you get that information reading a free West Marine catalog.

I gotta say that there are a lot
of potential boaters who need the very basic information covered by one of
these courses. Yes, they start with "this is the hull, this is the keel,
this is port and this is starboard." But you'd be surprised how many people
don't know such things, let alone red right returning.

JAXAshby wrote in message
...
you get that information reading a free West Marine catalog.

I gotta say that there are a lot
of potential boaters who need the very basic information covered by one
of
these courses. Yes, they start with "this is the hull, this is the keel,
this is port and this is starboard." But you'd be surprised how many
people
don't know such things, let alone red right returning.

or right of way rules.......under power or sail.

Jax gets most of his information from reading various "catalogs" and
boating magazines. As for the "rules" he doesn't need to know them, as
he's never allowed to steer or have any control, when crewing.

otn

Don White wrote:
JAXAshby wrote in message
...

you get that information reading a free West Marine catalog.


I gotta say that there are a lot
of potential boaters who need the very basic information covered by one

of

these courses. Yes, they start with "this is the hull, this is the keel,
this is port and this is starboard." But you'd be surprised how many

people

don't know such things, let alone red right returning.


or right of way rules.......under power or sail.

x-no-archive:yes


(JAXAshby) wrote:

you get that information reading a free West Marine catalog.

I gotta say that there are a lot
of potential boaters who need the very basic information covered by one of
these courses. Yes, they start with "this is the hull, this is the keel,
this is port and this is starboard." But you'd be surprised how many people
don't know such things, let alone red right returning.

Big assumption - that they can read, which they may be able to do and
second even BIGGER assumption - that they will know that they don't
know and will try to get the information by reading, and third
assumption that they will THINK of reading about it in the West Marine
catalog.


grandma Rosalie

On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 16:21:52 GMT, "O:P\)" wrote:

What are you opinions? Please, I need as much info as you folks can provide
from you past experiences.

I sail out of Toronto and bought a 33' foot sailboat as my first boat.
It's five years later and I am saving for a somewhat bigger boat to go
world-cruising. So I would have to say I've embraced the concept with
both arms...

I don't want to make any more mistakes than what I have to when buying a
boat. Any good surveyors in Toronto area?

Plenty. At your level of experience, it would be foolhardy NOT to use
one. Check out GAM, Lake Ontario Sailor, www.boatforsale.org, and the
various local brokers online.

Should I look for a private deal
or I'm better of with a broker?

Very hard to say. I went private and got a very satisfactory
deal....AFTER the surveyor gave an intelligent look at the
deficiencies (many) of the boat (few were, however, insurmountable or
deal-breakers, and now, most are fixed and/or "better than factory").
Old boats are cheap for a reason, and your level of handiness and/or
williness to do your own repairs will determine whether you go for a
simple old boat or a more complex newer one. Fewer things will need
fixing on the newer boat, but will be more expensive when they
inevitably break. Or when you, in the first flush of sailing
experience, break them by mistake.


If I tell a broker that I want to spend
around 10 thousand, will he take me seriously? (his commission will be much
lower than if I'm looking to spend 250, right?)

Not as a percentage. Try online "buy and sells" or the "Buy and Sell"
magazines sold at convenience stores. 10 grand can still get you a
decent middle-aged 25 footer daysailer, or a couple of Sharks, or
whatever. It's up to you to determine the kind of sailing (racing,
cruising, dawdling at dock, or above of the above) which in turn will
help you narrow your choices. Boat club bulletin boards and web sites
have a lot of good private deals, too. It's morbid to say, but the
best deals are found when a careful old hobbyist keeps his
old-fashioned, dark and wood-filled old vessel in perfect running
order for 25 years, dies, and his boat-hating family low-balls it for
a quick sale. The man's boat, which is frequently his refuge, goes for
a song because it's not modern and sleek and it needs the sort of TLC
yards of fibreglass don't...until it gets past 10 years old, that is.

Eventually, I would like to take the boat to Florida (Miami area), how long
should I plan for a trip like that on a sail boat?

Not to be facetious, but as long as you need. If you bought your boat
in May, sailed in Lake Ontario in all weather all summer, learned in
the fall how to decommission and service your boat, took Power
Squadron safety, pilotage and nav courses in the winter and crewed on
a Christmas delivery from St. Pete's to the BVIs in February, you
would be as skilled as about half of the sailboaters in Miami, and
maybe would have more practical heavy weather knowledge.

