[Edited Message Follows]

Hi All

Grateful for your thoughts:

1. My 2008 A54 #102 has the Furuno GPS Navigator GP-150. It’s recently started sounding an intermittent No GPS alarm and, more frequently, a DOP Error alarm. It self tests fine. In Alarm settings I’ve selected OFF for the GPS alarm. I have selected RAIM OFF. I have tried to smooth the fixes by selecting a long interval. I’ve selected 3D/2D instead of 2D because the DOP threshold is (counter-intuitively?) less sensitive. But No GPS or DOP Error alarms still sound when underway. Sometimes several times in a few minutes and then, as I say, after an interval of over 30 minutes for just one time. In the port currently, 5-8 satellites are showing. 

I’m replacing all the Nav this winter but would like the equipment to work on passage tomorrow from Kefalonia to Malta via Sicily (320Nm). If I turn the GPS Navigator off (and use papercharts and iPad) then the Furuno auto pilot No Speed alarm sounds (despite me switching off that Alarm on the Autopilot!). 

One thought (credit Bill Rouse, thanks) is UV damage to the GPS antenna (in presumably usual location starboard side cockpit under hard Bimini roof). Any other thoughts / straightforward Autopilot workarounds please? 

2. AIS. I have Furuno Navnet vx2 at the Nav station. There does not appear to be an AIS option despite the boat having a receiver. It seems AIS vessels were only displayed on the helm repeater (not the Nav station plotter where there is no AIS option) but this plotter has ‘frozen’ and does not show current position regardless of repeated reconnection. I have tried Corrosion X in the terminals. Any thoughts on why this may not be working or can anyone tell me how to display AIS at the Nav station plotter please? 

UPDATE: Corrosion X has now solved the problem. Nav AIS working too. Still grateful for any help on Point 1 re GPS/DOP Error alarms please 



Thanks very much!

Tony Wells
A54 #102 Argostoli,
Kefalonia, Greece

Hi to the group,
My B&G HYDRA 3000 does not display True wind direction =shows 000.If I look through the setup headingsource is 016 - which I think is wrong. Before I try to test I ask the group.
B&G is in its original installation by Pochon/Amel
Thank you very much Wolfgang SY Elise Amel 54#162 Sandyhook /new York 

Hi Pat 

You’re absolutely right. It’s not a good Idea. 

I tried have done it also with flex bungee cables. In some place it works well. Not much shock on the cables. Sometimes I had it too loose so the rudder was moving. 

Thanks Danny and Paul for your advice. 

Best regards

Ruedi 

WASABI A54-55

Von: "main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io" <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io> on behalf of "Patrick McAneny via Groups.Io" <sailw32@...>
Antworten an: "main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io" <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io>
Datum: Mittwoch, 18. September 2019 um 20:21
An: "main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io" <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io>
Betreff: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Free or Tie-on the steering wheel

Ruedi, I would advise against securing the quadrant ,in the event of an emergency a boat should be ready to move immediately . Having to leave the cockpit and go down to the aft stateroom ,lift the bed and untie the quadrant sounds like a bad idea.

I have a small stainless hook secured to the bulkhead about six inches below the wheel ,I use a black rubber bungee with hooks on the ends , I put those hooks over two of  the spokes on the wheel and the bungee under the hook. This allows a very little bit of play, but 99 % a the time no movement at all and we live on a mooring. I can unsecure the wheel in one second if need be.

Good Luck,

Pat

SM Shenanigan

-----Original Message-----
From: Danny and Yvonne SIMMS <simms@...>
To: main <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io>
Sent: Wed, Sep 18, 2019 2:03 pm
Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Free or Tie-on the steering wheel

Hi Ruedi, if the wheel is tied tight and there is clonking it is possible your steering cables need adjustment. Easy to do where they are mounted by the quadrant. Just like adjusting cables on a bicycle.

