lifting the engine using the boom?

[Bosun Higgs]

boat is a 36 footer with a fairly solid Kemp boom / mast. engine is a volvo weighing 130kg. do you reckon I could lift out the engine using a sling over the boom ( topping lift and halyard to boom end) and a tackle? or might I bring the mast down?

anyone done similar and got away with it.

 

[doug748]

anyone done similar and got away with it.

Only with about 100kg.
It should only bring the mast down if it was on its way anyway. I had an extra lift on the end of the boom + lazy jacks, so lots of support. Used one of those Haltrac hoists from the 1960's complete with moth eaten string - that was my main worry. It went very well even singlehanded.

 

[Boathook]

boat is a 36 footer with a fairly solid Kemp boom / mast. engine is a volvo weighing 130kg. do you reckon I could lift out the engine using a sling over the boom ( topping lift and halyard to boom end) and a tackle? or might I bring the mast down?

anyone done similar and got away with it.

I lift my o/b (96 kg) every year using the boom. Where ever the lift point is on the boom for the engine I would also use a halyard to add support. With the block and tackle pull up rather than adding downward force on to the boom.

 

[colvic987]

if you can afford to risk it then go ahead, cost up the price of a new boom fittings and shipping it to you, and then you will know if its worth the risk..

if your only lifting it to change mountings etc, and not lifting it out altogether, then it might work for you..

 

[Searush]

I seem to remember using a 4x2 across the hatch & the mainsheet tackle to get the engine (a REALLY heavy MD2B) into the cabin, but I couldn't get enough height to get it out so used the boom to get it over the side.

Think about the forces normally taken by the boom/mainsheet when the boat heels to a gust. OK so the load is spread by the sail track, but the mainsheet is a single point fixing. The gooseneck should be in compression. As already stated, you need to use the halyard & attach it to the boom at the same point as the main sheet so the boom is mostly in compression & the load is mostly carried by the halyard & mainsheet. Try to avoid ANY bending forces on the boom.

If you need to attach the mainsheet in the middle of the boom, attach the halyard at the same point & used ropes to the end of the boom to stop either sliding towards the mast. No reason why you can't use the winch on the halyard to lift the boom like a derrick either. Use commonsense, think about the forces & STOP immediately if there are any funny noises or movements!!!

 

[carannah]

I lifted a stripped down MD11c from my Centaur and a complete Beta 20 back in using the boom. I had a chain block strapped to the boom and a halyard positioned on the boom at the same point with no weight at all on the topping lift. Once lifted I used the boom to swing the engine and then dropped to ground. Opposite for the Beta.

 

[pikeyrm]

i used my boom on my pageant for taking out the old volvo md1b weighing in at 170kg, you might want to think about using the main halyard and the main block and tackle. Just another idea

 

[Blueboatman]

By all means use the boom but build a stout wooden A frame .

A couple of 6x2s with lower ends cut at an angle to match the coachroof just inboard of the grabrails will be perfect.

Position ( and lash) the A frame as close to the pulley/strop attachment point on the boom and bingo, little danger of bending anything.

Make sure thought the boom is set high enough to give clearance to hoist the motor high enough.

A couple of scaffold boards are pretty useful too to then slide the motor off the boat, and some old towels taped to the companionway will avoid scratches to the trim.

 

[MoodySabre]

Chain hoist for sale

 

[Dipper]

I seem to remember using a 4x2 across the hatch & the mainsheet tackle to get the engine (a REALLY heavy MD2B) into the cabin

I did the same with a stout fencepost and my mainsheet tackle but it only needed to lift a relatively light Volvo 2001 on to the cabin sole.

 

[oldfatgit]

I strongly suggest you use a chain hoist. They are inherently safe as you have to crank the load down as well as up. I moved a 24hp Bukh, after removing the fly wheel, into my cabin using a couple of 4x2 across the hatchway to raise. Then, after climbing out via the forehatch, eased them forward until able to lower onto a small trolly into the cabin. Trolly was a base unit from a cage trolly found in a scrap yard.

 

[john_morris_uk]

No problem at all - ignore the merchants of doom. I've done it twice on my own boat and several times on other boats and never had a problem.

With our current engine which weighs in on the heavy side, I put the topping lift the the end of the boom and the main halyard to a strap on the boom where the engine was being lifted. Once it was out of the companionway, I maneuvered it along the boom (moving the main halyard a couple of times to take the weight) until I could sling the whole thing out over the side using the boom as a crane. I use a chain winch to lift the thing up and down with.

PS if you'd admit to what area of the country you are in, I would know whether to offer you the loan of my chain winch.

 

[prv]

My engine weighs approximately the same as me, and I wouldn't think twice about hanging my own weight from the end of a 36-footer's boom.

When I did lift mine out, though, the mast was down. So a mate and I built a "goalpost" of theatre truss up and over the boat, and hung a small electric hoist (£25 from ebay) from that. Being able to inch the hoist up and down at the press of a button was handy for some of the trickier bits.

Pete

 

[Spyro]

I wonder what is more likely to break first, boom or halyard/topping lift sheaves?

 

[kacecar]

I've not much to add to the earlier posts but, for what it's worth . . .

I took out a VP2002 (126kg - equivalent to about 1.8 average blokes) from a Sigma 33 using a method similar to that used by earlier posters - a stout beam of wood across the companionway to make the initial lift and, once the engine was clear of its mounts et al, a lift on the boom to get it on to the deck, over the side and down to ground-level. I used the same lifting gear (I didn't use the mainsheet but probably could have done), switching it from the beam to the boom at the appropriate point in the process. I ran both the topping lift and main halyard to rope loops around the boom at the point of attachment for the lifting gear and covered the entire route the engine was to take with sheets/blocks of wood so that I could partially lower it at various points during its journey, thereby resting the rig without damaging the deck etc. The idea was to lift so far, then to lower it while ensuring halyard/topping lift remained tight (or while any unforseen complication was being attended to), then lift again, then "rest" again, etc. until the move was completed. In addition I had control ropes on the engine to minimise swinging whilst suspended.

I was initially quite nervous (it was the sheaves I was most worried about) but the lift went smoothly, my confidence grew and no damage was incurred (not even to the mast step - a weak point in the 33). I swung it back in using the same technique without hesitation.

However, it during both lifts it was clear that the rig was being stressed in a way that was not intended. I certainly wouldn't leave the lump hanging in mid-air for any length of time - nor would I plan to use this technique very often.

 

[FistralG]

Perhaps that's what this guy was attempting!?

 

[Poignard]

I would be happy to do it with my new boom but I'm very glad I didn't try it with the one it replaced, which snapped in two without warning during a squall and was found to have hidden corrosion beneath the kicker attachment fitting.

 

[GeorgeLlewellin]

I would use the boom, there will not be much weight on it if you attach the main halyard to the same part of the boom that you attach your engine slings to. Then lift using the main halyard and winch. I have done this a number of times on an OOD 34, engine in and out several times in just 2 years, this was done with the boat afloat. Good luck, George.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Straightforward lifting via the boom is one thing, but are there risks when the engine is to be moved sideways away from the boat?

 

[Strathglass]

I tend to use a steel pole (old 1.375" propshaft) across the hatch. Supported on several 6" x 6" x 24" softwood blocks and a chain hoist.

I have changed a Ford 1.8 diesel and other smaller engines myself using this method.

No real problems just a little TLC and time.

Iain