As for sailing/boating schools, any suggestions?

Canadian Power Squadron and take an Intro Crew course at a yacht club
(many are quite cheap....$250 or so for lessons and a season's worth
of hitching rides on boats) and offer to crew for club racing all
summer, particularly on the range/size of boat (I'm guess
Quarter-Tonner or so) you think you are interested in.

Hope this helps. I took a somewhat head-first approach in that I went
from Intro Crew to Senior member in a yacht club in one season, and in
that I bought a mid-sized cruiser racer. But I found the bigger boat
easier to sail, roomy for my crew, and great in all but the nastiest
weather. Your mileage may vary.

R.

On 15 Mar 2004 17:22:38 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:
When
we motor along at 8 knots in our trawler, we have a lot more in common with a
guy motoring along at 8 knots in a sloop than with somebody slaloming through a
group of boats in an express cruiser doing 25.

======================

Chuck, how's that new diesel working out. Sorry if I missed the "sea
trial" report some where along the line.

Chuck, how's that new diesel working out. Sorry if I missed the "sea
trial" report some where along the line.


Quite well, actually, and thanks for asking.

A long account of our engine swapping experience follows, should you care to
read about the gory details. This was part III of a series about our
misadventure.


(There were, indeed, a few surprises and oopsoids encountered during the
process. This engine will likely last me the rest of my boating life so I
won't get to benefit from the learnging experience but somebody else just
might.)

Heart Transplant, Part III


Late summer surrendered to early fall, and "Indulgence" sat restlessly on the
hard in Anacortes. As the last fair weather cruising days of 2003 evaporated,
our spirits grew as dismal as the weather. Repairing or replacing the engine
was not going to be a short process. Our boating was apparently finished for
the year.

Russ Boggs was our project supervisor at Granville Marine. We asked to have the
sound insulation peeled away from the black iron fuel tanks to facilitate
inspection, and Russ put the crew to work. "That wasn't in the original
estimate," said Russ. "We'll need to add some additional hours, and that will
bring the total to [an increased figure]." Russ was very efficient and
professional in his approach. We never felt like the cost of our repairs had
become a cosmic mystery, (discernable only by an initiated savant with a
nuclear powered abacus). We knew that the tank inspection was a critical step.
Two new fuel tanks would cost several thousand dollars, and were probably
needed based on the age of the boat. The "boat bucks" involved in a tank
replacement project would make the difference between rebuilding the original
engine or replacing it with a brand new one.

Russ called me the afternoon the crew exposed the fuel tanks. "I'm surprised,
but they look like they're in decent shape. There is very little surface rust.
They look much better than I would have suspected." The same surveyor our
insurance company hired to investigate the engine claim also examined the
tanks, and expressed an opinion that they remained serviceable. I'm something
of a belt-and-suspenders boater, and I wanted a third opinion about the fuel
tanks. Our good friend Dick McGrew is a professional marine engineer with an
extensive background in systems of all types. Dick happened to be working in
Anacortes, and he agreed to drop by Granville and examine the tanks as well. He
called the following day.

"Your tanks seem to be in good shape," said Dick. "When they built your boat,
they did a couple of things that a lot of builders didn't do back then. First,
they don't have the fuel tanks sitting directly on the floorboards. They are
supported at the corners, so air can circulate underneath and moisture doesn't
get trapped. That helps prevent the tanks from rusting away at the bottom. The
second thing they did was to put the fuel hose through the side of the tank
near the top, rather than down through the top of the tank. A lot of tanks rust
out because water seeps past the deck plate, follows the filler hose to the
tank, and puddles up on top. If you had seepage past the deck plate on
"Indulgence" and it followed the fill hose to the tank, it would just drip off
into the bilge."

"So, Dick, if it were your boat would replace those fuel tanks?"

"No. They seem to have a lot of useful life left. I'd leave them be."

I called on Stewart's Marine and told Larry to go ahead and order a new engine.
We discussed a critical requirement. "Indulgence" had been built with a
counter-rotating engine, a characteristic that provided some significant
benefits while maneuvering in close quarters. With the helm on the starboard
side of the pilothouse, the visibility is excellent for a starboard landing.
The left-hand prop backs the boat to starboard, rather than port. When putting
her starboard side next to a dock or a float, the same touch of reverse that
stops the forward motion of the boat tucks the stern in against the dock quite
handily. I wasn't interested in backing into the aft port quarter "blind spot",
and was reluctant to consider changing props.

