Engine Installation on the Far Reach

[Jim Walsh]

Very nice. Looks like you used the non-perforated style clamps also, well worth the price. I’ve been using those little rubber caps on all my hose clamps since I tired of donating blood every time I stuck my hand in a tight spot.

[tjr818]

John, I am worried about the location of the exhaust flange. Won’t the exhaust often be under water? When Far Reach is rocking in a seaway that flange will be pounding into the water. Exhaust gases and oily soot will certainly stain the hull in that location.

[John Stone]

John, I am worried about the location of the exhaust flange. Won’t the exhaust often be under water? When Far Reach is rocking in a seaway that flange will be pounding into the water. Exhaust gases and oily soot will certainly stain the hull in that location.

Hi Tim. Concur. My concerns too. I tried every option I could think of to use the original location. But, there was no way to make it work without severely impacting access to and usefulness of the lazarette storage locker. I have been told the under the counter location is a very traditional and tried and proven location. I understand with the engine running submersion is not an issue. I have planned for a very high loop in the exhaust hose per the Beta installation manual. There is some danger of back flooding when sailing offshore. That’s precisely why I am installing a 2” ball valve in the exhaust hose I can close to preclude any possibility of water being pushed up into the exhaust snd overflowing the waterlock muffler and getting into the engine.

Re sooting. It was a concern for a long time. But, I had to let it go. I’ll do my best to keep it clean. It’s less unsightly than the outboard engine.

Some pictures below of two of Olin Stephen’s great boats—Comet and of course Dorade. Note the location of the exhaust flange.

[John Stone]

Exhaust flange hole cut. I also recessed it about 1/8” so the head is mostly flush. There is a little space for 3M 4000 bedding compound squeeze out.

Then I taped up the flange and waxed it good. I abraded the area under the backing plate with a power sander and 80 grit. Then hit it with 40 grit on a sanding block. Sanded the backing plate. Wetted out the hull and backing plate with neat epoxy. Then gooped on epoxy thickened with 406 silica and snugged the nut down. I filleted the squeeze out. Put a heat lamp in it.

One more thing checked off the list.

[SVFayaway]

Just want to drop in again and say what an inspiration this thread is. Every shot of your boat, inside and out, shows care and craftsmanship. Little details, like that recessed exhaust outlet, inspire me to think more carefully about my own work and to keep trying until I'm happy with the results.

I had a boat with the exhaust outlet in that location, a Rhodes Swiftsure, which was an incredibly well built boat. The exhaust on my 28 is under water any time I'm motoring at any speed above idle. I don't imagine you'll get much soot on the hull with that new Beta. I do, but I have the original MD2 which smokes quite a bit.

[John Stone]

Just want to drop in again and say what an inspiration this thread is. Every shot of your boat, inside and out, shows care and craftsmanship. Little details, like that recessed exhaust outlet, inspire me to think more carefully about my own work and to keep trying until I'm happy with the results.

I had a boat with the exhaust outlet in that location, a Rhodes Swiftsure, which was an incredibly well built boat. The exhaust on my 28 is under water any time I'm motoring at any speed above idle. I don't imagine you'll get much soot on the hull with that new Beta. I do, but I have the original MD2 which smokes quite a bit.

Aww shucks. Glad to hear you find the thread is useful.

[John Stone]

Didn’t get much done today. Rain and 45°. Tomorrow is more rain and 40° for the high. At least we have power. So many people getting smashed and without heat or electricity due to the winter storms. Dangerous conditions. Lots of unhappy people. I would be too. I have family in TX. No heat or water there.

I popped the exhaust flange out of the hole. The backing plate was nicely cured. I scrubbed it with some fresh water and dried it with clean white paper towel to remove the amine blush. Then I touch up the area with some grey Bilge-Kote paint. I also installed a zerk fitting in the specially tapped hole in the four Groco IVBF Seacocks and greased them with small grease gun. Couldn’t be easier. It’s a great system. I am very happy with them.

I took some measurements to modify my pram hood. I’m not going to the boat tomorrow. Not in all this unending rain. Probably work on the pram hood and putz around in the shop. Still thinking about the battery plan. I found a good source for the Trojan T105s for $160 each and free shipping. Half the price of the Lifeline AGMs. Still thinking.... TTFN.

