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At the February 2002 maintenance seminar,
Towney described the techniques he uses to remove and replace the
engine. After removing all the connections to the
engine, he constructs a beam across the companionway with a couple of
two-by-fours.
To keep this from sliding, he fixes some blocks of wood
with C-clamps on the aft side.
From this beam, he hangs a come-along
which is fastened to the lifting eye on the top of the engine.
From the
same lifting eye, he connects a block and tackle to a point aft of the
engine. This tackle can be made of cheap hardware store components.
Holding the tackle, he lifts the engine with the come-along and then
slowly eases the tackle until the engine is hanging vertically. Then he
shifts the block and tackle and uses it to pull the engine forward to a
table of two-by-fours laid across the settees. (Someone asked about the
possibility of making a mess of the cabin, but Towney covers everything
with plastic before starting.)
For reinstalling the engine, Towney
works in reverse. Because the new boats use bolts that thread into
buried nuts for the engine mounts, Towney created some guide pins from
spare bolts. He cut off the heads of these bolts and then cut screwdriver
slots in the top. These are screwed down into the mounting points and
the rubber pieces (cut from tire sidewalls) and shims are placed on top.
The engine is lowered down on these temporary pins. Once everything is
in place, the pins can be unscrewed and the original bolts replaced.
To jockey the engine around for shaft alignment, Towney recommended a
"chinese jack."
This consists of a basketball, deflated until it fits
under the engine. Then, to move the engine slightly, the basketball is
inflated until the engine lifts just enough. This allows the engine to be
moved around and for the shims under the engine mounts to be adjusted.
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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.
(Note: commissions earned from this link help defray the costs of this website)
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