Regards

Danny

SM 299

Ocean Pearl

On 19 September 2019 at 00:19 "jlm@..." <jlm@...> wrote:

Hi Ruedi,

The best is to fix it, but if you fix it it MUST be without any gap (possibility that the rude can move) ... else do not fix it ...

JLMERTZ

CottonBay

---

Le 18/09/2019 à 11:52, Rudolf Waldispuehl a écrit :

Dear Amel'ias

I’m curious about experience with tie on the steering wheel and maybe someone has a proven technical answer. 

When I’m on Anchor or in a Marina I always fix/tie the steering wheel in the cockpit with a rope. After this summer in many anchorages with some swell I was not sure anymore if these is the right solution. 

 

Always when small waves hitting the rudder the wheel tried to turn in one or other direction and there is a noticeable noise (little dong) on the cables. 

When I was loosing the rope then the noise was notable under the aft bed because the Autopilot linear drive gear is moving and made noise.   

I’m now quite unsecure which option is the better, -  fix the wheel or let it move around?  Both ways are working on either AP Linear drive and/or steering cables. 

 

Would be the best option to make a fix/tie on the rudder quadrant to stop moving? Has someone done it?
What is your experience and long-term observations? 

 

Thanks for your thought and best regards

Ruedi

SY-WASABI 

AMEL 54#55

Garanti sans virus. www.avast.com

 

 

I was able to reserve a table for ten at Mangia's Italian Grill ,81 Main St. across from the show , for 6:30 pm on Friday ,Oct. 11 . 

Those attending are: 

Matt & Cindy ,Speed of Light A50

Scott & ? ,Tengah A54

Mike & Tom, Aletes SM

Pat & Diane ,Shenanigans SM

Kent, Kristy SM

Bill & Karen, Harmonie SM

We Look forward to seeing you all there,

Pat & Diane,

SV Shenanigans

-----Original Message-----
From: Patrick McAneny via Groups.Io <sailw32=aol.com@groups.io>
To: main <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io>
Sent: Mon, Sep 9, 2019 8:00 am
Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Annapolis Boat Show

Kent, Too bad Iris can't make it ,but will see you there. I will make reservations ,if they take it for 6:30 ,looks like eight now ,I will wait to later this week to see if anyone else wants to join us.

Pat

SM Shenanigans

-----Original Message-----
From: karkauai via Groups.Io <karkauai=yahoo.com@groups.io>
To: main <main@amelyachtowners.groups.io>
Sent: Sun, Sep 8, 2019 7:11 pm
Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Annapolis Boat Show

I will be there, too.  Iris is working a special event and can’t come.

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Kent Robertson

S/V Kristy

karkauai@...

USA cell: 828-234-6819

On Sep 8, 2019, at 8:41 AM, Mike Ondra via Groups.Io <mdondra@...> wrote:

Sounds good, Pat. Magnia Friday night and you had put 6:30 on the table.

Seems a number of us will be on Back Creek so let’s see if there is interest in dinner at Davis’ on Thursday evening.

Mike

Aletes SM#240

 

From: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io> On Behalf Of Patrick McAneny via Groups.Io
Sent: Sunday, September 8, 2019 7:47 AM
To: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io
Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Annapolis Boat Show

 

Mike, Assuming everyone will be at the show, Mangia's is very convenient , right across the street from the show,a two minute walk. Its also a very nice place with great food , it also would not require people to somehow travel to Back Creek as the show is letting out.

Hope to see ya there,

Pat

SM Shenanigans

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Ondra via Groups.Io <mdondra@...>
To: main <main@amelyachtowners.groups.io>
Sent: Sat, Sep 7, 2019 5:50 pm
Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Annapolis Boat Show

Hi Pat. Tom and I hope to be there Thursday and Friday. A nice dinner place on Back Creek would be Davis’s Pub which a block from Mears Marina. May avoid some of the downtown hubbub. Rustic, good food and popular with the locals even during the week so reservations may be appropriate if they do them. Maybe both Thursday and Friday night Especially if Friday doesn’t work for some. Just a thought.
Mike

Aletes SM240

On Sep 7, 2019, at 6:55 AM, Patrick McAneny via Groups.Io <sailw32@...> wrote:

Kent ,would Friday about 6:30 work for you & Iris.

