[Public-List] Engine Alignment

[John Birch]

A good way to prevent such a reoccurrence, since it can happen with any 
shaft, is to put a hose clamp on the shaft about a half inch or so from the 
stuffing box. That way, if the shaft breaks, or comes loose, the hose clamp 
will prevent it from backing out and jamming the rudder or worse, leaving 
the boat entirely - blub blub blub.

Best of the season and to a less eventful 2010

John


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thomas Moffatt" <tmoffatt at xplornet.com>
To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 5:36 PM
Subject: [Public-List] Engine Alignment


> Just thought I would throw in an educational story on engine alignment.
>
> I bought my Alberg 30 several decades ago, and in its previous life  the 
> engine and shaft had not been realigned, I don't believe. And  every year, 
> into the crane, out of the crane...etc.
>
> Took the Alberg from St. Andrews, NB down the coast of Maine to  Penobscot 
> Bay, and off North Haven was running the engine since there  was a large 
> following swell and almost no wind. The jerking was the  final straw, I 
> suppose...
>
> Suddenly the tiller would not work, and when I tried more, the boat  was 
> swirling around in circles. Put up the sails to get some control  (not 
> knowing what else to do), and of course it just made matters  worse, since 
> the Alberg was going in tight circles. Thought a lobster  pot line was 
> grabbed, but that wasn't it.
>
> Finally decided to take off the steps/engine cover - and with a 
> flashlight was horrified to see the shaft within a few inches of the 
> thru-hull.
>
> Grabbed it with a wrench, and worked it forward. Then happened to  have 
> some brass "snare wire" and used it to get enough friction  around the 
> shaft, and found a way to secure the snare wire.
>
> Realized it was a definite blessing that the hole between hull and  rudder 
> was small enough that the propeller had fetched up against the  rudder, 
> jamming it initially - but not allowing the shaft to leave!
>
> Once the shaft was secure, had my wife watch it while I used the late 
> afternoon breezes to make it across Penobscot Bay and as the final  breath 
> of wind died, made it to one of the outer moorings in Camden  harbor.
>
> Wayfarer Marine was happy to pull the boat the next morning, and  after 
> almost a week on the dock, I had much time to think about the  matter of 
> engine/shaft alignment. Especially as we were still living  aboard, and 
> everyone going by enjoyed the chance to ask how the  cruising was up there 
> (in the air).
>
> I realigned yearly from that point.
>
>
> Tom Moffatt
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