Urgent and I need help

[Viper]

Well I think you know what I'm going to say ...Please don't use tape. Use heat shrink adhesive lined connectors. Bilge pump hardware and its circuits fall under a critical system category and should be wired accordingly. You don't want there to be any chance of corrosion or the connections coming in contact with dirt, mold, water, moisture, condensation (Winter/Spring), etc. They don't just seal the wire, the insulation and adhesive also serve to stabilize the connection. High or not, when something fails and water starts to rise, the last thing you want to worry about is whether the circuit's wiring is going to continue doing its job while submerged. If the wiring fails, all the new pumps and float switches won't help you then, and while the connection point might be the cause, there's no guaranty that that's where the wire will fail, and trying to find where along the wire the failure occurred can take hours...not a good thing during an emergency.

I don't carry anything but heat shrink adhesive lined connectors anymore. They're a little more expensive but in the grand scheme of costs to operate a boat, they're cheap insurance.

[bud37]

Have to say I do like the heat shrink, my biggest problem is not with the shrink itself, but me....I get it all ready then forget to put the darn stuff on first.....I now have a giant box of the stuff...... ......great for strain relief on the wire joints just not personal strain relief afterwards.... .......

[km1125]

I saw the earlier suggestions about tightening the packing, but no reponse. Did you even try adjusting those? Could get through the season or to the next time it's convenient to haul out, then convert to dripless seals.

You should carry a strip of rubber, like an old inner tube. You can always wrap that around the packing and shaft and put a couple clamps or tie-wraps around it to hold it in place. That will stop the water coming in until you can address the issue. Of course, you can't run the boat like that until it's fixed properly. Just a stop-gap for protection while you're having issues... I don't like to rely on just a bilge pump in case even if it's working properly because you can always have a power failure.

You can also use the inner tube while replacing the packing while in the water. After pulling the nut back you just wrap the shaft tight with the rubber to seal it up while you work on removing and replacing the packing inside the nut.

[Midnightsun]

Qr Bbpost Have to say I do like the heat shrink, my biggest problem is not with the shrink itself, but me....I get it all ready then forget to put the darn stuff on first.....I now have a giant box of the stuff...... ......great for strain relief on the wire joints just not personal strain relief afterwards.... .......

Done that so many times it's embarrasing.

[mjk1040]

The packing you got appears to be plain, didn't they have the Teflon type?

[Viper]

Qr Bbpost..... My mechanic is coming Monday to replace the packing rope for me.....

Ask him if he is going to just add one ring of packing rope or if he's going to remove the 20 year old rope that's in the log first.

[Serendipity]

I will be there when we replace it. I took what the marine store had to offer, didn't know there was a teflon type? My buddy who owns the marine store simply gave me the rope because he knows I will need him at some point.

Yes, I would like to remove the old packing material and I really liked the rope idea using the rubber. I can be back at my pier tied up in less than 30 minutes from anywhere on my lake.

Gents, so far the boat has done exactly what I needed it too and for the purpose purchased. To spend time with my soon to be 18 year old daughter and my wife of 23 years. So for New Years, my daughter and her girlfriends stayed on the boat, no drinking and no boys after 1 am. Lol

Recently for prom, my fellow buddies who have 17, 18 year old daughters were wondering where their daughters were going to be after prom. I didn't because mine was on the boat with her girlfriends. She has never had a bf but this daddy knows it is coming and judging by these pics, it is her choice to keep good grades instead.
So I am a little cooler daddy for having the boat for them to hang out on and isn't this why we work and live life for in the long run.
I appreciate everything ya have said and I have learned so much from ya.

[waybomb]

Yep, yer in trouble soon.
Need a shotgun by the door for the first time she brings a guy home to meet mom and pops.

[Viper]

Qr Bbpost......isn't this why we work and live life for in the long run......

You're absolutely right.
What a beautiful little girl you have Serendipity. You must be very proud. Thanks for sharing that.

[Serendipity]

Thank you gentlemen for the kind words and yes I plan on enjoying being the cool daddy for as long as possible.

Boat progress tomorrow and I will keep ya updated.