Pat

SM Shenanigans

-----Original Message-----
From: karkauai via Groups.Io <karkauai@...>
To: main <main@amelyachtowners.groups.io>
Sent: Fri, Sep 6, 2019 7:02 pm
Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Annapolis Boat Show

Hi Pat,

Tell us when and where, I will be there, Iris may be able to come too.

Kent

SN243/Kristy

.
On Sep 6, 2019, at 9:49 AM, Matt Salatino via Groups.Io <helmsmatt@...> wrote:

Speed of Life

Amel 50, #27

~~~⛵️~~~Matt

On Sep 6, 2019, at 9:36 AM, Patrick McAneny via Groups.Io <sailw32@...> wrote:

Matt, Ok thats one vote for Fri. What is the name/model of your boat ?

Pat 

SM #123

-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Salatino via Groups.Io <helmsmatt@...>
To: main <main@amelyachtowners.groups.io>
Sent: Fri, Sep 6, 2019 8:49 am
Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Annapolis Boat Show

Cindy and I are driving in for the entire show. We have a previous engagement on Saturday, October 12, but Friday would be good.......

~~~⛵️~~~Matt

On Sep 6, 2019, at 8:12 AM, Patrick McAneny via Groups.Io <sailw32@...> wrote:

Diane and I will be sailing to the boat show this year, as we have for the last 35 yrs. We would be anchored in the main anchorage and would invite everyone out to the boat for drinks and pizza and we could do that. But it may be more convenient to meet at a local restaurant across the street from the show. Mangia Italian Grill has great pizza ,etc. and is only about 100 ft. from the show. Friday or Sat. about 6:30 would work for us ,Sat. may be busier . If anyone would be interested, lets get a head count .

Seya There,

Pat & Diane,

SV Shenanigans

-----Original Message-----
From: karkauai via Groups.Io <karkauai@...>
To: main <main@amelyachtowners.groups.io>
Sent: Thu, Sep 5, 2019 9:29 am
Subject: [AmelYachtOwners] Annapolis Boat Show

Iris and I will be driving over to Annapolis for the show.  If there’s a get-together for dinner and/or drinks, we’d like to join in.

Kent Robertson

S/V Kristy SM243

St Michaels, MD

On Sep 4, 2019, at 10:23 AM, Mark McGovern <mfmcgovern@...> wrote:

Mike,

No problem.  JL Mertz's Speedi-Sleeve idea is a good one too as the surface finish on the shaft is really not good enough to ensure a good seal with the oil seal. 

Regarding the Annapolis Boat Show, we will definitely be at the show but we are not sure if we will taking Cara or just driving.  It's such a zoo around there at that time and we can't take the days off work to get there early enough to be ensured of a decent anchoring spot.  Definitely let me know what the plans are as they develop!

--
Mark McGovern
SM #440 Cara
Deale, MD USA

Just a friendly reminder to my fellow Amel owners to do a regular check on the shaft seal that sits over the main furler cylinder.  It's the one circled in RED in the picture below:


I would advise you have look at it ASAP and put it on your annual maintenance list to at least inspect it's condition and if it's at all questionable, replace it.  It costs less than $5 to buy a new one but could end up costing you hundreds of $ or more if it fails and you destroy the gears.  Don't be like me and wait until your main furler seizes before you check it!

Here is a picture of my seal.  It actually has a split in it so I use the term "seal" loosely:



I can confirm that it is a VA-45 or VA-045 V-ring Seal as you can faintly see "VA 45" molded into the rubber in the upper left side of the picture. 