"Perkins doesn't build a counter-rotating engine any more," said Larry. "We
make the correction at the gear box. We'll have to change your gear box, too.
I'll include a freshly rebuilt transmission."

Larry ordered our new 135HP, naturally aspirated Perkins on a handshake. (Not
many shops do business like that any more). I went home to stew about possibly
cruising at seven or seven-and-a half knots, (rather than eight or better), and
wait for the engine to arrive. It was becoming rather apparent that my original
goal to bring the entire new engine and installation project together for under
$20,000 was not a reality. The new engine and the installation estimate had
used up the entire allowance, before sales tax and the inevitable
"incidentals".

Meet the engine

I dropped into Stewart's Marine several days later to inquire about the
anticipated delivery date. The new engine had arrived earlier that same
morning, and Larry ushered me into the shop to show me the new heart for
"Indulgence". I was pleased. The new engine was a beautiful sight.

There were many reassuring similarities between the 2003, 135HP naturally
aspirated Perkins and the 1982, 165HP turbo I had become so familiar with. Both
engines are in-line six cylinders, and I could recognize all the major
components. Perkins has become Perkins/Sabre, and incorporated a number of
improvements.

The exhaust manifold is no longer cooled by seawater, but rather by the engine
coolant.
Raw water cooled manifolds are ultimately susceptible to corrosion between the
water jacket and the exhaust chamber, a condition that could result in a
hydrolock failure exactly like we experienced in September. The old Lucas
injector pump has been replaced with a more modern system. The coolant pump is
driven by a gear rather than a belt. The gear driven pump eliminates the
possibility that a broken belt will lead to an overheated engine. Perkins added
handy pumps for bleeding the fuel system and extracting oil from the crankcase.
Most significantly, there is no row of mysterious black boxes stuffed with
circuit boards and computer chips. If and when the new engine requires service
or repair, I need only call a diesel mechanic- not a diesel mechanic, a
computer programmer, and a rocket scientist to interpret the data.

"There are two pressure plates available for this engine," said Larry. "I
ordered you the better one. The only problems we have ever experienced with
this engine have been some complaints about the other pressure plate failing.
We're going to finish checking this out and setting it up today, and then
Granville Marine will come and get it."

Murphy and his attorney just love boat repairs

While the engine room was relatively empty, we had the bilge steam cleaned. I
splurged and ordered a fuel management manifold and a second Racor filter
installed, enabling filters to be changed underway and improving the ability to
detect any fuel problems that might effect only one tank. Granville Marine did
an excellent job of designing and installing the fuel manifold.

The first of a few inevitable "incidentals" proved to be the exhaust system.
"Indulgence" had never been fitted with a muffler, relying on the long exhaust
hose between the riser and the transom and the flow of cooling water through
the exhaust system to reduce engine noise. The new engine required a muffler,
and we had one built by a company in Bellingham.

"We need a little extra time to fit the muffler," said Russ Boggs. "When we
made the original estimate, we assumed the old engine or one identically
configured would be going back in." Fair enough.

A day or so later, Russ called me again. "We have to move the stringer brackets
several inches to line up with the mounts for the new engine. That's going to
take quite a bit more time." I was certainly surprised at this announcement, as
Larry had assured me the new engine would fit directly onto the mounts and
brackets for the old model.

"Let me get back to you, Russ. I think Larry knows a way to mount that engine
without moving the stringer brackets. We certainly want to avoid getting into
fiberglass work!"

Russ spoke to Larry Stewart, and developed a strategy to mount the new engine
without moving the stringer brackets. (If Granville had mounted the engine
exactly the same way it had been mounted onto the shipping platform, it would
have indeed required moving the stringer brackets). The "improved" pressure
plate would have been our undoing at this point, had it not been for still more
"extra mile" service from Stewart's Marine. The better pressure plate made the
engine just slightly longer. The rear mounts were to be connected to the
gearbox, (a system that had worked well with the previous engine), and the
increased engine length put the gearbox one inch aft of the point where
brackets between the engine mounts and the gearbox could be connected.

Larry Stewart is a qualified machinist, and he built a set of new brackets to
allow the gear to be properly mounted. No charge.

