Servicing Engine & Liferaft

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Cheeky Girl

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its that time of year now to think about servicing the engine etc

for the engine service MD 2030 I do the following

1 Replace impeller
2 Change oil & replace filter
3 Change the fuel filters

Do I need to look at anything else

The boat will stay in the water over winter

Also the life raft (Seago) is due its first service.
Is it needed ?
Can I do it myself

thanks for any help
Graham
 
I think the problem with self servicing the liferaft is you can't get in back into the valise/canister one you open it up!

My understanding of a service is an inspection of the raft/cylinder and replacement of out of dates flares, sea sickness tablets etc. I had mine recently done by Norwest Marine in Liverpool, very helpful, quick turnaround and a very impressive facility. They offer a very efficient, cost effective courier pick/delivery service, I had mine delivered to them but I was in the area so picked it up, they were very happy to show me around, I hadn't realised how big a 25 person liferaft was inflated!

As for is it needed? That's a decision only you can make, personally, I want the best chance of it working correctly because my situation will already be critical and the liferaft could be my last chance of survival.
 
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Cheeky Girl said:
1 Replace impeller
2 Change oil & replace filter
3 Change the fuel filters

Do I need to look at anything else
Click to expand...
During winter I take the impeller out and smear grease inside the pump (and silicone grease on the impeller). I used to change the impeller every year while keeping the old as spare, I ended up with a number of "used" impellers in very good conditions so I stopped changing them all the time, I replaced the last one a few hundred hours ago and it's still very good...
Other checks for the engine: reduction gear oil, coolant level, syphon break valve, sea water filter, alternator belts..
 
I always flush the exhaust system with plenty of fresh water. Then fresh water antifreeze mix. However, if the OP leaves the boat afloat all winter then the antifreeze can probably be left out.
I have a saildrive so I change the oil in that.
The Seago liferaft does come with a warranty & if serviced at the correct time ( if registered when purchased) has a reduced rate for service. The warranty applies to any fault they find during the service, before some bright spark comments about a warranty in case it does not inflate just as the crew are drowning. :rolleyes:. But I am sure that they would be sympathetic to a claim for a new one from the survivors. I did read about one company offering a free replacement raft if theirs was actually used in an emergecy, but I am not sure who it was.
In any event I would get Seago to service it. They do have collection centres to help with transport.

On another point the OP raised. I would NEVER leave my boat afloat over the winter. For the few sailing days one would get it is not worth leaving the running rigging & sails subjected to the weather. Some say that they do get good days, but I would challenge that by pointing to the number of boats afloat & how few one can see actually sailing on these so called, lovely sailing days. Living by the River Blackwater one sees just the odd boat. Not as many, as might be suggested by comments on this forum.

So I tie old rope to my halyards. Hoist them to the mast head so the part normally exposed to the weather is now inside the mast. Then I coil the other end & place in black bags. These are tied to the mast; inverted so that water does not run into the bags. At £ 300 a pop I do not want mouldy halyards. I do similar with the in boom reef lines. All other ropes, are removed for the winter, along with sails . Any sail, or lazy bag cover, damage is sent to the sail maker for repair straight away & not left.
 
Last edited:
Cheeky Girl said:
its that time of year now to think about servicing the engine etc

for the engine service MD 2030 I do the following

1 Replace impeller
2 Change oil & replace filter
3 Change the fuel filters

Do I need to look at anything else

The boat will stay in the water over winter

Also the life raft (Seago) is due its first service.
Is it needed ?
Can I do it myself

thanks for any help
Graham
Click to expand...
suggest you see page 23 in the attached engine owners' manual for the service schedule https://najad.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Volvo-Penta-MD20xx-Owners-Manual-1997.pdf

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Daydream believer said:
On another point the OP raised. I would NEVER leave my boat afloat over the winter. For the few sailing days one would get it is not worth leaving the running rigging & sails subjected to the weather.
Click to expand...

We have always left boats afloat for 30 years or so in the UK and EU. Had some very good winter sails and no damage to sails or anything else.

OP should have life raft serviced (by Seago "approved" centre) on time, to maintain warranty and replace time expired contents.
 
Graham376 said:
We have always left boats afloat for 30 years or so in the UK and EU. Had some very good winter sails and no damage to sails or anything else.
Click to expand...
You must have wonderful running rigging that does not suffer from UV as well as sails & stitching that is not affected by winter damp & UV which can be as bad in the winter as summer.
Alternatively, it may be that many just do not care. :(
It would be interesting to know (honestly) how many trips you had between 01 Nov & 01 April each year compared to a sailing season.
 
