A rebuild thread to keep you all happy for the long winter

[kashurst]

All looking really good, especially the leather. That looks terrific

I wouldn't touch the P bracket nuts. If they are through bolts you could end up with a slight leak and all sorts of surprises. Try everything else first. Can you tell which side is causing the vibration?

Edit. On the engine mounts I would slacken the top nut off 5 to 6 turns, then lower the engine mounts until there is a gap, then take it back up again etc.
It could be one is actually under tension and an engine is effectively sitting on three points. Which stationary is OK, but not when it's all moving.

 

[Mr Googler]

All looking really good, especially the leather. That looks terrific

I wouldn't touch the P bracket nuts. If they are through bolts you could end up with a slight leak and all sorts of surprises. Try everything else first. Can you tell which side is causing the vibration?

Edit. On the engine mounts I would slacken the top nut off 5 to 6 turns, then lower the engine mounts until there is a gap, then take it back up again etc.
It could be one is actually under tension and an engine is effectively sitting on three points. Which stationary is OK, but not when it's all moving.

Thanks K

Starboard side causing vibration

 

[Little Ricky]

I am torn between loving but also hating these posts. I love to see the progress, and hate at how inferior I feel afterwards.

 

[Mr Googler]

I am torn between loving but also hating these posts. I love to see the progress, and hate at how inferior I feel afterwards.

Never feel that mate. We are all just mucking about with boats which is great no matter the age, size, appearance or price bracket…..unless its a 90’s Sealine…..then youre in trouble

 

[Mr Googler]

So can anyone identify this mount? It looks like a standard cushyfloat but with a thick collar on top. Volvo only list the standard mount but this was an updated mount according to the guru volvopaul. Just cannot find them online!

 

[Little Ricky]

Never feel that mate. We are all just mucking about with boats which is great no matter the age, size, appearance or price bracket…..unless its a 90’s Sealine…..then youre in trouble

Appreciate the reply. Even after watching 50 YT videos and having all the right tools, fitting a stern thruster seems too much of an ordeal, so Volvo Penta are quids in...yet again. Hope my Christmas busking outside Harrods helps with the VAT.

 

[paulbrown22]

View attachment 203963
So can anyone identify this mount? It looks like a standard cushyfloat but with a thick collar on top. Volvo only list the standard mount but this was an updated mount according to the guru volvopaul. Just cannot find them online!

Possibly another case of a Volvo special? When we had to replace the Cushyfloats on our Ovni sailing yacht with an MD22, the original Volvo mounts (made by Metalastik Cushyfloat) used (from memory) a finer thread with fractional difference in diameter. We couldn't buy those direct from the UK Cushyfloat distributor, only in a Volvo-branded box for 4x the price (and no VP dealer locally actually had on the shelf or could source 4 mounts when we wanted them...). Cushyfloat would sell us the identical spec, but the studs had a slightly different thread pitch and diameter which meant they wouldn't quite go through the Volvo mounting feet, so we enlarged the mounting holes by ~1mm and bought 4 of the standard Cushyfloat mounts direct from the supplier for the price of about 1 Volvo-branded Cushyfloat!

 

[Mr Googler]

Possibly another case of a Volvo special? When we had to replace the Cushyfloats on our Ovni sailing yacht with an MD22, the original Volvo mounts (made by Metalastik Cushyfloat) used (from memory) a finer thread with fractional difference in diameter. We couldn't buy those direct from the UK Cushyfloat distributor, only in a Volvo-branded box for 4x the price (and no VP dealer locally actually had on the shelf or could source 4 mounts when we wanted them...). Cushyfloat would sell us the identical spec, but the studs had a slightly different thread pitch and diameter which meant they wouldn't quite go through the Volvo mounting feet, so we enlarged the mounting holes by ~1mm and bought 4 of the standard Cushyfloat mounts direct from the supplier for the price of about 1 Volvo-branded Cushyfloat!

Ive emailed trelleborg with photos and i reckon they are just 1769’s. I know the shore hardness is 65 for the “normal” tamd61a mounts so likely just have to get standard. Shame as the big collar on mine is a good idea. I was thinking about just changing the rubber element but not sure how easy or hard that is.

 

[Mr Googler]

Last update for 2025 and its a good one. Look what i found!


So that could be giving me vibration! Then comes the tricky bit of finding a replacement. @Andyroonot was very helpful but we couldnt figure out if the large collar was a spwcial mount and part of the mount cover. A TAMD102 mount lists the threaded ajuster as a seperate item so it was all a bit confusing. Nothing for it but to pull it out and see whats what.


All came apart pretty easy so that was good then returned to my centre of engineering excellence (garage)



As hoped (or prayed for) the special adjuster is a separate piece making the worn out mount just your bulk standard cushyfloat 17-1657 with a 65 shore hardness! What a relief! Parts ordered so lets see if this helps. I surely hope it does.

Thanks for the comments and support throughout 2025 all and heres to more actual boating than fixing in 2026

 

[kashurst]

Fingers crossed a new mount, properly aligned will do the job. It looks like that engine mount is not perpendicular and twisted over.
Mind you, that block of wood looks OK. Could you just stick a couple of self tappers to hold it in place???? ;-) Sorted..........

