Project Northcraft

A1an · 28 August 2013, 19:27

I bought this Rib off a fellow member a few weeks ago, the plan was to give it a bit of tlc like replace some rusty electrical connections and fix a couple of cracks around the transom and get it back out on the water and do some island hopping.

Best laid plans an all that!

Firstly was to sort a bit of cracking on the transom, a bit of research revealed that ALOT of these Northcraft have the same problem, the previous owner had mentioned the cracks had been there for as long as he can remember and had never got any worse.

A phone call to Northcraft put my mind at rest, they did say it had been a problem but they also said that it was a purely cosmetic issue and not a structural one, they recommended a method of repair so I gave it a go.

I took it back to the original glass and dug out the cracks right down to the wood, the reason for the cracks was apparent, there is next to no matting in the original layup, it is VERY thin. The good news is that the wood inside the transom and knees is as solid as the day it was put in and there is no sign of movement.

Anyway is all sorted now but that leads me to my next problem.... I can't flowcoat the transom without doing the deck, I can do the deck without doing the console and so on and so on, this is growing arms and legs.....rapidly!

The boat has now been stripped of all its fixtures and fittings, gauges and wiring. A little bit of tlc has turned into a "project" for the winter.

A1an · 28 August 2013, 19:32

Treadmaster lifted, the glue was a complete mare!

Transom cracks, before and after, fingers crossed that'll be the end of them.

A1an · 28 August 2013, 19:34

As you can see the sun has taken its toll on the colour, its going back to the original red you can see.

A1an · 18 September 2013, 21:09

A bit of a tidy up...

I got the deck colour wrong, I was going for a darker grey but that's the button I clicked and I wasn't sending it back as delivery on a new pot is £25.

It turns out I'm going to have to pay the delivery now as I need another 2kg of the red!!

New electrics too, went for blue sea gear, pricy but the quality is top notch. VHF thanks to biffer. All I need now is a pair of tachos and a chart plotter.

Barrowboy · 18 September 2013, 21:23

NIce work Alan. Talking of hitting the wrong button, who's your online flocoat supplier?

A1an · 18 September 2013, 21:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrowboy

NIce work Alan. Talking of hitting the wrong button, who's your online flocoat supplier?

I use East Coast Fibreglass. I used them before, although their delivery is fast its expensive but I suppose that's my fault for living in the ar5e end of nowhere.

Barrowboy · 18 September 2013, 21:33

Ah, but the benefit of living in the ar5e end of nowhere is the amazing scenery, superb fishing and that magnificent RIB playground on your doorstep.....

A1an · 18 September 2013, 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrowboy

Ah, but the benefit of living in the ar5e end of nowhere is the amazing scenery, superb fishing and that magnificent RIB playground on your doorstep.....

This is true, I should really learn to use them rather than working on them though!

zodiac 4.2 · 19 September 2013, 02:32

Fantastic work! Nice to see people putting pride into there workmanship.

A1an · 22 September 2013, 19:41

New tachos fitted.

A1an · 24 September 2013, 21:17

I tried Nugents trick of coloured leather restorer.

What a top tip!

nugent · 24 September 2013, 21:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by A1an

I tried Nugents trick of coloured leather restorer.

What a top tip!

I have used it a few times now, works wonders

A1an · 24 September 2013, 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by nugent

I have used it a few times now, works wonders

When looking at some of your pictures I thought the tubes looked a bit slippery but the truth is the treated sections are grippier than the untreated parts.

nugent · 25 September 2013, 06:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by A1an

When looking at some of your pictures I thought the tubes looked a bit slippery but the truth is the treated sections are grippier than the untreated parts.

I had just applied rib conditioner over the top of it, when photos taken, there after it soaked in a little I buffed it awf

Glad you tried it tho ,

A1an · 29 October 2013, 22:06

Done a bit more New batteries, boxes and cables. New filter and bilge pump. Rewired A Frame with new LED deck light. I also chucked in an Anderson plug into the console for connecting up the Bravo pump, the croc clips are a pain, I would have to keep undoing the battery box. This way seems easier.

mick · 29 October 2013, 22:34

Looking good I can probably guess but why 3 primer bulbs

A1an · 29 October 2013, 22:41

One bulb takes the fuel to the filter then a bulb for each engine. Don't really need the first one but it was in there, I may change it as I'm waiting for some new fuel hose to arrive.

A1an · 27 April 2014, 21:33

Well this thing is almost finished, what a journey!

I've been chasing a dead short for the best part of two weeks, I'd hate to think how many 20A fuses I've blown.

Three separate issues...

Firstly the overheat warning LED and buzzer would come on after a few mins of the IGN being on, it didn't even need to be running. I had come across this before and it turned out to be an IGN barrel, after changing barrel it wasn't that. Ouch! The hunt goes on.

The overheat works by going to earth so my thinking was the circuit had a bad wire/connection somewhere between the sensor and engine, maybe a chaffed wire to earth.... Wrong, no problems with wiring or connectors.

After trying different control boxes it was still there, this pointed to a definate engine fault. Finally traced it to the oil level/overheat module, bloody thing was shorting to earth inside, duff box. Replacement sorted overheat issue.

Next the Dash wiring loom connector was getting warm so maybe a dead short in there was causing a problem, cut the plug off, rejoined wires and the heating disappeared, turns out some tracking was causing the heating.

Finally to hunt down the blowing fuse issue, by now the whole loom and engine wiring had been gone through with a fine tooth comb, to cut a long story short it turned out that the IGN +ve supply to the gauges had been jumping to the mounting bracket of the tilt and trim gauge causing the dead short that was blowing the fuses.

A quick re-jig and I'm back in action!

Happy days.

A1an · 27 April 2014, 21:46

I've spent months looking for a replacement gearbox to replace the one that self detonated, finally found a box on here that had the same internals so I'm in the middle of rebuilding the original casing with the donor internals, I've replaced all bearings and gearbox seals.

I went to see a lad today who dabbles in outboards, he took me into this Aladdins cave of scrap engines, bugger me didn't he not have TWO of the very boxes Ive been hunting for months, one of them is a minter too, the other will do for parts.

All in all its been a good week, the boat is now ready for Easdale but first of all il need to put a few miles on it and get myself familiar with it and my new electronics, il also need to do some fuel runs to find out exactly how much juice it drinks.

tony t · 27 April 2014, 22:26

Looks great glad your sorted, now get your black shadow on and get it wet

Don't forget your camera

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