Engine Installation on the Far Reach

[Jim Walsh]

Just wondering. Since you retained the tool drawer, which was designed around a steamer tray, have you insulated between the tool drawer and the top of the engine? That tray would absorb a lot of radiated heat.

[John Stone]

Just wondering. Since you retained the tool drawer, which was designed around a steamer tray, have you insulated between the tool drawer and the top of the engine? That tray would absorb a lot of radiated heat.

Hi Jim. That’s a good question. The short answer is yes.

The long answer is I built a box attached to the under side of the workbench that surrounds the drawer. The tool drawer slides as before but the box fits around it. I made it so I can attach the same Soundown insulation to the outside surface of the box as I did to the engine space bulkheads. So it should be well insulated from engine heat.

The steamer tray/ tool box can be pulled completely out. The work-top is also hinged so it can be lifted up to give better access to the engine. I used brass snap-apart hinges so the top can be completely removed with the box that surrounds the drawer and the attached insulation for the best possible access to the engine.

I have not been to the boat in at least two weeks since I am going full bore on the shed to get it completed before winter arrives here. I’ll get back to the boat soon and complete the engine installation. Looking forward to getting the boat put back together. Can’t wait to see how it all works out.

The pictures below are not a great depiction but it’s all I have. The first has the work bench upside down with the box attached. The bottom photo show the work bench with the attached box under it (you can see inside) and the drawer sitting on top of the work top.

[John Stone]

I have not done a thing in weeks on the Far Reach. I have worked on the shed a lot or a little everyday. Without the CD forum I would probably go insane. Since the last post we built and installed the doors. We got 95 percent of the trim completed. We got lots of big heavy shelves built. I built the ramp a couple days ago. My shop is a wreck. I have some tools in the truck, some in the shop, some in the shed, some on the boat. But I think I am mostly finished with the shed. I need to install the door latch when it arrives in the mail. Tomorrow I start putting my shop back together and getting my tools ready to get back to the boat. Gayle and the kids (back home from college on Christmas break) will prime and paint the shed and move all the stuff over there from the garage. They can address landscaping and all the other land lubber stuff I try to avoid like the plague.

The next picture will be something on the boat. LOL.

I am so ready to get back to work on my boat.

[John Stone]

Finally, back in the saddle. I won’t bore you with getting side tracked on repairing our garage damaged two years ago during Hurricane Florence. I put it off long as I could. But there was just no getting around it anymore. So as soon as the shed was complete Gayle and I installed insulation, sheet rock, mud, tape, paint. But it’s complete. G is happy so I am happy.

Just before Christmas I made it back to the Far Reach. She was wagging her tail pretty hard she was so happy to see me. The feeling was mutual.

I cut a piece of 1/2” okoume ply for the front of the engine box based on the doorskin ply template I made back in the middle of Nov. Yes, sadly, it’s been that long. I test fit it. Good to go. Brought it home to the shop. Today, I cut to length some African mahogany staving I had milled last summer in anticipation of this project. I will epoxy the staving to the ply so the front of the engine box matches the rest of the interior. The trick with epoxying staving to ply on only one side is as the epoxy cures it will shrink and bend the ply...the final product won’t be flat. So, to counter it I milled some white oak left over from when I built the tiller years ago. White oak is super hard and is great wood. It’s hard and stable but does not generally glue that well. I milled the wood so it was mostly quarter-sawn so it will resist the epoxy’s attempt to bend the ply then secured it to the back side of ply with SS #10 x 1.25” flat head screws. The Soundown insulation is the same thickness as the oak cleats so once it’s installed to the ply it will all work out. Satisfied with how the cleats fit I removed the fasteners and applied Tite-Bond III glue to both surfaces and reinstalled the screws. Then I added a couple clamps just because.

Tomorrow, I’ll epoxy the staving to the ply. When the epoxy is cured I’ll take the panel to the boat to test fit and determine the exact placement of the single step it will support.

[ghockaday]

I think you may like tinkering as much as you enjoy sailing. Dennis

PS, We are hoping to go tomorrow. Sailing, not tinkering.

[John Stone]

Mahogany staving epoxied to front cover of engine compartment.

[Jim Walsh]

Do you actually mechanically fasten each stave after the epoxy has set and finish with a bung? Nothing wrong with a “belt and braces” approach in the marine environment.

[John Stone]

Do you actually mechanically fasten each stave after the epoxy has set and finish with a bung? Nothing wrong with a “belt and braces” approach in the marine environment.

Most all the staving I installed in the boat is secured with epoxy and a fasteners. After I removed the screw clamps I redrilled the holes, countersunk, install fasteners and then install bung.

One or two places I did not use fasteners as the ply was thin. This is 1/2” ply and the staving is 3/8”. With the counter sink the wood to penetrate is only about 3/4” thick. So normally no fastener. But, I drilled the fasteners opposite the cleat so I can install longer fasteners.

If I have enough 1” fasteners I’ll probably install them. My thinking is epoxy does not like heat. So the fasteners could be helpful. The reality is I don’t think it makes any difference. But nothing too strong ever broke.

[John Stone]

I left the panel clamped for two days to ensure the epoxy was cured hard. When I took the clamps off the panel was dead flat. Next, I removed the screw clamps then trimmed the staving smooth to the ply with a flush cut router bit. Next I drilled for and installed quarter sawn mahogany bungs. I installed #8 SS 1” flathead screws and glued the bungs in with Tite-Bond III. Tomorrow I’ll trim the bungs with a chisel, sand, and take the panel to the boat to test fit. While there I’ll determine the position for the step that will be secured to the panel.

[John Stone]

Spent most of the day at the boat.

Test fit the front engine panel. The fit was perfect. No trimming required. I’ll take it home to mount the step and begin varnishing.

Installed the prop shaft and temporarily mounted prop blades. Looks great. Photos attached. Looking forward to trying it out.

Spent about two hours thinking, measuring, making a platform for the waterlock muffler. It’s seems a good plan. I’ll epoxy it in place next trip back to the boat.

Bad wx arriving. Happy New a Year everyone. I’m not saying anything about 2020. So many folks had it much much worse. Many folks have taken a real beating. I wish everyone a prosperous and healthy 2021. Stay safe. Can’t wait to get back out on the water.

[John Stone]

More propeller pictures. You can see the offset pretty clearly.

[Jim Walsh]

That new prop is a thing of beauty.....

[John Stone]

Thanks Jim. It will definitely be interesting to see how it works. Still got a ways to go though.

[John Stone]

Today I built the platform for the Vetus waterlock muffler. Tomorrow I will epoxy it in place. It’s as out of the way as I could come up with. The inlet is directly under the engine exhaust outlet.

Will also try to get the prop shaft stuffing box packing installed tomorrow.

[Frenchy]

Looks great, John. You're in the home stretch now. Superb workmanship all the way round. - Jean