Operation Maintenance



Flax Plant



Flax Packing Material



Rudder Shaft Packing Box



Ketchikan proved to be a good location to resupply the galley, buy supplies, get haircuts, receive mail from home, take care of laundry, and work on maintenance items including adjusting the rudder shaft packing material.  Shaft packing material prevents water from coming into the bilge; a cap is tightened down to compress the flax material around the shaft, creating a close fit.  In our case, Leonard tightened the nuts, which pulled the cap down to compress the flax for the starboard shaft.  Flax packing material is made from the fibers of the Flax plant.  Flax fibers are extracted from the "bast" or skin of the stem; it is lubricated and impregnated with tallow and paraffin for marine use.  Flax fiber is soft, lustrous flexible bundles of fiber with the appearance of blonde hair, hence the description "flaxen hair."  Other uses include linseed oil made from Flax seeds.  After Leonard made the compression adjustment, I turned the wheel in the helm to accuate the rudder while he checked to see if the small leak had been corrected – a successful operation.  Another maintenance item completed was changing out the filter for the hydraunic heat system on the boat.  The Webasto Furnace & Hydraunic Heating System is “space heating” that uses hot water (with antifreeze in it) that circulates through pipes and hoses with blower units in each room.  When the boat is not underway or running, the furnace burns diesel fuel to heat the water; and when the boat is underway, heat from the main engines heats the water.  The filter for the heating system maintains the right PH Level (base acid level) in the water so acid does not eat at parts in the Heat Exchanger(s); this filter needs to be replaced annually.  Another example of managing a system that uses water.    



Used Filter for Heating System Removed


 






New Filter Installed for Heat System



Thermostate Control for Heat Furnace