Universal Atomic Four Engine - Maintenance

Keep up with the routine maintenance

Change the oil every 50 hours of engine use and before laying the boat up for the winter. Acids build up in the oil and these will attack your bearings if left in the engine over the winter.

Change the water pump impeller annually, preferably in the spring. The rubber blades harden over time and pump less efficiently (possibly not at all). Even worse, they can break off and lodge in the cooling passages of the engine. It's better to change it. Be sure to keep a spare on board, in case of emergency. You can't run the engine without it. By the way, the impellers can harden even if they've never been used, so keep your spares fresh.

Tune up the engine annually. This is mostly a matter of replacing simple parts, and can be easily accomplished even if you're not a mechanic. I recommend replacing the spark plugs, points and condensor every year and the distributor cap, rotor and spark plug wires every two or three years. Keep spares of all these items on board at all times. Also, you should have a spare coil. If you have a fuel filter (which is highly recommended), make sure you have a spare filter element, too.

If you need more help or other parts

The first stop should be your local dealer. Develop a good relationship; it'll be worth it.

If you don't know your dealer, you could call the closest Westerbeke distributor to find one. Or, contact:

        Westerbeke Corporation
	Avon Industrial Park
	Avon, MA 02322
	508-588-7700
	Fax: 508-559-9323
	WTBK@aol.com

Offshore Sailing by Bill Seifert with Daniel Spurr

We went to a Windjammers lecture to hear Bill Seifert and I was impressed enough to buy the book on the spot. I've heard a lot of people talk about ways to improve a boat, but I've never heard one person suggest so many good ideas that I hadn't considered. Part of the charm is the specificity of the suggestions. Everyone says you should secure your floorboards, hatchboards and batteries. Bill shows good suggestions on how to do so.

The suggestions are very practical for the do-it-yourselfer, too. Many show how to make or adapt inexpensive solutions. Tip #12 on closing the deck blower vents is one that will pay off for me without ever going offshore. I'll implement that one to stop the wintertime storms from finding their way belowdecks.

Besides modifications, the book also includes advice for operating offshore, cooking, boat selection, dealing with bureaucracy, and more.

Bill Seifert has worked at Tartan, TPI, and Alden Yachts. He's a veteran of many Marion-Bermuda races and now runs his own yacht management company. His tips are born of experience--not of book-learning--and it shows. He obviously knows his stuff.

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Page last modified: Friday 03-Feb-2023