Pulling the Engine

[roverhi]

I doubt you will be able to easily move a 4-236 engine easily even without the head and other assemblies. I wouldn't try and do such a stunt again and have the back operation to prove it. It's no big deal to pull the head and easily removed ancillary parts if you do go the disassemble and remove route, however.

Cutting the sole of the cockpit is a much more cost and labor efficient way to go. Wouldn't bother with a hatch as you'll probaly never need to pull the engine again. Just cut and reglass.

[Sabbatical II]

I'm nearly finished building a centre cockpit boat where I've made the choice to "build in" the engine (Yanmar 75hp). It's only a 2 litre engine with a turbo so once I remove the external components the block should be manageble. However, like all things it's a compromise. "Building it in" means that I could put extra shelving and galley bench space above the engine, something that will be used daily, hopefully for 20 years before I need to pull the motor.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Tough choice but I agree on the hatch. My (albeit small) boat has a cockpit hatch. I don't open it much but it provides access to the engine and sail drive that is great. Also there is a platform for the battery bank behind the saildrive and this space has become very useful.

Just make sure you continue to measure once, twice, three times and make sure the hatch idea will work.

As an errant electron - you could go the disassemble route to get it out - it's gotta come out anyway, right? See how difficult that is and then do the hatch mod if required while the engine is getting done.

This is something to consider. If it's hard to work on the motor, a hatch maybe the way to go for EZ access in the future. But if it were mine I would definitely go thru the cockpit for the install.

I've rigged a lot of machinery in/out of boats and it seems if you don't have the gear, stuff gets damaged or broken, even oneself.

[wingover]

Thanks for all the feedback. I am going to cut the cockpit and will decide about the hatch while the engine is at the dealer.

[SabreKai]

I'd go with building in a new hatch for access. I had the same problem with pulling the engine out of Sabre Dance, and after looking at Tate n Dani's blog, where they changed the engine in their Westsail 32, which has the cockpit sole hatch, I hired a contractor to cut one into SDs cockpit and frame it with angle (she's steel).

Pulling my fuel tank took 15 minutes, most of which was the rigging for the lift. Pulling the engine took 20, only because the fork lift couldn't lift the engine high enough to clear the cockpit coaming and I had to rerig the lift.

[Chief Engineer]

I would cut thee hole. and have a good ships carpenter turn the deck into a removable access hatch.

[Charlie]

I like the idea of a hatch because you can take the hatch off while working on the engine and get good light and air. Makes maintenance more pleasant.

[Celestialsailor]

I had this issue on my Ingrid 38. I cut out the cockpit floor, pulled the MDII and replaced it with a Yanmar 4JH. Then EPOXY/glassed it back in. The boat I have now has liftable hatches and I can see it's going to be a constant fight to keep it water tight.

[James S]

I'd bite the bullet and do the hatch, as big as possible.

[geo2k2]

Hello Wingover:

I've got a 44cc Gulfstar and just finished cutting the cockpit floor to remove my 4.154 i'm not re-glassing the cut out i'm planning on bolting back in place at 4'' center, gives me the option of removal in the future. If you want more info i've also got photos i can be contacted at frust*at*live*dot*ca

Cheers:
Geo2K2