 

[Mr Googler]

Update time!

3 mounts changed. Yet to sea trail yet but definitely different again at the dock. I have a plan of how to do the rear ones but need to build up to that as itll be an arse of a job.



Both R and D are now replaced too. I couldnt handle the colour difference or old vs new!



Stern glands looking lovely now




In other news…..been dying curtains….very happy with the end result

Before


After


And lastly…..the loo got a blind!


Im classy if nothing else.

Oh, my radar backlight was knackered so picked a raymarine RL70C for £75. Mint condition so thats replaced too. I now have 4 plotters. 5 would be overkill

Roll on the decent weather

 

[sharpness]

Fantastic work.
Having found one of the engine mounts were broken, are you changing all of them as a precaution, or did they all need replacing ?

 

[DipperToo]

The controls on our Hardy weren’t great and having used electronic at work I bit the bullet and went with Vetus electronic controls with the mechanical interface box of tricks. The original manual multiplier wasn’t in great shape when I removed it and the flybridge MT3 was heavily corroded.

The retail cost of the units was almost a show stopper but I managed to get a reasonable deal via my engineer that worked when man maths was applied

I haven’t regretted the decision so far (I might if something goes wrong with the system) and I would go so far as to say that it has notably enhanced my enjoyment of helming the boat.
.

I am in a similar situation with my elderly Nimbus 370 Commander - can you also drop me a PM with details of the Vetus controls with ,mechanical interface box? Not sure if I want to go this route yet or just get MT3 clones. to replace my rather worn ones - plus the mechanical interface box.

 

[Mr Googler]

Fantastic work.
Having found one of the engine mounts were broken, are you changing all of them as a precaution, or did they all need replacing ?

Im not sure yet but common sense says to change them all. It will involve new holes in floors for sure

My thinking is the gearbox end ones take the most wieght and force. One looked new so replaced the other (that was collapsed) and 2 on the other engine.

Also looking at tick over being too low causing vibration issues in and out of gear etc…. Got a meter….just need to test at the front pulley to see what it actually is currently

 

[Greg2]

I am in a similar situation with my elderly Nimbus 370 Commander - can you also drop me a PM with details of the Vetus controls with ,mechanical interface box? Not sure if I want to go this route yet or just get MT3 clones. to replace my rather worn ones - plus the mechanical interface box.

We installed the Vetus EC4 controls and E-box for mechanical engines and gearbox. We needed two control units (wheelhouse and flybridge) and two E-boxes (one for each engine) and associated cables.
.

 

[sharpness]

Also looking at tick over being too low causing vibration issues in and out of gear etc…. Got a meter….just need to test at the front pulley to see what it actually is currently

I'm assuming you have the manuals for the Tamd61a (if you need them drop me a PM with your email). Pics below show how to adjust the low idle and low idle dampener.
When I owned mine, I found 650 rpm for low idle was the sweet spot, slightly higher than the recommended 600 +- 20rpm.

 

[Mr Googler]

I'm assuming you have the manuals for the Tamd61a (if you need them drop me a PM with your email). Pics below show how to adjust the low idle and low idle dampener.
When I owned mine, I found 650 rpm for low idle was the sweet spot, slightly higher than the recommended 600 +- 20rpm.

View attachment 205855View attachment 205856

I do have manuals but thank you. Volvopaul also gave me some great tips

 

[Mr Googler]

Update. Tried to read the revs from the front pulley using white gaffer tape but no luck. Access is really tricky. Looked at rev counts…..one at 580 the other 500 at idle. I dont believe either!

Lifted the idle by at a guess 50rpm……loads better from a vibration point of view! I did it by ear more than anything else. They just sounded better. Gauges now say 620 and 550 so itll do (still dont believe then). Revs dont drop anything like as much when going into gear and vibration felt at the shaft when in gear is gone, even when tied onto the dock.

Theres no doubt i had knackered cutlass bearings, out of blance props and a collapsed mount but sometimes its the simple things. Not out the wood yets as need to see what we are like are cruising and other rpm ranges but its great to have in and out of gear much improved!

Having read the tech specs…the 220a box can handle 650-700 idle speed but still dont think im close to 650 anyway. I heard nothing nasty too.

I will do the front mounts this year if cruise vibration still present or next winter if its not.

 

[vas]

I've had excellent results checking rpm using an android app (RPM Gauge I think was the one I used), try it! no stickers and squeezing on the pulley side of the engines either!
Just state strokes (4 unless you're on DDs ) and # of cylinders. Obvs you fire one engine at a a time, you'll be impressed, easy and accurate!

V.

 

[Mr Googler]

I've had excellent results checking rpm using an android app (RPM Gauge I think was the one I used), try it! no stickers and squeezing on the pulley side of the engines either!
Just state strokes (4 unless you're on DDs ) and # of cylinders. Obvs you fire one engine at a a time, you'll be impressed, easy and accurate!

V.

I was looking at apps just today! Tried it fromh a recording….didnt work unless im doing 3200 in tick over Likely the wrong app too.