Using a Shop Smith Mark V on a Chris Craft Roamer refit

[roamer46]

My ShopSmith came in handy again when I rehabbed the OEM engine room vent fan over several years and recently installed it. On a diesel boat the vent fan isn't necessary, as it is on gas boats, but the fan and hose were getting in my way so I decided to just install them. I upgraded the fan by making a nitrile-isolated hanger strap out of some 316 stainless I had laying around. I also repurposed one the of the hose clamps (also rubber-isolated) from the twin turbo and intercooled Super Seamaster gas engines that the boat was repowered with back in 1972. The clamp holds the strap to the motor, and the strap attaches to the cabinet framing overhead. So instead of having all that motor weight hanging off the plastic flange, like Chris Craft did (which broke), it's all nicely supported now. And the warning label on the repurposed clamp is a cool little Easter Egg: "MAINTAIN ALL 12 TURBO HOSE CLAMPS AT 6-8 FT. LBS. TORQUE. DO NOT OVERTORQUE."

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Engine Room Vent Fan

Cheers,
Q

Before


After

[roamer46]

I got back on the fuel system next. I assembled the fuel filter assemblies, then attached them to the manifold. They turned out real nice. This is good progress toward splashing the boat, which I hope will happen before November.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Fuel Filters

Cheers,
Q

[roamer46]

With the supply manifold and fuel filters done, next I bent a long stretch of 3/8" 304 stainless tubing to supply fuel from the manifold to the forward fuel tank. Rather than drilling more holes in the exterior and installing another fuel fill, I decided to just use tubing internal to the boat and fill the forward tank from fuel in the aft main tanks.

One question I still wonder about is how pros straighten coiled stainless tubing? Even the 3/8" tubing is impossible for me to straighten out like it was never coiled. I get it close, then use rubber-isolated p-clamps to hold the tubing in position and straightened out. If anybody has tips and tricks for straightening coiled tubing, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Forward Fuel Tank Supply Line

Cheers,
Q

[DLB]

With the supply manifold and fuel filters done, next I bent a long stretch of 3/8" 304 stainless tubing to supply fuel from the manifold to the forward fuel tank. Rather than drilling more holes in the exterior and installing another fuel fill, I decided to just use tubing internal to the boat and fill the forward tank from fuel in the aft main tanks...

How large is that forward tank? Any concerns with how long it will take to transfer it full?

- David

[roamer46]

The forward tank is 125 gallons, David. I'll use a timer and electric pump to transfer fuel...just turn it on and let it run.

Cheers,
Q

[roamer46]

In my quest to splash the boat before the end of boating season 2022, I'm wailing away on the fuel system for the main engines. I recently got the 304 stainless fuel return lines installed, connecting the bulkhead fittings to the on-engine hoses. Bending the tubing has given me great respect for the artisan skills of guys who do this for a living.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Bending & Installing Main Engine Fuel Return Tubing

Cheers,
Q

[roamer46]

I got the 1/2" 304 stainless fuel supply line bent and installed on the port side. The starboard side is a shorter run, with the on-engine hose connecting directly to the distribution manifold. I also bent the two supply lines that go from the bulkhead fittings to the fuel filter inlets.

It's coming together! It's entirely possible I'll be able to splash in late October!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Bending & Installing Stainless Fuel Supply Tubing

Cheers,
Q

[BuckeyeDennis]

Q, it’s been simoly amazing watching you pick up all the skills necessary to beautifully restore such a complex craft. Despite more trials than Job himself endured — from Mr. Good But Slow, through Bastard Thieves, freak storms, and last but not least, bastard bosses. I’d love to be at the launch party!

[roamer46]

BuckeyeDennis, that list perfectly captures almost every one of the low points of my journey. But you forgot the two year-long paperwork SNAFU, where I thought I'd have to give up because the US Coast Guard wouldn't transfer title to me. And there are other tribulations I haven't shared yet, one of which was truly awful. I'll leave that as a tease since I plan to write about the other...stumbles?... before long.

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement. If your calendar is clear in late October and Deale Md is within range, put it tentatively on your calendar!

[roamer46]

I shifted gears from the fuel system to the Fischer Panda 12kw generator, which has been sitting on the port engine stringers, same place as the original Kohler gasoline-powered unit, since 2009. I realized a few years ago that the boat was going to have a bad list to the port side because too much heavy stuff ended up being on that side. All of it--washer/dryer, air conditioners, black water holding tank--made individual sense placing them where I did, but cumulatively the port side is just too heavy. So I decided to move the genset to the other side of the boat. That raised a few engineering challenges, but I came up with an approach that I think will work well. This is an unusually text-heavy post, but there's a video at the bottom of me getting Egyptian and rolling the 420 pound genset (one-handed!) from the port to starboard stringers.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Fischer Panda Marine 12 Mini DP Genset

Cheers,
Q