Pulling an engine

[Stevek]

Hello,
I am in the process of removing the engine from a center cockpit Cascade 42. I managed to get the engine into the salon but the gentleman that was going to lift it with a small floating hoist decided he wasn't comfortable doing the lift. My question is, can I safely lift it with the boom and a chain fall or comealong? It is a deck stepped mast. If this is possible, I'd greatly appreciate any tips or related experiences. The only other option is a long tow to the nearest yard that can do it.
Thanks
Steve

[Evan]

If you use your boom, support it at the lift point with the main halyard. Your main halyard experiences much greater loads than say a 500 lb engine. I lifted a 300# Yanmar using my boom and just the 8:1 mainsheet tackle from the ground of a shipyard to the deck (about 8 or 10'), and then swung it into the cabin. Nothing too it.

[AnchorageGuy]

Steve, we do it all of the time. Just be sure your halyard as Evan describes is in good condition. Once the engine is out of the salon, you can reposition it and use the boom to swing it over onto the dock.

[Stevek]

Thanks for the help. I'll take some measures today to make sure it clears everything OK
Steve

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Steve,
You've gotten some good advice. Good like with the project. Chain falls do the job just fine but are a bit slow. My come along was a cheap variety and would not lift the engine and trans combination. It broke. I used a chain fall to get engines in and out of my boat.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[senormechanico]

My engine is only a 3 cylinder Volvo MD2020, but I did basically that to fix an oil leak.
I used 2 preventers at the aft end of the boom for horizontal control, a 4:1 purchase from the aft end of the boom to the engine block for fore and aft control, and the 2:1 main halyard for vertical. It worked perfectly with no drama whatsoever. Winches and snatch blocks are beautiful things.

I worked on the engine while it hung in the cockpit.
Steve B.

[Talbot]

good advice particularly

Check the condition of the topping lift/main halyard (I normally use both for this task)

Make sure that both these are secured to the boom at the point where you are lifting the engine otherwise the boom itself will start to bend.

Use preventers horizontally to stop the boom moving sideways. This is important when you first lift, but very important on a monohull when you start swinging it out sideways.

If lowering the engine into the tender to take ashore, make sure you use something to spread the load, especially to prevent the bottom falling out of the tender!

[Boracay]

We used a chain hoist to get the engine in position under the main hatch.

I had measured carefully and so knew that the exhaust manifold and the alternator had to come off so it would fit through.

I used Polaris Marine for the lifting They were very professional and had clearly done the same job many times. Considering just how critical the job is I considered them to be money well spent. They did have a large boat specifically built for the job.

They always checked for incoming waves before each lift.

In a comparison of a rope hoist and a chain hoist the chain hoist has minimal give so can be very precise, while the small number of times I tried to move the engine using rope there was too much give to be effective.

I spent a lot of time considering the best way to remove and install a 500kg engine/transmission.

Do remember that if it goes wrong someone could get badly hurt...

[senormechanico]

I might add that in my case, the boom took no vertical load at all, just the outhaul compression load on the gooseneck as the main halyard wasn't lifting straight up as it would be with the mainsail.

I put a loose loop of line around the boom and the main halyard to facilitate lateral positioning of the engine by swinging the boom.

Steve B.

[donradcliffe]

I used the main halyard for the lifting, going through a snatch block connected to a reefing line at the end of the boom to give me front/back control, and preventers to swing the boom from side to side. Placed the engine on the side deck on a mount I knocked together from 2x8 scraps, and then lifted it into a pickup with a small boat hoist (Sail Newport charged me $10 to use their hoist). Engine and transmission weighed about 600 pounds, which was no problem for the Lewmar 46 halyard winch.

[Stevek]

Thanks for all the input. I lifted the engine out today without incident.
Steve

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Steve,
Congratulations!! No crushed fingers or toes? Good deal.
JohnL