[Public-List] (no subject)

Wed Sep 7 05:32:13 PDT 2011

I concur.  The problem in the Detroit area is that when you call a marine mechanic and tell him that you have a Grey Marine engine, they will say, "I won't work on that."  That is one of the reasons that I finally gave up on mine!  There is an old guy on North River Road in Harrison Township who helped me fix the timing problem with my engine when I still had it...I can provide the contact info if Dwayne is interested.  John  

-----Original Message-----
From: public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org [mailto:public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org] On Behalf Of Gordon Laco
Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2011 8:25 AM
To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all
Subject: Re: [Public-List] (no subject)

Good morning - 

You might try enquiring of mechanics if they have experience with older
military Willys jeep engines....  Although all parties will hotly deny there
is any connection between the '50's jeep flat head four cylinder engine; a
mechanic will actually find them quite similar to the Grey and especially
the Atomic IV.

For some reason there is a less threatening mystique about the land bound
flat head four than the aquatic one.  I've had a mechanic wave his hands
saying "oh I'd never touch one of those" referring to my engine, then tell
me what fun it is to work on the very simple, robust and straight forward
jeep engine.  He was shocked when he realized that my engine was just a flat
head four.  No secret complications, no snakes and scorpions hiding
anywhere...

I would agree that the backfiring should be easily tinkered with by
adjusting the timing.

The fellow that looks after our engine when it needs professional help also
looks after my MG, which is in his normal line of work.   He told me after
the first time he knelt in front of the A4 that he wondered what 'everybody'
in his profession was afraid of.  He was amazed at what a simple, robust
engine he had in front of him.

Gord #426

On 07/09/11 8:16 AM, "Manza, John CIV OSD POLICY" <John.Manza at osd.mil>
wrote:

> In Dwayne's defense...it is nearly impossible to sail on Lake St. Clair
> without aux power.  The Detroit River runs at about 3-4 knots and the St.
> Clair River that connects Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair runs a bit faster.
> When I go up river to Port Huron at the south end of Lake Huron, it requires a
> solid five - six hours of running the engine at full throttle.  I dock about a
> mile up the Clinton River and, with the bends and current, it is nearly
> impossible to sail to my dock.  There is no mooring on Lake St. Clair, so I
> assume that Dwayne is in one of those huge marinas with literally hundreds of
> boats and many turns required to get to his slip.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org
> [mailto:public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org] On Behalf Of John Riley
> Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 10:49 PM
> To: Dwayne Back; Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all
> Subject: Re: [Public-List] (no subject)
> 
> Dwayne Back wrote:
>> John Manza,
>> I currently own an Alberg 30 Hull # 94 on Lake St. Clair.  I purchased it in
>> the fall of last year with an operating inboard grey marine engine.  As of
>> today I have not been able to get the engine to turn over.  It cranks ok but
>> back fires and will not turn over.  So I have not had the pleasure of sailing
>> my boat.  I have had a "mechanic" who is suppose to address the engine
>> issues, but it is now Sept. and believe it or not it is hard to find someone
>> willing to work on the old engine.  Unfortunately I do not currently have the
>> skills to address the engine issues.  As such, I am particularly interested
>> in your outboard config, as well as your feeling as to the appropriate HP
>> level.  My boat has a mount aft for an outboard and I almost purchased a 15hp
>> used motor to use but was afraid it would be under powered (trying to avoid
>> hitting the 100k boats behind me in the marina).  Any input you could provide
>> as to sailing on lake St Clair or
>>  Lake Huron as well as the appropriate outboard config.  Please feel free to
>> contact me off list if you like.
>> 
>> Dwayne Back
>> sifuback at yahoo.com
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>   
> 
> (1) Why do you need an engine to sail the boat?  Sorry...I could not
> resist.  I'm a bit of a 'sail' fanatic.
> 
> (2) 15 HP is WAY overpowered for an outboard on the boat.  You could run
> a 15 HP at near idle and be pretty much at hull speed...of course,
> weight aft would be a big detriment.
> 
> My boat has an 8 HP outboard on the transom, and when the hull is clean,
> that buries the stern more than helps at full throttle.  I've been at
> full throttle and seen the boat SPEED UP when I decreased the throttle.
> 
> It is very easy to "overpower" a displacement hull ...
> 
> (Caveat: wind, not currents, will make a difference...hull speed through
> the water is hull speed through the water; the engine won't change the
> fact that the water itself is moving).

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