1) The control panels at the helm were all cracked. So I replaced them with new ones.
Cracked panels
New panels
with more interesting switches...
2) The circuit breaker was also in a bad condition.
So I replaced it too and added in more accessories which my boat was seriously lacking - spotlights.
And by the way, changing the circuit breaker board is really a time consuming process. Just take a look at the wires...
3) Spotlights are very important especially when travelling at night. They are not for us to look at where we are going because you can never see clearly what's in front on a moonless night. The lights are for other ships to spot your existence so that the tankers will not run over your boat.
They are many types of spotlights in the market, and the price range is very big. It can range from $40 a piece to $200 each with the same lumens. I chose the cheaper ones at $60 per pc type and sort of regretting it now.
Here are a few things to note when choosing spot lights:
- Use LED spotlights rather than filament though the price is much higher. Power supply is a luxury when you are out at sea. Use it conservatively. Invest in spotlights that require lower power and yet provides sufficient brightness for your needs - LED.
- Lights attract fish and squids. Choose wisely whether you want warm or white light. White light offers greater visibility and warm light seems to attract squids more effectively. And by the way live squids are the best bait you can get.
- There is a buzzing sound when I switch on more than 4 spotlights at one time. I believe it might be because of low voltage but the lights should not be even buzzing at low voltage at all. They should either dimmed or not light up, but they choose to buzz in that irritating frequency! I thought buzzing only exists with lights using AC but mine, which is running on DC, also buzzed - problem unsolved.
Planning to try: Change the circuit breaker to higher current rating because it trips once a while when I switch on too many spotlights. This might be the cause of the annoying buzz.
- The mounting brackets are not stainless steel! These spotlights are meant to be used in marine environment and I thought stainless steel A316 is a default. The brackets rusted in less than a year.
No future plans in mind to rectify this. It took me and my friend 12 hours to install only 8 spotlights! I need to rest a while before touching those spotlights again.
And lastly,
4) The fuel intake for the port engine had not been smooth. There were theories such as the fuel pump is not strong, the fuel vent in the fuel tank cracked or blocked, hairline cracks in the fuel pipes causing fuel leak, etc. But finally I found the problem hiding in one corner - the fuel valve.
The fuel intake valve is a one way valve that only allows fuel to flow to the engine and not back to the fuel tank.
This is to ensure that there will not be any back flow of fuel into the tank and create air pockets in the pipe. The air pockets might create an air lock and the engine will not be able to start. The problem with this valve was that some debris got into the valve and prevent it from opening. I managed to flush out the debris and now fuel is flowing very smoothly.
Yeah! I can finally enjoy fishing on my boat now!
Oops! I said that too early, way too early....
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