How much of your boat do you have to dismantle to perform an engine(s) service?

[CharlesSwallow]

One of our neighbours in the marina was visited by two local Volvo mechanics to perform an engine service on his 50' Fairline Phantom. They took one look, shook their heads and returned to their workshop stating that they couldn't get at the impellor on the port engine unless he removed, all the furniture in the saloon (screwed down of course), the carpets, the floorboards and the whole of the panels surrounding the access hatches, not just the hatches themselves.

Anyway, after a day and a half of very careful and pains-takingly deft dismantling, they returned and did the work leaving him and his "skipper"* to put the meccano set back together again. After this was completed he decided to take his boat for a fast run. About half-way to Mourtos, his wife could smell diesel so he slowed gently to a stop and climbed into the engineroom through the "crew-quarters"** at the back of the cockpit only to be confronted with around 4 gallons of diesel washing around and the nylon drain screw from one of his water seperator/filters missing. After a fishing experience with his bare hands in the diesel he eventually found the screw, mopped up the diesel and headed back to Gouvia, NOT a happy bunny!

Are ALL modern motorboats built around their engines in an attempt to create accomodation that common sense would otherwise deny? Fairline in the UK and in Spain where the boat used to be based confirmed the need for this dismantling being necessary before servicing the engines! Apparently, in Spain (Majorca) they got around this by employing an "extra specially small" mechanic who could actually squeeze himself in alongside the engines to do the work!

So if there are any "Passe-Partout" aspiring mechanics looking for a job on Corfu, I think I know where there is an opening (but a very small one!)

Two points:-
* designating your previously entitled "Guardian" as skipper has proved to be an effective way of getting around the ban of non yard-certified persons working on one's boat.

** Why does a 50ft boat need "Crew quarters" and have you seen the minute "coffin" with a tip-up wash basin and a compact loo that serves this purpose in such boats? I'd use it as a motorbike garage if it were mine.

Chas

 

[oldsaltoz]

The only access to our engine/s is via a hatch on deck, it has a bulkhead forward and aft on each engine. Each engines fuel tank is above and inboard under the cockpit seats.

The air supply is via a deck dorade vent onto a 6 inch tube that runs down to the bottom of the hull, so all cool air enters at the lowest point.

It is good when you walk around your engine.

 

[Ubergeekian]

When I was at Milford the boys at Windjammer told me of a motorboat engine replacement they did recently. Apparently it it involved cutting out the entire wheelhouse floor, which meant removing the entire wheelhouse contents: instruments, controls, furniture, the lot. Just reinstating after the job was work for two people full time for a week.

The engine in that case was fitted before the hull and deck were joined - clearly the manufacturer do not expect that it will ever be replaced.

 

[starfire]

Recently done just that.

A friend acquired a sea ray 370 with Cummins engines.


2 hatches in the saloon floor, 1 over the stb engine, 1 over the gap between the 2 & another in the cockpit for access to the rear ends.

Starboard engine, not too bad, reasonable access to most things.


I finally managed to work my way around the front of the port engine, just enough to reach the fuel filter, get it off with finger tips & replace, replacing the impeller would have meant removing the pump one handed & blind.

Further inspection from below showed a 3rd hatch over the port engine, no sign of it from above.


Seems a previous owner had re-upholstered the furniture, including covering the gap where by undoing a couple of bolts, you could slide out the bit covering the hatch.

And, carpeted over the 3rd hatch.

Didn't fancy taking a sharp knife to the furniture & carpet, but would have made my job easier.

Next time he may have to get that done !

 

[snowleopard]

I watched an engine being removed from a superyacht in St Maarten. They were able to lift it using a gigantic fork lift and slide it out between the taffrail and the back of the flybridge. The clearance was less than an inch and the engine was approx 8' x 6' x 6'.

On my boat the engines are under the aft bunks and it takes 30 seconds to lift off the bunk bases and slide out the front panel. One can then walk around the engine. When one had to come out to have work done on it, two of us with a sling and pole were able to lift it out of its bed.

I've just come back from a trip on an Island Packet. Access to the engine is very good with hatches in front and both sides but there would be a lot of dismantling to lift it out. Worse than that though was the water and fuel tanks which were installed before the interior mouldings were glassed in. To get the tank out would involve a lot of sawing and the boat could never be restored to its original condition. Neither tank has an inspection hatch, the only access is through the 1.5" holes the gauges screw into.

