What Engine Can I Use ?

[jonasfish]

Hello,
I'm looking a sailing boat to buy. She's a gigolette sciomachen around 12 meters but the engine (nanni mercedes 60Hp) is dead. I'm a beginner in this things so I don't know if I have to look for an equal engine or if I can use other engines. Any inboard diesel engine fits in any sailing boat?? What I should have in mind to make sure that a engine that I might buy fits in the new boat?
Can you give any suggestion about the cheapest solution to do it?
Attached I have a photo of the old engine.

Thanks

Jonas Fish

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Jonas.

Most marine diesel engines can be made to fit in most boats - some much easier into some boats than others. The engine mounting beds are often the limiting factor. You’ll probably need a marine mechanic to review the actual boat and proposed replacement engine to determine specific suitability, and installed COST.

Good luck!

[jonasfish]

Thanks for your precious help.
Whatever will be the option looks it will be expensive once I'm from Portugal and the boat is in Italy where I don't have any connections which will increase the costs even more. How I wish to bring she to Portugal without engine then everything would be easier.
Thanks again
Jonas Fish

[Blue Stocking]

Jonasfish,

Here is what I would do, as I have done a number of times in the past.

Find on the Internet, or from a Nanni dealer, a brochure on the model you have installed now. This should include top, side, and front drawings with measurements of engine.
With 3 or 4mm plywood, make a template of your engine bed bolts layout.
With the side view, draw and cutout engine shape above and below engine mount line, or sometimes crankshaft centerline, and tape or glue this to the fore and aft centerline of the bolt layout template.
This will give you basic 3 dimensional of engine.
On the templates you can make notes of parts where they stick out from engine, to clear other things, such as batteries, thru-hulls etc.
Do the same thing with the engine you would like to use, and compare sizes.
You should get a good idea of what will fit
For height determination, look carefully at relationship between crankshaft, gearbox output (propellor shaft) centerline, and where mounts rest on engine beds.
Also look at exhaust outlet, and waterpump intake location on the different engines.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

... Find on the Internet, or from a Nanni dealer, a brochure on the model you have installed now. This should include top, side, and front drawings with measurements of engine...

Great advice!

[clifford sloan]

jonasfish,
Best advise is bluestockings but keep in mind how much room on each side of the engine you have in the engineroom. If you have to practically stand on your head to get the injectors out because they are on the inboard side rather than outboard (or visa versa) you will have problems servicing same at sea. It looks like a beautifull boat but you must keep in mind the cost of getting it to where you have the connections to do what you want. Away from home presents too many obsticles.
all the best!
Clif

[SaltyMonkey]

Honestly, after all the measurements are done, I think you will find the sizes are *smaller* on newer engines these days, and more efficient.

[jonasfish]

Thanks BlueStocking,

however, it is an difficult situation to make your suggestions once I'm far away from the boat (Portugal-Italy) and the money for the logistic is short.
I was wondering if it possible to sail the boat to Portugal without engine (or just with a small outboard engine adaptation), or this is a completely impossible crazy idea??
In my home country everything will easier and cheaper.


Jonas Fish

[Dame.n.Jess]

What is wrong with the original engine. Is a rebuild possible? that way you know it will fit back in the boat and you will also know the exact internal condition of the engine (rebuilt).

Damien

[jrd22]

You could sail it if you secure the prop shaft in place and figure out a way to charge your batteries (solar, generator, etc). If you have a dinghy and outboard you could use those to move the boat if necessary. Must be around 1000NM, so not a small undertaking but certainly doable if you have some experience.
As far as fitting a new engine, Beta will make custom feet for one of their engines that will fit your old footprint which makes things easier.

[jonasfish]

Hello jrd22,

I'm glad that my idea about sailing Italy-Portugal without inboard engine is not so crazy like that. Perhaps I'll do it and solve all the engine problems back home.
Thanks

[Windblown]

Wholeheartedly concur with Blue Stocking's advice. I recently repowered, switching from a Perkins 104 to an Isuzu C240. Making a plywood mockup showed me how (and if!) things would fit, and most importantly that I needed to cut down the stringers. This was much easier with the engine compartment empty. The mockup also showed me where the engine shaft was in relation to the prop shaft, making final alignment much easier also.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by jonasfish

Thanks for your precious help.
Whatever will be the option looks it will be expensive once I'm from Portugal and the boat is in Italy where I don't have any connections which will increase the costs even more. How I wish to bring she to Portugal without engine then everything would be easier.
Thanks again
Jonas Fish

Jonas... you do not need an engine to bring her to Portugal... as long as the hole for the prop shaft is secure and not leaking it can be done if you want...
Believe me its not that hard...

[Dame.n.Jess]

We Had a Volvo Penta in our boat, it stunk, I couldn't get it to not stink and I finally choose to not have a damn inboard!!! You don't need them, we have an outboard for manoeuvres but can sail thru a needle (full length keel to) if you know the shaft is secure and cant come out (two hose clips on the inside of the hull and two on the outside of the hull will stop the shaft from coming out) take the prop off and you wont have any shaft turning issues to deal with (plus some extra boat speed)

You could sail your boat home without to many issues (assuming the boat if fit to make the trip)

Sailing does not need to be as complex as most people make it. it never was that complex but the information age and ''I want it now'' attitudes have a lot to answer for...

How confident do you feel sailing that far without a motor? is it simple a cost saving measure and hoping the safety needs wont happen or is it a genuine desire to not buy into the mentality of boats without engines cant cross oceans...

[goboatingnow]

Just as an aside in Europe with a CE boat you can only re power with an engine that the manufacturer has done the emissions and possibly sound bye pass test for that type( model) of boat . Otherwise you'll have to do that part of the certification again.
( as monthly python would day " not a lot of people know that")
Dave