Another busy week down at the yard and workshop

This week we saw the Shetland Black Hawk finished off and going on her sea trials to see that all the improvements had paid off and if there were any other work to be done to sort out any problems that were highlighted during the sea trials. Thankfully apart from a need to ballast the bow of the boat to help with the trim when at full speed the trials when well and the boat preformed well. At the end of the sea trials the owner took the boat back to his home to do the ballasting and after this is done we will go out and see if the amount of ballast needs increasing or decreasing accordingly to get the trim correct for the boat.

With the Shetland Black Hawk out of the workshop it was time to bring this old end of life boat into the workshop to strip the last of its fittings off and then cut the boat up to make garden furniture.

Then is was the turn of this fuel tank to be cleaned on the inside.

The fuel tank came up well and was as clean as it was when it was made and reay to go back in the boat as soon as the other work in the cockpit of the boat it came out of is finished and this will then be put back in it position and re-connected up to the fuel system.

This boat as just arrived and is in need of a bit of TLC, especially in the engine department and a repair to the side of the boat where it was holed by its owner.

While doing this work the mobile team have been out and about working on another Hardy 25 which was in need of a full engine service and length of rubbing strake renewing and larger scuppers making in the back of the boat to drain the cockpit easier. Then it as just got to get its new rope fender fitted back on and the boat can go afloat and the engineering team can run up the engine and ensure the engine is running correctly and will be ready for the sailing season.

It has been a busy week down at the yard and on the road

This week the owner of one of the boat's in the yard paid me a visit from the south west part of the country to discuss work on his boat and the list of work to be done. He took the cushion from the boat to get done near to his own area and so giving me more room in the workshop for other work.

Another owner came down to give me a few bits to finish off his boat which was finished off this morning with the steering getting sorted out on the boat with a change in position of the steering cable and a change in the way the steering was run through the boat and on the outboard motor end as well.

An old motor launch was picked up from another boatyard to be cut up to make garden furniture for its owner.

Also this week the engineering team refitted an engine in a yacht the team were working on so that the new owner can sail it back to his home port over the next few weeks after he is more familar with his new yacht and feels happy to sail it home with his crew.

Also while out and about the engineering team had to service an engine which was in a boat that would normally be easy enough, however the engine was fitted into the boat with the engine in the boat with the front of the engine facing far not forward as would be the norm. So it made fro interesting changing of parts which would otherwise easy a bit more difficult to do. It is not the first one that the team have come across and i am sure will not be the last. The same it true of the boat we have in the yard at the moment as it is one of this boats sister ship with the same engine setup..

While this as been going on there as also been time to put a few things around yard in better places and sort out the stock laying around the yard and put them in a more origainsed pattern for all the employees know where to go to get tools and stock from and not to waste time looking for things.

While out and about working one of our client's boats we had to remove a section of rubbing strake which I fitted 31 year ago while I work at the boatyard where the boat was orginally build and the only reason it was being replaced was it had been damage while it was ashore during the winter, so it was an easy job to replace as I still had some of the section profit laying around the yard from another one of these boats I had worked on in the past.

So next week it is going to be as busy if not more as the owners start to want their boats and yachts afloat and back in commission for the sailing serason.

Busy Monday morning down and the boatyard and workshop

engine serviced and heat exchanger replaced and now ready to put back in its yacht.

The yacht it is going back into and the recommissioning the yacht and the engine over the next few days.

All change in the workshop with the Shetland Black Hawk outside ready to commission the engine and connect up the steering. 

The clinker workboat is not repairable so it is being stripped down for spare and then will be disposed of  

A fishing dory in for some large bit of TLC and a good clean down and a glassfibre repair to the hull.

Updates to my J Star Boat Services website

Just updated my jstar boat services website to show what new projects the company are presently undertaking and the exciting job opportunities for a young person to become a boat builder within the company. The photos are of projects currently undetaken be the company. The work is challenging and varied and no two days are ever the same. So if you feel you are up to the challenge, call Simon on 07585506960 or send him your C.V. to jstarboatservices1@gmail.com.

The fuel tank is now removed and in the workshop to be inspected to see what can be done with it.

The fuel tank is now out of the boat and in the workshop to inspect the bottom of the tank to see why the bottom was fibreglassed over.

The inside of the fuel tank to try and clean out. If it can it would be good if after inspecting what is under the fibreglass matting does not give us any headaches.

