Lifting my engine out with the boom

[Dsanduril]

Boom supported at lift point with halyard/topping lift. Lift engine. If necessary set on deck and shift lift points. Using traveler and main sheet for control swing engine out. If at dock lower onto piano dolly. Wheel along dock to shore, take your chain fall or block and tackle with you. Find stout tree limb. Lift engine with tree. Back truck under engine. Lower and take to place of rebuild.

[MicHughV]

yep, my process was first to build a wood slide/ramp that matched the engine mounts to slide the engine off the engine mounts, out from underneath the cockpit to under the companionway. I used a come-along to pull it out, then tied a piece of 4x4 lumber post on top of the boom and position the halyard directly over the chainhoist. The topping lift kept the boom parallel to the dock as always.
First step was getting the engine up and out of the companionway and I had just enuff play in the chainhoist to swing and balance the engine on the companionway entrance.
Moved the chainhoist (and halyard) along the 4x4 until I knew it would clear the hull. Took a couple of moves.
Tied additional control lines to end of the boom to swing the boom (and the engine) out over the cockpit and onto the dock, where I had placed a small constructed wood cart with wheels so I could pull it towards the parking lot.
Surprisingly, it all worked out fine. Engine was about 350-400 lbs. Nothing broke, nobody got hurt, but you definitely have to plan it out and use plenty of safety factors. Might want to check the integrity of your halyard first. Can't have this fail for any reason.
I was fortunate in having several helping hands during this process. Although it could likely be done singlehandedly, I think having another two able bodied folks to assist makes it all work smoother, as we had to " swing" and " tilt" the engine to get it out.
The whole process was done very quickly, I'd say an hour or so.
The reverse procedure was done to get it back in.

I've seen this being done with a rented hand crane...and also a truck mounted crane. If you can move the boat to a dock, where a truck mounted crane can reach it.

Finally, I helped someone else do this at a marina that had a Drystack building and a boat fork lift for fishing boats. The fork lift arms are quite long...20' maybe....and we hung a chainhoist from the end. The sailboat was pulled into position, the boom moved out of the way and the fork lift arm positioned over the companionway....zip...zappity do....it came out....and went back in the same way...

[Reefmagnet]

If you make a cheap skid to mount the engine for transport, it makes handling the engine a lot easier. If you need to, you can use the skid to drop the engine down onto it once it's lifted out of the companion way (the skid will bridge across the companion way or cockpit seats) while you reposition the lift point for swinging out over the side. While it's a good idea to have lines on the boom to control it's swing, you need one (or two) lines connected to the engine itself as it will have a mind of it's own if the boat starts rocking!

And i can't emphasise the use of a small lever block enough. We used it to horizontally pull the engine out of and into the engine bay, to tilt the engine gearbox end up so it would clear the companion way opening and to lift the rear of the engine up for access to the rear mounts for un/installation and alignment. In fact the lever block is so handy it has remained in the boats toolkit.

[billgewater]

Seriously, I would consider having a crane lift from a jetty. Looking at all the things that can go wrong ... heeling, bent booms, dropping the lot, damaged sheaves, high blood pressure etc. Then ultimately when the engine is lifted, surely it needs to be lifted onto a vehicle for transport to the workshop or resting place. If the replacement engine is at the jetty, then the whole affair, stress free, can be done in a few hours. A 1000 kg engine is baby stuff for those small mobile cranes. Plus the guys operating these mobile cranes usually really know their stuff and have all the gear needed. They can easily shift the lift position etc. as the engine is going up; something that is very tricky to do with a boom lift.

But ..... circumstances do differ.
The worst case I ever saw was when the owner decided to replace a 6 cylinder diesel engine with a different model . It took literally months as nearly everything in the engine room required replacement or alteration. The original motor got water in through the exhaust system and nearly filled the engine with water. We later saw the original engine offered for sale after a complete rebuild and warranty for a fraction of the price of the new engine.
For larger engines, sometimes separating the gearbox from the engine (Lots of pre support) and/or removing heavy bits such as the exhaust manifold, heat exchangers, starter motor etc. can reduce the load considerably.
Also, if the engine is to be rebuilt, then why not remove the head as well?
On the other hand I have an old Yanmar 1 GM without a gearbox and it's used to drive compressors and other stuff off a lay shaft. To remove the engine I removed the head and flywheel then lifted the engine out by hand. Probably weighed about 20 kg.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by billgewater

Seriously, I would consider having a crane lift from a jetty. Looking at all the things that can go wrong ... heeling, bent booms, dropping the lot, damaged sheaves, high blood pressure etc. Then ultimately when the engine is lifted, surely it needs to be lifted onto a vehicle for transport to the workshop or resting place. If the replacement engine is at the jetty, then the whole affair, stress free, can be done in a few hours. A 1000 kg engine is baby stuff for those small mobile cranes. Plus the guys operating these mobile cranes usually really know their stuff and have all the gear needed. They can easily shift the lift position etc. as the engine is going up; something that is very tricky to do with a boom lift.

