The “Tool of the Year Award” has been contested!

The “Tool of the Year Award” has been contested!

The “Tool of the Year Award” has been contested!

AND Barnacles on the Bottom

15 September 2010

The Tool of the year award has been contested!

The Yanmar Diesel Emergency Fire and Bilge Pump has lodged an appeal.

AKA: DPL48-2PT, Sold by Diesel America West, www.dawest.com

(These pumps are on most Foss and Crowley tugs for emergency use)

WE ARE REQUESTING YOUR INPUT TO SETTLE THIS APPEAL.

 
 
Yanmar Emergency Fire/Bilge Pump Home

 
 
Yanmar Emergency Fire/BilgePump


Here are the facts:

The water temperature here in Japan’s inland sea is around 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit, and as a result the barnacle growth on Starr’s bottom is impressive. The bottom paint we put on just 12 months ago in Seattle, Sea Hawk Sharkskin, has been useless against this growth.

After we, the (Mini Puppy) and I, did the Muriatic acid flush for the A/C heat exchangers, I proceeded to fill the sea chest with Clorox at full strength and let it soak for a few hours. After the toxic flushing, I then forced fresh water through the sea chest to flush out the pesky barnacles. I thought that would do the trick.

We departed Ashiya at 0830 this morning, and within a half hour the Main engine, Genset and A/C seawater strainers were all plugged with barnacles. It was obvious that the whole sea chest was plugged.

We called to duty our Yanmar Diesel Emergency Fire and Bilge pump. We ran the two-inch hose down to the Engine Room and hooked up to the sea chest manifold. While I was back flushing, My friend James Petron (who with his wife Kat arrived last night from Hawaii) jumped into the water, and with scraper in hand cleared the barnacles from outside the sea water intake grill. (Note: James Petron is a1600 ton licensed tug boat captain working for K Sea Towing in Honolulu.)

 
 
James the diver


 
 
Yanmar on deck working


We were underway again and so far so good on the seawater cooling front.

So here is the deal:

The appellant, our Yanmar Diesel Emergency Fire/Bilge Pump has listed some of its most critical jobs over the past 10 years on Starr:

2003

In the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic Coast of France

It back-flushed the sea chest, which was plugged with coral and barnacles.

2004

Palma, Mallorca in The Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean

It pumped dry a sinking 42 ft Grand Banks wooden cruiser.

2010

Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

It pumped dry a sinking 38ft sailboat, which was going down while at anchor.

September 15

Ashiya, Japan

It cleared our plugged sea chest.

 
 
Back flushing the ER sea chest


In all fairness I must say this mighty diesel pump started on the Very First Pull!!

Not bad for having to spend all of its time in the storage compartment under the bow of the Novurania.

P.S. Upon hearing about this appeal, the Jabsco Minni Puppy has done a complete shut down with a shot seal and a worn out impeller shaft. Not a very good sport. A new one is on order.

 
 
Jabsco Mini Puppy


P.S. (2)

The forward 20kw Northern Lights generator heat exchanger also needed to be acid washed due to the barnacle buildup. In this case I couldn’t get the heat exchanger out because of the way the sound enclosure was built, so I jury-rigged hoses to the heat exchanger and acid washed it right in place. Because the Mini Puppy died, I had to use the 24volt Jabsco Continuous Duty Pump that is the back-up pump for the hydraulic cooling system.

 
 
Plugged Heat Exchanger




 
 
24 volt Jabsco Continuous Duty Pump back flushing the NL Genset


3 Comments
  • Jay Sprague
    Posted at 08:35h, 26 September Reply

    …barefoot in the engine room??? OUCH …or it was just briefly for the photo

  • dt
    Posted at 14:25h, 01 February Reply

    The 4hp Yanmar 48LV and is a fantastic little engine. There’s literally nothing else like it; I believe it’s the smallest diesel of it’s type.

  • viktor Grabner
    Posted at 14:16h, 17 February Reply

    Hi Don,

    We just caught up on your travels getting an update from Wayne… He reminded me of your blog..

    Your comments on the yanmar emergency caught my eye. I had a similar pump on board, but gasoline powered. I took it off after a while because I didn’t want gas stored in the laz and it’s too big anyway. Saw this great box you have for it to store on the boat deck – looks made for it. Did you get it at the same place?

    Hope all is well and best luck on your prep for the long voyage HI. Viktor

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