Renovation of Nessie


Rebuilding Nessie.

Told by Per Kihlgren Winter 2004
	In the Autumn 2004 we purchased Nessie and drove her from Malmø (west coast of Sweden) to Västerås (outside Stockholm). Making a boat wagon. Needs a wagon as I'm counting of a lot of work on the boat, and therefore is a wagon needed, so it's easy to move the boat ashore, and to move it indoor if you get the possibility for that. I purchase some old truck wheels in a junkyard, and some steel bars from a workshop. I have no experience in welding, so at the start some weeks begins with welding exercise. Get room for the boat in an old industrial building, which is going to be torn down in some years.
Spring 2005
	The engines are not good, the one is only working on three cylinders. When I changed the oil, half of the used oil was diesel oil. A test showed bad compression on all cylinders but one. I decided to switch to a pair of new Volvo penta D3-130. The first action, is to remove the Roof above the cockpit, so the engines can be lifted out. The roof is made of balsa sandwich, and the balsa wood is damp harmed and quite rotten in major parts of the Roof. I remove all balsa and replaces it with divinycell.

	The aft deck is also bad, so I remove rotten wood even there and replace it with divinycell and glass fibre armed epoxy. Had also to remove sceptres for guard rail at the stern. Problem to remove bolts which are hidden under the rubbing strake. Had to make a hole through the rubbing strake. Removes even the windows in the aft cabin and tightens. The cleats on the aft deck have to be removed. Finally all is in place again.

	A new surface made of Marinedeck 2000 on the aft deck.

	Water is coming in at the rudder bearings, so I have to change the o-rings fitted in them. To be able to dismantle the rudder shaft a rudder arm had to be destroyed in order to get it of, as it was "grown" together with the shaft. Gets a new rudder arm from Terje in Denmark.
Spring 2005 – Winter 2006
	Order new engines, new shafts, gaskets, thrust bearings, and propellers. Preparing the lift of the old engines. Lifting out the engines with the help of Tommy. (a shocker in the narrow house!)

	The roof in the aft cabin is a bit moistly, but the balsa wood seems otherwise to be in good shape. Drilling 6 mm holes inside in the roof, in order to get the balsa sandwich dried. 2 cm between the holes. An electric stove is on the winter through to get it dried.

	The inspection lid for the diesel tank is quite impossible to open, rusty as it is. Makes a new one and gets help in removing the old one and moulding in the new one. (When I see this photo I realize that the new lid has to be better rust protected!)

	Selling the old engines. New engines and gear is delivered, I take them home to the garage.
Summer – Autumn 2006
	With a hard job I get the steel bars loose in the engine compartment. Welding new plates on the bars to fit the new placement. Two of the bars are used again, buys two u-bars for the rest. Thrust bearings are delivered. Makes the steel bars to fit in the engine compartment, drilling holes for bolts, makes a gauge so the bars fits the engines.

	Lifting in the new engines with the help of Tobbe. Discovers that I haven't correctly counted the length of the cv-shaft, so the holes for the engine mounts doesn't fit. However you can place the mounts slanting and make new holes.
Renovates the aft deck. Grinds away cracked gel coat. All sceptres for the guard rail are taken away. Puts glass fibre and epoxy on and finally Marinedeck 2000. Mounts sceptres again. The holes are waterproofed inside with epoxy, and is tightened with Sikaflex. Renovates the hatches for locker / gas cylinders aft deck, and aft cabin top. Grinds and paints the outside of the roof for the wheelhouse. Has earlier been painted after bad / not existing preliminary work, old paint is removed. Mounts the roof. Remounts the windows at the rear.

Winter - Spring 2006 – 2007

	Changes the propeller shafts, new propellers, shaft bearings. Difficult to remove the old shaft bearings, but easier to change gaskets. Port bracket is tilted. Loosens it, difficult to remove bolts, they are damaged. New bolts are 0.5mm smaller, its enough to rectify the imbalance and the bracket is secured with epoxy against the hull and in the bolt holes. The propeller shafts are a bit too long, shortens them 50mm.

