SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Repower Procedure Islander 30

2K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  jbrockpiano 
#1 ·
I have an islander 30 with a Volvo Md5A which I know will fail at some point in the near future. I want to replace it with a Yanmar 14 horse which I am told fits the same foot print as the Volvo. Does The boat need to be hauled out to switch out motors. My other boats all had outboard motors so the whole inboard diesel thing is new to me. Thanks for the info.
 
#2 ·
It is certainly possible to change the engine while afloat, and if the footprint is the same it's a pretty simple job - depending on how easy it will be to lift the old engine out. You can rig a tackle off the boom to do that.

One thing to check: if the boat has a dripless seal like the PSS, disconnecting the coupling and removing the engine/gear will remove the sealing pressure and the seal will leak a lot. If it is a conventional stuffing box there's no problem. If it is dripless you can protect yourself by thoroughly taping the shaft collar to the seal tube to prevent those parts from separating.

Remove parts from the old engine such as alternators, manifolds etc to make the package smaller (and lighter) to clear the companionway and furniture during the lift out.

And even though the footprint is the same, check that other parts won't interfere with clearances once the engine is in place. The entire package may be shorter/longer which could also lead to necessary shaft mods, so do your homework first.

It is, in fact, better to do the final alignment while afloat since many boats "sit differently" in the cradle or on the hard.

Good luck.
 
#3 ·
Also, even if the footprint is the same, you'll definitely want to check the motor mount locations, as they are most likely different. If you don't have the new motor mounts installed prior to trying to install the new engine, you'll have trouble.

Finally, double check all the positions and measurements for the engine, its accessories and the prop shaft. Even with a similar footprint, chances are pretty high that the prop shaft will need to be modified to work with the new engine in some way.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top