The next "incidental" was more significant. Russ Boggs called to ask about
gauges and a wiring harness. I then learned that the new engine wasn't
compatible with the old gauges. Larry Stewart said, "You have two choices. We
can pull the sensors out of the old engine and put them in the new one, and you
can splice between the wiring harness and the gauges at a bus bar. Or, you can
get a new wiring harness and gauges." We opted to go for the new harness and
gauges, doing it right rather than doing it cheaply. Larry called the
distributor's warehouse and made arrangements for me to pick up the parts at
his discount.

Early in January, Russ Boggs called to say "We've got the engine in, and
everything is ready to go! We're planning to put your boat in the water and
start it up this afternoon."

"Aw, nuts!" I said. "I'm just slammed with a deadline today and can't get up to
Anacortes. Will you run it around for an hour or so to make sure everything is
set to go?
And then call me back and tell me how it went, please."

The next call from Russ was a bit more unsettling. "We put your boat in the
water, but it goes forward when we put in reverse and reverse when we shift it
to forward! I've already called Larry Stewart, and it seems that the
transmission was incorrectly labeled as a counter rotator. I'm sorry to have to
report that your boat has the wrong gearbox."

Before I could even respond with a discouraged remark about still more expense
and delay, Russ beamed a little sunlight into the situation. "Larry Stewart
said to tell you that this isn't your problem. He's going to get the correct
transmission, and he will take care of all the labor required to exchange it."

Larry found the correct gear box offered for sale at The Second Wave in
Fremont. The consignor had represented the unit as a rebuild, but Larry took it
to his shop and opened it up on his bench to be sure. "Good thing we did,"
Larry reported. "The gear box had been rebuilt, but whoever did it used some
really cheap parts. I upgraded the plates to something that should last you for
many, many, years." Larry sent two men to Anacortes, two days in a row, to
exchange the gearbox and align the engine with the prop shaft.
No cost to me, and no attempt to shift any "blame" for the snafu. (Not too many
people do business like that any more).

By the time the gearbox was replaced, the Seattle Boat Show was on and I was
committed to a fourteen-day stretch without a day off. "Indulgence" was back in
the water and ready to go. We hoped for a weather window the last weekend of
January.


The results:

"Indulgence" loves her new heart. It's true that she no longer cruises 8- 8.5
knots at 1800 RPM, she's at least a half knot faster than that just under 1900!
The 135HP engine is rated to turn several hundred RPM faster than the 165, so
the higher engine speed at cruise isn't a challenge. Our GPS repeatedly kept
teasing us with readings of 9.5 knots, and we even achieved something over 10
for a short period. I think that 10-knot reading was assisted by current, but
there is no doubt that the boat is faster than before.

She's an easier cruising boat. Our long run from Anacortes to Seattle was less
tiresome without the incessant turbo whine. Larry Stewart's crew aligned the
engine and shaft so expertly that our audible tachometer no longer operates.
With the old engine, we could always make a fairly accurate determination about
engine speed by noticing which cabin door or fixture was rattling. As the old
engine increased speed, different parts of the boat would respond with harmonic
vibrations in a sort of weird symphony- or at least a jam session. Our old
veteran is almost as rattle free as a brand new boat.

We can't recommend hydrolocking an engine, but we can recommend the service and
workmanship at Granville Marine. If I hadn't paid a visit to the shop when the
project was half finished, it would be difficult to convince me that the
interior of the main cabin had been removed and replaced. The initial estimate
was high enough for one to conclude, "That's only a good price if everything
goes as promised, the work is extremely good, and there aren't any surprise
add-ons or adjustments during the process."
Under those criteria, Granville's estimate was a good price. They did an
excellent job.

While the new Perkins is the star of this drama, "Best Supporting Actor" has to
go to Larry Stewart. Larry's service exemplified the type of "customer first"
prioritizing that has become increasingly rare in the boat business- or for
that matter almost any business.
It's easy to see why Stewart's has been in business since the 1960's. We're
lucky enough to have a few old pros like Larry still around in the Pacific
Northwest, and many of our readers are fortunate enough to enjoy similar
service from their regular repair person. (If not, I can introduce them to a
good one.)

Quite a saga, thanks for sharing.

====================================
On 17 Mar 2004 02:25:37 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:

Chuck, how's that new diesel working out. Sorry if I missed the "sea
trial" report some where along the line.


