Cleaning Rigging Tunnel with Abrasive Ball
Posted: Sat May 04, 2024 11:23 am
An improvised tool to clean a rigging tunnel is shown below in FIgure 1.
I found this tool at HARBOR FREIGHT, described as an "abrasive ball" of 4-inch diameter. Using a rasp I trimmed the abrasive ball to be a snug fit in the inside diameter of the rigging tunnel. I then attached the abrasive ball to a drill using a flexible extension. With [this improvised tool] I was able to clean the rigging tunnel to my satisfaction.
VERY LONG BACK STORY
I just bought a 1985 17 Montauk that was a little neglected so I've got an ever growing task list to get her seaworthy.
The 1985 MONTAUK 17 has a 2005 Yamaha 90. When I went to crank the engine, I turned the [ignition] key: the console gauge showed 86 hours--loving this. When I turned [the ignition key to START] [the console gauge] went out, and nothing happened).
Later I found the harness power conductor (red) to have a high resistance (250 kiloOhms). Resistance of other conductors were near zero (as all should be). So that explained [the lack of starting], there was enough current to power the gauge but not when cranking.
Everything was pulled out of the rigging tunnel. The steering cable was bad, too. I found evidence of a critter residence, and likely that same critter munched on [the electrical cables].
My next step was to clean the rigging tunnel. First. I used a water hose with a flush nozzle.
Next I pulled thorugh some balled rags. But my endoscope still showed some crud. [Then I implemented the tool described above to finish cleaning the rigging tunnel.]
I found this tool at HARBOR FREIGHT, described as an "abrasive ball" of 4-inch diameter. Using a rasp I trimmed the abrasive ball to be a snug fit in the inside diameter of the rigging tunnel. I then attached the abrasive ball to a drill using a flexible extension. With [this improvised tool] I was able to clean the rigging tunnel to my satisfaction.
VERY LONG BACK STORY
I just bought a 1985 17 Montauk that was a little neglected so I've got an ever growing task list to get her seaworthy.
The 1985 MONTAUK 17 has a 2005 Yamaha 90. When I went to crank the engine, I turned the [ignition] key: the console gauge showed 86 hours--loving this. When I turned [the ignition key to START] [the console gauge] went out, and nothing happened).
Later I found the harness power conductor (red) to have a high resistance (250 kiloOhms). Resistance of other conductors were near zero (as all should be). So that explained [the lack of starting], there was enough current to power the gauge but not when cranking.
Everything was pulled out of the rigging tunnel. The steering cable was bad, too. I found evidence of a critter residence, and likely that same critter munched on [the electrical cables].
My next step was to clean the rigging tunnel. First. I used a water hose with a flush nozzle.
Next I pulled thorugh some balled rags. But my endoscope still showed some crud. [Then I implemented the tool described above to finish cleaning the rigging tunnel.]