Repowering an Alberg 30 (part 2)

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it’s sinking.

Roger Waters

When I told Yves Gélinas I would install an inboard engine, he discouraged me to do so. « You will waste your sailing season », he said. Coming back from an Atlantic crossing mid-july, I thought the install would be done by mid-August, and then be on my merry way down south. As of the end of september, the engine is finally installed on its bearers, but auxiliary systems (diesel tank, battery and control panel) remains to be installed. This post is my answer to the following question: why was so much extra-time required? The short answer is “because of me”, but it may help others understanding why it took me so much time. I describe below seven elements related to the engine install that had an impact on the installation time.

1- Projects Are Contagious

Installing an engine means working on the boat from the hatch all the way to the stern. I these regions, I found that Jean-du-Sud‘s electrical wiring, drains and pipes, and general maintenance was required. In other words, with a project of this magnitude and a boat of this age, I discovered uknown aspects of the boat that were in a dire need for attention. For instance, all the plumbing related to draining the cockpit were in need of replacement. As the through hulls were jammed in the pipes, they had to be replaced as well.

I began thinking about the install with what I call a “system based” installation paradigm, meaning that all my actions were focused around the related tasks of installing the engine. Therefore, my thinking about the interdependance between tasks was based solely on the engine and the related auxiliary systems. That approach is sound, but incomplete, and is a factor that explains the time increase. A system based paradigm does not account for the required time for yet to be discovered “neighbour projects”. In plain terms, I did not account for surprise projects.

Another project paradigm would be to think of maintenance in terms of physical regions of the boat. I call this a “region view”. For instance, if someone works on the stern part of the boat, a region based maintenance would look at all what needs maintenance in that given region: electrical, engine, paint, etc. This view accounts for the interdependance between projects within a region, and how the boat naturally lends itself to maintenance. When a region is prepped for work, it is very tempting to perform multiple tasks.

Both views are perfectly acceptable ways to think about maintenance, but there are trade-offs involved. The first one relates to time, specifically immediate time versus future time. A region based paradigm will certainly distract away from the most demanding project, but will more efficiently deal with the projects in the region being worked on. It thus demands more immediate time, but less time overall. In contrast, focusing solely on one system will save immediate time, but will be more demanding at a later date as the prepping will be done more than once. The second trade-off is on morale. A system based upgrade is much more focused and therefore gives positive reinforcement faster. Someone who gets discouraged by long days without immediate results may prefer such approach for that very reason. In other words, a region view of projects may be more taxing on morale, even though it is more efficient in terms of time spent. The third trade-off is that planning is (probably) easier in a system view paradigm. The other end of this trade-off is that practical work sometimes imposes a region view of maintenance.

How to best manage these trade-offs is somewhat personal and depends on various constraints. Budgets, immediate availlable time and plans for future projects/upgrades are certainly pushing for deffering projects. I began the engine install with a system view of the project, but the examination of various regions of the boat shifted my attention to regional maintenance on top of the install. I do not think there is a correct answer, but it is a good thing to undertake projects while knowing that new projects in the vicinity of the main task will appear along the way.

Knowing when to stop devoting time to new projects and stay focused on the main one is a crucial learning experience. During the engine install, I decided to minimize the time spent on electrical rewiring (as an electrical upgrade is planned). I also decided to defer the bulkheads replacement (which are ole enough to consider installing new ones). However, I replaced the drains (including through hulls), rebuilt the engine bay and gave a good coat of paint in the bilge while the boat was without an inboard. My main decision criterion was how harder a given task would become with an inboard present. Budgets were also a factor in limithing the span to other projects.

2 – The Supply Chain is not Instantaneous

A friend of mine told me that boat projects take more time because of the supply chain. “You’ll see, she said, you’ll spend more time ordering and replacing parts than you think.” I kind of understood the notion and I thought I was somewhat prepared by knowing the website of a well known supplier in Ontario. My presumption was that I would be able to order any parts through that website and obtain the parts within 2-4 days. That too was a gross misunderstanding of how to handle the project.