Quite well, actually, and thanks for asking.

A long account of our engine swapping experience follows, should you care to
read about the gory details. This was part III of a series about our
misadventure.


(There were, indeed, a few surprises and oopsoids encountered during the
process. This engine will likely last me the rest of my boating life so I
won't get to benefit from the learnging experience but somebody else just
might.)

Heart Transplant, Part III


Late summer surrendered to early fall, and "Indulgence" sat restlessly on the
hard in Anacortes. As the last fair weather cruising days of 2003 evaporated,
our spirits grew as dismal as the weather. Repairing or replacing the engine
was not going to be a short process. Our boating was apparently finished for
the year.

Russ Boggs was our project supervisor at Granville Marine. We asked to have the
sound insulation peeled away from the black iron fuel tanks to facilitate
inspection, and Russ put the crew to work. "That wasn't in the original
estimate," said Russ. "We'll need to add some additional hours, and that will
bring the total to [an increased figure]." Russ was very efficient and
professional in his approach. We never felt like the cost of our repairs had
become a cosmic mystery, (discernable only by an initiated savant with a
nuclear powered abacus). We knew that the tank inspection was a critical step.
Two new fuel tanks would cost several thousand dollars, and were probably
needed based on the age of the boat. The "boat bucks" involved in a tank
replacement project would make the difference between rebuilding the original
engine or replacing it with a brand new one.

Russ called me the afternoon the crew exposed the fuel tanks. "I'm surprised,
but they look like they're in decent shape. There is very little surface rust.
They look much better than I would have suspected." The same surveyor our
insurance company hired to investigate the engine claim also examined the
tanks, and expressed an opinion that they remained serviceable. I'm something
of a belt-and-suspenders boater, and I wanted a third opinion about the fuel
tanks. Our good friend Dick McGrew is a professional marine engineer with an
extensive background in systems of all types. Dick happened to be working in
Anacortes, and he agreed to drop by Granville and examine the tanks as well. He
called the following day.

"Your tanks seem to be in good shape," said Dick. "When they built your boat,
they did a couple of things that a lot of builders didn't do back then. First,
they don't have the fuel tanks sitting directly on the floorboards. They are
supported at the corners, so air can circulate underneath and moisture doesn't
get trapped. That helps prevent the tanks from rusting away at the bottom. The
second thing they did was to put the fuel hose through the side of the tank
near the top, rather than down through the top of the tank. A lot of tanks rust
out because water seeps past the deck plate, follows the filler hose to the
tank, and puddles up on top. If you had seepage past the deck plate on
"Indulgence" and it followed the fill hose to the tank, it would just drip off
into the bilge."

"So, Dick, if it were your boat would replace those fuel tanks?"

"No. They seem to have a lot of useful life left. I'd leave them be."

I called on Stewart's Marine and told Larry to go ahead and order a new engine.
We discussed a critical requirement. "Indulgence" had been built with a
counter-rotating engine, a characteristic that provided some significant
benefits while maneuvering in close quarters. With the helm on the starboard
side of the pilothouse, the visibility is excellent for a starboard landing.
The left-hand prop backs the boat to starboard, rather than port. When putting
her starboard side next to a dock or a float, the same touch of reverse that
stops the forward motion of the boat tucks the stern in against the dock quite
handily. I wasn't interested in backing into the aft port quarter "blind spot",
and was reluctant to consider changing props.

"Perkins doesn't build a counter-rotating engine any more," said Larry. "We
make the correction at the gear box. We'll have to change your gear box, too.
I'll include a freshly rebuilt transmission."

Larry ordered our new 135HP, naturally aspirated Perkins on a handshake. (Not
many shops do business like that any more). I went home to stew about possibly
cruising at seven or seven-and-a half knots, (rather than eight or better), and
wait for the engine to arrive. It was becoming rather apparent that my original
goal to bring the entire new engine and installation project together for under
$20,000 was not a reality. The new engine and the installation estimate had
used up the entire allowance, before sales tax and the inevitable
"incidentals".

Meet the engine

I dropped into Stewart's Marine several days later to inquire about the
anticipated delivery date. The new engine had arrived earlier that same
morning, and Larry ushered me into the shop to show me the new heart for
"Indulgence". I was pleased. The new engine was a beautiful sight.