Starts on grinding away the antifouling. As the boat has been ashore for almost 3 years, and thereby is very dry, I decide to do an epoxy treatment of the bottom, preventative so to speak.

	Installs cooling system, engine exhaust tubes, new throttle system and instruments. Silencer wasn't fitted earlier. On the starboard side isn't room for the silencer in the engine compartment, so I had to place it under the bed in the aft cabin, - the bed has to be heightened a bit. New battery and new wires to generator / starter. Battery brain.

Summer 2007
Removes the log and old (not functioning) echo sounder. Grinds away anti fouling. Paints 4 coats epoxy and 1 coat of VC 17. Moulds in stainless steel threads for easy mounting of anodes. Drills hole for new log sender. Drilled and epoxy treated holes for railing on the cabin roof. Reinforced cover board for cleats and new line chocks. Drilled and epoxy treated. Autumn and Winter 2007 20070901 Support for the stern light and mast on the cabin roof is ready, with epoxy in the holes and Sikaflex. The mast has wires inside, these wires are so oxidized that it is impossible to solder or get any contact with. Have to change them and mill up the track they fit in. The floor in the wheelhouse is creaking worryingly, when walked upon beside the hatch. Starts planning a strengthening of the floor. 20070906 Glued in a new mahogany rib into the mast. Started to grind under the wheelhouse, and started cleaning up the window joints at port. 20071006 The grinding business has been down, have changed the silicone joint in the windows at port side, and changed window bearings. Took holiday from the boat for 19 days (incl. 3 weekends). Are now going to proceed with the floor under the wheelhouse. 20071021 Started on a job in Södertälje, which leaves less time for the boat. Finished grinding under the wheelhouse. Ready for putting on epoxy under the floor at port side. Ready with the windows on port side - that is, tightened between frames and glass. Remaining eventually to tighten between frames and hull, but that will have to wait until it shows whether it is necessary or not. Started tightening of windows at starboard. 20071028 Ready epoxying under the floor in the wheelhouse. Started renovation of wires. Cleaning old connectors and the like. 20071109 New batteries installed. Bought 4 pieces at BilTema as Hjertmans didn't have the right kind, and they have also raised prices considerable. Though doubtful whether BilTema's batteries can cope advanced charging, as it is impossible to fill on water. Installed switches, wires and fuses for log and tank meter and trim plane control. 20071124 Started drawing up electric diagram over the installation. Changed glow lamps in the lights and anchor light to 12V DC instead of 24V. Installed wires, fuses and switches for the lights and window dryers. Bought 4 new dryers (12V). Bought and installed BattMeter. Bought and installed 3 new fluorescent lights in the cabin. Mounted 3 lamps in the cabin, all connected to the same switch and fuse. 20071203 New fluorescent lights mounted in the fore cabin, new fluorescent light on the toilet. Bought a new freezer and installed it electrically. Got hold of paint for window frames in aluminium. 20071215 Dryers fitted and installed electrically. The freezer is put in place and equipped with wooden frames. This leaves vent holes open without ventilators, but that will have to come later. The alu frames are primed and 1 paint end colour. Started on the transom stern. It appears that the teak boards, which holds the trim planes are fastened to the hull by means of steel bolts that are almost rusted away. I puzzle about what is best to do with the boards. Winter 2008 20080127 The teak boards and and all bolts are removed. I'm now ready with some new ones made of glass fibre armed epoxy and Divinycell. Quite complicated design and construction, I hope it will hold. Remains to grind the transom stern, to fit and eventually fill the boards, drill holes for the trim planes, paint. Have even welded a new stainless steel fitting to support the bathing platform underneath. 20080210 In the final phase filling the boards so they fits the transom stern. Mostly of the paint I have painted the rear with, has loosened in great flakes, something has gone wrong regarding hardening and timing between the layers. Have to repaint with 2-component epoxy. Have even put Divinycell under the middle hatch in the wheelhouse. 