The failed seal has allowed saltwater, rainwater and dirt to enter the furler cylinder for some time now and it eventually destroyed the tapered roller bearing that sits at the top of the the shaft.  Here is what my bearing looked like when I got it off the shaft AFTER I cleaned it up:





Needless to say the bearing is completely destroyed.  Obviously this did not happen overnight but has been going on for a long time.  I've owned my boat for just over two years now and surprisingly the main furler has worked almost all of the time.  It did pop a breaker now and again but I attributed that to the motor brushes being old and worn and all the carbon dust that was inside the motor when I took it apart this spring to clean and change the brushes.  I'm sure that the worn brushes and carbon dust did not help things, but the main culprit was clearly the corroded roller bearing caused by the failed V-ring Seal.  

I would highly recommend that you have look at your furler seal now and inspect it on regular basis.  If you find it cracked, damaged or missing I suggest that you take the furler assembly down and open it up, clean the inside and inspect the bearing as well as the other ball bearing, three lip seals, and two o-rings that are inside.  It does not take that long nor require any special tools to do this tear down and inspection.  If you do need to change bearings, a bearing puller certainly makes the job easier.

Thanks to Duane (Wanderer) and Pat (Shenanigans) and others on this forum for some excellent pictures, part numbers and sources for replacement parts.  Some if the information is spread around a bit here so once I am sure that I have all of the correct information regarding all the replacement parts that I needed to do the rebuild I will make another post here to try to get it all in one place.

--
Mark McGovern
SM #440 Cara
Deale, MD USA

Our main past pad is nearly nonexistent now. Plan to change it in NZ. The shrouds are still incredibly tight, on the lee side as well.  I suspect a slight loosening of the forestay. When changing load directions there is a small shimmy in the boat which I suspect is new, but I doubt myself. 

Regardless, the rig seems tight and integrous (with a magnifying glass at the shroud based) but plan on a change in NZ, the primary reason being this pad, and going into the 10th year new wire seems prudent. 

I am considering doing the rewire myself, ordering the ACMO and then having a rigger check my work vs, since I have to get a crane to lift the mast, just have the whole thing done by a rigger- wire and all. 

The only reason I have to pull the mast is this mast pad: has anyone seen the Martinique gizmo that obviates that need in order to replace the pad?  

Any experience with rerigging one’s self?

Any suggestions for a rigger around Auckland?  

As always thanks for your help. This forum is such a wonderful resource. 

Porter McRoberts 

A54-152

Vava’u Tonga

Excuse the errors.  

Sent from my IPhone 

Www.fouribis.com

On Sep 19, 2019, at 6:54 AM, ngtnewington Newington via Groups.Io <ngtnewington@...> wrote:

Hi Arno,

Did the guys in Martinique actually tell you the pad was to dampen the load on the deck when pounding?

I can not imagine that there will really be any give in it, after the rig is tensioned. The worst thing for a mast is for it to go slack and then tight again. If the pad really is for that purpose then that is what would happen, obviously to a very small degree. The compression load on that mast base must be immense. If we say that the rigging is tensioned to 50% of the wire strength and work out the angles, the downward vector of all the shroud tensions added together must be in the order of 50-100 tons. (very quick mental arithmetic)

Although Amels are very well constructed there must be much more spring in the whole structure of the boat than that 5mm plate. All boats bend a little, which is most of the reason that when sailing in a stiff breeze there is much less tension on the leeward shrouds. That and the stretch the wire itself, which is actually quite a lot.

I do not know for sure but I think the pad is to prevent the paint on the base of the mast from chipping. As you point out it is interesting to note that the mizzen plate lasts longer. Maybe that is not from less compression but because it is less exposed to sun and sea. It is interesting, and I would like to know for sure.

Nick

Amelia 

AML54-019

On 18 Sep 2019, at 18:19, Arno Luijten <arno.luijten@...> wrote:

Hi Ruedi,
Strange answer you have got from Amel as the crew in Martinique has even build a special rig to replace the pad with a standing mast. It is meant to dampen the forces of the mast on the deck when sailing turbulent seas. Mine was replaced when I bought the boat (July 2018), nine years old. The one under the mizzen does not receive much pounding so it stays much better over time.

Regards,

Arno
SV Luna,
A54-121