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#1
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Well, wadda you know?
I went back down to the boat for something I forgot and decided I wanted to
play around a little more. I've been telling myself since I got the boat that I should try hand starting the diesel. Better to climb the learning curve at the dock than while drifting down towards a steep lee shore after some electrical system disaster. I also have the hand start ability factored into my battery management strategy. Thanks to this newsgroup, I know that hand starting a 20 hp, twin cylinder, diesel is near the edge of feasibility but doable. I pulled the big forged or cast iron starting handle out of its handy brackets next to the engine and put it in place. HUH!? The fiberglass structure of the engine compartment enclosure makes it impossible to turn the handle more than a quarter turn. Since hand starting requires getting it spinning rapidly with the cylinders decompressed and then using the inertia of the flywheel and engine to (hopefully) kick it into life as you continue to assist with the crank, there is no way this could begin to work. I can categorically say that no one has ever hand started one of these boats unless they were originally delivered with a special handle that the PO perhaps replaced with the stock item (judging by the paint) not realizing that it couldn't possibly start the engine. This design defect has persisted through multiple models of a 1980 boat without ever coming to the notice of the builders or being noted on the owner's group web site. This is the most common engine installed in the class. It's a perfect lesson of the test-everything-and-assume-nothing principle. I now have a conundrum. I can spend more money to have the handle cut apart and an extension welded in. The leverage of the cranking force working over the longer length makes proper functioning questionable unless some structure with a bearing is provided. I just spent a couple hundred dollars on insurance in the form of chain so I'm not sure a starting handle for an engine that can just barely be hand started is the wisest next expenditure. I may just remove all of the hand start apparatus, which is pretty extensive and in the way on this particular model, and join the ranks of larger boat owners who live with the fact that their engines are not going to start without a functioning battery and electrical system. -- Roger Long |
#2
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Well, wadda you know?
On Aug 17, 7:13 am, "Roger Long" wrote:
I now have a conundrum. I can spend more money to have the handle cut apart and an extension welded in. The leverage of the cranking force working over the longer length makes proper functioning questionable unless some structure with a bearing is provided. Or you could add a spring starter. Browse http://www.springstarter.com/ |
#3
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Well, wadda you know?
"Roger Long" wrote: I may just remove all of the hand start apparatus, which is pretty extensive and in the way on this particular model, and join the ranks of larger boat owners who live with the fact that their engines are not going to start without a functioning battery and electrical system. Simple solution. 1) Learn to single hand the boat in and out of dock with just the jib and a dock line. 2) Learn to single hand the boat to pick up a mooring with just a jib and a boat hook. After you have acquired those skills, you will have achieved a degree of freedom you will never forget. The ability to say, "Screw the engine, I don't need it", provides a sense of satisfaction you simply can't describe. BTDT, don't need the T-shirt. Lew |
#4
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Well, wadda you know?
"Roger Long" wrote in message ... I went back down to the boat for something I forgot and decided I wanted to play around a little more. I've been telling myself since I got the boat that I should try hand starting the diesel. Better to climb the learning curve at the dock than while drifting down towards a steep lee shore after some electrical system disaster. I also have the hand start ability factored into my battery management strategy. Thanks to this newsgroup, I know that hand starting a 20 hp, twin cylinder, diesel is near the edge of feasibility but doable. I pulled the big forged or cast iron starting handle out of its handy brackets next to the engine and put it in place. HUH!? The fiberglass structure of the engine compartment enclosure makes it impossible to turn the handle more than a quarter turn. Since hand starting requires getting it spinning rapidly with the cylinders decompressed and then using the inertia of the flywheel and engine to (hopefully) kick it into life as you continue to assist with the crank, there is no way this could begin to work. You've got to spin it up with the decompression cable pulled. Then when you get it turning as fast as you can you release the decompression cable or lever at the same time. The handle pinion should be spring loaded to kick the shaft out and release it as soon as the engine fires up. But you can't do any of this with structure in the way. My advice, get a sawzall and cut away the structure that's in the way and hinge it there or pin it in place so the whole thing can be set aside. What you got there is an example of retards building your boat. Use a couple of teak battens to cover the cut. Wilbur Hubbard |
#5
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Well, wadda you know?
On Aug 16, 6:13 pm, "Roger Long" wrote:
I went back down to the boat for something I forgot and decided I wanted to play around a little more. I've been telling myself since I got the boat that I should try hand starting the diesel. Better to climb the learning curve at the dock than while drifting down towards a steep lee shore after some electrical system disaster. I also have the hand start ability factored into my battery management strategy. Thanks to this newsgroup, I know that hand starting a 20 hp, twin cylinder, diesel is near the edge of feasibility but doable. I pulled the big forged or cast iron starting handle out of its handy brackets next to the engine and put it in place. HUH!? The fiberglass structure of the engine compartment enclosure makes it impossible to turn the handle more than a quarter turn. Since hand starting requires getting it spinning rapidly with the cylinders decompressed and then using the inertia of the flywheel and engine to (hopefully) kick it into life as you continue to assist with the crank, there is no way this could begin to work. I can categorically say that no one has ever hand started one of these boats unless they were originally delivered with a special handle that the PO perhaps replaced with the stock item (judging by the paint) not realizing that it couldn't possibly start the engine. This design defect has persisted through multiple models of a 1980 boat without ever coming to the notice of the builders or being noted on the owner's group web site. This is the most common engine installed in the class. It's a perfect lesson of the test-everything-and-assume-nothing principle. I now have a conundrum. I can spend more money to have the handle cut apart and an extension welded in. The leverage of the cranking force working over the longer length makes proper functioning questionable unless some structure with a bearing is provided. I just spent a couple hundred dollars on insurance in the form of chain so I'm not sure a starting handle for an engine that can just barely be hand started is the wisest next expenditure. I may just remove all of the hand start apparatus, which is pretty extensive and in the way on this particular model, and join the ranks of larger boat owners who live with the fact that their engines are not going to start without a functioning battery and electrical system. -- Roger Long Thats crazy..Got a picture? Whats the structure in the way? My 12 hp hand cranking is hard enough, even if you have the room, I bet a 20 HP will be a real back buster. However an extention to the cranking handle sounds easy enough...Unless you had to find a super rare lister hand crank and pay near 300 bucks for it...like the one in the picture ziptied to a stantion..That would be heart breaking. http://sports.webshots.com/photo/230...63212926OGssit Joe |
#6
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Well, wadda you know?
