Seaward 25 improvements

After the first two years the Micron CSC bottom paint was pretty much worn off from trailering the boat and high pressure spraying at the end of the season.  After looking at all the different paints, I knew I wanted a hard surface that would hold up to trailering and cleaning, and keep barnacles off while in salt water.  Ceram Kote seemed to be the most promising.  It was going to cost more, but I figured in the long run it would be cheaper if I didn't have to touch up every year and repaint every two or three years.  After two years there is no sign of wear.  Sure the grass grows on it in fresh water, but that can be high pressure sprayed off without losing any bottom paint.  East Tennessee Boatworks, the company that applied the coating is no longer in business.  American Aquatics no longer is the rep for Ceram Kote.  This coating was applied before the 1999 season.  In 2003,  a lot of the copper was either gone or covered and needed some aggressive cleaning.   By 2007 Zebra mussels had found places along the keel and in tunnel around prop shaft to attach themself.  One month in salt water doesn't seem to be a problem.  2008 was not a problem with zebra mussels but some barnacles grew in 1 month in salt water. 
I have gone back to conventional CSC Micron bottom paint the last few years since the copper wore off. The Ceram Kote is an excellant barrier coat.

raw water filter

This screen was installed in the raw water input line to the engine to keep out leaves, seaweed and any other debris picked up from the surrounding water. The clear housing allows inspection without taking it apart.
I removed the original hand pump which was intended to be used to empty the holding tank while offshore and relocated it farther forward and re plumbed it as a bilge pump in the center of the boat.  I also added a thru-hull above the waterline on the starboard side for the bilge water being pumped out.
air head
The airhead toilet was added in October.  The holding tank was removed back in July '07. 
A 1" thick base was fabricated from a sheet of HDPE( high density polyethelene).  This was done becasue of the odd shape of the floor which was designed for the original Jabsco head which was part of the original installation.
The hardest part was installing the vent.  I didn't want to cut a hole in the deck or cabin so I opted to go out the side of the hull as high as possible.  A cover is installed on the hull as high as it could possibly go.  The fan has to run all the time but it is very small and draws a very small amount of current.
This worked great the four weeks on the water in March of '08.  No more looking for pumpouts.  As a matter of fact it went the whole season before I emptied the contents into a hole dug in the backyard.  No more odors either, this is the cleanest the boat has smelled since it was new. Emptying the liquid from the Airhead toilet was a hassle so I plumbed it into a 9 gallon holding tank. It can be emptied at a dockside pump out or pumped overboard if offshore.

Galley sink

As seen in the picture the hand pump has been removed and replaced with a white plastic faucet with a switch that operates an electric pump mounted under the "V" berth. A pump is mounted to a block of wood that is epoxied to the floor. Water is pumped from the fresh water tank up front to the sink.
faucets
A hand soap bottle is installed below the countertop.
Drinking water is provided from a 5 gallon carboy that is located behind the refridgerator.  This water is pumped though a filter and then a UV sterilizer.  When cruising up to three jugs may be filled with drinking water.  In order to keep from constantly cycling the motor and running the UV sterilizer, drinking water can be stored in the blue igloo cooler. 
Tank water is kept clean with a small amount of bleach, therefore is used for cleaning dishes and washing hands only.
Battery charger was mounted with two aluminum backing plates by sliding them up from the bottom behind the liner.  They were tapped for the mounting screws.  Tygon type tubing was used to protect the wires fed through the holes in fiberglass below the charger. On the far left is a USB socket to plug the cell phone in to recharge its battery.

charger
The Raymarine DSC radio is mounted just aft of the sink. The microphone can just reach the helm. There is a speaker for the radio mounted port side of the helm.  A more robust charger has been added to accomodate the AGM batteries.  The Xantrex 1000 watt inverter is mounted below the countertop along with the starting battery and the Automatic Chargine Relay.  The control panels are mounted to the left of the radio.
acr
barometer
This camping barometer from Oregon Scientific helps keep track of changing weather and gives the cabin temperature.  I still listen to NOAA weather regularly,  but this thing does help with local conditions.
winch handle holder
This winch handle holder was constructed of some left over downspout material and a couple of universal rail clamps.  This beats fishing around in the storage locker for a winch handle.  I always know where it is.
outlet
This outlet is just behind the port seat and another outlet on the starboard side is also protected by this GFI.
anchor
The roller under the anchor was replaced after the original one wore out.
The CQR anchor works best in most conditions. I carry a Fortress anchor in the Starboard locker as a second anchor.
Not shown is the Borel Mfg. high temperature alarm.  A sensor is mounted to the exhaust just below the mixing elbow.  The alarm is mounted just below the engine control panel in the cockpit.
alt
Retrofitting this Balmar alternator was a challenge.  Two drill bushings of different sizes were used to fit the 1/2" threadstock used on the upper left mount.  Two washers were added to shim the alternator forward to better keep the two pulleys aligned.  The real benefits of the higher output alternator will only be realized when cruising.  The 3 AGM batteries will quickly charge with this addition.  Sometimes when motoring for extended periods there is a possibility of overcharging the AGM batteries with the original alternator.  The ARS-5 three stage regulator should prevent any damage to the batteries.
fuel system
An 18 gallon diesel fuel tank was added this past summer to replace the portable one in the cockpit.  A fuel gauge operates when the toggle switch is on.  The other toggle switch turns a fuel pump on which circulates fuel through the filters and back to the tank.  During periods of infrequent use the fuel can be cleaned by circulating through the filters.  The first filter is 10 micron and the second is 2 micron.  Fuel to the engine does not go through this pump.  The valve to the pump has to be turned off when not in use or air will be pulled into the line when the engine is running.  The tank is located under the starboard seat.  The addition of the two vacuum gauges(only one is visible in the picture) allow for early detection of a clogged filter.  I carry spare filters and I should be able to identify a filter that is getting dirty and change it before it becomes an issue.
stud
I fabricated 6 of these stud mounts of various lengths to mount the fuel tank.  Three of them have tubing inserted around the stud to hold the platform up off the floor.  The plate is 1/8" thick aluminum and the stud is 1/4-20 stainless thread stock.  One of the six can be seen below epoxied to the floor.  A clearance hole from the top allowed access for a deep 7/16" socket to tighten the 1/4" nuts which support the deck.  The decking material was left over from a porch redecking project around the house.  The pieces were welded together with a plastic welder and PVC welding rod. 
tank mount
I tried two types of epoxy.  I started out with Marine-tex.  Some were done with Loctite marine grade putty type that you cut to length and knead, then just push it around and through the mounting plate.  Both seemed to work ok, although I suspect the Marine-tex may be stronger because it flows easier around the mounting plate.  This tank will give us better range and it moves a lot of weight down and forward which is good for sailing as well as trailering.  I used to remove the portable tank while trailering.  This is no longer necessary or an option.



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