The problem with ordering pieces online is that you hardly see them, nor you know how well they assemble together. It is useful when you know exactly what you need. When building piping and plumbing, or looking for a resin system for fiberglass, understanding the interdependance betwen products and having a physical sense of quantities is extremely helpful. As I began a new project, I found useful to have most of my senses helping me figure out the required parts. For instance, it is best to discover how much volume of silica is in half a kilogram (1.1 pound) prior to its purchase (!). The second problem is that products may only be supplied from specific companies where the project is being done. In my case, I had to spend two full days finding a sawmill that had oak, and a machine shop that could produce custom metal pieces. I was expecting to learn about tasks, but I had not planned for the time required to find a proper supply chain.

Here, I can think of two lessons learned. First, it is useful to find good local suppliers, close enough so they can be drove to every week. It helps if there is a good stock of pieces and a good return policy. Viewing pieces, comparing them with existing material on the boat, is extremely helpful and reduces the errors in the implementation of designs. Your weekly drive to the store, may even yield some advice on parts of the project. Furthermore, a good return policy may help you experiment with various pieces when you are not certain of what would work. After I found a good hardware store with such return policy, it became part of the implementation process to try a few pieces and figure out what works best. The second lesson is that ordering pieces takes more time. Not everything is in store and thus planning work for 5-6 days while critical pieces of a system are missing will help. I had “dry days”, mostly related to painting and cleaning, because I was waiting for critical pieces to arrive.

If you ever do boatwork near Québec city, you can save a few days on your project by knowing the following suppliers:

• Quincaillerie Martin as an hardware/fiberglass store dedicated to all sailing. They have an excellent return policy, a good quantity of general pieces, and a (roughly) 5 days supply chain for specialized parts.
• Spécibois as a specialized sawmill. They provide quote fasts and have several wood essences.
• Atelier Mécanique Boivin for a machine shop. Their focus is on cars and trucks, but they can deliver specialized metal parts fast.

I had no rebate whastoever. These companies are just managed by good folks that help projects.

3- Preparation and Design Takes Time

Most tasks require a lot of preparation. Doing the task per se requires little time. A good illustration is the installation of the engine control panel. A naïve planning strategy would be to think of cutting a hole in the cockpit and then fasten the control panel in the hole. Et voilà!

This is what I had in mind prior to starting the install. It is so far from reality. My biggest lesson learned is that it helps to be precise, pragmatic and figure out each aspect of the design. First, cutting any hole through the hull means exposing the core to elements, especially water. If it is not protected, it will rot. Thus, cutting the hull implies drilling a recess in the core and fill it with thickened epoxy. Epoxy takes time to cure. Second, finding how the control panel will be fixed requires planning. Protecting the panel from corrosion means it must be recessed in some protective cover. Moreover, protecting the cables connected on its back from the lazarette usage implies a protective box behind the panel. Finally, the design of how the whole package (controle panel + recess box + rear protection) is fastened to the cockpit deserves some thinking as well: bolt size, matching drill bit, etc.

It took me a day to figure out the design I wanted. I was then in need of pieces I had not planned on purchasing (see point 2). It also took two days to build and paint the parts that could be made on the spot. So overall, what I thought would take me a day (installing the control panel) took me more like five to six days, excluding the curing time, but including the delivery of parts. Once everything was assembled and ready, installing the control panel took 20 minutes. Thats a lot of sundae for a single cherry.

This is just an example, but the pattern generalizes pretty much to any task of a project. Fiberglassing the engine bearers takes 20-40 minutes at most, but cutting the pieces and prepping the surface takes at least a day. As a general rule of thumb, you may want to multiply the core installation time by three: one day to design and order parts, one day to prep the region and finally one day to execute the task. This, of course, assumes you have the proper equipment.

4- Having the Proper Equipment Helps

I do not advocate the need for a complete machine shop. The most common tools used in the install were a good set of ratched wrenches, a multi head screwdriver, an electric drill, brushes and a skillsaw. The project got through most of the time with these tools. However, I do want to emphasize how some specific tools were critical in executing fiberglass related tasks. All of them significantly decrease the execution time.

4.1 An Oscillating Saw

This is a must have. The oscillating saw helps in cutting fiberglass, wood, epoxy, cake or pretty much everything you put in its way. I am not a medical expert, but this thing may even cure cancer.

