HAS ANYONE HAD ANY EXPERIENCE WITH 6 VOLT BATTERIES FOR THE HOUSE
BATTERIES? I HAVE HAD GOOD LUCK WITH ROLLS BATTERIES. I AM NOT IN NEED
YET, BUT WANT TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
JOHN

I wouldnt rush to give up the Autoprop. Ours is no. AP 3294LH, which was recalled for a new locking plate so we fitted the fixed prop to take us from the Caribbean to Ecuador, involving 6 days of motoring in the Pacific.Unless you put two Amels side by side with the different props its impossible to be sure which gives the better performance but we certainly felt the Autoprop had the edge under power and clearly has less resistance under sail.
We are in Brazil at the moment , between Santos and Rio, good motoring country as there is no wind here. Yesterday we did a little test. Bear in mind that Pen Azen is in full cruising mode, including a 15hp outboard,4 anchors, 500m of shorelines,every locker full to overflowing, 600l water , 350 fuel plus 100l in jerry cans in the lazarette, which also holds the second dinghy whilst we were towing the rib with a 2hp attached.Bimini was down but we had sun awnings up, covering both booms. With minimum wind, (4 knots apparent on the beam), we achieved these knots at these revs
1500--- 5.9
1600 6.0
1700 6.4
1800 6.8
1900 7.1
2000 7.4
2100 7.7
2200 7.8
2300 8.0
2400 8.2
2500 8.3
2600 8.5
2700 8.6
2800 8.7

In each case we took a conservative figure for the speed, taking the first decimal pint, so that if we were doing, say, 7.27 we recorded 7.2. Our top speed was 8.89, the pull of the rib making it inconsistent.
These figures are marginally down on the same test conducted when the boat was new, but we must now have an extra ton of stores on board and we didnt have a rib to tow in those days.
Is the log accurate? In 25,000 miles we have never had any reason to consider it anything other than the most accurate log we have ever had on a boat.
To me , this suggests that certainly the standard Volvo and Autoprop are well matched and maybe the performance of the turbo is the most likely culprit.
Happy motoring! Ian and Judy Jenkins, Pen Azen, SM 302, Ilha Grande, Brazil.

In previous years I have found my Autoprop severely fouled after
leaving the boat in the water in the winter. This resulted in very
low engine revs until cleared. During the last haul out May 05 I
polished the prop and used Pellerclean. Several times during the
season I found that the engine revs were limited and dived to find
that the prop was fouled but only with lime/coral type encrustation
to a depth of about one eigth of an inch (2-3mm). It was quite hard
to remove and I am not impressed with Pellerclean. The boat spent
all last season in Malta in a marina which is relatively clean as
there are very few live/crap aboard owners. My test for build up is
to motor at full throttle to check that I can get 3,300 rpm. The
lime scale reduced this to about 2,200!I then cut the revs back to
take the unfair load off the engine until I clean the prop.
I have a hose about 10 metres long which I connect to the regulator
on the air bottle and to a spare mouthpiece so that I can deal with
the underside using only fins, wet suit,weight belt and gloves.
So far as carbon build up on the turbo is concerned I follow Yanmars
insructions and before turning off I rev up out of gear to 3,000+
for a few seconds and repeat if necessary to burn off any carbon
which comes out of the exhaust as white smoke. It is then important
to let the engine idle for a few minutes to allow it to cool and
lubricate the turbo.

My last boat had three tubes into the fuel tank, two for fuel out
and return and one for a heater.The fuel out and heater tubes went
into a filter which consisted of two brass plates separated by a
strip of mesh around the edge to act as the filter. A build up of
algae on the filter completely blocked it and it compressed like an
accordian! Luckily the tank was nearly empty so I was able to get at
the filter to remove it and throw it away. I then arranged the fuel
out pipe so that it was a couple of inches above the bottom of the
tank and put the unused heater pipe right down to the bottom of the
tank. This meant that I could connect a plastic tube to the top from
time to time to a small electric pump which was connected to another
tube to discharge the water and other grot into old clear plasic
bottles so that I could see when all the crud had been removed. I
then let the crud settle at the bottom of the bottles and decanted
the clean fuel back into the tank.
I have cleaned out the bottom of my Amel tank a couple of years ago
when it was nearly empty. I did this by removing the inspection
plate and putting a pipe down to the bottom and then pumping out
some of the contents into some big plastic tanks and then scrubbing
the bottom etc of the tank with a paint brush lashed onto end of the
pipe. Note the lashing must be tight and tape must not be used.
The dirty fuel was allowed to settle and most was poured back into
the tank through a Baha filter using only the finest mesh as this
leaves lots of room to avoid over flows, I never use the coarse and
medium mesh filters.I suspect that a prime cause of blockages is
adding algae killer to infected fuel. I now put my long copper tube
down to the very bottom of the tank every year and suck out any
crud/water which has settled whilst the boat is not in use.
One day,when the tank is nearly empty I will drain it and throw away
the internal filter.

