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Capt. Mike Holmes

Ernest, since I have basically the same gears - TD 5011A? - _ understand what you mean about not being able to get to all four bolt holes. To put it back in, my yard guy recommends using a prop puller in reverse from the back to "pull" it back in, which does put some pressure on the gear.

Capt. Mike Holmes

Ernesto, Bad deal. I have probably the same split couplers, hard to get on, even harder to get off. I pulled one of mine half off last year by running aground - might try that if you can do it without taking on so much water you sink getting to a proper sandbar. When I had to push it back, I tried m...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Pat, thanks for getting this out in the open. I never worried about mine, although various people suggested I beat hell out of them to check.

Capt. Mike Holmes

1962 was a "Very Good Year", as old Blue-eyes would have said. Heavier, soldi hull. Will probably run slower, but solid, very solid.

Capt. Mike Holmes

Mexican weather report: chili today, hot tamale! No figuring people.

Capt. Mike Holmes

Talked to one of our hydrotreating guys today. he said they have gotten down to 5 ppm in the lab. 15 ppm sulfur diesel is in the pipelines now, will be in the stations soon. The low lubrivity will likely damage older engines (2006 and earlier). This guy is recommending the refinery add biodiesel to ...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Or tennis pros!

Capt. Mike Holmes

John, I don't know beans about Cabrera, sorry. I'll try to start dropping by High Tech once a week or so and checking on your boat, though. Our survey buddy called last night, wanted me to fax him a written bid for your old tower, which i did. Haven't heard back today, maybe tomorrow. Are ya'll comi...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Randall, - or the boat was on a high!

Capt. Mike Holmes

Bruce,

Yeah, hydrotreating, and various catalyst changes to try to increase the effectiveness. Heads will probably roll before this project craps out. Me, I don't care about that, gave notice Tuesday that September 30 is my last day as a corporate slave.

Capt. Mike Holmes

JC, the engine mounted filter is AFTER the mechanical lift pump, on the pressure side, so it can be as tight as 2 microns on some engines with no problem. Remember, pumps push stronger than they suck, usually. 10 micron filters will work on a 6BTA, but will clog more quickly than a 30. Maybe this is...

Capt. Mike Holmes

There are signs at the service station diesel pumps saying it will be agianst the law to use the current fuel in 2007 diesel vehicles. The company I work for has no hope of meeting those sulfur specs anytime soon, that's one of our hottest research projects.

Capt. Mike Holmes

Fred Archer was a highranking rep for a tackle company and a boat show promoter before he "re-invented" himself as a "Charter" Captain and writer for SWS. Some of his tips are funny enough to be non-intentional humor.

Capt. Mike Holmes

Randall, I'd keep it sprayed with Rain-X or just silicon spray - water beads up and rolls off.

How is the fishing down there? I've got my back and my boat about ready to go, retirement date set at September 31.

Capt. Mike Holmes

But Unca Vic, you ain't got no barnacles in the Tickfaw, huh?

Capt. Mike Holmes

The pumps have a screen in the inlet that I don't think can be changed. If they don't have a filter in front of them, the warranty is void, and you might have to throw them away early. I wouldn't worry about pump parts in the lift pump as much as crap in the pump inlet. I've been running mine like t...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Think that's what I have, black housings, brass plate on the end? They have worked great, I wouldn't want to do without them.

Capt. Mike Holmes

Mikey. I'll see if I can get the name and model number of the pumps today. They are big 12v of a type the dealer says they sometimes use as main fuel pumps on big Detroits. I have one per engine. I really wanted them in front of the Racors, to be able to just pump fuel in after changing filter eleme...

Capt. Mike Holmes

As Bruce stated, 10 micron is too small for a filter on the suction side of the engine fuel pump - use 30 there. 10 micron or smaller works on the pressure side just fine. I run 30 micron filters in 900 series Racors on my 6BTA's - more filter capacity seems to work better than tighter filtration. T...

Capt. Mike Holmes

If Florida is like Texas, it is OK for a turtle to eat a grad student, but if the human threatened the turtle, there would be hell to pay from environmentalists and government enforcers.

Capt. Mike Holmes

I got my last Bertram hat the old fashioned way - I sucked up to a dealer at the Houston boat show. He directed me to get on the press section of their website to get on mailing lists, etc. It wouldn't let me on. After trying for a week, I emailed for HELP! Got a reply from someone who didn't have a...

