Snow Day

I have the day off today, mostly.  The Museum is closed because of a pretty decent snowstorm that is rolling in right now.  They call it an "Alberta Clipper," and we are expecting up to a foot of snow plus very cold temps and high winds.  I probably would have gone in to the shop this morning, but I probably would have regretted it by the time I had to find my way home this afternoon.  I'm sure I can put my at-home time to good use.

Snow just started an hour ago.  Supposed to continue until tomorrow morning.

The last few days, I have been continuing plumbing and also began to install the rudder.  I took delivery of a fuel filter, which I installed in the fuel line prior to the engine fuel filter.  This should capture any water in the fuel before it reaches the engine.  It has a clear plastic bowl so it should be easy to monitor, especially since I installed it in an accessible spot near the engine hatch-to-be.

Fuel filter, with valves on both sides is mounted near the engine starboard side.

Aside from the final connection from the engine exhaust to the waterlock muffler, I have all the exhaust plumbing completed.  I used a combination of reinforced rubber exhaust hose and fiberglass elbows to route the exhaust from the engine, through the aft bulkhead, into a big vertical loop, and out through the hull 2 strakes above the waterline.  In that I could only get one arm and one head into the opening through the bulkhead, that was a bit of a challenge, but now it is done.   

From the waterlock through the bulkhead.  Note the fiberglass elbow on the right.

The "big loop" to prevent back flow. A fiberglass 180 is on top.

With the plumbing complete, more or less, I turned to the electricals.  I am planning on two batteries, and I bought and installed one of them.  It will be the primary ignition battery.  I ran the positive lead through a switch, which will allow me to charge and/or use one battery at a time, both at once, or neither.  The switch is mounted on the forward side of the cabin bulkhead below the companionway. This location gives me a total cable distance between the battery positive terminal and the starter motor lug of about 24 inches.  With a #2 AWG cable, voltage drop should be insignificant.

Battery switch close to both the battery and the starter.

I brought the rudder in from home, and have begun to install it.  Conveniently, there is a roof mounted block and tackle almost exactly where I needed it, and I was able to use it to hoist the rudder into place for measurements.  

Lucky positioning for a roof mounted block and tackle.

I installed the upper gudgeon to the stern post using 5/16 inch carriage bolts. The gudgeon was set up for #10 screws, which seemed awfully flimsy to me, given the weight of the rudder and the forces acting on it, so I drilled out the undersized holes to 5/16, drilled through the stern post, made a couple of bolts from 5/16 bronze rod, and fastened the gudgeon in place.  

Upper pintle fits nicely in newly mounted gudgeon.

Hopefully tomorrow, if the snow stops, I'll be able to work on the lower rudder fastening.

In the meanwhile, I spent a little while cleaning up and rewiring a set of old running lights that John, my boatshop colleague and maritime scrounger par excellence  found for me.  They were heavy chromed bronze Willcox Crittenden lights, from which I buffed the chrome.  I think they will be a very nice element of bling on the cabin sides.

My new old running lights.