Best wishes to all, John, SM 319

I agree that the Autoprop is sensitive to marine growth but any propeller is
I think. Regarding SEAJet product I tried it without any good result. So I
do not recommend it.

My question to John : what was the speed difference with the autoprop and
the fixed propeller?

SM 2000 Alma Libre

Dimitris

Steve:

Thanks for your thoughts. I have inquired of several sources about these issues and this
is what I have distilled:

There are two separate phenomenon both of which are applicable to any RO membrane
system:

1. TDS CREEP. Imagine that on once side of the membrane you have very high TDS
(seawater with about 32,000 ppm TDS) and on the other side you have product water with
a TDS of about 400-500 ppm. Water is forced across the membrane by the 55 bar (800
PSI) pressure gradient established by the high-pressure piston pump. This high-pressure
gradient overcomes the natural osmosis and drives the physics of osmosis in the reverse
direction (RO). When the system is shut down the pressure equalizes on both sides of the
membrane but there remains still a very high gradient in solute (TDS) across the
membrane. At this point natural osmosis begins to occur with water being drawn back
across the membrane to the high TDS side in an effort to try to equalize the osmotic
pressure on both sides of the membrane. The longer the membrane sits idle the more
water is drawn back across to the high TDS side. As more and more water is drawn back
across the membrane there is an ever-diminishing amount of pure water on the low TDS
side (but still the same amount of solute) so the TDS measured in ppm actually increases.
When the system is restarted there will be a brief period of relatively high salinity product
water. My experience with my continuous EC meter is that this high salinity, TDS Creep
water with a TDS of about 2500 to 4000, only last less than a minute before it is diluted
with the new 400-500 ppm TDS product water.

2. PRESSURE DEPENDENCY OF PRODUCT WATER TDS. That is, as the pressure of the RO
process is increased the TDS of the product water decreases. This phenomenon is much
less clearly understood. Rod Boreham gave me a similar description to what he gave you
but he also implied that without pressurized water on the chevron seal in the tube that
seawater could leak by. This just didn't seem logical to me for two reasons; a) the chevron
seal that seals the seawater side of the membrane in the tube from the product water side
is very tight. It is all you can do to get the membrane in or out of the tube because it is so
tight. Also, b) the membranes are robotically produced (hence their dramatically reduced
price and better performance than the old style membranes) and the edges and seams are
absolutely sealed. Again, what I can best understand from several sources is that on a
molecular level the angstrom size pores, that allow water to pass and not the solutes,
actually are squeezed even tighter (made smaller) when under pressure and up to the
rupturing pressure of the membrane the pores become smaller and smaller. This allows
less and less solute to pass. All RO membranes exhibit this quality and there is an
optimum pressure for highest quality water and least potential for harm to the membrane.
By running in the green zone the highest quality water will be produced while staying
safely below membrane rupture point.

Related to the salinity sensor and other questions I have raised on this forum regarding
the Dessalator control system suffice it to say that I am still trying to ferret out the truth. I
have been in touch with Amel, Joel, Dessalator and Rod Boreham. I have gone around and
around with Dessalator. Rod has attempted to be helpful but his information comes from
Dessalator and either because of language barriers or just reluctance by Dessalator to be
fully forthcoming he has been unable to come up with a satisfactory answers for me. I
have asked Dessalator for schematics and logic diagrams for their circuit board so that I
might understand the system and know how to trouble shoot it but they tell me that they
have neither available because the board was produced by a subcontractor that is no
longer in business.

