Omega 828 "Aruna"
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EWV
- Bosun
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:15 pm
- Location: United Kingdom
Re: Omega 828
Update on Aruna.
Not as much progress has been made for several reasons including long hours at work, moving house, Coronavirus lockdown and life in general.
Having said all that things are progressing well with Aruna and I am very happy with the work that has been completed so far.
The boat has been pretty much completely stripped inside and out of everything that isn't staying. The old Ford Mermaid engines and Borg Warner gearboxes are out and have been sold. Everything has been taken out of the cockpit of the boat including the floor and fuel tanks. I have replaced large sections of the main watertight bulkhead between the cabin and cockpit. I’ve also had the engine hogs, stringers, bulkheads and hull under the cockpit beefed up with additional fibreglass. All the fibreglassing has been completed to a very high standard by a friend who does this for a living, he has also flow coated everything below the level of the cockpit floor so it is completely waterproof. Hopefully the fuel tanks, engines, gearboxes, cockpit floor, engine box etc can start to go back in soon.
The replacement engines have been purchased (2 x 4.2 litre diesel Yamaha ME422's - 245hp each), the refurbished gearboxes (ZF63A's) have also arrived as have the different bellhousings (from the Yanmar 6LP) required to link the engines and gearboxes. I have purchased all the items to service the engines and replace the cambelts (including tensioners and idler pulleys). Once this work has been done the engines and gearboxes will be resprayed before being fitted in the boat. I have also obtained new engine and gearbox decals so they should look perfect when finished.
The deck fittings and original teak deck covering have all been removed/stripped. I have nearly finished preparing the fibreglass deck for the new deck covering. This will be a synthetic (immitation) teak deck. I plan to fit a replacement rubbing strake in teak wood.
I have also cut out and removed all the flooring supports inside the cabin as most of them were damp/soggy and have replaced these with new marine ply floor supports which will now be fibreglassed in place and flow coated.
So, still lots to do, but as I say I am very happy with everything that’s been completed so far and I am really enjoying working on the boat and planning the project.
Not as much progress has been made for several reasons including long hours at work, moving house, Coronavirus lockdown and life in general.
Having said all that things are progressing well with Aruna and I am very happy with the work that has been completed so far.
The boat has been pretty much completely stripped inside and out of everything that isn't staying. The old Ford Mermaid engines and Borg Warner gearboxes are out and have been sold. Everything has been taken out of the cockpit of the boat including the floor and fuel tanks. I have replaced large sections of the main watertight bulkhead between the cabin and cockpit. I’ve also had the engine hogs, stringers, bulkheads and hull under the cockpit beefed up with additional fibreglass. All the fibreglassing has been completed to a very high standard by a friend who does this for a living, he has also flow coated everything below the level of the cockpit floor so it is completely waterproof. Hopefully the fuel tanks, engines, gearboxes, cockpit floor, engine box etc can start to go back in soon.
The replacement engines have been purchased (2 x 4.2 litre diesel Yamaha ME422's - 245hp each), the refurbished gearboxes (ZF63A's) have also arrived as have the different bellhousings (from the Yanmar 6LP) required to link the engines and gearboxes. I have purchased all the items to service the engines and replace the cambelts (including tensioners and idler pulleys). Once this work has been done the engines and gearboxes will be resprayed before being fitted in the boat. I have also obtained new engine and gearbox decals so they should look perfect when finished.
The deck fittings and original teak deck covering have all been removed/stripped. I have nearly finished preparing the fibreglass deck for the new deck covering. This will be a synthetic (immitation) teak deck. I plan to fit a replacement rubbing strake in teak wood.
I have also cut out and removed all the flooring supports inside the cabin as most of them were damp/soggy and have replaced these with new marine ply floor supports which will now be fibreglassed in place and flow coated.
So, still lots to do, but as I say I am very happy with everything that’s been completed so far and I am really enjoying working on the boat and planning the project.
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EWV
- Bosun
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:15 pm
- Location: United Kingdom
Re: Omega 828
I am very much looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday evening for the Western Ports Laying up Supper at the wonderful Thurlstone Hotel and thought it would be a good time for the first update regarding Aruna in over two years.
It’s fair to say the process of refurbishing this boat is taking much longer than I had initially hoped, but then since buying her I have got married, had two children, lived through a global pandemic and moved house twice, the second time into a large old house which I am also currently renovating. It's fair to say that Aruna has taken something of a back seat. Having said all this, a lot of work has been completed since my last update.
This summer I added several additional layers of fibreglass to the whole deck (two layers of biaxial fibreglass cloth and one layer of chopped strand mat) as it was a bit springy in places and I wanted it more rigid. This went well and has certainly made the deck and whole boat more rigid.
I have refinished the topsides with Alexseal Yacht Coatings finishing primer and premium topcoat – products I would highly recommend. Next summer I’ll finish the whole boat including the super structure and fit the new windows which I have had made.
The engines (2 x Yamaha me422) have had the cooling systems fully rebuilt including new heat exchangers, new timing belts (including tensioners and idler pulleys) and had the other belts replaced as well as being fully serviced. The refurbished gearboxes (ZF63A's) have been coupled up with the engines which required different bellhousings (from the Yanmar 6LP), spacers and new drive plates. I have also fitted new oil coolers for the gearboxes. The engines have not yet been fitted to the boat.
I have rebuilt a lot of the interior including redesigning the forward berth which is no longer a V berth and now just one large berth.
I’ve also started the process of refurbishing the radar arch which a previous owner, who I understand that he ran a car garage specialising in reliant robin cars, made himself. I really like the look of it on the boat but it was in a poor state - the wooden core was saturated and rotten in parts and the fibreglass skin was blistered and cracked in places.
