaud the effort to get that under control. Not glamorous or flashy, but well worth some work!

[lukes]

Not glamorous or flashy, but well worth some work!

I fell like this sums up much about Henrietta... I like it.

After much thought, I think I will go with POR15. They use a strong degreaser and then a strong acid to etch, and they claim the paint itself loves rusted bare salty terrible metal. None of it can be worse than the current situation, and if I'm taking the time to pull the engine, I may as well do what sounds "right" to me.

Over the past few weeks I've developed strong opinions about pot pullers, and couldn't be happier with my new Electra Dyne. I also rebuilt the Safe-T-Puller pictured above, but don't plan to keep it. There's really no comparison, and it seems there couldn't be any better deck jewelry for a boat like Henrietta than a proper puller. The shrimp opener was crazy as usual, with every boat owner in Puget Sound out, but we did well with quick limits of spot prawn.

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More to come with my haul out scheduled over Memorial Day weekend!

(I still don't know how get the pics to stop being occasionally sideways. Anyone?)

[lukes]

Long weekend working on the boat!

Engine came out, removed all the rust, two coats of POR15 and a top coat of John Deere Yellow. Turned out pretty good. The aluminum oil pan has been in the bilge water acting like an anode for a while now. Hopefully this treatment helps. The Bilge had been painted, but that mostly failed, so I cooked up some boat soup on the new stove and soaked it pretty good. The frame ends are a bit soft, but overall everything looked a lot better under the engine that I had feared. I pull my transom guard off and recaulked the hood ends to the transom on the port side where I believe there has been some leaking. I also reefed out butt joint underneath that was leaking. One of the shipwrights on the islands liked to cut planks at 45 degrees and "scarf" a new end on using nothing but sikaflex as glue... I caulked that joint with cotton, and am hoping it will hold up ok. I imagine that plank will need to be replaced at some point. Topside bleeders got fixed, and paint from sheer to keel. I'm exhausted.
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[lukes]

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[cstevens]

You did all that in a three day weekend!? Man, I'm slacking.

[MADOC1]

henrietta is looking good. did you replace the motor mounts or just clean them up? as chris said an amazing 3 days worth of work. that deere sure looks purty now!

jim

[lukes]

I did replace the mounts, but I managed to salvage the angle steel that connects the block to the mounts. It was a very long weekend, and I've still got lots of cleaning up and reassembling of various bits to do, but she's back in the water and hardly leaking at all. Part of that is her construction I think... Even when I've had her out for over a week on hot days, she doesn't really need much time to take up. When I have her out next year, I plan to replace a questionable plank, and I'll know more about my theory that she originally had no caulk at all. Here's a couple more pics for no good reason...20190528_173010.jpg20190528_152433.jpg20190524_124913.jpg

Edit, well now they're coming in upsidedown as well as sideways... 1 out of 3 isn't bad...

[lukes]

What is everyone's favorite deck (sole) paint for an old work boat? My sole is marine ply and could do with a fresh coat of paint. I don't really want to go full abrasive non-skid, but I'd like it not to get slick as snot with a little rain and some salmon slime...

I see the usual suspects all make a product for this. Does anyone have a favorite, or even better, one to avoid?

[lukes]

Strictly speaking, Henrietta isn't exactly large enough to require a tender, but I was feeling as though I didn't have enough boats.

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I believe this boat was built by Simon Fletcher of Pt. Angeles, who does not have a large web presence, but seems to have built a few mahogany speed boats with incredible varnish. This is a simple plywood dinghy, with some nice bright touches here and there, and a nearly new sail kit added a few years ago. This feels like a better fit than some of the fiberglass dinghies out there. I still hope to build a light skin on frame someday, but this will do until then.

I also know nothing about sailing, and this seems to be a fine boat to learn on.

[cstevens]

Great looking dinghy Luke. I need to thin out the boat collection a bit myself but one day I would love to have a small sailing dink like that.

[jsjpd1]

Nice dink and Henrietta is looking great!

[lukes]

This past weekend a few dads and kids boated to Blake Island, a park across the sound from Seattle. I wasn't sure we'd get dock space (and I wanted to play with the new boat) so I brought the dinghy with. I learned very quickly what I assume all of you know; if you don't have a plug for the dagggerboard trunk, your boat will fill with water. Fortunately this was caught early, and the new block and tackle on the boom brought the flooded boat on board the mother ship. It made for a cramped ride to camp, but nothing too uncomfortable. A friend got this very 'beverly hillbilly' looking shot of Henrietta under way.
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So, my new project is to make a plug. Any resources, or quality designs out there I should use for guidance? I'm thinking of making a simple dagger board, then cut it off to be flush at the keel, no?

As for Blake Island, it was a great place to camp with young kids. We really had a nice time. But the racoons are completely out of control. They were on the boat within minutes, and stole both a chair and a backpack from camp. You might notice the trash panda to the starboard side of my engine box...

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[Bobcat]

Been there, fought the raccoons.

A draw bucket of water waiting for them discouraged them

a bit

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[lukes]

You'd think with the handle "bobcat" they'd be a bit more wary...

I had heard they were bad, but I had no idea...

[John Meachen]

The plug for the daggerboard case doesn't have to extend all the way to the keel.A small spigot,say half an inch deep and a flange that extends out to the sides will work.A piece of reasonably strong shock cord will hold it in place.

[lukes]

I did make the plug for the daggerboard trunk, and it worked great. We towed the dinghy up near Friday Harbor for a week in August, crossing the strait both ways for the first time. It was dead calm, and saved us a few hours each way. We really live in a beautiful part of the world.

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A friends old GB32 behind Henrietta. Fog rolling in behind.

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Moonrise.

[lukes]

But now for the question of the day:

Round or Square dogs in your bench, and why?

I'm finally getting around to building something of a proper bench. I kept a ton of 2x4's from the 1920's during a remodel of my house, and I'm going to laminate the top of the bench out of these. They are tight grained old growth, but far too knotty to use much on the boat, and I'm not willing to spend the money for hard maple right now. Maybe i'll make a really pretty bench someday, but this one is going to get used in short order.

I just need to decide what shape those dog holes will be. Square appeals to me aestetically, and logically but will take a bit more time, and won't work with holdfasts. Round, and I can just drill them as needed which will make me less tempted to start with a top covered in holes, and I can use holdfasts with them. Do any of you actually use holdfasts? Keep in mind I've never had a 'real' bench, so I'm doing my best to imitate the traditional ones I see, assuming there are good reasons for some of the design features.

My front vise is a very old and broken wilcox I picked up last year for nothing. I''m working on restoring the quick release nut. The steel part was originally cast, and came to me shattered. I've brazed the nubs on the ends of the half nut back on and filed them to shape. Then I machined the steel part the best I could to look like the shattered pieces I had from the original. A bit more fetteling and I think I'll have it.

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[cstevens]

No opinion on the dog holes, although FWIW the ones in my bench are round and almost certainly over 100 years old. But great photos! Can you share the location of the anchorages? I don't recognize either.

[lukes]

Chris, we rented a house a few miles south of Friday Harbor that had a mooring ball and a little private beach. A bit south of Dinner Island in Griffin Bay.

The trouble with a small boat is you can't reasonably expect the family to sleep aboard. I'm sure I'll spend a night here and there on my own, but for a trip to the islands, accommodations on land are a must.

Looking at your threads, we probably crossed paths at some point in August. I'm sure we'll meet on the water one of these days.