TOOLS OF A SAILOR: Another Use for an Inspection Camera

I've mentioned before how an inspection camera comes in handy for various projects on board. With the confined spaces on board a boat that are difficult to inspect a borescope or  Inspection camera is handy to have around. I've used it to inspect the inside of a fuel tank. I found another use this spring that shows a another use for the camera. Last fall just before Superstorm Sandy arrived I found one of my deck scuppers clogged and that the water on the deck was not draining. I was able to clear it enough so it drained but, I was not sure if I had cleared it completely. Then the other day just before I was heading down to the boatyard I thought why not use the inspection camera to see if my through hull drain hoses were all clear of obstructions. Why not indeed:

I tried the camera in several of the drains and did in fact discover that there were some reeds stuck high up in the galley sink drain hose:

There were some issues trying to get the camera up into some of the drains that had more severe bends in the hose run. But, I have a plan to modify the camera to make it easier for inspections of these drains in the future. I'll post about that sometime in the future.

MOORING IN AMERICA

There was good news and bad news this week about BIANKA's upcoming sailing season. In the mail from the town came the approved 2012 mooring permit. So BIANKA has a home port to come back to when not out cruising.  It's a sure sign that start of the season is in sight. There was more good signs as I pulled into the boatyard yesterday:

The good sign was that the moorings were starting to be lined up and the boatyard was getting ready to be put them out in the harbor. Some had new chain. Some had new pennant lines.  Some just needed a new coat out anti fouling paint.

Then came the bad news. My town requires that the moorings be inspected every season before they are dropped out of sight onto the harbor bottom. I think it is good idea and also makes sure that only secure and reliable moorings are dotting the harbor. Which may have been why there was so few boats lost or damaged in the harbor when Hurricane Irene came to visit showing us her bad side.  As I was getting out the car one of the guys working the boatyard came up to me and said I need to show something on your mooring. This is what he showed me:

Yeah, it's looking a little worn at the bottom shackle attachment point on one side where the chain connects to the mooring. BIANKA having survived Hurricane Irene might not be so lucky next time with the mooring  looking like this. Some of this damage might have been a result of riding the Hurricane too. So it looks like a new 300 plus pound mooring is in BIANKA's future along with some unexpected expense for Capt. Mike. Though it's still cheap insurance if another storm like Irene should head this way.

TOOLS OF A SAILOR: INSPECTION CAMERA

While an inspection camera may not be as used on board as often as say an Irwin 9 in 1 Multi Tool Screwdriver. It does work where other tools will not. There are many areas on a boat that once it is put together make it very difficult to get to and inspect. An  Inspection camera (borescope) is just the thing to use get to those places on board and without injury as you attempt to contort the body to look at places you can't normally easily get to for a visual inspection.

When I converted BIANKA to Electric Propulsion back in 2008 I drained the 30 gallon on board fuel tank of it's diesel fuel. I always had it in the back of my mind to convert the now empty tank into a freshwater wash down tank. So that on an extended cruise I might from time to time use it to rinse off after a swim or clean  and rinse the cockpit with fresh water without heading to a dock.  One of the things I wanted to do in making the conversion was to install an inspection/clean out port in the tank. But where to locate it? I was concerned that the fuel tank might have a baffle in it. If that was the case the location of the inspection port would be dictated by location and construction of the baffle. By using an  Inspection camera
I would be able to quickly find this information out. Below is a picture of the assembled camera:

The video monitor just slides onto the handle. Though on some models it can be used in a wireless mode detached from handle. I prefer to operate on the handle. 

The fuel tank had only one opening that was big enough to get a look inside. That was where the fuel sender unit was located:

But, even that was not that big of an opening. I might have been able to use a small inspection mirror. But, I'd also have to get some light in through the hole too with the chance of dropping either or both of the tools into the tank. With  the  inspection camera I used had none of these issues as it easily fit through the fuel sender opening and I could inspect the tank in a comfortable position:

By adjusting the camera snake and moving the handle I was able to quickly see there was no baffle in the fuel tank. [CAPT. MIKE NOTE: The images shown below are much clearer and have less glare when looking at LCD monitor screen directly as these images using an external camera.]
 I was also able to inspect various areas inside the tank such as the air vent fitting and the pickup point for my on board Espar diesel furnace which I will also remove when I convert the tank to freshwater:

I was also able to easily inspect the welds inside the tank too:

In short an inspection camera can be very useful on board to inspect water and fuel tanks and other areas of your boat that are not easily accessible. Besides the hand held typeof Inspection camera

 that I use there are other  types available like a USB model that connect to your laptop computer. Whichever you choose I think you will find that it is a helpful addition to the tools you have on board one that can help make difficult jobs in areas with limited access much easier.