Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

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Texoma Toon
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#256 Post by Texoma Toon » Fri Sep 12, 2014 5:13 am

curtiscapk wrote:Awesome Todd!
Ditto.....I have really enjoyed your rebuild! :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup
2007 G3 LX 22 Fish & Cruise
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The proud American will go down into Obama's slavery without a fight, beating his chest and proclaiming to the world how free he really is. The world will only snicker. - Pravda

Blessed
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#257 Post by Blessed » Mon Sep 15, 2014 7:22 am

Any regrets? Anything you would have done different given the chance to start over?
2010 Sun Tracker 21' Fishin' Barge 90hp Optimax
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tuned
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#258 Post by tuned » Mon Sep 15, 2014 3:07 pm

Blessed wrote:Any regrets? Anything you would have done different given the chance to start over?
Woulda shoulda coulda. Maybe a really big outboard instead of an I/O.
Those SouthBay hulls don't come by all that often, so I took what I could find.

Otherwise, I'm pretty durn happy with my morphodite cross between Northern swamp farmer engineering and really, really nice running gear in most places.
ToddBob
'Al the Mirthmaker' (The Third)
Build-- viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14007
Rainy Lake/Voyageurs National Park
International Falls, MN

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tuned
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#259 Post by tuned » Mon Mar 02, 2015 2:24 pm

Well, I warily peaked out my door and saw a small drip of water fall from the eave today. Thus it is time for us northern bears to come out of hibernation and start rustling around for food, beer and boat parts.
Not much winter activity to report due to a tough illness and a brutal Bobcat rebuild. Spring projects are just gaining speed tho. I have three majors on the plate:

1. Major rewire---scrap my two 8 year-old batteries. Replace them with THREE. Photos later. This also includes breakers and heavy wiring to accommodate a large (1500W) inverter in order to run a small band on the front deck :guitar. I have crunched the numbers and it is doable. Pulling the new cable, however, is another matter. I seem to recall advising CaptainJohn to install as much wiring as possible before putting the rubrails on. Sage words. Taking off some of my rubrail as we speak...at 15 degrees....sucking.

2. Fuel area needs much attention. New filter plumbing is giving me a headache (dealing with Parker/Racour sux a$$). Note to self-NPT threads and NPTF threads do NOT play well together. Also, water has been getting onto the top of my tank and I am afraid that it will get past gaskets and O-rings and into the tank. So I have a bunch of 'water management' things to take care of. It won't be easy.

3. Engine runability issues to solve. The new MPI system still isn't quite right. With all my problems last year mechanically, plus a hundred year flood, I was lucky and grateful just to float that beast. Stlil fighting hard starting and a bit of a hiccup around 1200rpm. Otherwise it is running great. I suspect a vacuum leak which I couldn't find last year. I did a ton of work in the intake area last season and know every gasket etc...that could be the culprit. I will be going over it very carefully this spring once it is warm enough out to run it. Stethoscope and spray-ether. Prolly lots of annoying phone calls to FAST (the manufacturer) as well. I'll get it.

All in all, its been a very mild winter (only 2 or 3 spells at thirty below or worse). Snow is only 2 feet deep in the woods. 2 feet of ice on lake. I realize that others who may be less prepared have had it very tough and I watch the news of the storms in the east in horror. Hopefully it melts quickly for you. AND WELCOME BACK NORTHERS!!!
ToddBob
'Al the Mirthmaker' (The Third)
Build-- viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14007
Rainy Lake/Voyageurs National Park
International Falls, MN

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ToonGuy
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#260 Post by ToonGuy » Tue Mar 03, 2015 6:09 am

:thumbsup
Just one boat...after another, after another :-)

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curtiscapk
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#261 Post by curtiscapk » Tue Mar 03, 2015 6:50 am

here we go again! Good luck Todd! :nana
Craig and Paula
"THE FLOATER" rebuild Spring 2013
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15328
94 Party Barge 24' 115 merc
Turning Point hustler 14 x 13 prop
22mph gps 3 people
12 F150
Overland Park Ks
Hillsdale Lake, KS

peterb803
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#262 Post by peterb803 » Wed Mar 04, 2015 10:56 am

enjoyed the read. Good luck in year 2.

captainjohn
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#263 Post by captainjohn » Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:39 pm

And we complain about it being 85 degrees out here making you sweat while working on the pontoon boat. Guess I should be greatfull for what we have and not what so many of you are going through. :bowdown

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tuned
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#264 Post by tuned » Fri Mar 13, 2015 10:27 am

Brand spankin new Interstates on deck! I got a great deal on some blems with full warranty.
They are identical AGMs, a type that I have never used before. After doing a ton of research, I now feel fairly well read on types of batts and charging systems. The AGMs will be nice in that they don't 'gas off' which is much safer for fire danger and/or corrosion. They are a bit touchy in that you can't draw them down completely (although they have GREAT storage capacity).
Image
Along with good output for cranking, they should be ideal as combination starting/deep cycle.
ToddBob
'Al the Mirthmaker' (The Third)
Build-- viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14007
Rainy Lake/Voyageurs National Park
International Falls, MN

