If you are going to have to hire a crane anyway here is a suggestion that
eliminates any stress on the floors and makes removal and resetting a simple
single operation that minimizes crane time.

Have a "U" shape frame welded up of 3" square heavy wall steel tubing.
The legs of the U should be the distance from the edge of the cabin top to
the lift point of the engine plus a couple of inches and the bottom of the U
should be the length needed to clear any obstacles plus a few inches.
Reinforce the corners by welding on some gusset plates. Bolt lifting rings
to the ends of the legs. A 20' stick of 3" heavy tube will set you back
about $80 and welding another $50 or so.

When the crane arrives, have it lift the frame using one ring and maneuver
the lower leg into the boat. The upper leg will be over the cabin top. Hook
the engine to the bottom leg and lift. The weight of the engine will
balance the frame horizontally. When it gets high enough to clear any
obstacles have the crane swing back out of the cabin and lift out all in one
operation. Save the frame for use in resetting the engines.

I set my 550 lb Yanmar under the cockpit single handed using a frame welded
up from 2" tube, a rolling gantry cobbled together from a pair of old barn
door tracks bolted to a 2x8 and a chain fall.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"Paul Wiggins" wrote in message
...
I need to build a contraption to remove two large, old, heavy engines.
(1968 CC 427's).

The boat is on stands and there's no way I know of to get a boom up, over
and inside the wheelhouse.

So... I'm considering building tripods on either side of the wheelhouse...
running a metal I beam thru the windows over the engines... lifting...
placing them a wooden bed... sliding the engine back to the rear... where
a small crane can lift out.

The question I have is.. what to build the tripods out of... 4x4's our of
sistered 2x4's? Something beefier...

I recall reading somewhere they weight in at 1700lbs.

many thanks.

Glenn Ashmore wrote:

Hi Glenn,

Great suggestion!

But ****e, Are you sure the lower leg will hold the weight? I figure the
distance from the rear roof line to the center point of the engine...
is 3 - 4'. Seems like the leverage would cause... snap crackle pop.

Heavy walled... what thickness?

thanks!
-paul





If you are going to have to hire a crane anyway here is a suggestion that
eliminates any stress on the floors and makes removal and resetting a simple
single operation that minimizes crane time.

Have a "U" shape frame welded up of 3" square heavy wall steel tubing.
The legs of the U should be the distance from the edge of the cabin top to
the lift point of the engine plus a couple of inches and the bottom of the U
should be the length needed to clear any obstacles plus a few inches.
Reinforce the corners by welding on some gusset plates. Bolt lifting rings
to the ends of the legs. A 20' stick of 3" heavy tube will set you back
about $80 and welding another $50 or so.

When the crane arrives, have it lift the frame using one ring and maneuver
the lower leg into the boat. The upper leg will be over the cabin top. Hook
the engine to the bottom leg and lift. The weight of the engine will
balance the frame horizontally. When it gets high enough to clear any
obstacles have the crane swing back out of the cabin and lift out all in one
operation. Save the frame for use in resetting the engines.

I set my 550 lb Yanmar under the cockpit single handed using a frame welded
up from 2" tube, a rolling gantry cobbled together from a pair of old barn
door tracks bolted to a 2x8 and a chain fall.

Glenn has a practical suggestion as usual - but 3X3 wont do it, even
at 1/4 in thick - you need 5X5 3/16 inch wall (a standard section) if
those engines are really 1700 lb. each and you want a 5 ft cantilever
to be safe - and attention to the connecting section of the U.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

On Thu, 02 Nov 2006 07:25:14 -0500, Paul Wiggins
wrote:

Glenn Ashmore wrote:

Hi Glenn,

Great suggestion!

But ****e, Are you sure the lower leg will hold the weight? I figure the
distance from the rear roof line to the center point of the engine...
is 3 - 4'. Seems like the leverage would cause... snap crackle pop.

Heavy walled... what thickness?

thanks!
-paul





If you are going to have to hire a crane anyway here is a suggestion that
eliminates any stress on the floors and makes removal and resetting a simple
single operation that minimizes crane time.

Have a "U" shape frame welded up of 3" square heavy wall steel tubing.
The legs of the U should be the distance from the edge of the cabin top to
the lift point of the engine plus a couple of inches and the bottom of the U
should be the length needed to clear any obstacles plus a few inches.
Reinforce the corners by welding on some gusset plates. Bolt lifting rings
to the ends of the legs. A 20' stick of 3" heavy tube will set you back
about $80 and welding another $50 or so.

