2001-04-30.

Original Moonraker.

Once you’ve got yourself a boat, it might be, that it doesn’t quite in all fields fulfils the demands that yourself and your family might have. This you can change, by determine the alterations to be made and then start it up.

The size of the operation, the quality of the chosen solution and the craftsmanship are parameters, which may influence the market value, when it comes to a selling situation. Unfortunately "solutions" are seen, which may solve a problem for the owner, but in fact are violence done to the boat, and to potential buyers look terrible, and in consequence leads to low selling price. And most of us come to the point of selling, sooner or later!

If we, in the interest of all, shall preserve and raise the market value, one should think long-term and solutions ought to be chosen, so no violence are done to this beautiful vessel and Robert Tucker’s and Colin Chapman’s intentions.

Who is it then, that shall raise the price on Moonraker? Well, it isn’t the buyer, who is in the market buying boat no matter which one, and no matter in which condition. It is the aesthetes, - those who think the Moonraker is a beautiful vessel and readily pay extra for a well-preserved specimen, - an original Moonraker.

Holding tank.

The Legislation is continuously adjusted, also when it comes to boat toilets. Within few years it is statutory, that even old boats containing toilets must be fit up with a holding tank. Who can’t be in need of a visit to the toilet at a moment, where it is inconvenient to get to a public toilet on the harbour premises, due to bad weather, because it is in the middle of the night, being at anchor amongst bathers, or what ever the cause might be.

When you have to make room for extra equipment, it is nice to put it mildly, if it can be placed without taking up useful space. In Rimfaxe we in 1995 mounted a system based on the layout shown in "Service / Solutions", and by reorganizing the batteries, we made room for the 90L tank under the engine floor up against the rear wall. Thus, locker wasn’t occupied, which easily can be used for other purposes.

At this opportunity we replaced the fitted Electrolux Monomatic by a sea toilet, and the holding tank is connected to the fore- as well as the aft toilet. There are three possibilities of pump out; either vacuum pump out ashore through the 1½" deck fitting that already exists, or using the macerator pump out directly to sea, or to a canister, to be discharged ashore.

Expenses amount to, besides a lot of working hours, approximately 2000.-DKK (£170 / $240).

Furuno advertisement.

Moonraker is 30 on in years, but is still attractive and presentable, which Furuno Denmark seems to agree on, as they have used one of our Moonrakers in advertisements for their new Maritime Radiophone Model FM-2721.

2001-08-20.

Leaky exhaust manifold.

Some day it happens, - the salt-water exhaust manifold gets leaky. And it always happens at an inopportune moment (the expense to a new one is always inopportune!). But several of our members have, even just for mere chickenfeed, with success been able to postpone the moment for replacement till one get to the domestic harbour or to money! Always carry a set of Plastic Padding (Chemical Metal type) when you are cruising!

Degrease the spot, grind off the paint and rust, and then press and putty the spot with Padding and let it harden. I haven’t tried it myself, but two manifolds repaired last year still stand up!

Web site.

We are getting far around with our web site. Many hits are from exotic places we not earlier have been in contact with, and it is obvious that Leif Dahl’s efforts in placing us on many different servers now pays off. May we had 386 hits, which gives an average of 12 to 13 each day.

An American has been able to get a loan, buying a Moonraker, at his bank in the USA by referring to our web site, as the boat is not commonly known in the USA!

2001-10-25.

Filter in the main diesel tank.

At the foot of the stairs to the cabin there is a square iron plate, which is bolted to the floor. Underneath is the main diesel tank, and when you dismount the plate you'll find on the back a tube welded on, ending in a square device. On this is mounted a fine-meshed brass net, which is meant to roughly filter the diesel before it is sucked up into the system.

However there can prove to be holes in the filter due to corrosion. The problem is that water can collect in the bottom of the tank (water coming with the diesel or / and because of condense) and then there is a basis for the brass to corrode. So, check it, and replace it if necessary with a stainless acid proof steel filter, mask 125my, thread 0.09mm, 34 percent opening. E-Mail streno@streno.dk.

Propeller.

There is a tendency sailing with propellers with too coarse pitch. The layman may be of the opinion that supplying the boat with propellers with coarser pitch, gives a bit extra! But it isn't that simple! It’s a connected whole, a correlation between the installed engine power, water line length (hull shape) and the propellers.

Moonraker exists in to versions, when it comes to the part of the hull, which has an influence on choice of correct propellers, that is with and without keel. The version with keel is far the most common.

Moonrakers most are powered with two Perkins 175Hp (135kW), which the engines do at 2600 revolutions. If your engines don’t reach that at full load (throttle), you presumably – other things being equal – not have the correct propellers fitted!

Powered by 2 x 175Hp are the correct propellers for vessels with keel 17”x13” and for vessels without keel 17”x14” (3-bladed Aquapoise 55% DAR). Calculations made by Korsør Motor- and Propeller factory shows, that the above sizes even are in the upper limit and may be should be 17”x12” respectively 17”x13” instead.

If you power really long distances with engines, which don’t reach nearby the correct revolution, the load on the engines is higher than necessary just like increased smoke development occur.

A rough rule of thumb tells, that with every inch the pitch is increased the engine revolutions decrease by 150-200, so does your meter show 2200 your pitch should be reduced with 1-2 inches.