 

[jimbaerselman]

It's not just Mobos. I had to take a buzz saw to the galley of an Oyster 406 to ensure decent log term engine access for regular servicing. The alternative was to employ a contortionist midget as mate/engineer - and even he would have had a bad time.

The modified galley improved things no end, but access still called for two large trim panels to be removed (six screws), one air trunk to be pushed aside, three bolts to be thrown, then a heave to lift the whole galley surface out.

 

[Ubergeekian]

It's not just Mobos. I had to take a buzz saw to the galley of an Oyster 406 to ensure decent log term engine access for regular servicing. The alternative was to employ a contortionist midget as mate/engineer - and even he would have had a bad time.

Next winter's job is to put a ruddy big access hatch in Jumblie's cockpit sole. I am neither contortionist nor a midget, and access to anything other than the front of the engine is outstandingly horrible for normal people.

 

[mikehibb]

Access for normal maintenance is pretty good on our GibSea33.

Lift up gang way steps get to front of engine. Rear of engine, gearbox and stern gland all from the aft cabin, just lift up two panels.
And then there is the gibsea trick to access the oil dipstick, in the heads there is a convenient access panel that opens right next to the dipstick, plus you have the bonus of some loo roll ready to hand to wipe it too.

 

[West Coast]

The engine access on my starlight 35 is about the best I have ever seen. 10 minutes work will remove the top, front and sides of the engine box, and rear access is easy via a hatch in the aft cabin. Complete all round access. However, the downside is the engine is a bit noisier.

 

[brianhumber]

"Fairline in the UK and in Spain where the boat used to be based confirmed the need for this dismantling being necessary before servicing the engines! "

Classic UK design principal applied to boats, shipping, aircraft, locomotives, cars etc. and one of the key reasons our industry has disappeared. He who gets to a space first gets the best design access and others have to follow as best they can.

My first ships were UK built and I was amazed at how well thought out and built the first Japanese ships we had were compared to the utter appalling **** the UK built.

Brian

 

[trapezeartist]

There are removable panels on Tickety Boo to get access to front, rear and port side of the engine. Such a shame the fuel filter, oil filter, dipstick and oil suction tube are all on the starboard side.

 

[Heckler]

One of our neighbours in the marina was visited by two local Volvo mechanics to perform an engine service on his 50' Fairline Phantom. They took one look, shook their heads and returned to their workshop stating that they couldn't get at the impellor on the port engine unless he removed, all the furniture in the saloon (screwed down of course), the carpets, the floorboards and the whole of the panels surrounding the access hatches, not just the hatches themselves.

Anyway, after a day and a half of very careful and pains-takingly deft dismantling, they returned and did the work leaving him and his "skipper"* to put the meccano set back together again. After this was completed he decided to take his boat for a fast run. About half-way to Mourtos, his wife could smell diesel so he slowed gently to a stop and climbed into the engineroom through the "crew-quarters"** at the back of the cockpit only to be confronted with around 4 gallons of diesel washing around and the nylon drain screw from one of his water seperator/filters missing. After a fishing experience with his bare hands in the diesel he eventually found the screw, mopped up the diesel and headed back to Gouvia, NOT a happy bunny!

Are ALL modern motorboats built around their engines in an attempt to create accomodation that common sense would otherwise deny? Fairline in the UK and in Spain where the boat used to be based confirmed the need for this dismantling being necessary before servicing the engines! Apparently, in Spain (Majorca) they got around this by employing an "extra specially small" mechanic who could actually squeeze himself in alongside the engines to do the work!

So if there are any "Passe-Partout" aspiring mechanics looking for a job on Corfu, I think I know where there is an opening (but a very small one!)

Two points:-
* designating your previously entitled "Guardian" as skipper has proved to be an effective way of getting around the ban of non yard-certified persons working on one's boat.

** Why does a 50ft boat need "Crew quarters" and have you seen the minute "coffin" with a tip-up wash basin and a compact loo that serves this purpose in such boats? I'd use it as a motorbike garage if it were mine.

Chas

Beneteaus are easy, lift steps and front of engine is there (see PPO April for pics of me changing a cam belt!) Access is easy at sides and rear thro easily removable access hatches.
Stu

 

[CharlesSwallow]

Beneteaus are easy, lift steps and front of engine is there (see PPO April for pics of me changing a cam belt!) Access is easy at sides and rear thro easily removable access hatches.
Stu

These engines are monsters; 750 of turbo-charged horsepower each!