This much I know for sure:
1) Amel believed that the system operated as advertised when we took delivery of our
boat. I am still unable to determine if indeed it did live up to Dessalator's claims.
2) There evidently is no way to know if the original equipment salinity sensor is working
correctly or not. The two-minute timer idea may or may not be accurate. I have so far
received no assurance from Dessalator that a properly functioning machine will sense and
divert high TDS water during water production following system start-up.
3) I reiterate my belief that the Dessalator monitoring system cannot be relied on and that
a secondary monitoring system is necessary. I will stick with that statement until
Dessalator or Amel can tell me how one can determine if their original equipment salinity
monitor is functional.
4) Amel has been very good to work with and remains one of the finest companies I have
ever done business with.

Sincerely,

Gary Silver

Gary,

I may have a possible answer to your question about the higher EC reading when the

pressure is below the green range.

According to Rod Boreham, the membranes are not perfectly cylindrical. They have a

slightly larger diameter in the center than at the two ends. The reason for this is to allow
for distortion when the pressure is applied.

The membranes are not constructed by rolling a square sheet of material from one

side to the other. They are rolled corner to corner. This creates angular seams along the
length of the tube. They are actually rolled with enough slack to account for a perfect fit
under pressure. If you run the water maker below the prescribed pressure, you are
squeezing salt water past the unsealed seams. In other words, they have to be fully
pressurized to seal properly. The good news is that your EC appears to be finding it.

Rod was quite emphatic that the Dessalator should only be operated entirely within the

green zone. Any higher or lower will result in problems. You should check with Rod to be
sure though. I think I interpretted his recommendations correctly, but one never knows.

It may also be due to something else entirely, but this seemed to make sense to me.

Regards,

Steve and Donna. SM#340 Summer Love

Gary,

I may have a possible answer to your question about the higher EC reading when the pressure is below the green range.

According to Rod Boreham, the membranes are not perfectly cylindrical. They have a slightly larger diameter in the center than at the two ends. The reason for this is to allow for distortion when the pressure is applied.

The membranes are not constructed by rolling a square sheet of material from one side to the other. They are rolled corner to corner. This creates angular seams along the length of the tube. They are actually rolled with enough slack to account for a perfect fit under pressure. If you run the water maker below the prescribed pressure, you are squeezing salt water past the unsealed seams. In other words, they have to be fully pressurized to seal properly. The good news is that your EC appears to be finding it.

Rod was quite emphatic that the Dessalator should only be operated entirely within the green zone. Any higher or lower will result in problems. You should check with Rod to be sure though. I think I interpretted his recommendations correctly, but one never knows.

It may also be due to something else entirely, but this seemed to make sense to me.

Regards,

Steve and Donna. SM#340 Summer Love



amelliahona <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, eric <kimberlite@...> wrote:

24 Feb 2006

Eric:

I purchased 3/8 inch quick connect fittings at Home Depot (white plastic, push together
fitting that are good to 100 psi) and cut the blue 10 mm product water line. There is
virtually no pressure on this line . The sensor for the EC system that I mentioned
previously plumbs into a 1/2 in pipe thread fitting. I bought a 1/2 inch PVC pipe "T"
fitting, and plumbed it with the quick connects. So the sensor is just immersed in the
product water as it flows by. I'll post photos after my next trip. I took 220 volt 50 Hertz
Power from the circuit breaker for the water maker.

I have noticed that upon startup the EC briefly goes to somewhere above 2000
microsiemens but then within 30 seconds it comes down to about 350. If you run the
watermaker below green range pressure the EC is actually higher than if run in the normal
operating range. I don't quite understand that but it is consistent. I inquired of the Wafer
Fire and Ice people that I bought my membranes from and they tell me that this is normal.
They call it TDS creep. Evidently when the system is shut down the high TDS on the sea
water side draws the product water back across the membrane by osmotic pressure. This
then concentrates the solulte in the product water side as more and more water is drawn
back across the membranes. The longer the system sits idle the more TDS creep there is.
So the initial minute or two of product water will be high in TDS (EC). Perhaps that is why
the Dessalator system had a timer. I have spent hours corresponding with Dessalator and
they will not provide me with schematics or a logic diagram for the system. I plan to take
detail digital photos of the circuit boards next month when I get on the boat and reverse
engineer the electronics. It doesn't appear to be that complicated. Dessalator says that
they do have spare logic circuit boards for sale and will install one if I ship my system to
them but they at the same time make no guarantees that the system will behave as
advertised even with a new board installed. This is about the goofiest company policy that
I have ever run across.