But ..... circumstances do differ.
The worst case I ever saw was when the owner decided to replace a 6 cylinder diesel engine with a different model . It took literally months as nearly everything in the engine room required replacement or alteration. The original motor got water in through the exhaust system and nearly filled the engine with water. We later saw the original engine offered for sale after a complete rebuild and warranty for a fraction of the price of the new engine.
For larger engines, sometimes separating the gearbox from the engine (Lots of pre support) and/or removing heavy bits such as the exhaust manifold, heat exchangers, starter motor etc. can reduce the load considerably.
Also, if the engine is to be rebuilt, then why not remove the head as well?
On the other hand I have an old Yanmar 1 GM without a gearbox and it's used to drive compressors and other stuff off a lay shaft. To remove the engine I removed the head and flywheel then lifted the engine out by hand. Probably weighed about 20 kg.

I agree. We hired a crane to remove my 12kva generator which weighed about 900 pounds. It cost $300 for the one hour of lifting it took. Cheap IMO compared to the time and potential of damage by using the boom. As an FYI though, right as the generator was going out the hatch a boat went by and sent a wake at us. Well, it did help the motor force it's way past the hatch lip.

[scherzoja]

It works. Here are pictures of putting engine back in. Needed to control 450 lbs engine in three directions. Up/down, fore/aft, then swing out over the dock. Main halyard supported boom, spinnaker halyard as backup. Chain hoist did the lifting. Traveller and sheet swung outboard, 2 part tackle moved it fore/aft.

If engine sits at an angle, make sure you can control it when the engine mounts are released. Gravity will pull it down-slope.

In my case, the engine was tucked under the cockpit and I had to lift it a few inches, move it fwd, lift and move aft to wiggle it out of companionway.

Engine Install - LA Gallery

[NorthCoastJoe]

I have done it twice, Atomic 4 in a Rawson 30 and Yanmar 3gm30f in my Pearson 30. The spooky part is swinging it to the dock.

I have a Isuzu 3AB1 in my Downeaster it is a heavy beast. I would do all I can to lighten it before trying to lift it with my boom if I were to do that.

At the marina there is a 1000 pound hoist and 3000 pound hoist for unloding fish and it has been used in the past to pull & install engines. Do you have any access to something like that there. It would be the safest way to do it.

[MicHughV]

I've seen this operation several times and am always amazed at the ingenuity of the people performing this task, be it an amateur or a pro.

It's a process, and no two engine installs are the same. It requires careful thought, advance planning, fabrication of bits and pieces, the help of others, etc.

At the end of the day it can be done by anybody that is willing to think the process thru'.

Failing that...hire the pro's and let them deal with it. Having done it myself, hiring a pro would likely be the way I'd do it again.

[wsmurdoch]

You may need to top up the boom to be sure the engine clears the cockpit combings and arrives high enough at its destination.

Bill

[Rowglide]

Make sure EVERY PART OF YOUR SYSTEM is adequate for its task....(btw this was not me)

[BlackHeron]

Use a chainfall, and decent steel shackles...don't mess around with expensive stainless steel sailing running rigging off of the boat when decent galvanized shackles are cheap even in sizes rated to 10x what your engine weighs. 2" load strap/slings are cheap too.

Those guys in the photo brought that disaster on themselves. Apparently some people have no common sense, or any experience doing any heavy rigging on construction sites.

Millennials with office jobs probably should ask for help from people who know how to actually work with their hands.

[capt jgw]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

Use the halyard for lifting throw handybillies rigged along the boom to both directions. Halyard takes all the weight and boom with handybillies only the side load for adjusting the lift point along the boom and secures that with a sudden heeling wont sling the engine around. Sideways use the mainsheet and preventer..

Kind of what did lifting a 650# Albin AD2 out of my boat. Connected the main sheet to the main halyard to lift with, and the boom vang from the end of the boom to the halyard. Halyard took all the weight, boom was loaded in compression only. Boat was on the hard and I lowered the engine into my truck parked alongside. Worked perfectly. New engine was only 300# so no problem lifting it in the same way. I don't think I could have lifted the old one that high with it's weight, limited by my strength, not the rig's.

[Rowglide]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

Use a chainfall, and decent steel shackles...don't mess around with expensive stainless steel sailing running rigging off of the boat when decent galvanized shackles are cheap even in sizes rated to 10x what your engine weighs. 2" load strap/slings are cheap too.

Those guys in the photo brought that disaster on themselves. Apparently some people have no common sense, or any experience doing any heavy rigging on construction sites.

Millennials with office jobs probably should ask for help from people who know how to actually work with their hands.

I won’t disagree that they used the wrong equipment. But the part about “Millennials with office jobs...” was both unnecessary and in this case absolutely wrong.

[keepondancin]

I helped someone remove the engine with the boom lift. Boat owner had everything thought out ahead of time. It was only he and myself, he didn' want a bunch of opinions at critical moments, so he kept the sidewalk superintendants away. The cold beer you have to celebrate success is the best you have ever had.

[Polar Opposite]

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch

You may need to top up the boom to be sure the engine clears the cockpit combings and arrives high enough at its destination.

Bill

This was true on my engine lifting event. Trouble was, the winches (or maybe me) wasn't strong enough to pull in the topping lift while it was carrying the weight of the engine. I ran 4x4 beams across the coamings and put a floor jack under the boom to do the lifting/raising, then took the strain onto the halyard winch, removed the jack, and swung the beam to the dock.