Once the Winter of 2009 arrived, my focus shifted to the tasks outlined in the Surveyor's report rendered at the time of purchase. There were many tasks to get underway. Some would be farmed out to service providers and some would be done by us. Oh, where to start!!!
I had gotten quotes for the most extensive of repairs; the port engine refurbishment. There were many options for this work. I could just do 'top-end' repairs and pull the heads and re-machine. But this wouldn't address the main block and if there were weak pistons or bearings the now-stronger heads may overpower the remaining old parts. I could pull the engine and replace it with a factory rebuilt engine, but you don't know what shape or from what type of vehicle the rebuilt engine came from. The 454cu inch Crusader was built on a GM 454 platform, and this engine could be found in Chevy's, Buick's, Cadillacs, Chevy or GMC trucks. It could come from an old boat bilge where the block had raw-water cooling with pitting and blocked passages. I could go 'on-line' to one of the web-based purveyors of packaged bobtail engines, where all the components from carb to flywheel to transmission are 'refurbished' and ready to install. But most of these purveyors are in the Florida market, and too far to provide warranty coverage. Plus 'refurbished' doesn't mean rebuilt and reconditioned. It can just be cleaned, painted and reassembled.
After much deliberation and comparisons, I decided to have the engine removed, disassembled and the various parts sent out to be rebuilt, reconditioned, painted and reassembled. I also decided to have the service guys at the marina do the removal and reassembly. I figured it was the off-season, that they would appreciate the work and therefore give me a good price. Since I was developing what looked like a long-term relationship with them I had high hopes that they would value this and do the right thing. And lastly, I figured that they were local and I could ride rough-shot over them to ensure that the work progresses. Since I was going to perform numerous other repairs and would be at the marina anyway, this was logical. I got an estimate for labor-only, and I would provide all of the required rebuilt parts and services. I looked at the Refurbishment of Vintage Viking as I would any other renovation project I run for my clients with their homes.
But what really added to the scope of the project is that since I was going to save so much money by managing the process and dealing with the rebuilders directly, I felt it would be advantageous and cost-effective to have BOTH engines done. The starboard engine, while in better shape than the port, had equal running hours and it was only a matter of time before I would have to do this work anyway. This way everything in the drive train would be refurbished, and once done there would be no further need to rip the boats bilge apart for major work. This decision would prove to be both intelligent and well-thought out for the long-term, and quite stupid given the ever-diminishing state of the economy in general and my impending work-related injury that would sideline me for a while.
In early January, we had both engines and transmissions out of the boat, disassembled and loaded on the trailer for distribution to various service providers. The engine blocks would be sent to IDM Machining to be totally rebuilt, head to oil pump. The transmissions would be sent to a local Borg-Warner shop to be bench-tested and rebuilt if needed (they needed it!). Starters and alternators would go to a local auto parts rebuilder. The carbs would be rebuilt, as would the raw and fresh water pumps. The heat exchangers would prove to be too expensive to replace, so I sent them to a radiator shop that I use for my work trucks. The exhaust manifolds would be replaced with new, as this was due to be done on both engines anyway.
By mid-January, all of the shops were busily tearing the parts down and preparing to rebuild. I would take advantage of the now empty bilge area to clean it up and do various little tasks while there was room, such as replacing the holding tank macerator and running some wires for future planned upgrades. One thing that I hadn't planned on doing right away was replacing the flybridge bimini and enclosure. But the advanced deteriorated condition of the zippers and windows proved too much for the cold winter weather when the boat was hauled out. The combination of dry cracked material and the cold weather led to big splits and cracks in the enclosure. It wasn't cost-effective to repair, but I wasn't going to spend the $6,000 that I was quoted to replace it. As luck would have it I found a canvas mechanic who had lost his lease at a local marina and was willing to work from home and do the replacement of the enclosure for half the price. While I would normally be very suspicious of this arrangement, once I met Ed I judged that he was a good mechanic that would do a fine job. This would prove to hold true.