20080224 Awaits warmer weather before painting the rear. Mounted the middle hatch in the cabin floor. Electrically mounted the 2 fans sitting in the engine compartment. Mounted the compass. Removed the old hot water boiler, which jammed our compass badly. Some of the painted alu frames has to be repainted. Planned a visit to the Boat Fair, lot of things that I have to check out now. 20080321 Automatic bilge pump installed, 90L/min. Painted window lists. Ready to mount now. Bought sun panel, VHF, plotter, and echo sounder to "fair prices". Started the installation of these items. 20080324 The sun panel is installed and ready. The GPS antenna almost done. Spring and Summer 2008 20080330 GPS installed and ready. It finds the position even though the boat is standing, inside underneath a concrete roof! Echo pilot installed except for the sender. The hole for the sender is drilled, remains to prepare a horizontal surface on the outside for the sender. 20080504 The transom stern is painted, as well as the plastic boards. An extra bilge pump mounted and electrically connected. Cleaned up and remounted panels in the cabin. Mounted switch to the battery watch. Checked hose clips on valves mounted through the planking. Cleaned up the aft cabin, and refitted the things possible. Fitted the rudder, propeller shafts bearings and anodes. Cleaned up the wheelhouse. 20080515 Cleaning up finished, remains washing waxing etc. Mounted echo sounder sender. Mounted the trim planes. Put in carpet in the cabin and wheelhouse (the carpet may be provisionally). 20080528 Mounted new guard rail lines. Only small progresses has been made lately because other things presses on, and I commute to Stockholm from May 12'th, which gives 3 hours travelling time each day. 20080602 Controlled screws and bolts in the engine installation. Tanked diesel. 20080614 Bought ropes and fenders. Launching carried out today (!!) The vessel had to be taken on to the hard again because of a hole in the transom stern (at the trim planes) which had to be tightened! Otherwise everything seemed all right, the engines started and seemed to run all right. Remains to fix paperwork concerning guarantee, and letting Volvo check everything with their computer. 20080708 Guarantee papers fixed. Matte from Volvo has checked the engines. OK, but he tells that the small electronic boxes have been confused and Port and Starboard has to be changed, which I have done. I also thought that the CV shaft had a wrong angle on the Port engine, so I heightened the engine 10mm. Filled more oil in the gear box. Tightened the window on starboard side with Sikaflex in the bottom corners. 20080717 Gas installed. Smeared the inside of the gas compartment with epoxy. New tube and regulator. The helm seat mounted. Fixed various minor adjustments, amongst other things better fastening of the cover on the aft deck. Fixed keys for the doors at a locksmith. The engines have run 6.5 hours. Installed a new fresh water pump. 20080824 Holiday in the boat for round 10 days. Many leaks from windows when it rains. Mounted a new small fire extinguisher behind the door. About 50 hours now on the engines. First service made by Boatservice, -expensive! No leaks in the hull, but plenty of water coming from the windows.
	The red string on the wheel is there for indicating the rudder position. A cheap and simple rudder indicator!
20080920 The boat on the hard again. Emptied all water in tank, engine and keelson. Removed impellers. They are ok, but the one was so hard to get out, that it was broken. Bought a new one and puller for the impellers. 20081004 Tightened the windows. The sealing is not Sikaflex but rubber lists. I have good experience with that from an earlier vessel. Autumn – winter 2008 – 2009 20081028 The windows are almost ready now. A lot is still to do. The fore deck is, as well the roof, filled with rotten balsa tree. The fitting out in the aft cabin has to be reorganized. The toilet needs renovation, and a holding tank is needed. Anchor winch. Heater, hot water, more locker, floor in the wheelhouse and cabin, sound insulation of the engine compartment, etc. etc. However the vessel is usable now. You can drive and sleep in it. It doesn't leak from underneath. We spent a very fine holiday in the boat. Next year it will show whether it still leaks rainwater. Top speed 16 knots, at this speed it uses 4L / nautical mile. At low speed, 3 knots, it uses 0,5L / nautical mile. This summer we haven't been driving so fast, under 10 knots, using less than 1L / nautical mile in average. Without sound insulation of the engine compartment, the engines still are quite quiet. I count on a very quiet vessel when it has been sound insulated!