When the crane arrives, have it lift the frame using one ring and maneuver
the lower leg into the boat. The upper leg will be over the cabin top. Hook
the engine to the bottom leg and lift. The weight of the engine will
balance the frame horizontally. When it gets high enough to clear any
obstacles have the crane swing back out of the cabin and lift out all in one
operation. Save the frame for use in resetting the engines.

I set my 550 lb Yanmar under the cockpit single handed using a frame welded
up from 2" tube, a rolling gantry cobbled together from a pair of old barn
door tracks bolted to a 2x8 and a chain fall.

Glenn Ashmore wrote:


Hi Glenn,

Great suggestion!

But ****e, Are you sure the lower leg will hold the weight? I figure the
distance from the rear roof line to the center point of the engine...
is 3 - 4'. Seems like the leverage would cause... snap crackle pop.

Heavy walled... what thickness?

thanks!
-paul

If you are going to have to hire a crane anyway here is a suggestion that
eliminates any stress on the floors and makes removal and resetting a simple
single operation that minimizes crane time.

Have a "U" shape frame welded up of 3" square heavy wall steel tubing.
The legs of the U should be the distance from the edge of the cabin top to
the lift point of the engine plus a couple of inches and the bottom of the U
should be the length needed to clear any obstacles plus a few inches.
Reinforce the corners by welding on some gusset plates. Bolt lifting rings
to the ends of the legs. A 20' stick of 3" heavy tube will set you back
about $80 and welding another $50 or so.

When the crane arrives, have it lift the frame using one ring and maneuver
the lower leg into the boat. The upper leg will be over the cabin top. Hook
the engine to the bottom leg and lift. The weight of the engine will
balance the frame horizontally. When it gets high enough to clear any
obstacles have the crane swing back out of the cabin and lift out all in one
operation. Save the frame for use in resetting the engines.

I set my 550 lb Yanmar under the cockpit single handed using a frame welded
up from 2" tube, a rolling gantry cobbled together from a pair of old barn
door tracks bolted to a 2x8 and a chain fall.

Just ran a quick check with my beam calculator. If your engines really do
weigh 1700 lbs each and the length is 4' you should probably go to 3x4 .250"
wall. That will keep the bending stress safely under the 33kip yield
strength and deflection at the end about .290". Both legs and the
connecting piece will deflect so allow one inch total. 3x4" quarter wall
tube is commonly used for support columns in construction so you should be
able to find it easily.

If the engines are under 100 lb you could get by with 3" .250" wall but in
either case gusset plates on either side of the corners would be good
insurance for any welding faults.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"Paul Wiggins" wrote in message
...
Glenn Ashmore wrote:


Hi Glenn,

Great suggestion!

But ****e, Are you sure the lower leg will hold the weight? I figure the
distance from the rear roof line to the center point of the engine... is
3 - 4'. Seems like the leverage would cause... snap crackle pop.

Heavy walled... what thickness?

thanks!
-paul

If you are going to have to hire a crane anyway here is a suggestion that
eliminates any stress on the floors and makes removal and resetting a
simple single operation that minimizes crane time.

Have a "U" shape frame welded up of 3" square heavy wall steel tubing.
The legs of the U should be the distance from the edge of the cabin top
to the lift point of the engine plus a couple of inches and the bottom of
the U should be the length needed to clear any obstacles plus a few
inches. Reinforce the corners by welding on some gusset plates. Bolt
lifting rings to the ends of the legs. A 20' stick of 3" heavy tube will
set you back about $80 and welding another $50 or so.

When the crane arrives, have it lift the frame using one ring and
maneuver the lower leg into the boat. The upper leg will be over the
cabin top. Hook the engine to the bottom leg and lift. The weight of
the engine will balance the frame horizontally. When it gets high enough
to clear any obstacles have the crane swing back out of the cabin and
lift out all in one operation. Save the frame for use in resetting the
engines.

I set my 550 lb Yanmar under the cockpit single handed using a frame
welded up from 2" tube, a rolling gantry cobbled together from a pair of
old barn door tracks bolted to a 2x8 and a chain fall.