Chas

 

[Bajansailor]

We are very fortunate re engine access on our Challenger 35 - the engine (Volvo 2003) lives under a box in way of the companionway, with a short two step ladder on top of the box to get up to the cockpit.
The engine box is in two sections, held together with Protex latches - it can be taken off in a minute (or less), and then I can sit down on the galley sole next to the engine.
The photo below (showing the old engine, that blew up last year) was taken from the companionway looking down - galley is to starboard (ie top of the photo), with the quarter berth opposite.

One of the worst engine accesses I have seen was on a Grady White 330 Offshore powerboat here recently. Here is some more info about them :
http://www.gradywhite.com/330/ - although this is a link to a slightly later model.

And I am not talking about the access to the outboard engines - that is quite good really.
Rather, the access to the 4 kw diesel generator which is stowed under the seat on the aft deck.
Here is a photo showing the access in to this compartment for routine maintenance :

The vertical height of the aperture is 10" - really. You can see the generator in it's sound insulated box inside the compartment.

Here is the view looking down at the bilge forward of the generator when I peered in to this area :

The sea cocks are for the generator and air conditioning intakes - they have remote levers for turning them off and on.
I looked very hard to see if the area above this compartment could be dismantled easily, but I couldn't see any removable panels - it looks like major surgery would be required in order to take that generator out......
I am thinking also that there is bound to be scope for confusion if you have petrol and diesel tanks (and a water tank) on the same boat....

 

[LeonF]

Next winter's job is to put a ruddy big access hatch in Jumblie's cockpit sole. I am neither contortionist nor a midget, and access to anything other than the front of the engine is outstandingly horrible for normal people.

This is a growing trend with us Frances/Victoria owners. A local Vic 800 owner who designed and made his own gave me detailed plans and pics and I got a boatyard to do it for me. Cost= £700. I thought twice, but went ahead, and it's been worth every penny.

 

[TradewindSailor]

It takes me less than a minute to remove the top and end panels that cover my engines on my Catana 40, and then I have clear access. No mattresses to remove, no mirrors needed to see the belts ...... wonderful. I don't even have to stand over the engine like one would have to do if the engines were placed in the sugar scoops.

The more difficult it is to access the engines, the less well maintained they tend to be. Good access is very important, and that includes the sump and bilge where the tools and bolts tend to end up. I've been on several boats where the oil filters are in such awkward positions that the bilge is always oily from the filter changes.

I was on one catamaran where the engines were positioned so bady that I couldn't get to the port side of the starboard engine, or the starboard side of the port engine ..... and this was a $500,000 production boat.

I've also come across yachts that have had the cockpit soles cut out to remove engines when they were designed to be removed through the companionway after the head and ancillaries were removed. This tends to be a problem when non-marine technicians are employed.

 

[Searush]

Ann Twacky sailboat (Pentland) with new Yanmar 3ym30. Remove steps & front panel in seconds for access to front & sides, remove grating & hatch in cockpit floor for access to top, rear, sides, gearbox, controls & tank. Doddle really - even took the previous engine out myself a couple of times to carry out rebuilds. There is much to be said for small.

 

[Leighb]

Halmatic 30.

If fitted with a modern engine, access is a few secs only.

Lift off the navigator's seat, undo 2 overcentre clips, swing companionway steps/engine bay front cover to one side and there you are with all essentials to hand.

With the original Volvo you could still access the front of the engine as quickly, but unfortunately none of the items to which you needed access were to hand with the exception of the sump dipsstick.

To get to the fuel filter, or water pump impeller you had to lift the hatch in the cockpit floor, and the oil filter and air filter were tricky to get at from either direction.

 

[GrahamHR]

American 24' sportsboat with a 5.7 V8; nothing needs removing to service the engine, unless you include opening the ( electricaly powered) engine cover.

Graham

 

[prv]

There are removable panels on Tickety Boo to get access to front, rear and port side of the engine. Such a shame the fuel filter, oil filter, dipstick and oil suction tube are all on the starboard side.

Heh. I guess the boat was designed for an engine the other way round?

I heard that when Halberg-Rassy adopted a new engine for their 36' model, which had the service items on the other side, they flipped the whole accommodation plan of the boat so that the cavernous "engine room" doors in the walkthrough opened onto the correct side.

Pete