Marissa 18 Eco Build ~ PHOTOS~

[MikeLTour61]

Dale,

 

Thank you so much for the pictures and your thoughts.  I like your idea.  I have room to mount the tank a little further aft so it comes out where yours does.  I don't like to go below 1/2 tank so I don't think it will be an issue.  I'm so glad you sent these pictures.  I am going to finalize the tank location this weekend. 

 

You do great work!  I hope mine comes out half as good.  At least the paint color will ROCK!

 

I'm glad I followed your lead on the Baystar system.  I love the clean installation under the dash and also at the engine.  In all, the system did end up costing me about double what standard steering would but we all know what B.O.A.T stands for.

 

Thanks again!

 

Mike

[tturtleboy]

Thanks again Mike and all contributing to this thread. I'm a little behind you Mike but just finished insulating and heating my garage so I'm back at it despite the below zero temps here in Minnesota. Here is a picture of my tank configuration that I will be working out soon. All the pics and ideas and advice are much appreciated!

[tturtleboy]

I do want the pickup toward the stern as the range of the full tank is important to me in my waters (Large lakes in 

 

voyageurs National Park where I have a lake cabin where 40 plus miles without fuel is common).

[MikeLTour61]

TTurtle, I was thinking along the same lines as you with regard to the pickup to the stern of the tank until I saw Dale's pics.  I did a 180 on my tank even though it may hurt my range a little. 

 

You have a different tank than Dale and I do.  You have the one the plans call for where Dale and mine connect at the front/rear instead of near center.  Also your fill tube is angled where ours is perpendicular to the tank top.  I would ask the advice of Russell (he's made several replies to this post) because I think he has the same tank you do.  I think a problem might arise from the angle of the fill tube vs. the location of the fill fitting.  Russell or Graham will be able to answer that.   

[MikeLTour61]

Okay, here's the latest update.  I'm making preparations to permanently install the cockpit sole.  The casting platform and the deck beneath it are installed but still need to be glassed.  I have the fuel tank framing epoxied in place and ready for the neoprene chafing protection.  I installed reinforcements to help with deck flexing at the seams but will also add 4" tape and followed by 10 oz. glass over the top.  If anyone has any other suggestions, I'm all ears.  I also have the framing for the two deckplates completed and epoxied.

 

I'm thinking a thorough cleaning, epoxy the underside of the sole and a few other details and I'll be ready to go.

 

One of those details is flotation:  I bought some closed-cell foam that doesn't seem to like to stick with epoxy unless I scuff (80 grit sand) it thoroughly.  Then the grip is tenacious. Next I'm going to try PL Premium on the un-scuffed foam and see what happens.  I think PL has a solvent in it that may be the ticket.  The 'foam guy' at the 'foam store' (that's all they sell is different kinds of foam) said that this is the stuff I should be using because it's not effected by petroleum products.  I'm not expecting an oil spill in the bilge so I don't know if that's important to me or not.  I'm not sure if I should go to Lowe's and get some of that blue insulation foam and return the other stuff if possible.

 

You may notice two holes in FR-1 that aren't standard issue.  This is where I will be mounting speakers. I like some music when I'm goofing off. 

 

Here are some pics:

 

 

[russell]

Mike, I used the 2" thick pink foam form Home Depot, glues very well together and to the bottom of the sole. I cut it with a handsaw and fitted it in the cavities with about a 1/2" space below and around the sides, glued the slabs together and then to the bottom of the sole, I also painted some epoxy on the cut edges to keep them from shedding from the saw cuts. Your build looks great!

[MikeLTour61]

Thanks Russell.  I'm going to give the PL premium a shot and if it's not acceptable, I'll go with the HD pink stuff... should have done that to start with!

[Chick Ludwig]

Coast Guard flotation regs call for foam that is NOT affected by fuel. If it is enclosed in a sealed box that the fuel couldn't get to, then styrofoam or other foam that dissolves in fuel may be ok, but flotation in  the bilge needs to be impervious to fuel. Pour a little gas into a styrofoam cup to see why---the foam "goes away".