After taking the radar arch off the boat I completely removed all the old wood core from inside it and added extra strength in the form of layers of biaxial fibreglass cloth and cross strand matting and installed two conduits for wires. I then bonded new wooden sections into the lower part of the radar arch will finish off the rest of the new core with closed cell marine foam before refinishing and then finally painting to match the rest of the super structure.
So, a lot has been done but there is still an awful lot left to do. I'm not planning on getting much done now until the spring/summer of 2023 but I will get there eventually!
It’s fair to say the process of refurbishing this boat is taking much longer than I had initially hoped, but then since buying her I have got married, had two children, lived through a global pandemic and moved house twice, the second time into a large old house which I am also currently renovating. It's fair to say that Aruna has taken something of a back seat. Having said all this, a lot of work has been completed since my last update.
This summer I added several additional layers of fibreglass to the whole deck (two layers of biaxial fibreglass cloth and one layer of chopped strand mat) as it was a bit springy in places and I wanted it more rigid. This went well and has certainly made the deck and whole boat more rigid.
I have refinished the topsides with Alexseal Yacht Coatings finishing primer and premium topcoat – products I would highly recommend. Next summer I’ll finish the whole boat including the super structure and fit the new windows which I have had made.
The engines (2 x Yamaha me422) have had the cooling systems fully rebuilt including new heat exchangers, new timing belts (including tensioners and idler pulleys) and had the other belts replaced as well as being fully serviced. The refurbished gearboxes (ZF63A's) have been coupled up with the engines which required different bellhousings (from the Yanmar 6LP), spacers and new drive plates. I have also fitted new oil coolers for the gearboxes. The engines have not yet been fitted to the boat.
I have rebuilt a lot of the interior including redesigning the forward berth which is no longer a V berth and now just one large berth.
I’ve also started the process of refurbishing the radar arch which a previous owner, who I understand that he ran a car garage specialising in reliant robin cars, made himself. I really like the look of it on the boat but it was in a poor state - the wooden core was saturated and rotten in parts and the fibreglass skin was blistered and cracked in places.
After taking the radar arch off the boat I completely removed all the old wood core from inside it and added extra strength in the form of layers of biaxial fibreglass cloth and cross strand matting and installed two conduits for wires. I then bonded new wooden sections into the lower part of the radar arch will finish off the rest of the new core with closed cell marine foam before refinishing and then finally painting to match the rest of the super structure.
So, a lot has been done but there is still an awful lot left to do. I'm not planning on getting much done now until the spring/summer of 2023 but I will get there eventually!
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Ben
- Admiral
- Posts: 1692
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 7:05 pm
- Location:
Re: Omega 828
Thats a lovely set of machinery!
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Ed B
- Cabin Boy
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2023 12:50 am
Re: Omega 828
Hi Edward
Any new updates on progress?
Any new updates on progress?
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EWV
- Bosun
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:15 pm
- Location: United Kingdom
Re: Omega 828
Only just read this a few days ago.
Yes, work on Aruna is continuing and going well! This summer I have finished rebuilding the radar arch, which has probably been the most time consuming single item I have ever worked on. Having said that I am very happy with the result. I loved the look of it on Aruna when I first saw her and I feel it is a bespoke feature of this particular boat so I am delighted to have rebuilt it. The radar arch will also be home to the echomax radar reflector (with built in all-round white light) as well as the VHF and FM antennas. It is also an integral part of the canopy, so it is also an important functional item.
I have also repainted the superstructure in white using Alexseal yacht coatings paint and am very happy with the results.
The new windows are due to be fitted within the next week and the templates for the new imitation teak deck are due to be made up soon.
On the mechanical side of things I have recently had both diesel pumps and the injectors on the Yamaha ME422 engines fully rebuilt/refurbished as they weren't running right but are now absolutely perfect.
So in short lots done, loads still to do. Aruna takes up a lot of my time, countless hours of thought and plays havoc with my finances - and I absolutely love it!
I'll try to put some pictures up at some point.
I'm reluctant to put a date on when I hope to have her in the water as I have got so many other commitments and I don't want to force myself into a deadline but I will keep making as much progress as possible.
Yes, work on Aruna is continuing and going well! This summer I have finished rebuilding the radar arch, which has probably been the most time consuming single item I have ever worked on. Having said that I am very happy with the result. I loved the look of it on Aruna when I first saw her and I feel it is a bespoke feature of this particular boat so I am delighted to have rebuilt it. The radar arch will also be home to the echomax radar reflector (with built in all-round white light) as well as the VHF and FM antennas. It is also an integral part of the canopy, so it is also an important functional item.
I have also repainted the superstructure in white using Alexseal yacht coatings paint and am very happy with the results.
The new windows are due to be fitted within the next week and the templates for the new imitation teak deck are due to be made up soon.
On the mechanical side of things I have recently had both diesel pumps and the injectors on the Yamaha ME422 engines fully rebuilt/refurbished as they weren't running right but are now absolutely perfect.
So in short lots done, loads still to do. Aruna takes up a lot of my time, countless hours of thought and plays havoc with my finances - and I absolutely love it!
I'll try to put some pictures up at some point.
I'm reluctant to put a date on when I hope to have her in the water as I have got so many other commitments and I don't want to force myself into a deadline but I will keep making as much progress as possible.
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EWV
- Bosun
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:15 pm
- Location: United Kingdom
-
EWV
- Bosun
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:15 pm
- Location: United Kingdom
Re: Omega 828
I managed to get a recent picture of Aruna small enough (in data terms) to share!
Now I know how I will post some more going forward!
Now I know how I will post some more going forward!
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EWV
- Bosun
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:15 pm
- Location: United Kingdom