There were many reassuring similarities between the 2003, 135HP naturally
aspirated Perkins and the 1982, 165HP turbo I had become so familiar with. Both
engines are in-line six cylinders, and I could recognize all the major
components. Perkins has become Perkins/Sabre, and incorporated a number of
improvements.

The exhaust manifold is no longer cooled by seawater, but rather by the engine
coolant.
Raw water cooled manifolds are ultimately susceptible to corrosion between the
water jacket and the exhaust chamber, a condition that could result in a
hydrolock failure exactly like we experienced in September. The old Lucas
injector pump has been replaced with a more modern system. The coolant pump is
driven by a gear rather than a belt. The gear driven pump eliminates the
possibility that a broken belt will lead to an overheated engine. Perkins added
handy pumps for bleeding the fuel system and extracting oil from the crankcase.
Most significantly, there is no row of mysterious black boxes stuffed with
circuit boards and computer chips. If and when the new engine requires service
or repair, I need only call a diesel mechanic- not a diesel mechanic, a
computer programmer, and a rocket scientist to interpret the data.

"There are two pressure plates available for this engine," said Larry. "I
ordered you the better one. The only problems we have ever experienced with
this engine have been some complaints about the other pressure plate failing.
We're going to finish checking this out and setting it up today, and then
Granville Marine will come and get it."

Murphy and his attorney just love boat repairs

While the engine room was relatively empty, we had the bilge steam cleaned. I
splurged and ordered a fuel management manifold and a second Racor filter
installed, enabling filters to be changed underway and improving the ability to
detect any fuel problems that might effect only one tank. Granville Marine did
an excellent job of designing and installing the fuel manifold.

The first of a few inevitable "incidentals" proved to be the exhaust system.
"Indulgence" had never been fitted with a muffler, relying on the long exhaust
hose between the riser and the transom and the flow of cooling water through
the exhaust system to reduce engine noise. The new engine required a muffler,
and we had one built by a company in Bellingham.

"We need a little extra time to fit the muffler," said Russ Boggs. "When we
made the original estimate, we assumed the old engine or one identically
configured would be going back in." Fair enough.

A day or so later, Russ called me again. "We have to move the stringer brackets
several inches to line up with the mounts for the new engine. That's going to
take quite a bit more time." I was certainly surprised at this announcement, as
Larry had assured me the new engine would fit directly onto the mounts and
brackets for the old model.

"Let me get back to you, Russ. I think Larry knows a way to mount that engine
without moving the stringer brackets. We certainly want to avoid getting into
fiberglass work!"

Russ spoke to Larry Stewart, and developed a strategy to mount the new engine
without moving the stringer brackets. (If Granville had mounted the engine
exactly the same way it had been mounted onto the shipping platform, it would
have indeed required moving the stringer brackets). The "improved" pressure
plate would have been our undoing at this point, had it not been for still more
"extra mile" service from Stewart's Marine. The better pressure plate made the
engine just slightly longer. The rear mounts were to be connected to the
gearbox, (a system that had worked well with the previous engine), and the
increased engine length put the gearbox one inch aft of the point where
brackets between the engine mounts and the gearbox could be connected.

Larry Stewart is a qualified machinist, and he built a set of new brackets to
allow the gear to be properly mounted. No charge.

The next "incidental" was more significant. Russ Boggs called to ask about
gauges and a wiring harness. I then learned that the new engine wasn't
compatible with the old gauges. Larry Stewart said, "You have two choices. We
can pull the sensors out of the old engine and put them in the new one, and you
can splice between the wiring harness and the gauges at a bus bar. Or, you can
get a new wiring harness and gauges." We opted to go for the new harness and
gauges, doing it right rather than doing it cheaply. Larry called the
distributor's warehouse and made arrangements for me to pick up the parts at
his discount.

Early in January, Russ Boggs called to say "We've got the engine in, and
everything is ready to go! We're planning to put your boat in the water and
start it up this afternoon."

"Aw, nuts!" I said. "I'm just slammed with a deadline today and can't get up to
Anacortes. Will you run it around for an hour or so to make sure everything is
set to go?
And then call me back and tell me how it went, please."

The next call from Russ was a bit more unsettling. "We put your boat in the
water, but it goes forward when we put in reverse and reverse when we shift it
to forward! I've already called Larry Stewart, and it seems that the
transmission was incorrectly labeled as a counter rotator. I'm sorry to have to
report that your boat has the wrong gearbox."