Regards, Gary

Gary,
How did you hook the salinity sensor into the watermaker output?
Fair Winds,
Eric
Amel Super Maramu #376 Kimberlite

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Additional to last message, it may be of interest that while the
SM2000 was supplied with an Autoprop as standard equipment, together
with a fixed blade prop as a spare, the new 54 is supplied with a
fixed blade prop only. The Autoprop is an extra cost option.

Hi Claude & others
My SM2000 no 330 had the Yanmar/Autoprop combination and max revs
would frequently drop to about 1700. This was always cured by
cleaning the prop. My berth is in Antibes and the rate of marine
growth seems very high there for a reason we needn't go into but
let's say the harbour fish are large and fat. Quite expensive as I
don't dive (and certainly wouldn't in the marina!). The prop was
subject to a recall by Bruntons and in May 2004 I had Amel fit the
spare fixed blade prop. This prop is still fitted.

It is difficult to compare the performance of the fixed prop against
the Autoprop but I would say the difference is so slight as to be
unoticeable without making a test under identical conditions. I
agree that the Autoprop is extremely sensitive to fouling and I have
specified a fixed blade prop on my "54" to be delivered at the end
of this month.

Finally, before the fixed prop was fitted I had it treated with
PROPSPEED a silcone based propellor antifouling which works by means
of producing a slippery surface that marine gowth cannot adhere to.
The result was fantastic - the prop was still clean a year later as
opposed needing to be cleaned every couple of months in summer.
Propspeed is very expensive but I believe Seajet Pellerclean to be a
similar product and this has just been rated as the best in March
Yachting Monthly and Motor Boat
magazines. Has anyone tried it?
John McDougall


-- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, Claude Roessiger
<nearlynothing@...> wrote:

I have had no end of trouble with this combination.
Amel aren't playing this straight with us. Every owner
I have met with the Volvo-Auto prop combination has
similar woes. I think the source of the trouble is the
prop. In reverse, do you get 3500 RPM? If so, it says
a lot.
This darned prop (and I have had unsatisfactory
exchanges with Bruntons, the maker) is unbelievably
sensitive. Unless it's polished to perfection, it
seems to just not give power. Expensive as it is, I
think to change it.
At full power the SM ought to give you 8 kts +.
I have had similar woes in waves as you describe, no
power, no speed.
The Volvo turbo-diesel is itself less torquey than a
straight old diesel as in the old Maramus,
bullet-proof engines.
This said, an 80 hp engine should do the job. I think
the prop is suspect.
If anyone has made a prop change successfully, it
would be good to know.
Thanks,
Claude Roessiger


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Hi Claude and others. Sorry to read of your experience. I dont know if my Bruntons Autoprop is different to yours ( Pen Azen is June 2000, no 302, standard Volvo/Perkins engine) but after nearly 2,000 engine hours, usually cruising at 1900 revs with a burst of 2,800 for about ten minutes every 6 or so hours, I cen happily get 8.6-8.8 knots on a calm day with a full cruising load aboard.
Twice I have had the revs stick at about 2200 in gear even though I was getting 2800 in neutral. On each occasion the boat had just been put in the water after several months ashore. All I did on each occasion was to keep revving up and down for ten minutes or so and the thing cleared itself.
So far, performance hasnt been affected by small amounts of sealife. On one occasion, in UK waters, I couldnt exceed 7 knots at full throttle and on diving I found the prop absolutely covered in barnacles between one and two centimeters across. I was amazed that it functioned at all.
I confess that I have never seen how high I can rev astern, but going ahead I have found nothing to complain of.
Bruntons claim that you should think of changing the bearings after 1000 hours or so. I think this depends on revs and the condition of the water you sail in. I will do it next time the boat is out of the water. Fair winds, Ian and Judy Jenkins, Pen Azen, Rio de Janeiro ( just about the dirtiest water you can find!)

Hello, I just posted a picture of a SM half model on the Amel site under "moondog". Its trully beautiful. It's 2 feet long,made of about 5 different types of wood,has a brass prop.alluminum winches,hatches,cockpit and is made to scale." It is worthy of the wall." It cost a little under $1,500 delivered. It mounts with 2 small bolts thru the wall, and it won"t leave a shadow on the wall if you ever take it down,like a big expensive painting will do. Any one interested I have info. John "Moondog" sm248

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I need a deck plan, for my Amel Kirk, Construction number:63 from 1972.