[MikeLTour61]

Thanks for making that excellent point Chick.  I will test my alleged petroleum-proof foam tonight.  I wonder how the home center's foam would hold up to gasoline.  I hope it would do well since it sounds like a lot of people use it.

 

One serious fuel leak with some water in the bilge and someone's flotation could be converted to mush and not even know it.

 

Thanks again!!

[MikeLTour61]

Flotation update:  I put a piece of my "super foam" in a can with some gas in it and it floated all night.  It was about 10% heavier this morning but I'll weigh it again tonight.  I'm guessing it will be back to normal. 

 

Just for fun, I had a small piece of blue foam from another project (in the house) and put it in gas with an undesirable result (turned to mush).   I don't remember where the blue foam came from or what it was made of, but it was about 3/4" thick in sheet form prior to its demise.

 

I wonder if there's a way to communicate Chick's reminder of the USCG regs. to everyone who's in the process of building a B&B boat.  We should know about it, that's for sure.

[russell]

Just my opinion, if one has a fuel leak that bad and that much water in the bildge----- it's time for a life jacket to be used--- my best friend ( who was a Coast Guard captain) said the same for a fire extinguisher in a boat this size.

[Chick Ludwig]

I'm kinda confused about why a Coast guard officer would advise you to not follow the regs! The flotation is there by law to keep your boat in an essentially upright and level condition in the case of flooding. Foam that dissolves away cannot do that! You are far safer remaining with your boat than floating about in a life jacket. And not having a fire extinguisher is not only against regs, but just plain stupid! Those regs are there for your safety. Too many people die in boating accidents as it is. I wouldn't want for you to be one of them.

 

By the way, of COURSE don your life jacket in any dangerous condition, and if you have passengers under 13, he must wear one at all times that the boat is away from shore or dock. Here it is: 

 

PFD Wear Requirements for Children by State

In states where no children's life jacket law is in place, a U.S. Coast Guard interim rule requires children under 13 on moving boats to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket that fits.

This rule does not change or supersede the existing law in states which have life jacket laws, it only applies to states that have no laws. Please see the list below for the latest laws in your state.

Please note that these laws provide boaters with the minimum age that a child is required to wear a life jacket. It is still a parent's responsibility to decide if a child should wear a life jacket, even in situations where the law does not require it.

View your state's PFD requirements: 

                                                      

Here is the law for my state, North Carolina: 

For a Safe Boating Experience, Always Wear a Life Vest

North Carolina requires anyone younger than 13 to wear an appropriate life vest when on a recreational vessel that is underway. Anyone riding a personal watercraft or being towed by one must also wear an appropriate life vest.

Both state and federal regulations require that a Type I, II or III personal flotation device in good condition and of appropriate size be accessible for each person onboard a recreational vessel, including canoes, kayaks, rowboats and other non-motorized craft. (Sailboards, racing shells, rowing sculls, racing canoes and racing kayaks are exempt from this requirement.)

“Accidents can happen quickly and without warning,” said Major Chris Huebner of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the state's boating safety coordinator. “In those situations, there often isn’t time to grab a life vest and put it on properly before you are in the water. The best preparation is to wear it whenever you are underway. A life vest can be a life saver when it’s worn. It also gives you the ability to assist others who may be in danger.”

When choosing a life vest for a child, always check for:

          

• U.S. Coast Guard approved label
• Matching it to the child’s current weight
• Making sure it is snug but comfortable

For more information on life vest requirements or how to enroll in a free boating education course, click here or call (919) 707-0031.

[russell]

OOPs, I didn't mean to upset anyone. I' m aware and follow Coast Guard rules.

[Chick Ludwig]

No problem Russel. I guess i get a bit carried away when I hear about someone that should know better advising anyone to not worry about the rules.

