Americas Cup

[Grumpy]

Interesting seeing the results from day one in Bermuda.
Sir Ben Ainslie and Landrover share the lead with the Yanks on 3 points while my hopefuls, team NZ got walloped by Oracle and trail behind on 1 point along with Japan and the others.
Could this be sure sign of who the finalists are come the end of the challengers series?
Are there any hidden performances to come or as per expectations are Sir Ben and Spitill ? ( damnable New South Welshman) sitting pretty and have it all sewn up and farewell to the also rans. All the hype and money and hoopla out the window.
Reading the reports in the Daily Mail and Telegraph it all seems a strong possibility.
Meanwhile I'm down the back , showers here there and everywhere and all the rain is wet , trying to get my new bitsa together,
Top end a silver century block and ignition and from the exhaust pipe down an LLS century.
Having to think about everything . Repair or replace a lot. Unknown to me the previous owner has added a silver cent block to an otherwise straight LLS and reattached the Villiers carb by means of a reduction plug and a long cable. I'm cleaning and replacing from the gearbox up and also replacing all the top end with wipac ign etc and the amal carb. I've never worked on the pistons and ignition before so slow slow I go.Then slower again.
I know I'm going to get there , having developed some skills perserverence and outright bloodymindedness and above all patience from onsite here.
That patience matter is above all else, is the winner, something foreign to me.
Get cheesed off, down gears and inside for a siesta or a coffee instead of throwing bits everywhere.
Even take a week or more off.
If its not done today nobody gives a hoot.

[Nudge]

Good to see you on here again!

Your not wrong about the dam rain! I just hope it stops so we can get down the waikato next weekend!

I missed the racing today, I will have to see if it is on Youtube!

Looks like the brits need to learn how to drive there boat! that is the second time that they have crashed!!! I wonder if they will get there boat fixed for tomorrow.

Are you wanting to rebuild that motor as an LLS or a silver? If you want it to be an LLS I have a block you can have that is in good condition.


Edit: looked at youtube then made a comment.

[Grumpy]

Thanks Nudge.
Have decided to go for the silver cent top end, better nick and hopefully better performance.
Have 2 wipac ign units too so chances look good there.
Only have LLS bottom end but are changing the drive gear to a latter model which has 4 holes to allow better lubrication inside as against the original no wholes and the oil having to squeeze its way around the edges.
Then I'm going to use the original 4 bladed weed cutter prop because I like it despite it being less efficient than the hydrofan one.
All in all I estimate I should end up with a seagull capable of turning at say 1000rpm and reaching speeds of say 2knots downwind. Or could you give me your racing props and carbie?
Better than going backwards.
Reading online here I noted how to anneal the head gasket and did so after any head removals. seem alright.
Lately I pick up suggestions one should always replace with a new head gasket.
Any polite words there.
Enough on that.
Americas cup, seems my hopefuls might still be in with a chance and Sir Ben might be stuck with a wild beast of a cat or he (with a smile) could consider changing to the old Top Gear crew of Clarkson Hammond and May as they used to batter old caravans and buses around old race tracks .
Bet the repair bill are slightly different in cost.
Still, if it comes right he has to be a big threat.
In the meantime (and another even bigger smile) I bet the others either stay adrift or risk everything and race ahead to stay clear of danger.

[Nudge]

Where did you find that sunshine to be able to take a pic like that?
Are you able to post a better pick of the prop? What markings are on it?

Reading online here I noted how to anneal the head gasket and did so after any head removals. seem alright.
Lately I pick up suggestions one should always replace with a new head gasket.
Any polite words there.

I always annel my head gakets (only use the copper ones) I have only ever used one new gasket. If you are conserned about the gasket leaking, use some high temperature silicone seal. I get it from Super cheap. only use a small amount!

Are you looking for an Amal carb?


I will have to look on Youtube before I can comment on the race.

[Grumpy]

Thanks Nudge but amal carb not needed.
We had a period of great sunshine the other day which I took advantage of. Warm as, winter lurking.
Just another perk of living out here in the wild west.
The prop shown , 4 bladed is marked "100 only"
Do you have an interest in it?
Its yours if so . Definitely.
Have put up another pic showing the brass reduction plug used by the previous owner to run a Villiers carb on a silver cent block.
Don't know how good it went.
Will be sticking to annealing the brass h/gaskets.

[Nudge]

Do you have an interest in it?
Its yours if so . Definitely.

100% I have interest in it!!!

If you need to heat those head gaskets to anneal them or need any other help give me a shout! (I will be home for the long weekend now, The waikato event has been canned again) Damn rain!! the river is still over full!!! (just under the 7m mark!

I also have a few other bits and bobs if you need anything else give me a shout.

Didn't mean to derair your thread Sorry!

[Grumpy]

No worries at all Nudge.
The prop is yours gratus.
The green paint is very very expensive though.
would you like it removed or could I do some damage?
Will get it to you come birthday weekend or when visiting rellies shoreside. If you need it promptly
I 'm not moving on my bitsa construction until I go through most of the problems ahead and at least have a plan of action.
Changing my mind on a few matters already.
a. Going to use a standard accelerator lever for the silver cent amal instead of the more unusual lls Villiers one. Pity.
b going to retain the lls chrome exhaust, 90% ok.
c got to get a crank gasket
d thinking hard on using a 102 round petrol tank .
the tank it came with is a real mess.
Reckon I can arrange installation with out the standard round tank supports
e need some work on the outboard bracket. Both top and bottom driveshaft attachments are splattered and I sure
I can alter later model bits , imperfect also unfortunately,to work.
I can see at this stage that I will have to ensure there is no other member of the SOS around when I take this machine out for a trial.
Perhaps somehere high in the Southern Alps in some glacial lake.
Or wear dark dark glasses and not understand English

[Nudge]

The green paint is very very expensive though.
would you like it removed or could I do some damage?