Before I could even respond with a discouraged remark about still more expense
and delay, Russ beamed a little sunlight into the situation. "Larry Stewart
said to tell you that this isn't your problem. He's going to get the correct
transmission, and he will take care of all the labor required to exchange it."

Larry found the correct gear box offered for sale at The Second Wave in
Fremont. The consignor had represented the unit as a rebuild, but Larry took it
to his shop and opened it up on his bench to be sure. "Good thing we did,"
Larry reported. "The gear box had been rebuilt, but whoever did it used some
really cheap parts. I upgraded the plates to something that should last you for
many, many, years." Larry sent two men to Anacortes, two days in a row, to
exchange the gearbox and align the engine with the prop shaft.
No cost to me, and no attempt to shift any "blame" for the snafu. (Not too many
people do business like that any more).

By the time the gearbox was replaced, the Seattle Boat Show was on and I was
committed to a fourteen-day stretch without a day off. "Indulgence" was back in
the water and ready to go. We hoped for a weather window the last weekend of
January.


The results:

"Indulgence" loves her new heart. It's true that she no longer cruises 8- 8.5
knots at 1800 RPM, she's at least a half knot faster than that just under 1900!
The 135HP engine is rated to turn several hundred RPM faster than the 165, so
the higher engine speed at cruise isn't a challenge. Our GPS repeatedly kept
teasing us with readings of 9.5 knots, and we even achieved something over 10
for a short period. I think that 10-knot reading was assisted by current, but
there is no doubt that the boat is faster than before.

She's an easier cruising boat. Our long run from Anacortes to Seattle was less
tiresome without the incessant turbo whine. Larry Stewart's crew aligned the
engine and shaft so expertly that our audible tachometer no longer operates.
With the old engine, we could always make a fairly accurate determination about
engine speed by noticing which cabin door or fixture was rattling. As the old
engine increased speed, different parts of the boat would respond with harmonic
vibrations in a sort of weird symphony- or at least a jam session. Our old
veteran is almost as rattle free as a brand new boat.

We can't recommend hydrolocking an engine, but we can recommend the service and
workmanship at Granville Marine. If I hadn't paid a visit to the shop when the
project was half finished, it would be difficult to convince me that the
interior of the main cabin had been removed and replaced. The initial estimate
was high enough for one to conclude, "That's only a good price if everything
goes as promised, the work is extremely good, and there aren't any surprise
add-ons or adjustments during the process."
Under those criteria, Granville's estimate was a good price. They did an
excellent job.

While the new Perkins is the star of this drama, "Best Supporting Actor" has to
go to Larry Stewart. Larry's service exemplified the type of "customer first"
prioritizing that has become increasingly rare in the boat business- or for
that matter almost any business.
It's easy to see why Stewart's has been in business since the 1960's. We're
lucky enough to have a few old pros like Larry still around in the Pacific
Northwest, and many of our readers are fortunate enough to enjoy similar
service from their regular repair person. (If not, I can introduce them to a
good one.)

I thank you all very much for the advices and sugestions posted here. I
will be calling the local clubs and see what they have to offer, I already
checked their web sites (Humber & QueensQuay: thank you Scott), if there are
any others I will apreciate the input. Me and my wife have been reading the
postings, and we both agreed that sail its more for us.

On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 02:25:37 +0000, Gould 0738 wrote:

Chuck, how's that new diesel working out. Sorry if I missed the "sea trial"
report some where along the line.


Quite well, actually, and thanks for asking.

A long account of our engine swapping experience follows, should you care to
read about the gory details. This was part III of a series about our
misadventure.

SNIP

Thanks for the great story, Chuck. Sounds like the Operation was a complete
success. I Hear You about the "incidentals"! I ended up replacing the entire
exhaust system (why did you have a muffler custom-made? Vetus makes some nice
ones: www.vetus.com). And I also had some "stringer problems"...

I was out last weekend for the first real "outing" with the new engine. Sure was
great to be able to buck a 3-knot tide through First Narrows! But my prop is way
too steep: I'm getting two inches taken out so I'll be cruising at 6.5knots at
2500 rpm rather than at 2000 where I am now (max rpm is 3000 for this engine).
Sure is better than the 5 knots WOT I WAS getting.

Anyway, congrats on the new engine!

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36 - http://www.user.dccnet.com/lsumpter/engine/