Update on Work Projects
27 July 2014 | Bethel/Yarmouth, Maine
Elizabeth (photo by Ed)
Here's Captain Ed's update, words from the horse's mouth. Last week he pulled the prop from the transmission and removed the bell housing and transmission from the engine. He then carried the bell housing and transmission off the boat. Prior to that he removed our existing prop. We had to purchase a new one, specified for the new engine and type of boat we have. The old prop was great for sailing but it wasn't very good for motoring, particularly in reverse. It was an 18" prop with an 18 pitch; as the professionals say it was18 square. Basically it was a paddlewheel when going in reverse and that explains our excessive prop walk. So now we have a new prop where the pitch is 12. It's not really a sail prop but we look forward to how well the engine will drive the boat in forward and reverse. Since the prop shaft is loose the yard is working on replacing the cutlass bearing which was an ordeal to press out but worth the effort; it was pretty torn up at only 4 years old. One reason we think it was so worn out is because we've let our prop free wheel while under sail. That adds up to a lot of miles on the prop shaft and bearing when we're not motoring. Are you bored yet? My eyes are glazing over...
Ed also removed the wood trim on the door into the aft berth in preparation for the new engine. He also just informed me that last week he removed the boom from the boat all by himself. You did what? And why is the boom off the boat? More on that later. I had no idea this had occurred.
In addition, with our sailmaker Yan from Bayview Rigging and Sails in Yarmouth they measured for a new headsail and came up with a nice new design to replace our existing one which is very old and out of shape. Sounds like how I feel most days. It will be a tri-radial, about 110% with its foot a little higher off the deck to enable clearing from the bow pulpit on all points of sail.
The yard removed the engine last week through the aft hatch over our berth. Of course the engine was only 16" wide by 23" deep by the time Ed had disassembled all the parts and made it small enough to remove easily. We only wish our new engine could be brought in as easily but that's going to take some special maneuvering.
You're probably wondering what I'm doing in the midst of all this. All I can say is I've been very busy. But don't let this photo fool you. It was a Saturday and Ed, my sister Margaret and I went for a swim/walk with Luna at Howard Pond, after a stop at the dump where Margaret found this excellent mobile phone. We were attempting to have a conference call with our other sister NJ who is traveling in California. Everyone gets a little down time with some healthy doses of fun thrown in before it's back to the grind. But I have to tell you, I will not be lowering a boom down a 12' ladder with a halyard any time soon.