Bringing an old boat back to life

[Cheekybrat]

Dream Finder

Having got my love of boats from being on the Norfolk Broads as a child in the 60's then going to the London boat show back in the 70's and sitting aboard a Powles 53 built for an Arab oil Sheik (who else could afford the £230 000+ price tag in those days) I was like a kid in a sweetshop seeing Dream Finder appear at Newark marina.

I watched as the boat took on a whole new disposition and kept pointing out to SWMBO how I always wanted one

I was even lucky enough to be there the day of the launch (working on my own boat on the hard stuff) and loved the rumble of the newly fitted engines, I hope everything turns out fine and will be hoping to see her in fine fettle when I have a jaunt to the south coast.

Paul certainly knows his stuff and you couldn't get anyone better to sort the engines out

Nick Heath

 

[Firefly625]

Ran engine tonight to diagnose fault, seems compression is firing back into inlet manifold, carried out compression test, zero comp on no 6 cylinder suspect broken valve or maybe burnt out seat etc, started stripdown.

Oh Paul, that will keep you busy for a couple of hours, weekend weather looks good so make sure its back together for Friday

 

[volvopaul]

Update, heads are off, no6 inlet valve has part of the seat missing, well sort of embedded in the top of the piston.

Early 61a engines circa 1986 to 1989 suffered from this problem, incidently no 3 has 2 dents in the piston where im sure has digested a valve previously as the cylinder head looks younger than the rear head( the 61 series has 2 heads) incase anyones not sure.

 

[Andydent2000]

Update

I thought I would write a quick update on what is happening. After a disasterous sea trial where the port engine lost a valve Paul has stripped everything down.

Paul is of the opinion that the engine has had work before and that it has seen considerably more than the 1000 hours advertised. An expensive lesson to learn.

A section of the valve had split off - I had no idea but there were a batch of these engines that were prone to this fault? Anyhow it may be because they were sat so long, we just don't know. The liner is scored and given the amount of wear on the rest of the liners I have opted for a full rebuild. Not something I was expecting, but at least the parts are available unlike the old TAMD-70C's that were there before.

When Paul stripped the pistons it was found that the second ring in all but one had disintegrated so I think the rebuild option was the right thing to do.

In the meantime I am working on things I can do like refurbing the aft cabin. Changing it from this:

To this:

I still have the carpet to lay but all in all I am pleased with my first attempt at sewing a ceiling lining.

 

[Divemaster1]

Symphathise with you ... I have Piston crown failure on cylinder 5 on my port engine and needing a similar job. Have not started this yet, as we still use the boat ... but will do in a couple of weks... by which time my port engine will look similar... Presume Jig is for lifting engine for pushing pisons out ...

 

[volvopaul]

Quick update, 6 new liners fitted today.

 

[Rum_Pirate]

Excellent thread.

Great looking boat.

Please continue to post info and pictures as refurb is completed.

 

[Rum_Pirate]

For those wishing one there is one available in UK for about £80,000.00

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...rency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=42626&url=

 

[Andydent2000]

For those wishing one there is one available in UK for about £80,000.00

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...rency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=42626&url=

Yes would love to meet the owner and compare notes. She looks in excellent condition.

 

[Divemaster1]

Nice !!

Yes would love to meet the owner and compare notes. She looks in excellent condition.

Love the boats and looked at quite a few before we settled on ours... those V8's in the 46 in the ad will sing... .....

Keep the updates going .. love to see her receiving the TLC and being used the way she was intended ...

 

[volvopaul]

Love the boats and looked at quite a few before we settled on ours... those V8's in the 46 in the ad will sing... .....

Keep the updates going .. love to see her receiving the TLC and being used the way she was intended ...

Alf, I dont know about sing, we followed it for a while across the solent and into the hamble estuary, the noise at 15knots was horrendous so we overtook it as it was that deafening!!

 

[Divemaster1]

Detroits ....

Alf, I dont know about sing, we followed it for a while across the solent and into the hamble estuary, the noise at 15knots was horrendous so we overtook it as it was that deafening!!

There are good installations and some that needs a bit attention ... and by the sound of things she has straight exhausts ... and with a DD 2 stroke, that will be LOUD !!! RNLI Tyne Class LOUD....

The right water traps does the biz and makes her more sociable.....and she will sing a great V8 tune!!

The DD 8/71 @ 450 hp is very relaxed (possible to take out over 600 of that engine), and this one should be good for some serious hours....

 

[mainshiptom]

Great post ,

Keep it coming with photos, very nice boat and engines.

Tom

 

[Andydent2000]

At last

Both engines completely rebuilt and ready for sea trials in the New Year. Finally I can make the saloon habitable again .
Spanking new autopilot, just needs a sprocket to match up with the existing chain and we're good to go!

 

[Andydent2000]

Sea Trials Complete

It was a lovely calm crisp morning when we nosed out of the Hamble and turned up Southampton water towards Netley.

Both engines running smoothly purring like kittens.

Its taken a while since last August but I have not been idle. A reversing camera linked to a 70m night vision camera fitted to the radar arch now gives me a view from the flybridge when driving downstairs at night, as well as a view of the engine room in case of problems.

And inside I've been retrimming the saloon and making a feature of the steps.

The steps were done by Andy the joiner based at Cabin Boatyard. What a great job!

Still work in progress as I need to trim the port side pelmet but I think it is a distinct improvement.

Now the engines are finally out of the way the carpet can go down. I laid it yesterday and will trim next weekend in time for the made to measure setee turning up on Sunday.

The only fly in the ointment - some person of dubious parentage has half inched over 2000 litres of deisel in the period between the engines failing and the refurb. As both fuel gagues still read full I hadn't a clue until we ran out!

Many thanks to the crew of Calshot lifeboat for the tow back in and deep red face for having to call them.

 

[sharpness]

I've enjoyed following this thread with interest, as I remember seeing "Dream Finder" on the severn and around cardiff / portishead, lovely looking vessel. It must be very pleasing to know mechanically shes now got a whole new lease of life.

With ref to the fuel theft, i'm not allowed to print what i think of lowlife like that!! I see you now have locking fuel fillers, another option some forumites have used are isolating valves inline with the fuel filler pipes - though i guess this depends on access restrictions.

Good luck with the conclusion of the refurbishment, and enjoy the coming season.

 

[rafiki_]

Andy,

Great to hear that she is purring again, and sorry to hear about the theft. Could you try an insurance claim?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Andy, I've just come across this thread as I must have missed it first time round. What an interesting boating story and really pleased to see that you may be getting closer to the end of what looks like a massive refit project. Here's hoping that Dream Finder gives you many seasons of boating pleasure to pay you back for all the work you've put into her

 

[Andydent2000]

Andy,

Great to hear that she is purring again, and sorry to hear about the theft. Could you try an insurance claim?

I wish I could but I think too much time has passed and she's been moved by road twice since filling her up..

I think it must have happened in the two years she spent stuck in Portishead. I noticed her trim had altered about six months before we moved her. I just didn't put two and two together.

The chances of them paying out are probably very remote.

 

[Andydent2000]

I see you now have locking fuel fillers, another option some forumites have used are isolating valves inline with the fuel filler pipes - though i guess this depends on access restrictions.

yes access is a problem. I had to take half the side apart to fit the locking filler. I like the idea of an isolating valve though.