donm
Well-Known Member
As a known Stuart Turner critic I have taken some flak from some aficionados of the marquee despite its constant trickery. However on reflection I feel the need to settle with my conscience and unburden myself from the dark secret of a grudging respect for the little green cast iron bilge decoration.
Some (many) years ago a friend and I took a sabbatical, cruising the west and south coast in his wooden cutter, which was powered (only just) by a trusty Stuart 4. Two months into the cruise the clutch went, or at least forward gear which as the anoraks knows is a simple steel cylinder to cone connection. Being strapped for beer tokens, I tried all of the careful shimming that might produce forward motion without terminally destroying the gearbox end of the assembly (which contained the fully functional reverse gear). All attempts to bodge a solution failed so we persevered sailing everywhere and reversing into anchorages, rivers etc (no marinas in them days) until one violent thunder storm later which left us becalmed, at sea, at the mercy of the lightening, we gave in and set about purchasing a new forward cone.
We were in Falmouth at the time and found that a place in Helford had a cone so we arranged to sail over and meet the seller on the beach to make the transaction. We duly sailed to the Helford, inflated our trusty (black) Avon by mouth and my mate paddled ashore, did the deal and returned with the shiny new cone. By now the wind had died away so as we had a long drift back to Falmouth I set about disconnecting the gearbox from the shaft and engine block so as to replace the cone. However when the cone was exposed it was apparent that I needed a large box spanner to remove it as my multi headed bicycle spanner and two Allen keys did not fit. I thought about drifting it out with a hammer and screwdriver, but did not have a hammer and screwdriver so gave up on that approach. By a stroke of luck there were several ships anchored in Falmouth roads and one had a ladder over the side, so my mate boarded it and asked if he could borrow a cup of sugar and a box spanner. Back he came with both, off came the cone, on went the new one, back went the spanner, on went the gearbox, and forward went the boat! The whole operation was carried out afloat in 8 hours and on passage from Falmouth to Helford and back to Falmouth (via anchored ship) and the question is, on what other marine engine could you have done this?
There, I feel a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders!
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Some (many) years ago a friend and I took a sabbatical, cruising the west and south coast in his wooden cutter, which was powered (only just) by a trusty Stuart 4. Two months into the cruise the clutch went, or at least forward gear which as the anoraks knows is a simple steel cylinder to cone connection. Being strapped for beer tokens, I tried all of the careful shimming that might produce forward motion without terminally destroying the gearbox end of the assembly (which contained the fully functional reverse gear). All attempts to bodge a solution failed so we persevered sailing everywhere and reversing into anchorages, rivers etc (no marinas in them days) until one violent thunder storm later which left us becalmed, at sea, at the mercy of the lightening, we gave in and set about purchasing a new forward cone.
We were in Falmouth at the time and found that a place in Helford had a cone so we arranged to sail over and meet the seller on the beach to make the transaction. We duly sailed to the Helford, inflated our trusty (black) Avon by mouth and my mate paddled ashore, did the deal and returned with the shiny new cone. By now the wind had died away so as we had a long drift back to Falmouth I set about disconnecting the gearbox from the shaft and engine block so as to replace the cone. However when the cone was exposed it was apparent that I needed a large box spanner to remove it as my multi headed bicycle spanner and two Allen keys did not fit. I thought about drifting it out with a hammer and screwdriver, but did not have a hammer and screwdriver so gave up on that approach. By a stroke of luck there were several ships anchored in Falmouth roads and one had a ladder over the side, so my mate boarded it and asked if he could borrow a cup of sugar and a box spanner. Back he came with both, off came the cone, on went the new one, back went the spanner, on went the gearbox, and forward went the boat! The whole operation was carried out afloat in 8 hours and on passage from Falmouth to Helford and back to Falmouth (via anchored ship) and the question is, on what other marine engine could you have done this?
There, I feel a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders!
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
