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Further woes - removing an engine via companionway and boom


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And at the end of five nice days out in the Gulf, we returned from Hooks Bay under engine (no wind), lunching at Man o' War (husband points) and then to Clevedon.  On arrival, engine oil level had dropped about 500ml during the day, and the majority of it was found in the bilges.

So the 2QM20 has to come out for a rear main seal replacement (minimum).

To do this, I have to unbolt it from the gearbox, disconnect all the usual cables, wires, hoses and sundries, pull it forward out of its lair, then lift it, and swing it over to the jetty.  Sounds so easy and its a job I've done often on cars, but without the complexity of being afloat.

I figure it can be lifted on the boom, but once lifted, it would then require the boom to be swung over the jetty and the engine to be coaxed further along the boom far enough for it to drop onto the jetty and not into the water.

Has anyone done this and can you give pointers please?  Or is there an different approved method?

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Yeah, some good youtube vids around.  The lift out of the companionway is around 1/2 way along the boom.  I'm figuring stop there, reposition lifting gear to allow the drop to the jetty.   Rehoist the engine, use the traveller and mainsheet to control the swing (boat is sure to heel and control is EVERYTHING at that point) and the chainblock to control the drop.

I'll probably use a timber strongback on the top of the boom as well to spread the point load of the chainblock out a bit.

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Ye we did ours pretty much the same though was up in a craddle on the hardstand. We used a rigging lifting strap thrown over the boom and chain block. Got it to xyz position, released tension, shimmed the strap further out, hoist push out, repeat. We have a 3YM30 so similar in weight. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same again with the boat in the water.

2 person job but saved a Hiab in and out.

 

 

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the trick is use the boom (or spinnaker pole)as a compression strut.

First, check the gooseneck is solidly fixed and (after removing mainsail and disconnecting boom vang)will allow the boom to pivot to whatever height you need to have a straight drop from its end down the hatch (suggest using both topping lift and main halyard for security).

Assuming all good connect your lifting device (i prefer a chain block or come-along for better control rather than just a block and tackle) to boom end, lift the motor out, then once clear you can lower and swing the boom to offload the engine. When I pulled my engine out the boom was off the boat so I used the spinnaker pole (it is 100 dia so solid) attached to the boom vang base, using same procedure and was very quick.

By the way I would not bother taking the gear box off in the boat, easier to do it once engine is out unless there are particular space constraints going thru the hatch  -it would have gone in the the gearbox fitted 

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You'll be surprised how easy it is to move an engine, if you get a couple of good crow bars / pinch bars. Also get a wide assortment of timber blocks and plank like bits, for sitting and sliding along on, and for leveraging the crow bars in just the right spot. If you really wanted, you could slide it out to the companion way and jack it or crow bar it up onto enough blocks of wood, then slide it out through the hatch, one end at a time, one block of wood at a time. Probably easier to hoist it though. 130 kg is fairly light. The engine we pulled out was 280 kg. Easy enough to shift around by yourself, i.e. from the engine bed out to the companion way. Easier with two people though.

Long crow bars are good for lots of leverage, but being a boat, you'll need a short one also, cause of the lack of space...

If you wanted a Hiab and were on this side of town, I'd recommend Jimmy from CanDo lifting. He took our old engine out and put the new one in, but we were on the hard then, and not in a marina. About $130 each move.

 

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No Problem to do this. Ive done it multiple times with engines up to about 300Kg. If the mainsail is loose footed, no need to remove it, just a strop around the boom. Yes, as MH says above, use the topping lift and halyard for security, and I use a loop around the boom so the load is not entirely taken by the (normally cast) boom end fitting, and maybe a worn shackle eye.

 

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Thanks everyone, especially mh for the fullsome description and basic physics!

After thinking it through last night I agree - easier to release from the prop shaft and pull the entire engine and gearbox.

Definitely a chain block - no chance of a slip and crashing descent of engine through the hull.

And yes to the halyard and topping lift in combination.

Well, that's Easter buggered.

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My thoughts are with you.   Month or so back I lost oil pressure dramatically and ended up siphoning around 4 litres of oil out of the Engine tray.... after I had added more.  Luckily found that the external oil supply line to the cylinder head had cracked, so was an easy fix in the end, but had envisioned pulling the motor out.   Good luck to you

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39 minutes ago, SanFran said:

Luckily found that the external oil supply line to the cylinder head had cracked, so was an easy fix in the end,

I had actually hoped this was the case for us, but no.  The oil is dripping from the vents in the gearbox housing around the flywheel and there is clear sign of it being spread by centrifugal forces inside the housing.

Ah well.  All a learning experience.

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A distraction for you, if I may?

You'd be surprised how little power you need to move a boat off the mooring / in flat water etc. If Easter cruising is important, there are several options with an outboard.

Bolt a tenob bracket (spelling?) one of those lifty things on the back, and just blat around all easter. A certain nameless Commodore did this for most of the summer waiting for their new Beta to arrive on a F1020.

Or, if you are game, and the weather benign, you can strap the dinghy amidships with springs, and motor the yacht around like that. Complicated fitting into marina berth though. This idea is best for emergency return to base, but can be applied in other ways.

I'm sure you could borrow a suitable outboard from crew.ogers if needed. I've got a 5hp with gearbox you could borrow, but you can probably get bigger . The bracket, not sure. Then you can enjoy Easter, and sort the engine as a happy winter project...

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1 hour ago, Fish said:

A distraction for you, if I may?

You'd be surprised how little power you need to move a boat off the mooring / in flat water etc. If Easter cruising is important, there are several options with an outboard....I've got a 5hp with gearbox you could borrow, but you can probably get bigger . The bracket, not sure. Then you can enjoy Easter, and sort the engine as a happy winter project...

stop teasing.  I need no assistance in procrastination. 🤣

If the weather is benign enough for our dinghy and outboard (2.4 Aarkon hard bottom with a 2.5 Mercury) its too benign for fun sailing.🥱

But thanks for the kind offer! 💯

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I did this recently. Used the topping lift and an extra halyard to support the boom right above the pickup point. 

I just used the mainsheet to do the lifting.

Lifted it, lowered it  partially on the cockpit floor and slid the mainsheet pickup along the boom.  

Picked it up again, swung out over the lifelines and dropped it down to the finger. 

 

I have PM'd you some photos

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On 24/03/2021 at 9:16 PM, Bradz said:

Ye we did ours pretty much the same though was up in a craddle on the hardstand. We used a rigging lifting strap thrown over the boom and chain block. Got it to xyz position, released tension, shimmed the strap further out, hoist push out, repeat. We have a 3YM30 so similar in weight. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same again with the boat in the water.

2 person job but saved a Hiab in and out.

 

 

Ditto removing a 160kg twin cylinder volvo on a Carpenter 29, piece of cake.

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