Log XXV - Artemis 1 (Equipment)

There are hundred and one things on board a boat that require maintenance especially when your boat is in a saltwater environment and it is not brand new. So you need to have a strong heart and mind to keep the boat in good working condition.

In my previous post on the maiden voyage, I had mentioned that the fuel gauge is faulty. Let us start with fixing that. First, you have to find where is your fuel tank and where the fuel outlet from the tank is. It is easier to find the fuel outlet because you can trace the fuel line from your engine to the outlet's position. And usually, the fuel gauge sender is near to the outlet.

Second, you will have to figure out how to access the sender. In my case, the sender can only be accessed from this pathetic small opening.

I cannot even barely see the sender, not to mention take out those corroded screws which are likely to be super tight with rust. Hence I will have to make my own access by coring a bigger hole. Hole saw of this size is not easily available and you will also require a bulky equipment to mount that hole saw. Since I do not have the luxury of working space and equipment, I will have to make do with what I have.

You can make a big hole by drilling many small holes like this.

You will only need a handheld drill and a file to smoothen the circumference.
This will be the outcome.

The sender can be clearly seen and easily accessible now. Remember to vacuum all the debris away before opening the sender as you will not want any dirt to fall into the fuel tank and clog up your fuel lines.

Sender taken out.

FYI, sender and the meter may not be compatible to each other. You may have to buy the sender and meter together as a set so that the meter can read the fuel level accurately. I changed both of them as my original meter is not compatible with my new sender. And because of this, as I have 2 engines, I will end up with 2 types of meter on my helm - one old and one new - which does not look nice. So I changed the sender/meter for my the other fuel tank too, though it is still working.

The new sender installed.

The next item on the list is the gas spring for my live bait well cover and external basin. The existing gas springs are not strong enough to hold the cover anymore. A light tap on the cover will slam it shut. This is a potential hazard for fingers which might happen to get in the way. So I have to replace those springs.

Cover hatch for bait well.

Cover hatch for wash basin.

This is one of two new gas spring installed.

Initially this sounded like a piece of cake job to me but it was not! In order to hold the hatch cover in place, the gas spring require a design load of 15 kg. To exert a force of 15 kg using your fingers while slotting it into the groove is no joke. It was really a good workout for my fingers installing those gas springs.

Last but not least, always remember to close your cabin hatch when you leave. If not, you will have to end up doing this after a rainy day...

This is the only time when you will prefer the sun to be as hot as possible.

And when you close the hatch, don't pull on the handle. Release the support by loosening the lock and let it closes by gravity. Otherwise, there will be one more thing for you to fix when the handle broke off...

In my next post, it will be the 'Last Days of my Engines'. Sob...