What's this? Pictures!

So I went back to the boat this morning to take care of a few things I meant to get to last night, and I not only took pictures, but I actually remembered to bring the camera home with me to upload them! Unfortunately, after all this build-up, they are rather underwhelming, but I'll share what I've got.


This first bunch is from the diesel starter system switch replacement. First is the new switch, a simple momentary push-button. Next is the rear of the engine panel, taken from inside the cockpit locker... the helm position is just outside there. The whole to the right is a blank position with the panel temporarily removed to give me more working space. Just to the left of it and slightly above is the other blank that I will use to mount the button. The blank hole is slightly larger than I need, so I made a small plate with a hole drilled out to the exact size, which will serve to hold the button in place (and recess it slightly, to avoid inadvertent contacts). There are two C-clamps holding the plate in place while the 4200 cures.

In case you were wondering that guage just below the switch hole is the tach. The previous owner told us the tachometer didn't work, but gave us a new one to replace it with... he never mentioned that all the wiring had been cut! Or maybe it hadn't been; some other work was done back there before I got my hands on it. Anyway, the loose wires from the engine are no where to be found in that locker, so I'll have to run them again all the way from the engine compartment. We've gotten pretty good at judging revs by sound, however, so there's no rush.


First here is the exterior of the panel, with the switch hole more clearly visible. The next is a broader view of the location of the panel in the cockpit. The original on/off/start key switch is on the lower right hand side. It was extremely vulnerable to getting stepped on by the helmsman. I installed a U-bolt next to it, primarily for the helmsman to clip his or her tether to, but also to help protect the key when it was in place, but it really wasn't close enough to do the trick.

I have to wait 48 hours for the 4200 to cure then all I will have to do is go back and fasten the switch in place.

This is the cockpit locker; it doesn't really have anything to do with anything except that somewhere down there, buried beneath an avalanche of gear, lies the all-important water pump compartment which has been the scene of so many of my recent travails. I finally finished that up this morning too, by putting in the last two mounting screws, but I forgot to take the picture while I had everything out of the locker and the compartment clearly exposed, and I sure didn't feel like hauling it all out again just to take a snapshot. Trust me, it's down there.


This is a shot of the anchor locker interior, where the bow nav light wire run is. They used to just dangle around loosely inside there, waiting to get caught on the anchor chain or something, so when I re-wired the pulpit I also secured them to the toe-rail bolts along the top of the compartment. As an added bonus, it should help keep them dry in a notoriously wet location.
Speaking of the pulpit, here it is, re-mounted proudly in its position of honor at the bow, and festooned gloriously with the re-wired navigation lights. I'm not super-happy with the connections but I am considering replacing the running lights with LED fixtures anyway, so as long as they last a few years I am okay with it.

All this would be considerably more impressive if I were one of those people who not only could remember the camera, but who also remembered to take pictures at each step of a project. I love people who do that. It's both interesting and easy to follow along, and provides an excellent guidebook for others who are attempting similar projects. Whether through general forgetfulness or simply a low opinion of my own efforts, however, I'm apparently not one of those people.

It also occured to me that we haven't shown anyone the boat in her new home at Shilshole since we moved in last spring. I leave you with a wide shot of Insegrevious in her slip on Q dock on a fine spring day. Here's hoping she spends more time out on the water than resting in her snazzy new digs!