A busy end to the week down at the boatyard and the workshop

The end of the week saw a few boat movements, which included getting an old harbour launch back to the yard to be broken up as it had come to its end of its life as a sea worthy boat. However, it is going to be used in a garden as garden furniture. So it will live on in a different place other than the high seas.


Another job that was put off until the end of the week was removing the fuel tank out of a motor cruiser we have in for a refit. The tank had a n amount of fuel in it which when it was removed was find to be contaminated with a black jelly like material. So next week got the  not very nice job of steam cleaning the tank out and deep cleaning the tank to get rid of any material in the tank that will cause it to return in the future.

During the week the engineering team  turned their hand to serving the brake system on a client's trailer. When it was stripped down it was found that the trailer had no brakes inside the drums and the activation levers that operate the brake shoes was a seized pile of rust which had to be brought back to life with a good bathe in diesel over night before going about freeing up the lever. After that it was the turn of the brake drum to get the treatment of cleaning off the beariing surfaces of the brake drums to ensure that the brakes when applied were going to work as they should.

The engineering team had to servie a small motor from a client's yacht that had a fault on the heat erxchanger that needed the part replacing and a full engine from top to bottom with all the filters and oils renewing as well as the v belt and one of the engine mount which had turned to a rusted unadjustable mount.

The other motor boat in the workshop is getting a few more bits added to the list of job, however, it should be finished by the end of next week and be out on the water the following week with its new owner ready for the coming sailing season. So allin all it as been a busy week and there are more to comning over the next few week.

Engine repairs by J-Star Boat Services Marine Engineering team

A Beta marine 13.5 hp diesel inboard in the workshop for a new heat exchanger as the old heat exchanger  front end plate was leaking and could not maintain a seal between the end plate and the body of the heat exchanger

So it was time to remove the faulty part from the engine after the engine had been removed from its yacht. the reason it could not removed in situ as there was not room to slide the heat exchanger off its stubs.

First job was to remove the v belt off the front of the engine so that the alterntor can swing out of position so that the heat exchanger can slide off its stubs  

The old heat exchanger off its stubs 

even new bits come with their own imperfections, this one being a bit of weld keeping the heat exchanger from sitting correctly on the engine block making it impossible to seal when bolted down in place

One of the engine feet was rusted away so could not be adjusted which when you are alining the engine is not good.

The New heat exchanger now in place and the engine just needs its oil and fuel filters and oil changing and it can go back in its yacht.

Tackling the fuel tank and heater and getting the front ready to replace the chain locker bulkhead.

The locker front removed to expose the fuel tank and the diesel heater above it in a very poorly made locker

This locker is going to be redesigned so that it is safer than it is at the moment

Looking into where in the cockpit it can be sited so it is out of the weather. 

The chain locker before it was removed 

The chain locker bulkhead removed, now ready to grind back the old fibreglass matting ready to glass in the new bulkhead

Removed the side lining carpets to keep the dust out of the material. 

The old bulkhead out of the boat in the workshop ready to make a new bulkhead out of the old bulkhead used as a pattern.

Making a start on the Chain locker bulkhead

The rot very visual and the cause appears to be the bolts through the bulkhead that were not sealed correctly and water ingress need the rest.

Cutting the old bulkhead from the inside first to remove the fibreglass bonding and then cut the other side once all the fibreglass is removed from the inside.

Chain locker bulkhead now out of the boat, now to start the messy part of the job, grinding the old fibreglass matting off the boat before glassing in the new bulkhead.

One of the first jobs this coming week, is to sort out this birds nest of wires and make it safe to use in the future

Like a lot boat that over the years as equipment fitted to it, there is no time taken to remove old wiring and instruments that are no longer working or are outdated by new equipment. So it is time to take the bull by the horns and sort this mess out and get it up to a strandard that is fit for working in a modern boat.  

The first job will be to sort out the 240 volt system from the 12 volt system and make it safe to use. Firstly by putting the batteries in a battery box that is vented.

Change the 240 volt system so it is up to date and safe to use.

The main job is going to be sorting out the locker into a better designed area with all the services to hand a easy to use.

Sort out the 240 volt sockets around the boat and put them in areas where they are not exposed to the elements

Sort out the engine bay electrics  so it is not just at run of odd wires going in all directions 

Also take out equipment that is not being used or is outdated that there are no spares available for them.