2010 Week 24 in Review

This week, OTM Inc got back aboard the Maris Pearl to get ready for some serious engine work. We organized the tools on board and cleared out a space in the shop, then we worked late one night to move the two spare cylinder heads into the shop and pull them out of the crates.

We also brought all the spare valves and jewelry from storage to assemble the heads. The new valves and new seats looked great! We did do a bit of lapping so we could easily see where they meet.

Thanks to Ed Ehler at EMS Marine for use of the forklift – we would have had a terrible time loading the heads with out it.

Then, we bought three head gasket kits from Brunner enterprises. They have a lot of Enterprise parts on the shelf, but be sure to look up the part numbers before you call. At the end of the week, we moved the boat to Ballard Oil, took on fuel, stripped down the number one head, and pulled apart the oil filter

Lightship Request for Proposals

This week we also finished up some details on the draft Lightship No. 83 Request for Proposals for Phase One Construction Activities, and sent it off to the state DOT for a final look-over before we go to press.

2010 Week 23 in Review

This week at OTM Inc, we worked on the Request for Proposals for Phase I Construction Activities of the Lightship No. 83 Rehabilitation Project. A lot of the RFP is based on the Preliminary Engineering Assessment OTM Inc performed three years ago, but there’s still plenty of information to discover for the open bid process. First, we determined the power and lighting requirements, and worked on the language used to explain that there are no Disadvantaged Business Requirements for this project but we still encourage them to participate. Boring office work.

We also began assembling a bid for Northwest Seaport to provide nautical archeologists to survey and document all aspects of the Lightship including (thanks to Nat) all the systems. The team will need to start right away and most will be brought here from out of town, so there are some logistics to figure in to the bid.

Nautical archeology is an interesting trade. Often they work underwater to document the ship, but they also document ships that are floating and in parking lots. They focus on the hull shape and rigging, then cargo. Then they continue to ask questions and look for answers.

Many of us trying to recreate boat parts or replace missing custom parts have been junior archeologists all along by asking “what used to be here?” and “why was this here?” Also, when we are issued a cabin on an ancient ship and we see tie off points over the bunk we thing “what is this?” Then, in really rough weather, we think “well, this is a good spot to tie myself in.”

Or here’s another: you find a pile of broken matchsticks under the wheelhouse windows. You might clean them up – unless you have ridden out a storm and realize they wedge the window to keep it from rattling. There are millions of things like this that archaeologists look for and will be looking for as part of this documentation project.

I found a nice piece on This American Life about nautical archaeology. Check it out here.

So readers, what are funny custom things on your boat that archeologist in 500 years will have a hard time figuring out?

2010 Week 22 in Review

Washington injectors, finished!

This week, OTM Inc finally finished rebuilding the injectors for the Timber Heritage Association‘s Estep yarder. Two of the three operate well, but the third has a smashed tip that I hope they’ll order replaced soon. In the meantime, all three injectors look great!

Enterprise injectors, begun

Martin from Hatch & Kirk is working on a new injector nozzle for a G Enterprise, so we dug up one of our spare heads to check the spray angle and tip depth into the cylinder.

Martin and I also disassembled four injectors from the Maris Pearl, then inspected, reassembled, and tested each. It turns out that even though they were leaking, three of them were within specs. The fourth was ruined and it’s a good thing we changed it out: the pintle had been badly scored, possibly from dirt. We’ll discard the worn parts and save the rest for spares.

Lightship 83 Request for Proposals

In the office, we’ve made a bunch of revisions to the draft Request for Proposals for the Lightship project. Hopefully, it will go out on the street soon.

Work on the Arthur Foss

OTM Inc is assisting Ocean Bay Marine in buttoning up the Arthur Foss. We’ve decided to pull the tarp and seal up the wheel house as best we can with the funding available. This will bring the work on the wheel house to a good stopping point, but not a finishing point. We hope to tackle it again next summer with renewed funding dedicated to the project.

Work on the Maris Pearl

Meanwhile, back on the Pearl, we’re looking for water leaks in the engine, as it seems a few cylinders are leaking water into the base – not enough to turn the oil milky or anything, but still a few drips when it’s cold (none when it’s warm). It looks like we will be changing out some cylinder heads soon.

California Planning

In future news, OTM Inc is planning a trip south to see the Portola and the Sobre las Olas. We got a request to perform an engine survey for the Portola, in addition to doing a few repairs and acting as engineer for a few trips. A potential buyer who obviously has really good taste fell in love with the boat and wants some technical advice and assistance. I’m looking forward to seeing her out cruising again, so I hope the sale works out.

While in California, I’ll do some more work on the Sobre, another beautiful heavy-duty yacht. This ought to be a fun trip. Details soon.

