Firefly test

Hi Dan and Pete, I think I have this blog thing figured out. Here's Firefly in my boatshop in NC. The next photo is of Firefly on the west coast of Florida about a month ago, on a little island named Cabbage Key.

Volvo Outdrive Precaution

I got some SW intrusion into the lower unit last summer (the oil was getting milky, a sure sign). Here are some photos of my outdrive after only being in the SW for 4 months. Those lovely mussels that we love to eat also love the lip seals between the bearing box, and the propeller shaft. It was nearly $1700 to tear the unit down, flush it out, add new lube oil, and replace the seals. I was fortunate no bearings or gears were damaged. However, as a matter of course, the bellows, and cone clutches were replaced. This summer, I plan either to: 1. Use a plastic bag to encapsulate it and "marinate" the lower unit in chlorine, or 2. Pull the boat, and remove the propellers for cleaning in the area about every 1.5 to 2 months.

Be sure to maintain all annodes to prevent electolytic damage, and be sure your bellows are in perfect shape.

Arundel 27

This is a test for Pete's ARUNDEL blog.

Please send me any engine cover cushion pictures, I am having one made now

Also, I made the photos too big, i.e., "extra large" on the last post.

damage to outdrive after bellows leaked

The previous owner spent 12k getting the outdrive fixed in 2009.  He gave me the itemized yard bill. It was 7k in labor alone on Cape Cod. He had it on a mooring on Cape Cod for three seasons and never checked/replaced  the bellows and got sea water in them.  He also never took the outdrive down so the bolts were all corroded in place. So I am paranoid about checking the bellows now.

There was also an electrolysis problem because one of the bonding wires was not hooked up correctly.

test post 2

You can type in text or add photos or videos once you are an "author" I invited John and Pete you to be authors for the test run.

test blog

this is a test