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tuned
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#265 Post by tuned » Thu Apr 02, 2015 5:24 am

Here's the latest:
Snow is still fallin', making work with blue fingers a bit of a challenge
Image

My new looming tool kept me from cutting my fingers too bad. Doing 4AWG cable here. The 2 Gauge was even more funner.
Image

It was a nightmare trying to pull wire (using a nylon pull rope). Everything was under the floor, packed with other cables, and a right angle to boot. I finally gave up and cut a big a$$ hole where the Ell went. Fortunately it ended up being inside the building and under a bench just by coincidence. I put a round hatch on it later to seal it up.
Image

Those Purdy AGMs are all mounted and hooked up. LOTS of hours. New solar controller and monitor. A bunch of new breakers.
Image
Image

1500 Watts of Pure Sine Wave on the new inverter. That outta run some band gear (with delicate electronics). Not quite sure what kind of staying power it'll have.
Image

The red light that you see faintly in the window is the LED interior lighting. Yeah I gots all the other colors too. It also means that the power is back ON and the tunes are bumpin' :guitar Yeah Baby :nana

Image

Next up. A bunch of work in the fuel tank area, hopefully without blowing meself up :scared
ToddBob
'Al the Mirthmaker' (The Third)
Build-- viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14007
Rainy Lake/Voyageurs National Park
International Falls, MN

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curtiscapk
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Location: OP KS\Hillsdale Lake

Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#266 Post by curtiscapk » Thu Apr 02, 2015 5:58 am

Nice work Todd! My 2 AGM's have been going since 08 and 09. I hope I didn't just Todd myself! :devillol
Craig and Paula
"THE FLOATER" rebuild Spring 2013
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15328
94 Party Barge 24' 115 merc
Turning Point hustler 14 x 13 prop
22mph gps 3 people
12 F150
Overland Park Ks
Hillsdale Lake, KS

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tuned
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#267 Post by tuned » Thu Apr 02, 2015 6:23 am

curtiscapk wrote:Nice work Todd! My 2 AGM's have been going since 08 and 09. I hope I didn't just Todd myself! :devillol
No no no, Craig. There will not be a 'Latest Launch Trophy' on my mantle this year. I intend to break some ice in a few weeks :biggrin2
ToddBob
'Al the Mirthmaker' (The Third)
Build-- viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14007
Rainy Lake/Voyageurs National Park
International Falls, MN

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tuned
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#268 Post by tuned » Mon Apr 27, 2015 1:13 pm

Finally finished my upgrades. As posted elsewhen, I was getting water on top of my slightly concave fuel tank. I was more than a bit concerned about water intrusion into the fuel. Here is my solution (in 3 parts):

#1-Wider aluminum seal strips and thicker, better quality foam glued to the strips for primary seals.

Image


#2-If water does happen to get past my primary foam edge seals, I used a whole dollar's worth of aluminum rain gutter to help divert stray drops to the OUTSIDE edges of the tank, thus out of the compartment via the bilge.

Image

#3-If water STILL finds a way past my secondary diverters, a couple of high-quality sponges should wick it up so that there is no standing water on the tank. I will have to check these every couple of weeks.

Image

In the process of working in the area (my aching back), I put in a better fuel filter and some new hoses. No leaks!! FINALLY movin on. Into launch phase now. I should be starting motor on the hose shortly (still suspect a vacuum leak). Weather looks great for this coming weekend. Ice just went out on the lake. It's time to kick the tires and light the fires!!! :nana :drink4
ToddBob
'Al the Mirthmaker' (The Third)
Build-- viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14007
Rainy Lake/Voyageurs National Park
International Falls, MN

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tuned
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Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#269 Post by tuned » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:10 pm

Aaaaggghhh. Update isn't good (as usual :roll: )

Put in a massive day yesterday. Boat is almost water ready...except....IT DON'T FRIGGIN RUN!!

I have fuel pressure, but it doesn't sound as if I have fire. My ECU monitor kept setting a code for O2 sensor. I pulled it out and it didn't even heat up, so either the sender is bad (hopefully) or the ECU isn't working right (hopefully not). Now I gotta scramble and find a new sender ASAP. It appears to be a standard Bosch style which might help to find locally. Otherwise, the waiting game begins again.

Grumble grumble. Stupid 'latest launch' awards. :cry:
Last edited by tuned on Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ToddBob
'Al the Mirthmaker' (The Third)
Build-- viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14007
Rainy Lake/Voyageurs National Park
International Falls, MN

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curtiscapk
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Location: OP KS\Hillsdale Lake

Re: Al the Mirthmaker (Mark III)

#270 Post by curtiscapk » Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:17 pm

Don't worry Todd... I won't be launching till memorial day weekend. Going down this Thur - Sun to redo trailer walls due to a roof leak general lot cleanup and get THE FLOATER ready (she better start) :prayer . Won't have time to put her in though do to everything else on the list. You have plenty of time. :)
Craig and Paula
"THE FLOATER" rebuild Spring 2013
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15328
94 Party Barge 24' 115 merc
Turning Point hustler 14 x 13 prop
22mph gps 3 people
12 F150
Overland Park Ks
Hillsdale Lake, KS

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