Everything was moving along nicely. I was gearing up to begin my work of replacing the hot water heater, the stereo, the battery banks and install an inverter. The gas-powered generator was old and inoperative, and I feel that the cost to refurbish would be wasted money since I didn't really need it until we start extended cruising and the technology of these powerplants has improved so much I decided to remove it from the boat while all the engine work was being done and then look for one in the used market. But what I didn't plan for was getting injured at work in late January that sent me to the hospital for knee surgery and weeks of rehabilitation. Great!! I have the boat ripped apart, major components in various shops and state of rebuild, and I am sidelined. Not only can't I contribute to the Vintage Viking Refurbishment Project, my 'real' jobs would begin to suffer since I couldn't do these either with a bum knee. There goes the income stream that would provide the needed cash for Vintage Viking (as well as to live on). Self-employed building contractors don't generally have insurance for lost-work, and I had three major client-projects underway at the time. Thank God for certain good friends who stepped up and helped keep these jobs moving forward while I recuperated at home.
I was able to manage to keep the engine work moving forward while I was home. By mid-February the majority of the components began returning to the marina for reassembly, and with all this 'spare' time on my hands I was able to invest time in shopping for better prices on some of the items like the manifolds. By late-February I was back on my feet (part-time) and I was able to begin running around to get items like the rebuilt transmissions and other parts picked up and brought to the marina. Mike the Mechanic was busy now reassembling the engines for re-assembly. Except for one glitch of installing the wrong transmission on the wrong engine before installing it in the bilge, Mike and the boys did a commendable job. By mid-March both engines were back on the boat, and now Eddie took over finishing the install and wiring and hose connections.
As will always happen in such projects, there came a time when small items started to pop up. First it was a motor mount that was cracked, so I replaced both sets of rear mounts. The wiring harness on one engine was worn and cracked, so I had it replaced. The port cutlass bearing was blown out, and since I wasn't sure of whether the propellers were tuned and matched recently, I had them removed and reconditioned by a vendor that I have used previously.
By now I was able to contribute to the work effort. I was able to replace the illegal hot water heater with a new ignition-protected marine heater. I took the time to pipe in a bypass valve configuration to aid in winterization.
I removed the old Halon fire-suppression tank and replaced it with a new dry-chemical system. Once Mike and Eddie finish the alarm-detector replacement, we can tie the new fire system into the alarm and fuel valve shutoff
Marine battery banks have a tendency of running until they just quit. Over the winter I would normally remove the batteries and keep them on a trickle charge. Because I was having all the work done, I left them onboard, only to find out that they would drain if not kept on the onboard charger. I decided to replace them, since I was also going to install an inverter to provide limited 120volt power while I'm away from the dock. I was surprised to learn that the boat had four golf-cart 6 volt batteries, connected two in series per bank. I began to doubt that these were OEM configured. But a phone call to Viking engineers settled this matter. Golf carts run all day on a single charge; eighteen holes and sometimes more. They should last all day on a boat, depending on the draw. Most of the marine-supplier outlets wanted almost $1,000 for replacement batteries. But a phone call to my Napa Auto Parts connection got me four quality Interstate brand batteries for half price. A quick run down to the marina after work and I was able to swap them out.
Initial commissioning of the new engines revealed leaking oil hoses from cooler to the remote filter assembly. Once again I made the call to replace these on both engines. Additional parts for antifreeze, hoses, bolts, etc. started to add up until the recent billing looked like a mortgage payment, not a repair bill. But I was too far down the road to refitting to give in and start shortchanging the process. Now I am beginning to see how my clients must feel when I am halfway though their renovation project when 'unforeseen things' pop up and need to be addressed. I tell my clients upfront to expect 10% over-budget allowances; I should take my own advice, but since it's MARINE I should allow for 30% over-budget(lol)!!
Hopefully, we are nearing the end of the 'while-you-are-at-it you-might-as-well-do-this-or-that' and can get to a point where the boat can be put in the water and tested out. I am being told that it should be in the water this weekend. Boy, I sure hope so because part of the reason that I have the boat is to help me get rid of my stress and tension from work, not add to it! I look forward to Friday afternon and getting a call from Mike that the boat is afloat.
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