I just cannot imagine how to cut between layers of fiberglass without one. If you can afford a model with a built-in aspirator, even better.

For the anecdote, an oscillating saw is called « outil oscillant » in french (« oscillating tool »), which is so general that it could also describe a vibrator. If you are alone and need to work out a tight spot fast, this tool will give you a good hand.

4.2 A Dremel Kit

This tool is helpful for little nasty tasks that are too small for a grinder, a sander, or a normal drill. I already had one and its use grew on me as the project evolved. It is not a must have, but it is very useful.

4.3 A Grinder

With disks for scrapping and cutting metal, this is a must have. It speeds up all the work related to prepping fiberglass. In comparison, I almost never used a sander.

A grinder is a powerful tool and it should be used with caution. It was always used with a mask and protective eyewear.

5- Weather Plays a Role

To what extent one decides to work under rain is a personnal decision. I decided not to work on Jean-du-Sud during rainy days, which of course extended the total lenght of the project. This was the best way to minimize the project length while attending to other things in my life.

6- Life Continues

Other aspect of my life pushed me away from the project from time to time. The most significant was the RYA prep week and exam I have done on the Canadian East Coast. It was a welcome break during the install. It also meant hours of study after dinner.

But more importantly, other parts of my professional life and family meant I had to extract myself from the install. When family comes around to pay a visit, being the monster that stays stuck on his boat is not exactly the proper way to show hospitality. These are all welcome breaks, but they increase the duration.

7- I Still Learn and I Still Make Mistakes

Listing all the six prior points somehow neglects the elephant in the room: me. Jean-du-Sud is my first boat and installing the engine is my first boat project. In retrospect, that was a tall order for a newbie. Go big or go home, they say.

I started the project thinking I would learn along the way. I did and for the most part, I learned well. But learning takes time. For instance, getting a good sense of what types of resins are desirable or not for fiberglass repairs took me some time. Likewise, I had numerous questions than can only be learned by experience or by doing the task. Should I cut a backing plate? When do I know the raw fiberglass is exposed? Should I be cutting wires.? The list goes on… With experience, I developed a good sense of what can be done and stopped theorizing about it. My second through hull install went much faster than the first one because I had no longer these practical questions in mind.

I also made mistakes. The two most important ones are related to fiberglass. I did grind the original engine bearers without a proper tarp installed around the engine bay. As a consequence, there was fiberglass powder in two significant places: 1) in the bilge; and 2) everywhere. Thats a full day spent dusting and cleaning. I made that mistake twice. Fool me once…

The second important mistake I made is forgetting to clean the hole prior to epoxying a backing plate. The backing plate was (temporarily) fastened to the hull by the through hull, but because the hole was full of epoxy, the through hull’s threads got filled and cured with the backing plate. As a result, it was imposible to remove… while not being watertight. I had to grind it, get rid of it and buy a new one. I alo lost an afternoon. I now examine any epoxy job for eventual drips.

Conclusion

The engine is now fastened (and aligned) on its new fiberglassed oak bearers, all in a new engine bay. There are new through hulls all around the engine, and I gained an incredible understanding of how everything is interconnected on Jean-du-Sud. The project got me closer to the boat. There is still work to do, but having the engine installed on its bearers is a rewarding, satisfying step.

Some people discourage boat work as it pushes away from sailing. I acknowledge that I did very little sailing in August – only one week! -, but I feel much more confident in understanding how systems are structurally assembled. I doubt I will ever change anyone’s mind on boat projects. Those with an engineer mindset will assemble/disassemble pretty much everything they own. Others will rely on expert technicians. I can only surmise that both ways have their equal share of frustrations.

In the third – and last – upcoming text related to the power train installation, I will outline techniques or pieces of information I wish I knew before I started the install. It will be more practical and will hopefully help other boathers to reduce the time of some boatwoark projects.

Acknowledgements

An african proverb states that it takes a village to raise a child. Although I was at the center of the engine install, I had a lot of help. I am thankful for the help of Julien DT, Alexis L, Patrick M, James Frederick, Sylvain D, Maryline P, Ben Gartside, John Ray and Philip Locker, my parents and the good folks in the Facebook Alberg 30 Owner Group. All errors remain my own.