Bump start your engine

[Sgeir]

Anyone tried it?

 

[cliff]

I can hand crank the boat engine into life but I have a proper marine engine and not a marinised tractor engine /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif - oh dear here we go again.......
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"

 

[ccscott49]

Easy, third gear. downhill (if possible) drop the clutch, Vroooooom!

 

[Swagman]

Yes - a long 50 footer with lots of open space below decks.
Two giants in harnesses, a rope wrapped round the flywheel, back to a block - and tied onto their backs .......
Decompress, urge them up to speed and sprinting at a near horizintal angle, swiftly close the valve and BANG - away it went.
Glad I was not alone - it was a 90 hp.
JOHN

 

[celandine]

I read somwhere about someone who hoisted an anchor up the mast on a halyard and fed the line back to wind around the exposed flywheel. However I feel that this might be one of those stories. It sounds like a good way to get the halyard inextricably jammed between flywheel and angine block, and a dirty great hole in the deck.

 

[jeremyshaw]

Go out in a gale, surf downwave and put the engine in gear.

I read of this happening to someone, though it wasn't the plan!

 

[Stemar]

The chap I bought my prop from reckoned that when he really got going with the engine in gear, it would turn his engine over, That's one of the reasons he got a folding prop.

 

[savageseadog]

I don't remeber who did it but one of the more famous yachtsmen used a gybe of the main with a rope and tackles from the boom to start his engine.

 

[Matrosen]

If there was enough wind to gybe the main, why the hell did he want to start hie engine?

 

[starboard]

Not very easy with a folding prop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul.

 

[PeteCooper]

It was one of the round the world yachtsmen so he needed to start his engine to charge his batteries.

 

[bilbobaggins]

Sounds like Mike Golding - he of the circumscribed toothbrushes!

 

[john_morris_uk]

I can't remember the name of the yachtsman either, but I think I remember the circumstances.

It was in the Vendee, and he was in the Southern Ocean. His (handstart) generator had gone down, and there wasn't enough power in his batteries to start the main engine. I don't think he gybed, but used a line from the boom and let the mainsheet run to allow the line to start the engine.

And for those who ask why he needed to battery power when there was lots of wind - Open 60's and the like, single handed, need lots of amps to drive the autopilot and all their gizmos. These are not boats that will steer themselves while you have a quick nap!

(I think it was a Frenchman by the way)

 

[savageseadog]

I'll rummage through my books

 

[DeeGee]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll rummage through my books

[/ QUOTE ]
Michel Desjoyeaux, Vendee Globe, decompressed,used boom and a separate line. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Swagman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'll rummage through my books

[/ QUOTE ]
Michel Desjoyeaux, Vendee Globe, decompressed,used boom and a separate line. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Whatagoodidea...........now its been explained I'll remember that for any future need.

JOHN

 

[Mirelle]

Yes, I have

The engine is an MD2, i.e. small engine with big flywheel and decompressors, hand-start-able, with 15" x 10" three blade prop.

Put the boat on a broad reach, engage ahead gear, lift both decompressors, open the throttle fully, drop a decompressor...

...definitely beats hand starting it!

You need an old fashioned engine (and boat!) to do this. And you need to be doing a good six knots, and surfing down a wave if possible. But it does work.

Got the idea from Dr Griffiths' book about his cruises in "Ahwanee".

I think he mentions a competitor in a Sydney-Hobart starting his engine after finishing with a flat battery by winding the a line from the boom round the flywheel and gybing. Which may be where the Frenchman got it from.

 

[doris]

Girl always likes a nice rummage doesn\'t she! nm

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