Forensic detective wanted

[chris_gee]

Don't ask why I need to replace the prop and all the seacocks on my new boat. Neither should you ask why the manufacturers plate on the gearbox is painted over on a relatively new motor.
This is a Yanmar Kanzaki KM2P box. There are two alternatives as to the forward gear ratio. I suspect both are on the line below gear ratio, reverse being first.
Maybe I can risk permanent injury and try to take an impression and decipher it but can anyone read it? Warning it is a large file.
Image of gear box plate - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

[Bene505]

Can you hold your camera further away and zoom in the camera lens? The image looks out of focus. (No success deciphering it so far.)

Put a few pieces of electrical tape on it, near where you want everyone to read, so the autofocus has something to focus on. Right now it looks like it's focused on the wires in the background, which makes sense, given the textures in the foreground.

[sailingdog]

If your camera has a MACRO mode, you really need to be using it to get that plate in focus. Can't read the plate when it is so badly out of focus—especially given how low contrast the engraved/stamped numbers are.

[Sapperwhite]

I'm not at my home pc, so i can't read the exif data and tell what kind of camera you are using. However, you should change your camera to macro mode and retake the picture. Macro mode on a point and shoot camera has an icon that looks like a flower. Use macro mode whenever you are taking exteme close ups.

EDIT: beat by the dog

[CrazyRu]

Originally Posted by chris_gee

Maybe I can risk permanent injury and try to take an impression and decipher it but can anyone read it? Warning it is a large file.
Image of gear box plate - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

More gadgets we have – more disoriented we become
Dump the camera. Get some blue print paper (old fuel receipt), lay it on the plate and rub it with a pen or quarter.

[terryjoe]

Can you take a stiff brush and some paint remover to strip the paint off the plate? Might make it easier to read. I have the same problem with my hull number someone painted over it last time the hull was painted.

[erps]

If you use another light source at a very low oblique angle and turn off your flash it will make it easier to see the numbers.

[Tortuga12]

[IMG][/IMG]

[AllThumbs]

If Horatio can't solve the case, nobody can. (picture Horatio removing his sunglasses now)

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by chris_gee

Don't ask why I need to replace the prop and all the seacocks on my new boat. Neither should you ask why the manufacturers plate on the gearbox is painted over on a relatively new motor.
This is a Yanmar Kanzaki KM2P box. There are two alternatives as to the forward gear ratio. I suspect both are on the line below gear ratio, reverse being first.
Maybe I can risk permanent injury and try to take an impression and decipher it but can anyone read it? Warning it is a large file.
Image of gear box plate - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Chris,

Can't help you with the forensics -- too blurry. But I have a Yanmar owner's manual here and it indicates three possible forward gear ratios for the KM2 transmission: 2.21, 2.62, and 3.22. Most of the sailboat applications I've seen have gone with the middle ratio, 2.62.

Regardless of which forward ratio is selected, this manual indicates that the reverse ratio is always 3.06.

P.S. I can't help myself. Why do the prop and all seacocks need replacing? I think I can guess...