Toasted ?

[SurferShane]

What to do? It looks like my iron horse is just about toasted. Thanks to compounding problems causing vibrations the Bukh 20 keeps throwing and shearing the bolts on the fly wheel leaving the inserts at the end of the crankshaft mutilated. Basically, it has got to the point where instead of spending good money on bad I would be better off re-powering. The obvious drama is that I have not got the eight grand for a change over motor.

I live on the yacht, a little steel Herrrshoff ketch, so walking away would leave me homeless. The Maritime laws over here in NSW Australia are not making things easier either. Technically it is bloody illegal to live on the boat! Therefore, what I am in fact doing is constantly "journeying".

What I am thinking - other than having a cry - is that my boat is a sailboat, so hey, I can still sail! While I am a bit of a "bush" sailor (Australian for rough as guts but gets there) I do know the coast and weather like the back of my hand. People like the Pardeys (I have their books) have sailed the world without an engine, so why can't I hang in there till I get things fixed?

The biggest obsticle at the moment is that I have no secondary source of power on board. However, I should be able to get some decent solar panels and a generator within a month.

The one thing that does worry me is how other sailors these days will look at un-powered outlaw voyager? Back in the days of Joshua Slocum the pilot would gladdly give you a tow into a tight port. However, regretfully times have changed. Still it is time to either give up or take on the challenge. Any positive suggestions or encouragement would be greatly appreciated!

[mrm]

With low budget I see two possible solutions. Either look at old unsold boats in boatyards, some may have good engines, or get a car engine from a wreck and convert it possibly using some equipment you already have (water pump, heat exchanger, etc.).

When I was scrapping my boat I had a perfectly working Volvo Penta 100HP diesel there, but no takers...

[cburger]

Problems with diesels can often be something simple. Could you pull the motor and take it to a good mechanic/ machine shop for a rebuild. This would also give you the chance to go engineless for a while to see if it works for you.

Another thought is to keep an eye out for a good used motor, I did this for my repower and saved thousands of dollars over a new power plant.

Cheers.

[rusky]

Shane,
you just do your thing.
Everyone looks at how a yacht sails into an anchorage, drops sails and anchors. You will be doing it well,[no other alternative]
Coming into a marina will be interesting but many marinas in QLD, you can anchor outside and dinghy in for water/supermarket etc.

It'l all be good.
cheers

[SurferShane]

Thanks, I am hoping about being honest about my situation similar opportunities might arise. Given their average reputation I am sure their are more than a few near servicable Bukh 20s sitting around rusting. It is just a pity tjat the budget sailors are driven underground or even out of the eater here by draconian rules,regulstions and political correctness. Ignoring this, most of my dramas are structural not mechanical and a quick course in engine rebuilding might not hurt me? Likewise, some "real" sailing might be fun?

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by rusky

Shane,
you just do your thing.....
Coming into a marina will be interesting but many marinas in QLD, you can anchor outside and dinghy in for water/supermarket etc.

It'l all be good.
cheers

Thanks,

I do have a very old outboard in storage. A generator also needs gasoline, so I should probably get off my butt and get the outboard going. Worse case senario, I could use it and the tender to shunt the yacht?

[captain58sailin]

If you are a handy type guy, you may be able to trade labor for someone to rebuild the engine for you, or as the previous posters pointed out you may be able to salvage a good engine from a dead boat, getting friendly with the different boat yard managers is always a good idea. Talk to the travel lift operator, he might have some ideas as well. All the best.

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

[...] Thanks to compounding problems causing vibrations the Bukh 20 keeps throwing and shearing the bolts on the fly wheel leaving the inserts at the end of the crankshaft mutilated. Basically, it has got to the point where instead of spending good money on bad I would be better off re-powering. [...]

Do you know what causes the vibration? It sounds like your flywheel could be out of balance (maybe simple to fix) or the crankshaft bearings are shot (a lot worse.)

If all you need is some help getting into or out of tight spaces, an outboard could be a viable alternative. I wouldn't want to spoil the beautiful lines of a Herreshoff ketch with an outboard, though.

