Engine Installation on the Far Reach

[John Stone]

Lower half of storm anchor bracket for stock and shank fits good. Made a template for the top part that will fit together to hold anchor in place in case of a roll over.

Got first part of “wedge” bracket epoxied in place in aft bilge that holds one of the end of the flukes in position. It will be molded to fit precisely. Will epoxy forward end tomorrow. All things in due time.

Fuel hose for tank installed. Doubled clamped per ABYC. Shelf modified to fit. Still need to build mahogany box to hide hose. Still need chafing guard for 12v wiring over tank. Just a long list of tasks. Slow and steady wins the race. Keep your eye on the prize. If it was easy anyone could do it. Junk yard dog and and all that stuff.... Grrrrrr.....

[John Stone]

I made the top bracket that fits over the lower bracket to secure the Luke stock and shank in place on the outboard side of the starboard engine bed. I made a template from doorskin ply and a hot glue gun. From the template I fabricated the part with some 3/4” and 1/4” sheet fiberglass I have on hand. Used west epoxy to lock it together. Turned out very good. Snaps in place. I think I’ll just drill two holes through and use pull pins to hold it in place.

I more or less have the Luke fluke in place. Needs a little more work, a layer or two of 10oz biaxial, and a little nub added with hole to secure the thing with a 1/4” line. I built in some slop for rubber strips to tame the vibration with the engine running—something I never had to worry about before. The drip pan will fit above the fluke. It want removing Luke to be “simple”... I can lay on the sole and reach back under the pan and pull the lanyard to release the line securing the aft end of the fluke. At least I think I can. Couldn’t figure out any other place to put the fluke near the centerline and down low. I have a small canvas bag that fits on top of that water light compartment down in the bilge just past the forward fluke. The bag holds about 40’ of spare chain, my drogue swivel, spare galvanized anchor shackles and such.

Might install the seacock next then the drip pan next then the 12v panel. Should be able to install engine after that.

MTF

[tjr818]

John, please don't take this wrong, but are you sure you can get that fluke out of there with the engine in place? This is starting to look like a Japanese Puzzle box, all very fine delicate wood work.

[John Stone]

John, please don't take this wrong, but are you sure you can get that fluke out of there with the engine in place? This is starting to look like a Japanese Puzzle box, all very fine delicate wood work.

Oh ye of little faith....

Well, you never know for sure till it’s all in place...but, yes, I think so. The engine is actually pretty small for the compartment. 26” long with tranny, and 14” wide. It’s only 13” above the engine beds and 4” below.

The engine I took out of the boat was a humongous Perkins 4-108 50hp at just over 540lbs. This is a 260 lb engine at 25 ponies. So lots of room.

Nonetheless, my fingers have been crossed since last Sept when I started this project.

[John Stone]

TJR
One more thing that occurred to me that is prob not obvious to most folks is my engine sits higher than the stock engine did. Maybe by as much as a foot. Remember the prop comes out above the rudder not down low inside the old aperture location. So, correspondingly, there is more room under the engine than before.

[tjr818]

Thanks John, I should have realized that andI know that you always plan thoroughly and thoughtfully. I guess I was picturing the very limited space in our 27 under the YSM8.

[John Stone]

Appreciate the vote of confidence. I’ll know soon enough. LOL. Until I get the oil drip pan installed it all academic.

[John Stone]

Built a template from doorskin ply and the laser level. Downward slope is 2” over 26”’ish run. Plan to make the water catch for the stuffing box separate. Tight fit for the Luke. I think I can make the drip-tray removable. But I also don’t want it rattling under the engine. Much to consider. Hmmm.....

[Jim Walsh]

Will you have room between the forward end of your drip pan and the closest forward bulkhead to place an empty container for used oil to empty directly into? It’s great that the newer engines have hoses to empty the crankcase but it’s handy to have a shelf which holds your dirty oil container securely. Nothing worse than spilled dirty crankcase oil.

[John Stone]

Will you have room between the forward end of your drip pan and the closest forward bulkhead to place an empty container for used oil to empty directly into? It’s great that the newer engines have hoses to empty the crankcase but it’s handy to have a shelf which holds your dirty oil container securely. Nothing worse than spilled dirty crankcase oil.

