Part 2 of this great financial adventure starts with Uzi (he runs a boat cleaning and detailing service in the SF Bay Area) came over and cleaned the engine room and sump bilges once the old engine was removed. Below you can see Uzi's results: simply wonderful and most welcome!

At this point, the new engine has been brought into the boat, and set on its mounts. It is a big engine, bigger than the 4-154 it replaced. But we knew what we were getting into. Notice the huge air filter fitted by Trans-Atlantic Diesels, of Virginia. Also notice that TAD fitted us with a bell housing and an extra heavy duty starter that mounts aft of the bell housing. There are pluses and minuses to this configuration. I am growing to love it.

The prop was repitched to 24 x 18, and the engine turns full 2,800 rated rpm with a 2.57:1 reduction gear. It cruises nicely and briskly at 2,200 rpm with a speed of almost 7.5 knots, with a fairly dirty bottom. I am planning to install a FlowScan fuel consumption meter and will be able to say more about speed and fuel consumption as I do more testing.

I had Robert Richards, a marine surveyor specializing in engines do a survey of the installation prior to accepting the boat from Richmond Boat Works. We reviewed all aspects of the installation, including the exhaust system, and I am satisfied that we have a good solution. More about this subject will be added later.