"Every week there is something new" Week 4 re-post

I've spent about a month now doing all kinds of things from engine services and lot's of electrical installations too gel coat repairs and propeller and zinc replacements. It has been really awesome doing some of the things I've done and being a part of other lives and luxury's. I have got the chance to go out on sea trials on boats that other technicians that have done work on from both Tri County and Northwest Diesel Power two of the more respected marine diesel service companies in Bellingham. Along with going out on sea trials I've also got the chance to have many discussions and watch a lot of other technicians do certain things that have been commissioned out to other companies. This alone has been a great opportunity and I have enjoyed every minute I have spent learning from other technicians.


Below are a couple pictures of a 28ft CutWater that I was asked to install a solar panel  on. This was a fairly easy project mostly do to the fact that we had another boat that was exactly the same as the one I was working on. I wasn't able to get a lot of pictures but it took me a little over a half a day to mount and install the solar panel.(PS solar panel's get pretty damn hot when left in the sun...)

Below are some pictures of a 21ft Ranger tug boats engine that I had previously change the batteries, done an engine service only to find out I had a bad starter as you can see. I also have feeling that either me or some one else will be doing some more work on this engine. This little Yanmar has a lot of fight and still runs good but the belts are about to go and if you ask me having this much rust in the starter has got to mean that there's more rust some place and it is bound to cause problems.

 Here are a few pictures of some more down rigger plugs that I had to install on a 30ft Cutwater that unlike all other CutWater boats who already have the wiring installed this one didn't. This on the other hand gave me the chance to do all the wiring for a down rigger plug that I have done before. This required me to run wires from the plug to a breaker and then to one of the main wiring buses on the boat. Every thing went great and I was able to get this done correctly and on time.
My reflection for the week has got to be the learning of how to deal with other technicians on the phone and in person. We had a few problems this week with one of our charter boats and if the information had been conveyed correctly, there would have been a lot of time and money saved. Fortunately I was a part of the problem solving not the problem. It's all about being specific in what your dealing with and also being able to understand and explain certain things in certain systems to someone across the country. You have to know where to start so that you and the other person are on the same page from the start.....


Week 4
Hours 40
Total Hours 163