Jim
Yes. Also, all that space to the left, over the anchor shank, in the photo is open. I should have good access to the engine except tight on the port side. They tell me there is not much to get to on that side.


Have you test run that refer? Any opinions yet?

[Jim Walsh]

Will you have room between the forward end of your drip pan and the closest forward bulkhead to place an empty container for used oil to empty directly into? It’s great that the newer engines have hoses to empty the crankcase but it’s handy to have a shelf which holds your dirty oil container securely. Nothing worse than spilled dirty crankcase oil.

Jim
Yes. Also, all that space to the left, over the anchor shank, in the photo is open. I should have good access to the engine except tight on the port side. They tell me there is not much to get to on that side.


Have you test run that refer? Any opinions yet?

I have. It’s been very cool and very windy so far. I left it on for a few days just to be certain there were no issues. It was maintaining a temp of 36° and using 5 to 6 amp hours very 24 hours. That’s with daytime temps in the 40’s and 50’s and a water temp of 45°. It’ll be interesting to see the amp hours consumed as the season progresses.

[John Stone]

Will you have room between the forward end of your drip pan and the closest forward bulkhead to place an empty container for used oil to empty directly into? It’s great that the newer engines have hoses to empty the crankcase but it’s handy to have a shelf which holds your dirty oil container securely. Nothing worse than spilled dirty crankcase oil.

Jim
Yes. Also, all that space to the left, over the anchor shank, in the photo is open. I should have good access to the engine except tight on the port side. They tell me there is not much to get to on that side.


Have you test run that refer? Any opinions yet?

I have. It’s been very cool and very windy so far. I left it on for a few days just to be certain there were no issues. It was maintaining a temp of 36° and using 5 to 6 amp hours very 24 hours. That’s with daytime temps in the 40’s and 50’s and a water temp of 45°. It’ll be interesting to see the amp hours consumed as the season progresses.

Well I for one am very keen to hear how it performs when you are operating in warmer weather and what you think about it overall. Was looking forward to a report from the warmer waters of Bermuda. Alas, we are going to have to wait for that till next year I think.

[John Stone]

I worked on the drip pan a bit more today. I make a mock-up from the doorskin template. I decided I could angle the forward lip of the tray about 30°. That shortened the length of the bottom of the tray, without shortening its overall length. That seemed to do the trick. Also, with tall sides to the tray I can still push it back about two inches providing even more access below when needed. Best of all, I can remove the whole tray. Just pull it straight out. Engines set low in the boat, like the original Perkins, would have prevented removal.

I’m thinking I can glass in little one inch long drip wings angled down about 30° positioned above the top edge is the sides so any drips that land on the beds will be channeled into the tray vice dripping down between the beds and the tray.

Rattles. Not sure how to address them. I have some thin rubber I purchased from McMaster Carr. It comes in various thicknesses and in different size sheets. I have some about 1/16” thick to 1/4” thick. Good stuff. That might do the trick.

Should I install a hose barb in that front face. Or a bolt screwed into tapped threads? Any reason why I’d ever want to drain something out of the tray vice remove it?

[tjr818]

. . . Rattles. Not sure how to address them. I have some thin rubber I purchased from McMaster Carr. It comes in various thicknesses and in different size sheets. I have some about 1/16” thick to 1/4” thick. Good stuff. That might do the trick.

Should I install a hose barb in that front face. Or a bolt screwed into tapped threads? Any reason why I’d ever want to drain something out of the tray vice remove it?

A couple of well placed Dzus fasteners should quiet any rattles and they are very quick to undo if you need to slide the tray out.

I don't know how the oil filter setup is on your new engine, but on a Westerbeke you can count on oil in the drip tray every time you change the oil filter, sometimes so much so that a well placed drain hole or hose bib would be much appreciated. I now always put a few sheets of Pig Mat into the drip pan before changing the filter. ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004I ... UTF8&psc=1. )

[Jim Walsh]

I’d install some type of drain in that front face. Even a small bilge drain plug like the ones used on small powerboats would be useful if you popped a coolant hose. A smooth opening might be cleaner than a threaded surface like a garboard plug. One of those,in bronze, would look real cool but unnecessary.
If you used the drain tube and drain plug seen here https://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?p ... id=3934689 you’d have less than seven bucks invested.