1966 Hattras 41' DCMY

[milsteads]

We just purchased the boat and looking to hear from others w/ same who have restored or are restoring theirs. Looking for suggestions on converting aft cabin to queen berth, selecting and installing inverter and windlass. How can we clean up our engine room w/o stripping it, will steam cleaning machine do the job? Can we rent this machine? Thanks, Troy

[pennbilt]

I assume by a steam cleaner you mean a pressure washer. I tried that on a boat years ago and found that while it cleaned very well it blew the dirt and loose paint chips all over the place. It created more of a mess than I had in the first place. The best way I have found is to spray the bilges with degreaser in a pump type garden sprayer. Brush the surfaces the best you can and rinse. This is easiest when the boat is hauled, you can install a bilge drain and catch the residue for disposal. It is illegal to pump it over the side.
P.S. I just purchased a 1966 41' D/C flybridge M/Yacht yesterday.

[Spartonboat]

As a six year owner of a 1972 43' Hatt, you will probably tend to focus on appearance issues at first.

However, I recommend that you perform a thorough review of all wiring, esp. under the console and of bilge pumps. Etcs. ensure all wiring is ABYC, marine grade, and there is NO HOUSEHOLD or Automotive wiring.

Ensure all fittings at switches and terminals are marine grade closed eyelets, and esp. not just bare wire wrapped on a post. Get all wiring supported with clamps every 6-8"'s. Make sure all grounds are fully attached, esp. to the main boat grounds.

Inverters: Trace bought out Heart, so search the web for Inverter info or call B&R Marine/RV in Marshall, MI a Heart retailer. If you install an inverter, do not run the shore or genset power straight to the inverter, because the internal bypass relay in the inverter will not handle the full load of your main panel.

Ensure engine mounts are sound and have the engines flushed and refilled with good coolant. Are they Detroit Diesels. Then include Nalco in the coolant to prevent rust and sleeve problems. Also, for DD's, use ONLY straight 40W oil, with low sulfates. E.g., Texaco Ursa 40, Delvac 1240 or equivalent- do not use multigrade oil.

Ensure your transmission oil has been changed and do so annually.

Add Biocide to your diesel fuel.

If you are older, as you say you are, investigate the condition of all oil lines and fuel lines. They go bad internally and will not always look bad on the outside. Also, make sure water pump impellers are in good shape in the mains and genset. If they crumble, they can plug up water passages.

First two boat functions, 1) float, 2) go. Cosmetics are last, but fun.

50 years on the Great Lakes.

[Spartonboat]

P.s., good old Simple Green and a bristle brush, such as a toilet bowl bristle brush will clean most all oil and grease out. Also, for tougher, there is Purple Power (Blaster?) from auto parts stores that is good.

Buy a Wet/Dry Shop Vac that will "pump" water for cleaning out the bilges and under the engines. Works very well for that and a great investment.

[jim rosenthal]

I could not agree more with Spartonboat's posting on ER cleaning; I powerwashed the engine room and wished I had not. It made a mess and also damaged the porous soundproofing tiles. Use Simple Green or similar and a lot of time and elbow grease. I found that a pump sprayer with SG and a followup sprayer with water work well without getting water all over the place. The wet vac is invaluable; get the best one you can afford and at least 5gals otherwise you will be emptying it every two minutes. Awlgrip also makes a degreasing/prep solvent called Awlprep which works well, but it should be used with good ventilation.
Cosmetics are fine, but a dirty well-kept boat will still float and go and get you home, where a poorly maintained clean boat make leave you out there. Engines, plumbing, electrical, should be first and then nav gear and radios and then the appearance issues.
To his list I would add seacocks; all these boats are old and most of their seacocks are past their life. They are a miserable bitch to replace but the peace of mind is well worth it. Also clean, service and repack the stuffing boxes (all four, engines and rudders) and have the engine alignment checked early on. All of these things were learned by bitter and occasionally expensive experience.

[ranen91]

Congrats on your purchase. we are in the middle of a complete refastening of the topsides and a Sterling Paint job on our 1969 41' Hat. I have spent $2000 on just the paint, $3000 on re-chroming all the topside hardware, about 60 hours in removal of hardware, and preping boat for paint. we are only doing from the rub rail up this year. She is going to look great. We have already done many other upgrades inside as well as electricaly and mechanicaly. Please "E" me or call me with any questions you may have about yours as well as suggestions for me. Of course that goes for all owners and former owners.

Ranen Sherman
ranen91@usa.net
503 799 0143