Formosa 51

[fijicalling]

Bula all and greetings from Fiji.
We have recently been given an old Formosa 51 (1976) in very bad condition and, are considering getting her going.
Before everyone jumps on me I should mention my husband is a Naval Architect and we have a smallish shipyard on a big river. We think we are the only people in Fiji that could take on this boat but to be honest still not certain we will go ahead. We are still assessing the situation.
We are not interested in this boat as a cruising yacht for ourselves. It MAY be useful for short sailing trips around the lagoon for tourists.
We are preparing to build ourselves an Alluminium cruising cat for our own use. So hope to be posting regarding that project along the way.
Question: has anyone got knowledge of removing the enginefrom a Formosa 51 without 'remodeling' the coach House?
I have tried to find owners forums but not come across anything useful.
Vinaka
Fijicalling

[Emmalina]

Watch the film "Captain Ron" they used a Formosa 51 in that

[GordMay]

Force 50 & Formosa 51 Owners Group
www.facebook.com/groups/19483639728/


The most expensive yacht might be the "free" one.

[grantmc]

Welcome to the forum Fiji Calling.
Yours will be an interesting project I don't doubt.

[JPA Cate]

Just my opinion, but if you're going to be building an ally cat, you don't need a Force 50 to restore, and just a patch up will not make a good tourist boat for going out to Malololailai.

If you want to restore the F 50, it might be a kind of fun project, but you'll never get your time & money out of it...unless it is only the engine? The tankage has been replaced? the decks are in good nick? Really depends on what you all want to do.

One way of looking at this is that all we have is time. Do you want to spend it this way or on the cat and go cruising/exploring? We never know what the future holds, and health surprises can really put the kibosh on cruising...either our own or loved ones for whom we owe a debt of kindness.



Ann

[fijicalling]

Originally Posted by Emmalina

Watch the film "Captain Ron" they used a Formosa 51 in that

Haha. Right. ��

[fijicalling]

Yes! Understand. As I said we are still assessing the situation so very much keeping an open mind ATM.

[fijicalling]

Originally Posted by grantmc

Welcome to the forum Fiji Calling.
Yours will be an interesting project I don't doubt.

Which one ��������

[fijicalling]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Force 50 & Formosa 51 Owners Group
www.facebook.com/groups/19483639728/


The most expensive yacht might be the "free" one.

Thank you. Will chase that up.

[Tetepare]

Sigatoka?

I can’t tell you how to remove the engine except that most engines are installed before the deck and interior, so have to be cut out.

How are the decks?

[skipperpete]

I took out a Ford Lehman 120hp from the centre cockpit version but it came out with the head and oilpan removed and then the gearbox off in the saloon. 3 chain blocks and a come-along did the lifting and pulling. I bored a hole 1½ “diam through the cockpit sole and coachouse roof and used wire rope slings through the holes for the lifts out of the engine room and up the saloon steps. I covered the cabin sole and vertical surfaces with cheap 10 mm ply so no damage and part of the journey was on skids and rollers. Engine went up the stairs vertically then horizontally thru the cockpit then a big ol webbing sling and a crane to get it out of the boat. Slow work. Replaced it with a yanmar 4LHA which proved surprisingly difficult to fit in the Fords old space.

[Searles]

If that’s the 4 cyl ford or the 4/236 perkins un bolt every thing ,slide on a planks into the main saloon ,remove the big overhead hatch totally ,sling the engine and lift end on vertically ,have done this with much bigger engines even 6/lx Gardner s x2 ,when I say everything as much as possible plus drain all fluids .⛵️⚓️

[fijicalling]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Sigatoka?

I can’t tell you how to remove the engine except that most engines are installed before the deck and interior, so have to be cut out.

How are the decks?

That's what we were thinking but wondering. A few people have mentioned the decks and saw on the Facebook forum that on one boat they had gone soft. Can't saw we have noticed them soft anywhere but it has been very badly neglected in a tropical climate so would not doubt that further investigation will show this.
No. Navua

[fijicalling]

Originally Posted by Searles

If that’s the 4 cyl ford or the 4/236 perkins un bolt every thing ,slide on a planks into the main saloon ,remove the big overhead hatch totally ,sling the engine and lift end on vertically ,have done this with much bigger engines even 6/lx Gardner s x2 ,when I say everything as much as possible plus drain all fluids .⛵️⚓️

Thanks Searles. It is the 6 cylinder ford. Don't think we have a big over head hatch, sadly. But possibly dismantling it to remove it is an option but not for returning (unlikely) or replacing it. There is a bit of rot around the companionway so that might be the best option for opening up a gap.

[fijicalling]

Originally Posted by skipperpete

I took out a Ford Lehman 120hp from the centre cockpit version but it came out with the head and oilpan removed and then the gearbox off in the saloon. 3 chain blocks and a come-along did the lifting and pulling. I bored a hole 1½ “diam through the cockpit sole and coachouse roof and used wire rope slings through the holes for the lifts out of the engine room and up the saloon steps. I covered the cabin sole and vertical surfaces with cheap 10 mm ply so no damage and part of the journey was on skids and rollers. Engine went up the stairs vertically then horizontally thru the cockpit then a big ol webbing sling and a crane to get it out of the boat. Slow work. Replaced it with a yanmar 4LHA which proved surprisingly difficult to fit in the Fords old space.

Thanks Skipperpete. Ours isn't the center cockpit but some useful thoughts there. What made the new Yanmar engine difficult to fit? There seems to be plenty of room there. The generator has been removed which might be making it appear that way though.