Capt. Mike Holmes

It wouldn't be the first thing to not work for barnacles - seems like someone touted WD-40 for that years ago - but it's worth a try. The first product to really work at keeping growth off underwater metal should win the Nobel Prize. Mine looked like something salvaged from a shipwreck when we pulle...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Vic, I plan on quick hauling every month from now until cold weather, - cheaper than the extra fuel burn from the critters on the props. Be more than happy to try ome of the magic elixer, and i promise it will get a trial by fire. If you don't still have it, my mailing address is 3327 FM 523 Oyster ...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Bruce, sort of like, you fine me for safety and environmental problems, and I'll cut off your oil. The oil company I work for just reported 2nd quarter earning up 18% over last year, which was up 16% over the year before that - which was a record setting year for profits in itself. Rank and file emp...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Mikey, yes, a friend of mine with 6BT's in a 36 Trojan turned one turbo over - but he has lot's of room in his engine room. Don't remember which brand the flaps were. I'll look at the bag the next time I go to the boat, probably tomorrow evening. Spent all day with her. Changed fuel filters this mor...

Capt. Mike Holmes

One more thing, on the bootstripe, I raised mine higher, now have bottom paint over the chines. Bottstripe is no longer under water.

Capt. Mike Holmes

John, I was taking Black Sheep out for a creek run this evening, and Jeff P. yelled something to me about a tower as I coasted past his place. When we got in, I went over to talk to him. He said there have been no bids on your tower, and if nobody buys it after he's had it 90 days, he gets it for st...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Excuse me, I should have said the turbo (and air cleaner) is on the left, the exhaust elbow on the right! Take a look at the express on the jetty rocks in the photo posted here yesterday. Has a more modern windshield - a venturi type angled forward. Nice tower setup, also. Seems I remember when that...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Mickey, remembered a few things. If you go with 3" exhausts, I have a couple of the 5" rubber elbows for you. They are left over from when I straightened my exhausts. I did use one on the port engine, to get the exhaust headed towards the outboard side. I recommend using 45's instead of 90's where i...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Mikey, yesterday I found a pair of flappers for 5 - 6" exhausts in a boat resale shop down here, new in the bag, for $10/each. Sorry, they only had two. I agree with Bruce about splashing the boat to make sure of the waterline. We took some weight off mine during the repower, but like Walter I added...

Capt. Mike Holmes

JP, I agree , but haven't used surge tubes, for a couple of reasons. I don't do that type of anchoring, is the main one. I am planning to add exhaust flappers, instead of surge tubes, because, to be honest, I don't think the tubes would hold all that much water before allowing it go go to the engine...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Mikey, I have 5" straight exhausts. The 6BT's are not that loud, I don't consider the noise excessive. I had mufflers, took them off, can't tell the difference. 5" is enough, just make sure they are as straight as possible. Any sharp bends or excessive elbows will cause back pressure problems. I kno...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Rawleigh, you are obviously remembering the trips on Lil' Bert out of Port Eads!

Capt. Mike Holmes

Russ, pretty sure that is the 5050A. This is an even heavier transmission than you need, but I think it basically replaced the old 502. The only other one I know of smaller is the 5011A, which is probably too small. I had a 5011A fail while nearly new, and almost never got Twin Disc to honor the war...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Todd, Pete Fallon has a 1961 express 31 for sale in nearly pristine original condition, with EFI 454's - low hours. The express is much easier to handle for the helmsman without a lot of help than a flybrige, and Petes's gets more speed than you are asking for. Pete is a marine surveyor, charter ski...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Bravo, Bruce, you correctly read the problem as brown water, not smoke. Puzzling. We get some brown water in the creek here, but it doesn't come out the exhausts with noticeable color. Not that I sit back there and watch it much. People curse me, also, but until now, I didn't realize what the proble...

Capt. Mike Holmes

Dug, don't use the small 5011A Twin Disc gears, theyaren't rated for that much power. Go with the bigger, and more expensive gear - don't remember the number right now. I am using 5011A's in 2:1 ratio, with 1.5" shafts, turning 22 x 24 3 blade Nibrals with my Cummins, which are probably around 260 -...

Capt. Mike Holmes

I hearby officially change the nickname from "The VERY Famous Uncle Vic" to "Panama Vic"" Thye'll be naming hats after him next, and when he finds a nice retirement spot down there and moves, I'll take a shot at being his neighbor!

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