Hi Mike,
Contact IMTRA Corp (508) 995 7000, the US distributor of the LOFRENS windlass and they will give you info for sizing chain to the anchor windlass. They can sell you a replacement gypsy in a different size if needed (not terribly expensive).

I own a Sharki, a much smaller AMEL, so I will not address the question of size for you. I use 5/16 high tensile and have 280 feet with oversize links on each end to allow reasonably sized shackles. The high tensile is used to reduce weight forward but has several negatives. It is more prone to rust than lower carbon chain and the lighter weight reduces the catenary effect of the chain. Many Australians (who tend to use lots of very heavy chain) have told us that the only reason to have an anchor is so you can find the end of the chain! (they also tend to use large anchors!)

I would suggest you not consider using any rope on your primary rode if you are going to the South Pacific as you will be anchoring around and on coral most of the time and rope rode will not survive. I also suggest you consider more rode rather than less as anchoring depths will often be 40 to 60 feet and the holding will occasionally be so poor that you will need to put out extra scope. The deepest we ever anchored (I believe it was on the east end of Tahiti) was in 100 feet of water. We had about 3/1 scope (with all of our rode out) and could not possibly back down on our anchor. We were also surrounded by reef. We had a rather nervous night!

In the Caribbean, you will generally be anchored in sand or mud but the depths will sometimes be deep. However, he issue in the Caribbean is the crowded anchorages which will often require reduced scope which makes rope rodes a problem.

I have not seen metric chain in the US. It is available in the Caribbean.

Good luck!

Steve Leeds
Yacht MACCABEE
AMEL Sharki #121
Circumnavigator's Yacht Service
Fort Lauderdale, Fl

mike_ondra <mondra@ptd.net> wrote:
Having purchased "Drifter" SM #240 in October we are having great fun
exploring and beginning to understand some of the myriad systems on
board. Recently checking the anchor chain locker for the first time
from the fore stateroom, we found a mound of rusted chain requiring a
hammer to break it up. Me-thinks it time to replace the chain.

Being in the US, metric chain seems unatainable, hence a potential
incompatibility with the windlass gypsy. Anyway, looking for
suggestions, knowing that there are probably as many opinions about
anchoring as there are skippers.

1) Recommended size/type chain. Thinking 3/8" G40 or G70, but can a
replacement gypsy for that size chain be found for this windlass.
Alternatively, is metric chain available in the US at palatable prices.

2) Recommended rode configuration. Thinking 100-150' of chain and
100'-150' of rope. Planning cruising in Caribbean and South Pacific.

Thanks for any help with this,

Mike Ondra
"Drifter" SM #240








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Having purchased "Drifter" SM #240 in October we are having great fun
exploring and beginning to understand some of the myriad systems on
board. Recently checking the anchor chain locker for the first time
from the fore stateroom, we found a mound of rusted chain requiring a
hammer to break it up. Me-thinks it time to replace the chain.

Being in the US, metric chain seems unatainable, hence a potential
incompatibility with the windlass gypsy. Anyway, looking for
suggestions, knowing that there are probably as many opinions about
anchoring as there are skippers.

1) Recommended size/type chain. Thinking 3/8" G40 or G70, but can a
replacement gypsy for that size chain be found for this windlass.
Alternatively, is metric chain available in the US at palatable prices.

2) Recommended rode configuration. Thinking 100-150' of chain and
100'-150' of rope. Planning cruising in Caribbean and South Pacific.

Thanks for any help with this,

Mike Ondra
"Drifter" SM #240

In a message dated 09/03/2006 16:47:03 GMT Standard Time,
no_reply@yahoogroups.com writes:

Hi,

A couple of years ago, I posted my experiences with the Volvo RPM
issue, but I'll repeat them now to address the recent questions. I
have SM #195, 1997 model, with Volvo Penta TMD22 and Autoprop.

In July 2002, while in the Azores, I found the engine not giving
me full power. I had the injectors cleaned, but still could not get
over 2100 RPM. Cleaning the prop did not help (I have a Brownie's
Third Lung, and spent a lot of time underwater cleaning the prop to a
fine polish!)