On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:13:57 -0400, "Roger Long"
wrote: I now have a conundrum. I can spend more money to have the handle cut apart and an extension welded in. The leverage of the cranking force working over the longer length makes proper functioning questionable unless some structure with a bearing is provided. This is not uncommon. Since the most frequent "failure to start" scenario is dead batteries I often recommend that folks carry a fully charged gel cell battery totally disconnected from everything, and a set of jumper cables. Gel cell batteries have a very low self discharge rate, and by storing it totally disconnected you have very good assurance that it will be there when you need it. It's a lot easier than hand cranking also. |
#7
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Well, wadda you know?
"Roger Long" wrote in
: It's a perfect lesson of the test-everything-and-assume-nothing principle. Roger, have you ever had her emergency tiller hooked up and cruised around with it? Lionheart, an Amel Sharki 41 ketch, has a hole in the aft cabin overhead and a beautifully-made mahogany tiller attachment to the rudder post that fits through that hole so you can steer her from standing on the aft cabin with the equally-beautifully-made mahogany tiller handle. You never know when her triple redundant electromechanical B&G Pilot or massively cabled steering wheel are going to fail....(c; "Real Sailors", of course, will leave the tiller handle in place and just remove the wheel and autopilot....(c; |
#8
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Well, wadda you know?
On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:13:57 -0400, "Roger Long"
wrote: I went back down to the boat for something I forgot and decided I wanted to play around a little more. I've been telling myself since I got the boat that I should try hand starting the diesel. Better to climb the learning curve at the dock than while drifting down towards a steep lee shore after some electrical system disaster. I also have the hand start ability factored into my battery management strategy. Thanks to this newsgroup, I know that hand starting a 20 hp, twin cylinder, diesel is near the edge of feasibility but doable. I pulled the big forged or cast iron starting handle out of its handy brackets next to the engine and put it in place. HUH!? The fiberglass structure of the engine compartment enclosure makes it impossible to turn the handle more than a quarter turn. Since hand starting requires getting it spinning rapidly with the cylinders decompressed and then using the inertia of the flywheel and engine to (hopefully) kick it into life as you continue to assist with the crank, there is no way this could begin to work. I can categorically say that no one has ever hand started one of these boats unless they were originally delivered with a special handle that the PO perhaps replaced with the stock item (judging by the paint) not realizing that it couldn't possibly start the engine. This design defect has persisted through multiple models of a 1980 boat without ever coming to the notice of the builders or being noted on the owner's group web site. This is the most common engine installed in the class. It's a perfect lesson of the test-everything-and-assume-nothing principle. I now have a conundrum. I can spend more money to have the handle cut apart and an extension welded in. The leverage of the cranking force working over the longer length makes proper functioning questionable unless some structure with a bearing is provided. I just spent a couple hundred dollars on insurance in the form of chain so I'm not sure a starting handle for an engine that can just barely be hand started is the wisest next expenditure. I may just remove all of the hand start apparatus, which is pretty extensive and in the way on this particular model, and join the ranks of larger boat owners who live with the fact that their engines are not going to start without a functioning battery and electrical system. Hey! Isn't the Roger Long who designs boats? Now you know how the rest of us feel when we discover that to save space, make the hull a better shape, or some other trivial reason you can't get THAT nut off until you remove THIS thing over here :-) Bruce in Bangkok (brucepaigeATgmailDOTcom) |
#9
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Well, wadda you know?
"Lew Hodgett" wrote Simple solution. 1) Learn to (be a competent sailor) Excellent advice and already followed. I used to sail the Solings backwards around Boston Harbor to the amusement of the other club members. Daysailing is tough without an engine unless you can completely ignore the schedules of shore life. Maine also has some combinations of calm, tide, and steep shores that would make you want to stay pretty far out if sailing without an engine, at least in modern boats. There is a reason why the traditional craft had such huge rigs and reefed in 8 - 10 knots of wind. -- Roger Long |
#10
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Well, wadda you know?
"Joe" wrote Thats crazy..Got a picture? Whats the structure in the way? The structure is the fiberglass molding that makes up the entire galley structure. It's not like some worker put some trim on in the wrong place or an owner made some modifications. The reason I would be leery about an extension on the handle is that the mechanism that prevents the handle turning when the engine starts and breaking your arm is pretty minimalist. (Looks like the Lister is similar). A little extra friction in the shaft both would transmit torque and keep the shaft from sliding forward enough for the lugs to disengage. I'm sure the force of shattering your forearm would loosen it up enough so that the handle didn't go spinning around but it would be small comfort at that point. The combination of extra handle weight and turning force acting over the longer lever arm would considerably increase the friction on the shaft. I think I'm going to clean up the whole rig by taking the mechanism off and going the emergency battery route. You sound like a big guy and, if your 12 hp is that hard to get going, it's another vote that starting this 20 hp engine cold would be unlikely. I've got pictures but they are on the office computer and I won't be there for a few days. -- Roger Long |
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