[Dockhead]

Hang in there, man!

It will be hard to single-hand a steel ketch with no auxiliary power, but it can be done. You will be taking some risks -- imagine being in a dead calm with a current sweeping you towards the rocks. At a very minimum you should make sure that outboard is in tip top shape, and that you know how to tow your boat alongside using the dinghy.

If money is tight, I don't think there is any reason in the world why you should have to repower with a new engine. Marine diesels have almost unlimited life provided you are willing to keep fixing them. Surely the vibration problem can be found and solved, and I bet you can find a used flywheel and other bits you need to get it back to reliable service.

Alternatively, as others have said, there are tons of perfectly good diesels pulled out of boats every day, just because the owner prefers something newer. They can be very cheap or even free if you look hard enough.

The main thing is don't get discouraged!

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Ziggy

Do you know what causes the vibration? It sounds like your flywheel could be out of balance (maybe simple to fix) or the crankshaft bearings are shot (a lot worse.)

If all you need is some help getting into or out of tight spaces, an outboard could be a viable alternative. I wouldn't want to spoil the beautiful lines of a Herreshoff ketch with an outboard, though.

The engine plates that conect to the mounts are shot, the same acident causing a numbet of other aligrnent and vibration dramas. Either way, I am hoping that if I sail around and live frugally I might be able to raise the funds to do a proper repair. It is just a matter of getting up the courage to go for it?

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Hang in there, man!...,,,

The main thing is don't get discouraged!

Yes, thanks, that is ecactly where I am at! Still, I do wonder how many people throw it in the too hard basket and dtep off? There are just so many boats rotting on moorings over here with "broken dreams" written all over them. Nevertheless, I do want to kerp going.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

Yes, thanks, that is ecactly where I am at! Still, I do wonder how many people throw it in the too hard basket and dtep off? There are just so many boats rotting on moorings over here with "broken dreams" written all over them. Nevertheless, I do want to kerp going.

Boats are demanding mistresses, demanding always more and more and more time, attention, and money, apparently without any end. They are almost as bad as human ones

If it makes you feel any better, what you are going through emotionally is experienced even by owners of million dollar boats -- maybe especially by them. You just have to keep at it, fighting The List, step by step, somehow bouncing back from every setback. One thing I will say -- it probably does build character

[barnakiel]

Build a bracket and use an outboard now.

When in the money again, get a small inboard.

In any case keep the Bukh in the garage, winterized. You may find another, swap parts, and have a brand (eh) new engine one day.

b.

[chall]

Shane yeah, it will be tough without a motor, but no obviously not impossible.

Are you sure it is at that stage???? One option might be to continue to nurse the engine, but just to start to think of it as only as a truly auxiliary option......emergencies, getting into a marina when necessary and other sticky situations. The rest of the time do it Pardey style until you can repower.

Start calling boatyards and mechanics particularly down here(Pittwater) and make it known your a bloke who could really do with a Bukh 20 if one comes out of a boat. Lots of 20-35 year old boats repowering around here......lots.
If I was a successful, busy diesel mechanic down here who was the agent for this and that and busy changing oil in Bavarias and Beneteaus for a living and someone offered me a case of beer to take an old Bukh of my hands I would be sorely tempted. One man's trash is another man's treasure isn't it???

Have you looked at tractor engines?? You may get one of them for a 6 pack

[Wotname]

SS, I feel your pain .

I had a single Bukh at one stage and it ran out of oil pressure, cost a small fortune in parts for the rebuild. It was in a 28 Ft heavy displacement carvel sloop. Anyway, while waiting for funds to accumulate, I hung the 2hp dinghy motor off the back. It was amazingly effective in calm conditions ( no wind or waves). Wasn't so great once wind picked up say over 3 or 4 kts but I could sail (just) with 6 or 7 kts so it wasn't a bad compromise.

Now looking on the bright side, whip the motor out completely and move to Vic - no need to register a motorless yacht there or even better, move to QLD and you can have 3 hp auxiliary (say outboard) and still not need to register it.