1987 36 Mariner - back to life!

[CYO Admin]

You are doing an amazing job, Fred... keep those updates coming!

[waybomb]

This weekend for me was getting the talkers and listeners working on the NMEA circuits. All working! Lotsa soldering itsy-bitsy wires to even smaller connectors.
Also soldered the VHF antenna connector on. Did some more clean up under the helm. Terminated the vhf and hailer power cords, and made up connectors for the forward and aft facing speakers. I need to make a mounting panel for both that go into the little compartment to the left of the helm chair. It also need a new top which I'll make soon.

Wife finished up the sun cushion and cover, and I put all the snaps on. Very nice. No pix yet - too sunny and the phone camera doesn't have a wide enough lens, so all you'd see is white.

She's making new drapes. The main salon ones are done, as is the head and forward berth. She's got one of the big back door ones done, and will finish the other soon.

I never ever liked these "whale boat" 32/36 Mariner, but I gotta tell you, the layout is perfect for having guests over for day trips. Can't wait to get her out on the water.

[AaHubb]

[waybomb]

This week was finalizing the hook up of the bridge stereo system -Pioneer head with 6 cd changer and XM interface. Had to splice the Shakespeare antenna to the Pioneer lead; wished they would standardize connections. Anyway, XM antenna installed on arch (it's a little thing on the starboard side). Everything works.

Hooked up the Standard Horizon loudhailer and my old ICOM VHF. they all work, and the radio is receiving the NMEA GPS info. I have hailer speakers point forward and aft - so you can hear me coming and going!

We then re-reupholstered the front bedroom "valances", covered what was left of pink Formica with black vinyl.

I still have to bleed the Hynautic steering system, and the fill one of the gas tanks with gas and move fuel around tank to tank through a filter system in an effort to remoce 10 years worth of floaters and sinkers from the system.

Then it's splash time. 2-3 weeks hopefully!

Anyway, some new pix

[waybomb]

This weekend got the steering working as it should, after turning the wheel at least a couple of hundred turns. My elbow still hurts! I spent at least 4 hours on this exercise. Finally, I the piston fully extended, got under the dash, had my wife push on the cylinder as I loosened up the appropriate hose, and push all the darn air out. After that, it only took a little while longer.

Found the starboard trim cylinder stuck and the pipe leading to it cracked. So I am getting a new cylinder and have the pipe. A project for next weekend.

Finished up a lot of trim work inside. Wife did a lot of cleaning.

I bought a fuel pump to move gas through filters, to filter any sediment left in the bottom of the tanks from when I pumped them out. Bought six cartridges just in case.
Anybody know where I can buy a filter wrench that match the dimples on the A/C filter canister - the port engine is impossible to unscrew the thing with a regular wrench.

We are very close now!

[waybomb]

No new pix. Only worked on the boat today.
Installed starboard trim cylinder and cracked nipple.
Installed the three final flush tank vents and one large cockpit drain throughhill. I have the last three ordered.
Started installing carpet runners made from a light color sunbrella.
That's about it this weekend.
Sitting on the dock now with a Henry clay cigar and sipping some nebiolo d alba valmaggiore.
It is beautiful outside right now

[waybomb]

Finished up the through hulls. I really like the flush fuel vents, instead of those old one that stick out a half inche.
Stainless is done inside.
Some new pix....












Replaced all the plastic throughhulls with stainless (Thank God I have a small wife or I would never have been able to complete this job):



This sure beats those vents that stick way out:

[AaHubb]

Question on the carpeting. Were you able to stretch it over the edges of the hatches or did you use a much larger piece of carpet and grain match?

[waybomb]

I wasn't there during the install. Carpet is not something we would take on
However, when we did the same thing to our 4207, the installer took the covers out of seperate pieces. I'm guessing the same was done on this one

[waybomb]

Update - this past weekend was sort of a bust.

Bought a wiper arm at Kendors to replace the busted one - wrong size and type. That's what happens when you work from memory.
The horn didn't work, so I figured bugs built nests in it while it sat for ten years - nope, need a new horn. Ordered an all stainless one.
And then my wife noticed, and I really never looked at or did not notice, a bubble in the compass. Yup, it's leaking. So that has to go out for repair.

But I did get the flush mount flag pole holder in the top ledge of the transom. 1/4" thick fiberglass, about 1.5" of wood, and then a bottom coat of 1/8" glass. Pretty thick! The holder is on an angle, so I had to do a little bit of removal with a burr, but it went in nicely. Took way longer than I had panned.

Bought a new 3' pole and a 24 x36 flag. Started varnishing the pole today.

On the bridge there is a cover over a compartment where I put the hailer and the VHF. It was shot, so I made a new one, cut the teak trim, and assembled it. Next week I'll trim the teak plugs over the screws and install the cover.

Attached wood to the back side of the "foot hole" on the bridge, and reinstalled the thing. Had previously varnished the teak pieces in it. The bridge looks very complete now, except for the radio cover mentioned above.

Oh, and then I found I wired the white running / all around anchor light wrong, so I'll have to reverse those wires. Not a big deal, but I should have got it right the first time.

Spread Dawn all over the bilge and scrubbed and washed . Earlier the trim pipe had broken so there was oil in there. Plus it was a bit dusty from sitting for 10 years. Hand cleaned what we could with a damp towel while down there.

Wife washed the whole outside of the boat - it was looking dingy for a while.

Still have to get a survey for insurance, but I also want to have everything working. So, maybe a couple of more weeks, but damn it, It's going in the water this year!

I was going to start pouring gas in this weekend, but ran out of time and energy.

Also received my reg numbers, but ran out of time for that job.

Maybe next weekend we'll make some progress. I'll take some pics of the bridge once it's finally all done.

Things I still need to do:
wires for the white light
install compass
install wiper
install new horn
get 60 gallons or so into the gen tank, then start circulating through each tank multiple times.
install reg numbers
install radio compartment cover

getting close; hopefully I won't find anything else to replace! This thing better give me a few trouble-free years!