[MikeLTour61]

I was in the Navy for 10 years and they preach "NEVER give up the ship!"  Of course, boating in a lake or inshore is a lot different than being 1000 miles East of Bermuda. 

 

I hope to never need any of the safety devices that I own and I hope that the training and studying takes over if I do. ALL my boats get the USCG Auxiliary sticker or I don't go out.     

 

Back to the fun stuff...

 

I finally found something that sticks reliably to the foam and the epoxy on the underside of the sole. 3M makes this super strong spray adhesive "90" and it sticks like crazy.  It's especially for this type of foam and they sell it at Home Depot.  Within a couple of hours I had all the foam carved up, stuck together and ready to go.  I didn't soak the glued seam in gas.  If the $#1t hits the fan, I'm not looking to save the boat, just have something to hang on to until the USCG arrives (hopefully).  I'll post the exciting pictures of my foam carving soon.

 

Thanks to everyone for your input and help.  I wouldn't want to try and do this without all the experience you guys bring to the table!

 

Mike

[russell]

Mike, did the gasoline test on the pink stuff, it dissolved! That's the bad part, the good part is that I painted the exposed edges with epoxy before installing them in the boat. I've had water in my bilge before, (it was caused by not having enough teflon tape on my drain plugs). It would take a major leak to ever fill the boat even to the foam flotation. I know you may already know this but it is wise to use the "plastic" type of fuel lines from the tank to the engine connection rubber line at the the very end of the line, the rubber part of the line will deteriorate from ethanol over time.

[MikeLTour61]

Thanks Russell.  Too bad about the pink stuff.  It's good that you epoxied the edges but what's really good is that we're using plastic tanks.  They're pretty much impervious to anything except chafing and ice picks

 

Thanks for the advice to use the plastic fuel line.  I would have thought rubber that was special for ethanol would be better but I guess not.  I know that special rubber hose is a about $5 to $7 per foot so plastic surely would be cheaper.

 

I had an aluminum tank fail on my last boat, which I thought couldn't happen - rotted right through!  I started out with a full tank (65 gallons) one day and started smelling gas after a while but couldn't find any problems.  A little while later I had about 30 gallons of gas mixed in with whatever water, etc. was in the bilge.  That was the first time I ever considered calling PON-PON from my own boat... and hopefully the last.  Instead, I threw caution to the wind, turned on the bilge pump and blower and hauled a55 back to port.  Stupid... I know, I know.  That leak is the reason I'm being so cautious about the fuel and flotation systems.  When I'm on the water it seems I'll do anything before asking for help.  I'm not one to ask for directions either

[Chick Ludwig]

Why are we so stubborn that we do stupid and dangerous stuff? We all do it though...

...maybe we'll get smarter as we get older---but how much older do I gotta get to get any smarter?

[MikeLTour61]

I don't know if my smartness will kick in before my dumbness kills me.

 

Latest updates:

 

Underside of cockpit soles epoxied.

Fuel tank installed and secured.  This was mounted in such a way to facilitate removal if necessary.

All foam glued (I started out using contact cement - It works but I DO NOT recommend it!  Use the 3M stuff I mentioned earlier)

Foam laid out on soles, ready for gluing.

1/4" wedges installed to prevent pooling in cockpit corners per Graham's instructions

Getting ready to cut ANOTHER deck plate to access the lower swim platform fastener when it is installed.  I should have planned this better.

 

 

Also included is a picture of myself... sort of.  Life's been rough on me.

[russell]

Where did you get your foam? I got the fuel line at West Marine, that's where I read the information about fuel lines. One of my friends has a pontoon boat that is several years old  kept having engine problems and hard starting, I told him to replace the fuel line from the tank, the inside of the line had separated and partially clogged the line. A dealer friend  that services Yamaha told me about the ethanol causing that type of problem. You were very lucky you didn't have a problem with gasoline in the bilge. The gasoline isn't the main problem, it's the vapor in the enclosed area that's the bomb!