Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Getting Ready for a Survey

Let me say up front, I am changing to a new blog.  This will be my last entry here.  You can find my new blog here.
For this last entry I will detail my preparations for survey.  "Why on earth would you get a survey"? I hear you say.  Well it's like this: I just don't have the nerve to maneuver around big expensive boats like I have to when getting gas or docking to get supplies.  Not to mention the hundreds of thousands you can get fined for a fuel spill even if you didn't cause the sinking of your own vessel etc.  The insurance is cheap.  Only $131 a year for peace of mind.  Caveat: on a home built you have to get a survey.  Okay, I'm just paranoid.  I will feel so much better knowing I have a cushion in case the worst happens.  My assets and retirement could be at risk.  'Nuff said.

So it's happening tomorrow.  I have to have the motor ready to run.  This is my setup for running the motor.  I just don't trust those earmuff things. I lost an impeller once trying to use one.  Not again, especially on a new motor.  (I know, more evidence of mild paranoia).  The nice thing about this build is that I can use it in the lower position to run my other motors using the bar as the motor hanger.  Let me tell you, it works great.  I get to run the motor for 20-30 minutes so I can heat it up thereby opening the thermostat and cleaning out the salt residual when I take it out.  Also, I can introduce chemicals to dissolve the buildups.
I took a look at the bilge pump. It was pretty pathetic so I installed this heavy duty Johnson 1600 GPH model with separate float switch.


I bought this control switch so I can pulse the pump manually, turn it on auto or turn it off if need be.  I used an existing cutout in the cabinet door where the power management meter resides to monitor solar charge activity.








Ok back to the survey.  The reason the insurance companies all require surveys is that they just don't trust us home builders to launch out in a safe boat.  Never mind that the most derelict glass boat with a manufacturers name is insured without question.  I know, stupid, none of their business and screw them...  Well you can't fight city hall on this one.  I need what they have.  And once it's done...never again.  $131 a year from here out sounds good.  That includes $825,000 spill insurance. Trust me, the government isn't kidding about the spill thing, even if it isn't your fault.  The survey focuses on sound hull.  Functional propulsion and steering.  Enough safety systems to keep you from being a menace.  It happens tomorrow (6/24/2015).  Wish me luck.  You can see why I got to thinking about systems and looking at the penny-Annie, light weight bilge pump, that was definitely for my own good.

Remember, from here on look for me at:  here

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