In September, in Lanzarote, I removed the turbocharger (very easy)
and took it to a diesel car mechanic in Arecife. He cleaned the
substantial carbon deposits from the "hot" side (the turbine that is
powered by exhaust gases). Cost was 60 Euros. I immediately was
able to get 2800 RPM underway, and speed increased from 7 kts. to 8.6
kts.

My theory is that substantial motoring at 2000 RPM or less (to get
good fuel economy) leads to this problem. The turbo is designed to
boost power at high RPMs, and the engine needs to be run at full
power from time to time to use the turbo and "burn off" the carbon in
the turbine. Amel recommended this to me when I bought the boat, but
the thought of running the engine flat out for 5 minutes at a time
scared me. I now do it at least once a month, and still get full
power, even with a dirty prop.

For those of you with Volvos not getting full power or full RPMs,
clean your props, but also clean your turbos. It's very easy to do,
and I'm sure you'll see results.

Roy on Excalibur SM #195



A turbo engine is a very bad idea on a displacement boat that 'generally'
motors at a steady speed somewhere close to the mid point of its RPM range - it
is just a con to get you a lighter engine for the same catalogued Horse
Power - this having a Turbo engine maybe ok on fast planing boats that runs at a
much higher part of the available RPM range but it does not seem to work on
sailing boats.

Volvos small Turbo range 2003T etc were a complete and total disaster.

Of course we are all HP mad nowadays - i see Beneteau are putting in 100HP
engines to their new 50 footer now - i remember sailing a 45 foot boat with 8
HP and we seemed to manage fine.

regards

David

Hi,

A couple of years ago, I posted my experiences with the Volvo RPM
issue, but I'll repeat them now to address the recent questions. I
have SM #195, 1997 model, with Volvo Penta TMD22 and Autoprop.

In July 2002, while in the Azores, I found the engine not giving
me full power. I had the injectors cleaned, but still could not get
over 2100 RPM. Cleaning the prop did not help (I have a Brownie's
Third Lung, and spent a lot of time underwater cleaning the prop to a
fine polish!)

In September, in Lanzarote, I removed the turbocharger (very easy)
and took it to a diesel car mechanic in Arecife. He cleaned the
substantial carbon deposits from the "hot" side (the turbine that is
powered by exhaust gases). Cost was 60 Euros. I immediately was
able to get 2800 RPM underway, and speed increased from 7 kts. to 8.6
kts.

My theory is that substantial motoring at 2000 RPM or less (to get
good fuel economy) leads to this problem. The turbo is designed to
boost power at high RPMs, and the engine needs to be run at full
power from time to time to use the turbo and "burn off" the carbon in
the turbine. Amel recommended this to me when I bought the boat, but
the thought of running the engine flat out for 5 minutes at a time
scared me. I now do it at least once a month, and still get full
power, even with a dirty prop.

For those of you with Volvos not getting full power or full RPMs,
clean your props, but also clean your turbos. It's very easy to do,
and I'm sure you'll see results.

Roy on Excalibur SM #195

-David,

Thanks for the pics!! One thing for sure, I want those davits!!!!!
My wife also thought the aft cabin was finally "right".

Tony
WORLD CITIZEN SM #266


-- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "David" <dlm48@...> wrote:

hi,

just posted some pics of the Amel 54 pics i took at last years
Southampton Boat Show

these are small pics if anyone wants/needs the big versions

contact me

directly

regards

David

Hello Claude,
I spoke with a man in Ft. Lauderdale when I had our boat hauled out
for her survey. He owns an older Amel, not sure what model. He
suggested that as long as the boat was out of the water, that I
apply "some stuff" (I do not remember what it is called)> Evidently
it is a coating or film that goes on a squeaky clean prop an seals
it. Thus it is less apt to fouling and easier to clean when
fouled. I am an aviator, and there are "tapes" to cover the leading
edges of the wing and prop to accomplish this same thing. And for
rotorcraft it also reduces the leading edge errosion. When I get
back to my boat, in just a few days, I will try the full astern to
see what kind of RPM she will turn. In my particular case I am
convinced that the boat is over pitched, and that I am not getting
optimum performance from the turbo. (Low RPM, low to ineffective
turbine speed, thus increasing coking or carbon build up)