Daydream believer said:
You must have wonderful running rigging that does not suffer from UV as well as sails & stitching that is not affected by winter damp & UV which can be as bad in the winter as summer.
Alternatively, it may be that many just do not care. :(
It would be interesting to know (honestly) how many trips you had between 01 Nov & 01 April each year compared to a sailing season.
Click to expand...
I think winter in Faro and winter in Essex mean very different weather. :):) I used to leave mine afloat through the winter down here in Portugal and probably managed to day sail twice a week on average for 6/7 hours a time. Of course we do get bad weather in winter but doesn't normally last for too long and then back to normal.
 
Daydream believer said:
You must have wonderful running rigging that does not suffer from UV as well as sails & stitching that is not affected by winter damp & UV which can be as bad in the winter as summer.
Alternatively, it may be that many just do not care. :(
It would be interesting to know (honestly) how many trips you had between 01 Nov & 01 April each year compared to a sailing season.
Click to expand...

As far as I'm concerned, my boats have always been for using, not for wrapping up for half the year. We use the boat all year around and usually aboard from January to March, partly in the yard for annual 4-6 weeks haul out. My mooring is free, why pay more to winter in a yard the cost of which would far exceed replacing a few UV degraded ropes or sails every 15 years or so?
 
harvey38 said:
I think the problem with self servicing the liferaft is you can't get in back into the valise/canister one you open it up!

My understanding of a service is an inspection of the raft/cylinder and replacement of out of dates flares, sea sickness tablets etc. I had mine recently done by Norwest Marine in Liverpool, very helpful, quick turnaround and a very impressive facility. They offer a very efficient, cost effective courier pick/delivery service, I had mine delivered to them but I was in the area so picked it up, they were very happy to show me around, I hadn't realised how big a 25 person liferaft was inflated!

As for is it needed? That's a decision only you can make, personally, I want the best chance of it working correctly because my situation will already be critical and the liferaft could be my last chance of survival.
Click to expand...
Worth checking the coolant antifreeze quality and replacing if necessary. It is good for the engine I've been told/explained
 
harvey38 said:
I think the problem with self servicing the liferaft is you can't get in back into the valise/canister one you open it up!

My understanding of a service is an inspection of the raft/cylinder and replacement of out of dates flares, sea sickness tablets etc. I had mine recently done by Norwest Marine in Liverpool, very helpful, quick turnaround and a very impressive facility. They offer a very efficient, cost effective courier pick/delivery service, I had mine delivered to them but I was in the area so picked it up, they were very happy to show me around, I hadn't realised how big a 25 person liferaft was inflated!

As for is it needed? That's a decision only you can make, personally, I want the best chance of it working correctly because my situation will already be critical and the liferaft could be my last chance of survival.
Click to expand...
A 25-person liferaft sounds pretty impressive. you could probably get my boat inio it :)
 
Graham376 said:
As far as I'm concerned, my boats have always been for using, not for wrapping up for half the year. We use the boat all year around and usually aboard from January to March, partly in the yard for annual 4-6 weeks haul out. My mooring is free, why pay more to winter in a yard the cost of which would far exceed replacing a few UV degraded ropes or sails every 15 years or so?
Click to expand...
I tend not keep any running rigging rope 15 years, I just like to have the feel of a decent rope. I see some with ropes so bad that they cannot even tension them properly. But then I sell ropes to our mooring holders, so always have a few reels in stock.
 
Daydream believer said:
So I tie old rope to my halyards. Hoist them to the mast head so the part normally exposed to the weather is now inside the mast. Then I coil the other end & place in black bags. These are tied to the mast; inverted so that water does not run into the bags.
Click to expand...
I wish I'd thought of that twenty years ago.

re engine, I believe that it is also considered better to remove the air filter and exhaust and seal the ends against outside moisture.
 
johnalison said:
I wish I'd thought of that twenty years ago.

re engine, I believe that it is also considered better to remove the air filter and exhaust and seal the ends against outside moisture.
Click to expand...
Unless you are cleaning the elbow, it's less labour intensive to just plug the exhaust at the skin fitting, (provided you're hauled out!), but the watertrap will prevent direct contact with the atmosphere anyway, and it's more about preventing birds nesting in the pipe.
 
Daydream believer said:
So I tie old rope to my halyards. Hoist them to the mast head so the part normally exposed to the weather is now inside the mast. Then I coil the other end & place in black bags. These are tied to the mast; inverted so that water does not run into the bags.
Click to expand...

Great idea which I will now copy.
 
As Rappey said you dont need to change the impeller every year. Yanmar say 1000 hours. Liferaft DIY. Not difficult. You'll know what it looks like and you can blame yourself if it goes wrong. If it does you'll know it's not difficult to inflate by pulling the cord or pumping. Not suggesting it's desirable but better than being ignorant.
 
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