Prop and engine support on a Birchwood Interceptor (advice)

[Sixpence]

As some already know , I have one , the last time I used her there was a lot of vibration throughout , and now she's out I have found a big chunk missing from one of the prop blades . Is this likely to be the reason , and is it worth a repair , or replace . To make this confusing , the engine supports I was expecting to find , just don't exist , the whole thing seems to be supported on the transom only , does anyone know if this is right , or even normal

 

[No1_Moose]

I think the chunk is definitely going to be the cause of your vibration, prop repairing people can replace whole blades so it is normally worth repairing. If your solenty based Hamble props are the people to go to.

Are you saying your engine is levitating in the engine room?

 

[Sixpence]

Levitating is almost exact , it's bolted to the transom via the bell housing thing , but with nothing underneath to support it . I am worried that this just doesn't seem right

 

[Sixpence]

Oh , and I'm not Solent area so if anyone knows of a prop company around South Lincs area , most appreciated /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[michaelh]

If it is an outdrive then it is bolted to the transom at the bell housing. better to consider the whole unit - engine & leg - with the transom running through the middle. Always has been done that way.

For prop repairs try Steel Developments.. You can send it by post and they will repair and return.

 

[andy_wilson]

Call in a cantilever then. As long as the transome was designed for this, then yours is as safe as many thousands of others.

You dont suspect you have a transom full of mushy, rotton ply re-inforcement do you.

 

[Chris_d]

I think on early Volvo outdrives the whole engine tilts when the power trim (or manual power trim) is adjusted, hence no forward engine mounts, i don't know why they did it that way, outboard thinking perhaps /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif but most modern installations do have forward engine mounts

 

[Sixpence]

Thanks everyone , most reassuring . As long as the transom hasn't rotted inside , /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif, fortunately I think it's ok
and I'll be speaking to steel developments thanks

 

[Superflid]

I'll be in Boston tomorrow, i'll have a word with the fishermen about local prop repairs.

 

[Sixpence]

Thanks Ken , not going on a trip are you ? , it doesn't look like I'll be going anywhere for a while

 

[Callisto]

Definitely is right. I assume your motor is one of the early Volvo AQ115 or 130 series based on a B20 block. These were always cantilevered off the transom. My old Fairline Vixen I had years back was exactly the same. Very disconcerting considering the weight of the engine, but it is counterbalanced by the weight of the drive. Odd but it works.

For the prop repair, Steel developmenst are good as is Castle Marine over in wales. They did one for me and it was a superb job, increased the diameter too. Six years on the boat before I sold it and it was still good. Paint missing but no other problems!

JH

 

[Superflid]

No trips today, just more work!
Shouldn't be too long before I'm out in the Wash.......

Fishermen, and it seems everyone else on the East coast, use Woodwards in Hull. Worth checking with Fosdyke marina as they might be sending some and could add yours into the batch.

Contact details for Woodwards here.

 

[Sixpence]

Thanks for that , sounds like a good option to me
And bear me in mind when you head out /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Sixpence]

And it sounds to me like you know more about my engine than I do , that was going to be the next question
Trevera has been around for quite a few years with the same engine . All I know is that it has a label saying volvo penta , so any info anyone knows is going to be most welcome

 

[Superflid]

Will be sure to let you know when things are running smoothly, well, as smoothly as an old Volvo diesel gets!

 

[apollo]

Its as he says, a AQ130 on a B20 block, or at least it was when I owned the boat!!!

I had it on the plane a couple of times as well.

 

[Sixpence]

Thanks Mike , good to hear from you again , you wouldn't recognise the old girl now . It'll be a while before she gets on the plane again though .

 

[KevB]

Are your engines in yet?

 

[ArthurWood]

Here comes another hijack: ther were a couple of Birchwoods (51 and 30-somthing) at the Sarasota Boat Show last weekend. The same two they were showing last year, I think. They were obviously desperate to sell the 51 as the price had been reduced by about $300K to $799K. The lady showed us around but we left when she opened the fridge and the door fell off!

 

[Callisto]

Hi Kev

Hopefully in a couple of weeks time. My GRP man took a bit longer on the transom than I'd planned for, but he has done a first rate job so can't complain. Would recommend him to anyone.

Thought I'd be OK using the old bearers but cut down a bit to accommodate the lower engine feet but wasn't to be. Have to move the bearers outboard by 100mm to get the motors in. Will be a better job though in the long run and it will be exactly as Falcon did it in the factory fit AD31's

Spent the weekend cutting out the old and making new out of 3x9" timbers. If the GRP man glasses them in this week, I'll have a few bits of finishing off in the engine bay next w/e then the following w/e I'll drop the engines in.

Had them both running and things are looking good - you've probably seen the pics on the photo gallery.

Everything else is done, new fuel system/filters etc (courtesy of LeytonC at very reasonable cost!) Electrics and instruments, looms and controls, so its literally a drop in and hook up job once the bay is tidied up.

Couple of weeks and I'll be there. Prob is I can only work weekends on the boat as she's 100 miles from home.....things take a bit longer.

Will let you know how it all goes and post a few pics of the final install.

How did Gary get on with the D3's? Last I heard, the boat was ready but Gary wasn't due to the skiing accident.

Cheers.

JH