Dedicated Engine Rooms

[Homeward13]

Question: I am doing some preliminary boat research. 2 kids and the wife and I are looking at the Morgan 41-45. We really like the layout but I just wanted to get opinions on the importance of having an engine room vs having the engine stowed under the steps leading into the cabin or other various hiding spots.

In your experience, do you find yourselves working exorbitant amount of time in or around the engine?

Also, an issue I foresee is if the engine needs replaced, how would one go about removing the engine in the different scenarios?

Another is how necessary is the space to have a dedicated engine room? Seems like an engine room takes up valuable living space (especially since we are planning on becoming live-aboards)

Thanks all!

[redsky49]

It certainly simplifies engine maintenance. And if you are full time cruising, you will make regular visits.


I am not aware of any restraints regarding future engine removal/replacement. Though all situations will differ, it didn't overly complicate my engine replacement.


I am not sure that it takes up much more useful space than an engine tucked below the companionway, or under the galley. Sure it is bigger, but it will typically be below the cockpit, an area that otherwise has very limited headroom, regardless of engine location.

[Pelagic]

Having a dedicated machinery space (Engine Room) pays great dividends in proper maintenance, hourly checks underway and gives you the ability to properly soundproof and fire suppress this key area

On a sailboat, it doesn't need to be a walk around standing room, but can be an efficient layout with a sit down workbench and tools for repairs.
For major engine work, many machinery spaces have a ceiling section you can remove (soft patch)

My own boat has this efficient space just under the Pilot House and it is one of my favorite features to keep all the heat, noise and grease, in one place

[Simi 60]

Maintenance tends to get done and engines and space are usually clean when its easy access.
A hell of a lot of boats are not easy access and it is very obvious.

[KeelMe]

We have an "engine room". It's great. It's below the cockpit and doesn't have standing head room but I can comfortably access my engine and generator from every angle. It's virtually sound proof too. I go in there when the wife gets on the phone with her sister.

[Outlaw7]

One of the reasons I bought my 1972 Gulfstar 36 MS was because the engine room is separate from the rest of the boat. It's a little bit of a PIA to go up and over to get to the aft cabin but well worth it.

[dwedeking2]

On the Morgan 41 OI, the engine room doesn't have headroom, but you can access the engine pretty easily. On the 41 you can take the engine out through the aft companionway by removing the wall (just a piece of plywood) that is between the engine room and the aft cabin.



I would love to come up with a way to have an access panel that you could open in the cockpit so that you could have headroom when working on the engine vs. crawling in the side entrance.

[Sojourner]

Amel Super Maramu 53 footer here.... engine room all the way. Keeps noise to minimum (with three cats on board, that's a plus). Smells too, your boat smells clean and crisp, not like, well, an old engine. Fire safety and isolation. Improved access and a single nice space to put a bunch of stuff... in ours there is (and everything has an easy full-around space to work on): engine and tranny; watermaker; hot water heater; gen set; bilge pump and hoses and bilge itself; aircon units; fuel tank and filters/water separators; a number of pumps; inverters. As well as a tool rack, parts rack, storage for oils and coolant, spare prop, etc. And it ain't a huge boat!

[a64pilot]

I am familiar with the Super Maramu’s engine room.
I will say from what I saw it absolutely is great at reducing engine noise, in my boat you would swear the engine is in the Salon with you, noise wise.
But odd as it may sound, I have better engine access than the Suoer Maramu has, so an engine room doesn’t automatically mean great access or the lack of mean poor access.
They also take a lot of room out of the boat, so buy an even bigger boat, I guess.

[NRbar]

My boat has a dedicated engine room under the pilothouse similar to Pelagic's. It has an access door from the rear companionway beside the tool room door. This door makes underway engine checks easy. When it is open it makes the tool room part of the engine room. There is not standing headroom. The pilothouse sole is two hinged trap doors that when open provide 12' of headroom in the engine room.

No contortion needed for engine work. All the filters and fluids and are stored in the engine room including enough oil for two changes. My fuel polisher is mounted in the here. There is easy access to change filters and fluids including the Racor in a seaway.

An engine room is like quality clean tools, a pleasure to work with.

rob

[Pelagic]

A big part of my major refit was to make working in the ER easier for my large size.

This was accomplished by renewal of all noise insulation with far better Soundown materials and most importantly, NOT replacing the bulky sound shield around my 12kw Gen.

Very happy with the results

[dwedeking2]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

A big part of my major refit was to make working in the ER easier for my large size.

This was accomplished by renewal of all noise insulation with far better Soundown materials and most importantly, NOT replacing the bulky sound shield around my 12kw Gen.

Very happy with the results

Do you have a link for Sundown? A google turned up a bunch of clutter

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by dwedeking2

Do you have a link for Sundown? A google turned up a bunch of clutter

http://www.soundown.com/S101.htm

[daletournier]

One of the best engine rooms I've seen was on the Cal46. I seriously nearly bought one based on how functional that boat was eg engine room.

[Kenomac]

You don’t need a dedicated engine room the size of the one in the movie “Captain Ron.” Oysters have more of an engine closet attached to an adjoining cabin where one entire side of the engine can be accessed via two large doors, then the front, rear and other side accessed via easily removable panels. Other boats I’ve seen have similar layouts. This system works find and doesn’t take up as much living space.