OTM Inc, the educators

For years, we at OTM Inc have been using heavy-duty diesels as training aids to people new to diesels. Our collaborative high school classes have won high praise, and now we’re working with The Anchor Program to design more educational opportunities for those interested in engines and boats. More on this later.

2010 Week 21 In Review

This week, OTM Inc finished changing out the injectors on the Maris Pearl and bled all the air out with a big pry bar under the injection pump. With the fuel rack at full, I manually pumped a bunch of fuel through the lines. Then we very cautiously took it out on a short trip around the bay. It fired on all eight cylinders without even a hiccup.

More work on Washington injectors

We’re also working this weeko n fitting all the parts on the Timber Heritage Association‘s Washington injectors.

Boats and Parts for Sale

The J.S Polhemus is for sale again, if anyone’s interested in a worthy project. It runs and floats – what more do you want?

If it’s extra engine parts you need, that’s okay – theCaptain Reino‘s DMG8 is being parted out. Contact us for more info if you’re interested.

2010 Week 20 in Review

OTM Inc goes to Portland

I volunteered this week to work on one of University of Washington’s fisheries research boats on the Columbia River this week – for no reason other than the lab manager is a fun and beautiful.

Since the manager knows my love for history, she booked our room at the Kennedy School in Portland. I recommend it to everyone.

This is a McMenamins, which are all around Oregon with a few more north and south. The Kennedy school was built in 1915 and was a school for most of its life and all the old-style charm remains. Each room holds a piece of the story. Neat.

Yarder Injectors

Also spent some more time this week fitting parts for the We’re also still working on fitting parts on the Timber Heritage Association fuel injectors, using lapping compound and files. We also punched out packing, though we need a few new punches.

2010 Week 19 in Review

OTM Inc started this week cleaning up after M4. What a great show.

More fitting parts

We’re also still working on fitting parts on the Timber Heritage Association fuel injectors. I actually got an email from the machinist we use to have Washington tips made. He said:

“I’ve been working on the numbers pretty hard, I didn’t think you’d like a $300 price for tips. Our biggest hurdle has been fixturing, keeping the concentricity of the sac within .0015″ at that depth isn’t easy. The best I can do is $150.00 each in 12 pc lots with six drilled & six not, 6 drilled comes in at $214. If you have the fixture to hold these while drilling the spray holes (that we can use) knock off $50.00 each.”

Seattle Tug Boat Races

This year’s Seattle Tugboat Races were this Saturday, and although the race results were anticlimactic for the heavy duties, the Maris Pearl won the Tugboat Annie Award. Yay! The Chief finished the race under its own power. Another yay!

2010 Week 18 in Review

Cleaning parts for the yarder

OTM Inc spent some time this week cleaning parts for the Timber Heritage Association’s diesel yarder injectors. Fitting all the parts is a huge task, but it really makes a huge difference when they go together smoothly.

M4 Event

OTM Inc spent most of its time this week working on M4, an event it sponsors every year. This year’s M4, on May 1, was themed “The Revolution” – very appropriate given the state of the union, economy and the date of the event being May Day.

M4 this year featured art, music and pageantry throughout the entire six hours of the show.

Check out more photos at m4show.com

2010 Week 17 in Review

Finished on the Maris Pearl

This week, we finished painting the Maris Pearl‘s Enterprise diesel engine and cleaned up so the owner and his family can get under way. It feels good to have the job done.

The Timber Heritage Association sent three more injectors to the shop and so just like the last set, we tore them down and cleaned all the parts made a list of missing or broken parts and started fitting all the parts for interchangeability.

Tug Boat Party

The International Retired Tugboat Association had a very nice gathering this week on Tracy and Giles’ tug the Olmsted in Ballard. It’s a great party where representatives of several old tug boats shared stories and advice.

I’ve been going to the party for years and can’t help but notice the association evolving to more of a family-friendly support group from the can-crushing machoism I remember. I don’t know if it’s the slowed economy or the aging boats we like or the dozens of other maritime pressures affecting the old tugboat community. I admit I am only loosely connected to the IRTA, but I remember more chest-thumping pulling contests and heated arguments about race statistics.

Even without the machoism, though, the IRTA is a wonderful group and I know that old tugboat owners love company.

2010 Week 16 in Review

And another week cleaning the Maris Pearl…

Fulton diesel video

Reader Joe sent me a link to this great video of a Fulton diesel – check it out:

Diesel guys

And Bayou Bob sent me this picture of him talking shop with fellow antique diesel engine aficionado Jay Leno.

2010 Week 15 in Review

OTM Inc spent another week cleaning and painting the Maris Pearl‘s Enterprise diesel.

I hope the end is in sight.