LED lighting upgrade

My yacht came with two fluorescent light bars installed over the galley. These were not original, the manufacture date was 2006.

They both started to play up a few months ago, so I have been searching for alternatives. 

I found two 60 LED light bars with a 4.8w rating and some 351 lumens (cool white). They installation was straightforward, and the results remarkable. The output is visually double that of the fluorescent units.

To compare:

• Dual-tube fluorescent units - 16watt/12volt = 1.33amp
• 30LED units - 4.8watt/12volt = 0.4 amp

The fluorescent units use 3.5 times the amount (amp) of energy that the new LED's use, for what appears to be less than half the visible output.  The LED units produce NO heat at all.

I got two of them for $100, they are very well-made.  I bought them online in NZ from Dualcom Technology, and they come with a 2 year warranty.

Highly recommended upgrade. 

UPDATE 1/11/14

I have continued the theme of ridding the boat of incandescent, fluorescent and halogen lighting by replacing my ancient chart table overhead light. It was white/red, but you can see the red bulb was just dipped in red paint. It was old and antiquated. 

I replaced the fixture with a white/red LED unit, drawing well under one half of an amp, or 1/10th of the previous unit. 

I am very pleased with the outcome. The new unit was on sale for $40NZD.

Needle and Thread

I'm facing a number of sewing projects in the next few weeks, ranging from simple covers for my refinished grab rails (Sunbrella) to re-stitching my dodger/ replacing the clears.
While we own a cheap Chinese sewing machine, I wanted something with more "guts".

I researched older sewing machines made entirely of metal, with enough punch to see multiple layers of Sunbrella. I kept coming across referenced to the "greatest sewing machine ever made", the Singer 401.
This machine retailed in 1959 for the equivalent of $2600 USD, so it was something to be coveted and then treasured.

Well, 55 years later our society has become disposable and these machines can be found for a song. I found one at an online auction for $55 NZD ($45USD).
It is in mint condition with all the factory bits.

I can't wait to start sewing.

Update 10/1/14

As with everything I own, the machine was torn down into it's primary components, cleaned and polished, including a kerosene soak and a complete lubrication, and a complete polish and wax of the enamel surface. I am now ready to make covers for everything! :)

My 1959/1960 Singer 401G sewing machine, renowned for being one of the best sewing machines ever built.  I am using an enormous jeans/canvas needle. 

Necessity (and poverty) is the mother of invention.  Why spend $20 for a plastic thread cone holder with a coat-hangar protruding from it?  I have some dowel kicking around, and a bit of epoxy.  You must have something like this when you use the giant cones of UV-treated thread.

UPDATE 23/1/14

Well, as wonderful a machine this is (and it is both wonderful to use and look at), it is simply not up to the challenge of stitching multiple layers (greater than 3) of Sunbrella.  With webbing and more Sunbrella in the future, I'm afraid I must look for another machine, something semi or fully commercial. 

I will certainly keep the Singer, as it will very handy for more conventional activities. 

One of the models I'm now investigating is the Sailrite Ultrafeed, a unit that I lusted after years ago, and one that by all reports has been tremendously improved in the new version.  An email inquiry to Sailrite was responded to within minutes by the President of the company...wow!

UPDATE 22/2/14

The projects start to roll out while I continue to shop for a heavy duty machine. 

UPDATE 9/4/14

Well, after an exhaustive (and global) 3-month search for a sewing machine that was capable of sewing heavy-weight marine materials, I stumbled across a machine at a local auction.  It is a Durkopp Adler 67, an older (30 years?) machine, but it is the Mercedes Benz of sewing machines.  They sell used anywhere from $1500-$3000, but I bought this one for $70....it's not much to look at, but with some restoration it will be perfect for the job.
I pick it up this weekend, but here is a "sistership" photo:

This is a 167-73AE, mine is an older 067 model, identical but for the size of the bobbin.

Rumour has it these machines will sew through 1/4" plywood.


UPDATE 15/4/14:

My machine is now in the garage, and of course...it is a project in itself.  It is a true barn find, with a lot of cleaning ahead of me.  Consider these to be the "before" photos:

An Adler 67AE-72E36, built perhaps 50 years ago.  It's cosmetically showing it's age, but it's built of the best German steel, and is un-rivalled in the world of industrial sewing machines.

Hey!  Another varnishing job....great...

Golly...this is going to need a good cleaning.

Update 19/4/14

I've got the machine clean, just polishing and lubricating. It's remarkable the difference turning it by hand from filthy, to clean and oiled. This is a BEAST of a machine, I estimate 35kg. 

Update 20/4/14 -  I have the machine back together, here is what I achieved in 1 week:

1. Refinished the table top with 5 coats of varnish ( the stains and scars I left for character)

2. Refinished the table frame with 3 coats of white epoxy enamel. 

3. Cleaned and lubricated the machine, including the bobbin winder. 

4. Removed the Quick clutch motor and installed a Powermax AH27 servo motor, which is 1/3 the size and 1/10 the weight. I can see at 60 stitches/min with full control (incredible). 

UPDATE 11/4/14

SEWING...FINALLY

http://youtu.be/I6E2iF5r1dA

Update 16/5/14

Fender covers!

UPDATE 13/8/14

It has been a long time coming, but the dodger has been re-stitched and the clear panels replaced. This has been on "the list" for 2 years. 

You can see the re-done dodger and the fender covers in this photo.

Fuel system

I have decided to develop a " day-tank", which is a 20l tank that I will use to get out of the marina and back, allowing me not to carry around 110l of fuel in the main tank.

Step 1 is to build a secure box for the day tank. Following will be the creation of a fuel polishing system. 

Here is the day tank under construction, upside down. It will be installed forward of the vertical bulkhead between the rudder stock and the engine. I'll take photos. 

A marine plywood box, secured at the back to the bulkhead, and supported on a piece of timber on the bottom.  Screwed and epoxied in place.

Update 14/4/14

Here is the schematic for the proposed fuel system.

Update 18/4/14

The fuel system is coming together. Here is the fuel tank containment unit, almost ready to fibreglass into place. Another photo with the tank shown. 

And here is the basic layout if the fuel control centre. Three 3-way valves controlling:

1. What tank feeds the engine

2. Directs the main tank to the fuel polisher

3. Controls the fuel return destination

This system will be mounted on a pre-fabricated panel, with the polishing filter and pump, then fixed to the bulkhead adjacent the main engine Racor filter

Missing is the 12v lift pump (100l/min) which I have yet to source. The laminated drawings show the position of each lever at the required outcome.

Update 25/4/14

I'm edging toward the completion of the fuel distribution centre and day-tank. The tank container is now glasses in place with several layers of cloth and epoxy. 

I have also fixed the various brass fittings on the 3 way valves with pipe-loc fluid. I had to fabricate spacers out of thick walled aluminium tubing. Use a rotary pipe cutter for this and you'll get perfectly square cuts. 

I needed a rubber gasket to isolate the filter housing, I knew there was a reason to keep that old pick-up floor mat. 

Rebuilding self-tailing winches

I've torn down all the winches and serviced them, replacing the pawls and springs from a Barient parts supplier in Australia:  Australian Yacht Winch Company

Barient winches are no longer sold, serviced, nor are parts readily available, so this supplier is a goldmine.  I bought several spare pawls and springs.

The Nonsuch owner's manual details the servicing of the winches, but essentially you must work slowly and carefully, do not put grease on the pawls, and do NOT try to do the work on the boat...lots of little parts can go missing.