If the paint is where the money is leave it be!

got to get a crank gasket

I can sort that for you ... Swap for the prop?

thinking hard on using a 102 round petrol tank

What is your plan for holding the tank to the head lugs? Are you needing an ovel tank?

I can see at this stage that I will have to ensure there is no other member of the SOS around when I take this machine out for a trial.
Perhaps somehere high in the Southern Alps in some glacial lake.
Or wear dark dark glasses and not understand English

Too late, I already know aabout it... so you are going to have to show it to me!

[Grumpy]

Another fine day, unusual for June but accepted..
Nudge, thought hard and long and have come to the decision to give you the green paint too.
Just can't stop giving.Anyway providing the crank gasket is not expensive I'll take it otherwise I will send away for a new one.
Just sold my 14ft 6in fiberglass luxury runabout , 60 hp Johnson, and are flush with moolaa..
Well actually just enough to squash all the butterflies in my wallet to death.
Did'nt get much but even that small runabout was starting to become a financial hole in the water. Sad but economically satisfying.
Now , spent an hour or so down the back trying to confirm my idea of fitting a round petrol tank to the new beast.
The simplest idea so far is to use the original lugs bending the bolt hole end 90degrees and bolt that into the normal s/century tank holes in the head gasket. These lugs have 2 holes but I will only bend the lug just past the first hole. Then of course use the lugs normally with the circular brackets.
If that is not strong enough I can either make up a bracket or revert back to the proper oval tank setup.
Know I have some of those brackets lugs but gotta find them.
I will keep in touch and if still ok will come across next weekend.

[Nudge]

I will keep in touch and if still ok will come across next weekend

That's All good with me, I will give you a call tomorrow night after work (Friday) and we can work something out.

[Grumpy]

I'm very happy to see my team NZ has got through to the finals
In the lightish winds today they seemed to fly and it seems they developed the boat for similar or slightly heavier weather.
I wonder though whether there was some extra propulsion hidden below.
A forty minus in the bilge ?'
Having to compete with Yankee money, skills and decisions by 2 leading Aussies plus 2 other top Kiwi sailors makes me shudder though.
I wonder also what is yet to come.
Have spent the week trying to clean up my main garage to prepare a useful area to get at my seagull overhaul in a proper manner.
Seem to have ended up with more stuff that I started with although I have refound some stuff I gave as lost years ago .
Feel proud I can now walk reasonably safely into the garage with only a minute chance of stumbling and ending up stabbed to death by something horrible.
Be the missus is just as pleased.

[Oyster 49]

Glad to see your trip hazards are reduced!

If found the Americas cup interesting to watch. However ive lost track of it as an international event now the uk have left. Is it still going on?

[Charles uk]

There will be a Kiwi on the winning boat for sure, as every boat seems to have at least 1.

I was there for the first week, & couldn't see or understand anything until I got in front of a TV, not much of a spectator sport!

Lucky I went for the Seagull race, & that was cut short twice.

Sorry no pics, I was too busy bailing!

[Grumpy]

Americas cup still on????
While the guts of this contest has been ripped out with the unfortunate and decidedly unlucky demise of the only genuine sailor and sportsman involved ( no names) it has obviously been decided by higher authorities to carry to the end perhaps hoping to justify the outrageous costs already spent
A futile gesture but understandable.
Yes, this contest is absolutely not a spectator sport but being designed for the big screen . Don't suppose i'd be watching if team NZ was out.
Here , because I am unwilling or unable to connect to Sky TV I only get snippets for this and for the big game that haunts these regions.
If I'm lucky I get replays of some events. A lot of time i'm back to the 1950's and 1960's listening to my chosen sports on the Marconi.
Just heard the Americas cup finals will be on free to air tv with a 90min delayed replay.
Understandable also when costs and all are considered but it surely must have some effect down the line.
Us working class have yet to fully learn when to shut up and to be truly grateful for what we have and what we get.
Pays your money or begone. All said with a smile.

[Grumpy]

I'm only writing this because I know all you Okkers, Morris dancers, Leek eaters, Haggis swallowers and all the genteel Irish Gentlemen, will be starving for the latest news of the Americas Cup . Two up, easy wins, for my team.
Barring some repeat sideways shifty behaviour theres a fractional chance I may see large coloured sails in the sunset flogging around at high speed out in my local Waitemata gulf in the next few years.
Won't that be exciting for everyone?
Meanwhile I have to disappear down to the garage in this morning heavy pea soup which is clogging up our cities airport.
Makes one so happy to be alive.
See a container ship off Japan has collided with an American destroyer causing some loss of life and some damage.
I recall reading that Destroyers are built for speed and usually are of a very light construction compared to other naval vessels.
Could be a factor in the amount of damaged sustained although being hit by 20.000 tons must hurt.