Engine Installation on the Far Reach

[Jim Walsh]

Nice job. Agonizing over the minutia will pay off in the long run. The results will be well worth the additional effort.

[John Stone]

Nice job. Agonizing over the minutia will pay off in the long run. The results will be well worth the additional effort.

Thanks Jim.

Well, I would not call it agonizing. I’d call it thinking it through, planing the details, double checking the math, considering risk, and moving forward.

Very few decisions I have ever made do I look back on and second guess.

I have always tried to apply what my dad used to say to us. “Make the best decision you can based on the information you have available and don’t look back.”

When I chopped the hole into the boat for the shaft log and cut four inches off the top of the rudder I was committed—like Cortez burning his ships on the beach.

If it was a mistake and I’m not happy with the engine I know I thought it through and made the best decision I could. At this point, I’m looking forward to seeing how it all works out.

[John Stone]

All engine bed holes drilled and tapped. First section of Soundown barrier installed. I used #10 SS is head and fender washers. No glue.

I’ll remove the wood blocks for the filter and strainer mounts and give them two coats of grey paint. I need to install the fuel line and fuel cut-off. Unless I forgot something, next step is to install the engine.

Keep moving....

[John Stone]

Engine installation is dead in the water so to speak. I was told two days ago there has been a COVID outbreak at the boatyard where I work on the FR. I don't know the details. It was over on the boat-building side. But, there are few places for cross contact such as the chandlery. I developed a cough last Friday. I thought, and still do, it's fall allergy related. No other symptoms. But, I went ahead today and got tested at the naval hospital. Get the results back in a few days. So, I am in quarantine for next five days (they told me 10 days from the time the first symptoms showed).

Not much I can do boat related. Working on the shed in the backyard. Install engine next week.

Be safe everyone.

[Jim Walsh]

Can’t be too careful with this plague. Good luck.

[Keith]

Hi John,

Hope that you stay COVID free!!!

Keith

[John Stone]

Thanks Jim and Keith. Test came back today. Negative. All clear. Plan to install the engine Thursday.

[John Stone]

Just dropped the engine in. Took 12 min from trailer to engine beds. We used a fork lift with a chain fall. Cost was $75 for fork lift rental.

I’m glad to get it in there. It’s tight on the port side as I knew it would be. But I have time to line everything up over next week or so. Might be shifting back to the shed we are building in the backyard. Priorities. Too many balls in the air.

It been a long time getting here...though we still have a ways to go.

[Jim Walsh]

Nice! The heavy lifting is complete.

[wikakaru]

Congratulations! A big milestone!

[John Stone]

Thanks. So far. So good.

I installed all 8 bolts through the feet and into the holes I tapped Into the beds a week ago. Everything lined up. I was curious. So I installed the cutlass bearing and pushed the 1”OD fiberglass tube I used as a shaft mock up. I crawled back into the boat and slipped on the rigid shaft flange to see how everything lined up. Absolutely dead on. All the way around. All bolt holes lined up. Shaft turned smoothly. I knew that I had done this right. I have been careful and thoughtful and as precise as a Grunt can be throughout the entire project so I was confident it would work but even I was surprised it married up perfectly. I shot a video but can’t post it on the forum.

Of course I will install the flex coupling later with the actual shaft and there is no packing material in the stuffing box but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I am pretty darn happy about it. I think I’ll have a Guinness tonight.

[Frenchy]

Very nice, John. One little tip I can offer is to torque the clamping bolts on the prop flange carefully and evenly.
Because you have a split flange like I do, it's possible and easy to move the flange out of perpendicularity with the
shaft. I found this out the hard way. You can use a table showing correct torque settings for different size bolts. -Jean

[John Stone]

Very nice, John. One little tip I can offer is to torque the clamping bolts on the prop flange carefully and evenly.
Because you have a split flange like I do, it's possible and easy to move the flange out of perpendicularity with the
shaft. I found this out the hard way. You can use a table showing correct torque settings for different size bolts. -Jean

Jean, you mean just torque the two flange bolts evenly? No problem. The flex coupling also came with tightening sequence info and torque specifications. I can also call Beta on the flange since that is their product. Good reminder. Thanks.

[wikakaru]

Ahh, perfection! Nice job!

[Keith]

Congrats John,

I'm sure that you throughly enjoyed that Guinness maybe even a second!

Keith