[John Stone]

The Groco 2” pipe to hose barb 45° for the exhaust ball valve arrived in the mail. I bought it from boatid.com. Waited about 8 days to get it. It didn’t come in a box but in a plastic envelope. The dang thing was bent. Arrrghh. I called them and they were nice enough. Shipping me a new one but it will be another 8-10 days. In the mean time I can install the tank vent line and sort out the battery boxes. Plenty to do.

It was a nice day today. About 65°F. So, G and I took our small 14’ skiff out to Bear Island State Park. It’s a pristine barrier island. We worked up into some very skinny water. We poled the boat through water about 4” deep. Walked the beach for a couple hours. Collected some shells.

Tomorrow I’ll mill the iroko for the port cockpit locker frame that needs to be rebuilt.

[Jim Walsh]

What am I looking at in the second photo? Looks like the port side cockpit locker.

[John Stone]

That you are Jim. I reused the original frame of the port locker lid during the rebuild. It was not in great shape. I epoxied the joints together and they finally failed when I was crawling in and out of the locker last month. Not unexpected. I made a new frame for starboard locker during 2009-2015 rebuild. I have found that epoxy and teak are not great together if not protected under varnish or paint...just as Larry Pardey said in his book on wooden boat building. He caught a rash of crap for that but I think he was right. Normally I use resorcinol for something like that but at the time it was cold and the joint was not that tight.

[Jim Walsh]

That you are Jim. I reused the original frame of the port locker lid during the rebuild. It was not in great shape. I epoxied the joints together and they finally failed when I was crawling in and out of the locker last month. Not unexpected. I made a new frame for starboard locker during 2009-2015 rebuild. I have found that epoxy and teak are not great together if not protected under varnish or paint...just as Larry Pardey said in his book on wooden boat building. He caught a rash of crap for that but I think he was right. Normally I use resorcinol for something like that but at the time it was cold and the joint was not that tight.

Aha....now I can clearly see what isn’t there...I’ve had a dribble there since I bought my boat but I have successfully resisted the urge to remove and rebel the locker coamings until now. Now you’ve made me feel guilty. Added to the list once it warms up.....

[John Stone]

Gorgeous here last two days. Did not get much done as it was so nice just to feel the sun and look at the bright colors. The birds were singing away.

I milled the quartersawn Iroko I am using to build the new frame. The pieces are cut a little long and about a 1/4” extra wide. I plan to make this frame as strong as possible since I crawl in and out of that locker to get to the space behind the engine. I will build the corner joints with dovetails and glue them up with resorcinol (Aerodux 185). Resorcinol is the only glue that is waterproof, heat proof, freeze proof, and boil proof. And Aerodux is good fir curing down to 50°F I think or maybe it’s 60° F. You can also mix in some fillers. However, it’s best to have tight joints. It also has to be clamped pretty tightly.

I built all three of the dorade boxes out of teak and aerodux resorcinol and left them bare. No sign of any weakness in the joint.

I milled the entire plank to the same thickness so I could cut some practice dovetails to make sure I have the jig set up correctly. The Iroko plank cost $44. Took me an hour to set up the jointer and planer and mill the wood. I expect I’ll have three or four more hours in the project spread out over a couple days.

[John Stone]

I’ll keep the engine thread going here but I moved the cockpit seat locker frame rebuild to its own thread. You can find it here.

http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=37798

[John Stone]

I’ve been fussing with the routing of the exhaust hose through the lazarette to the exhaust flange. I can route the hose to the port or starboard side of the flange. I have been playing with both over the past week. I decided to route the hose to port.

I placed 1/2” blocks on the cleats the shelf sit on to raise the template up equal the the shelf’s top surface. Then, I used my hot glue gun and 1.5” wide strips of doorskin ply to make a template for where the exhaust hose and flange pass through the shelf. Then I removed the template, laid it over the ply shelf, traced the pattern and cut the section out with a Bosh jig saw. I used my cabinet makers rasps to fair the holes and a make some room for everything to fit. The shelf can still be removed. Loss of storage space due to the hose is minimal. I will epoxy some wood blocks to the hull and then secure rubber covered clamps to the exhaust hose to secure it firmly in place.

I also purchased a stiff four inch long 2” ID stuffing box hose to connect the heavy 2” bronze ball valve to the hose barbed exhaust flange. But the on-line retailer I purchaed it from had a major mix up. The part arrived yesterday but look at the photo below. The label says 2” ID. But my caliper indicates the ID is 1.75”. It doesn’t fit. It took three phone calls but the company is sending me a new one second day air with no cost to me.

[Jim Walsh]

Nice work. 1 3/4” vs 2”........you got hosed.....