Tony Gray
WORLD CITIZEN SM #266


--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, Claude Roessiger
<nearlynothing@...> wrote:

I have had no end of trouble with this combination.
Amel aren't playing this straight with us. Every owner
I have met with the Volvo-Auto prop combination has
similar woes. I think the source of the trouble is the
prop. In reverse, do you get 3500 RPM? If so, it says
a lot.
This darned prop (and I have had unsatisfactory
exchanges with Bruntons, the maker) is unbelievably
sensitive. Unless it's polished to perfection, it
seems to just not give power. Expensive as it is, I
think to change it.
At full power the SM ought to give you 8 kts +.
I have had similar woes in waves as you describe, no
power, no speed.
The Volvo turbo-diesel is itself less torquey than a
straight old diesel as in the old Maramus,
bullet-proof engines.
This said, an 80 hp engine should do the job. I think
the prop is suspect.
If anyone has made a prop change successfully, it
would be good to know.
Thanks,
Claude Roessiger


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Hello Claude,
I spoke with a man in Ft. Lauderdale when I had our boat hauled out
for her survey. He owns an older Amel, not sure what model. He
suggested that as long as the boat was out of the water, that I
apply "some stuff" (I do not remember what it is called)> Evidently
it is a coating or film that goes on a squeaky clean prop an seals
it. Thus it is less apt to fouling and easier to clean when
fouled. I am an aviator, and there are "tapes" to cover the leading
edges of the wing and prop to accomplish this same thing. And for
rotorcraft it also reduces the leading edge errosion. When I get
back to my boat, in just a few days, I will try the full astern to
see what kind of RPM she will turn. In my particular case I am
convinced that the boat is over pitched, and that I am not getting
optimum performance from the turbo. (Low RPM, low to ineffective
turbine speed, thus increasing coking or carbon build up)

Tony Gray
WORLD CITIZEN SM #266


--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, Claude Roessiger
<nearlynothing@...> wrote:

I have had no end of trouble with this combination.
Amel aren't playing this straight with us. Every owner
I have met with the Volvo-Auto prop combination has
similar woes. I think the source of the trouble is the
prop. In reverse, do you get 3500 RPM? If so, it says
a lot.
This darned prop (and I have had unsatisfactory
exchanges with Bruntons, the maker) is unbelievably
sensitive. Unless it's polished to perfection, it
seems to just not give power. Expensive as it is, I
think to change it.
At full power the SM ought to give you 8 kts +.
I have had similar woes in waves as you describe, no
power, no speed.
The Volvo turbo-diesel is itself less torquey than a
straight old diesel as in the old Maramus,
bullet-proof engines.
This said, an 80 hp engine should do the job. I think
the prop is suspect.
If anyone has made a prop change successfully, it
would be good to know.
Thanks,
Claude Roessiger


__________________________________________________
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Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

I have had no end of trouble with this combination.
Amel aren't playing this straight with us. Every owner
I have met with the Volvo-Auto prop combination has
similar woes. I think the source of the trouble is the
prop. In reverse, do you get 3500 RPM? If so, it says
a lot.
This darned prop (and I have had unsatisfactory
exchanges with Bruntons, the maker) is unbelievably
sensitive. Unless it's polished to perfection, it
seems to just not give power. Expensive as it is, I
think to change it.
At full power the SM ought to give you 8 kts +.
I have had similar woes in waves as you describe, no
power, no speed.
The Volvo turbo-diesel is itself less torquey than a
straight old diesel as in the old Maramus,
bullet-proof engines.
This said, an 80 hp engine should do the job. I think
the prop is suspect.
If anyone has made a prop change successfully, it
would be good to know.
Thanks,
Claude Roessiger


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

There was not long ago a SM2000 that was near us in Trellis Bay. I
can not remember her name. Her skipper was really a neat guy and
showed me little "Amel" things on my boat. What he did as a way of
providing clean fuel in an "all of a sudden got dirty fuel situation"
was to have another fuel line added to the after tank inspection
cover. Just a tube welded in place that is "several" inches from the
bottom of the tank. The "new" line is tee'd to the original and has
two block valves. This gives him the option of using the original
Amel fuel supply, or picking the fuel up away from the bottom of the
tank at his option.

Tony
WORLD CITIZEN SM #266