Maintenance
Shawn Hammer
Engines
Ep44 - Real time update! How much longer will this take?
We hauled out of the water in June 2024 and it’s now April 2025. So how’s it going? In this episode, we provide a real-time update. We’ll detail some of the steps we’ve finished, explain the projects that are mid-flight, and give you a peak into
Engines
Ep43 - New starters cost $1600. Necessary expense? Yanmar engine maintenance Part 3.
The entire purpose behind doing our own major engine maintenance is to save money, and give old parts new life where possible. We hate the idea of throwing away things that can be saved with a bit of know-how and elbow grease. In this episode we attempt to clean up
Lithium Batteries
EP42 - Prepping the battery compartment to receive 55wh battery bank
Before we can install our new 55 watt hour LiFePo battery bank, the space needs some serious work. From ensuring a dry space, to sanding, fiberglass, and paint, this space has been transformed into a perfect home for our LiFePo batteries.
Refit
EP41 - Tearing apart our Yanmar 4JH4-TE engines. Major Maintenance Series, Part 2
Welcome to part two of our Major Engine Maintenance Series. It’s time to tear apart our engines! In this episode Shawn removes every hose, hose clamp, and every component. In the process, he discovers completely clogged hoses, significant corrosion, and rusted parts that must be replaced.
Projects
EP40 - DIY major maintenance on two YANMAR 4JH4-TE 75hp's - Part 1
We have two Yanmar 4JH4-TE 75hp engines. With regular maintenance, these engines should comfortably last 10,000hrs and ours have 5,000. Engine maintenance is difficult on a boat. Space is tight, temperatures are often unbearable, and unless you have confidence and experience working on engines, it’s not uncommon
Refit
EP39 - Winter Preparation - climate controlled storage and shop lights.
We weren't planning to be here this long. The seasons are changing quickly and with it comes cold temperatures and short days. Everything we own is in two storage containers that are little more than metal boxes. These will certainly have plenty of condensation during the cold months
Projects
Ep38 - It took four months to replace two hatches!
Since day one back in July of 2022, we have had several hatches that leaked. While in Guatemala, we re-bedded two of the three hatches in the salon and galley, but that's as far as we got. We mitigated the problem by keeping a bucket or bowl under
Refit
EP37 DIY lithium batteries can save you thousands! Part 1
One of the biggest and costliest project in many yacht refits is new batteries. These days, most battery changes are by people moving from standard AGMs to Lithium, or making the change to a higher native voltage from 12v to 24v or 48v. We are making the change to a
Refit
Ep36 Racing the change of season to prep the mast for paint.
We removed every piece of hardware from the mast and boom and discovered a lot of peeled and bubbling paint. That can only mean one thing...corrosion. We wanted a better look at the aluminum, so we decided to completely strip and repaint both mast and boom. Weeks of sanding
Projects
EP35 - Badly aged caulk is causing leaks!
Months after hauling our 54' catamaran out of the water to begin the refit, we finally did something that will stay on the boat. Many projects are in process, but that's been the name of the game for a long time. We were both itching to move
Ep34 - See what happens WITHOUT Tef-Gel on your rigging hardware
The mast, boom, and davits we removed shortly after we hauled ROAM out of the water. They have been sitting on foam blocks since then waiting to reach the top of the priority list. Our rigging makeover is a multi step process that starts now. The first step is to