AussieRob's B28 Repower Progress

[aussierob]

Hi Everyone,

I haven't posted in a while - have been busy getting things done on my Bertram amongst a very heavy work schedule, but thought i'd post an update.

In May, i pulled both of my Mercruiser 260 with Velvet Drives, due to a VERY poor performing port engine (as in almost unusable, no power / guzzling oil, etc).
Compression on my engines was even, but low overall. Well maintained, but aged motors, so it was time.

While i had no issues with the transmissions, i pulled them out together, and was later glad i did.



Fully removed, ready to truck home

[aussierob]

The transmissions were cosmetically worse than the engines. While they ran fine, they were screaming for some love and attention, which i gave them.

Heavy corrosion


Teardown and cleanup




Internally they were in pretty good shape, so i focused on replacing gaskets and seals, and prepping for a fresh coat of paint.





Overall they've come up a treat, and i've tested all running (as much as possible before reinstallation)

[aussierob]

As far as the engines go, i've upgraded the 260 mercruisers to brand new 330HP Vortecs.





They will be fresh water cooled, reusing my heat exchangers, but i plumbed it for raw cooling to get it started, while still waiting for parts to arrive.



I'm using a Gilmer drive mainly because my V-belt on the alternators would persistently slip and squeal when the batteries were thirsty (no matter how much tension or slip-stop gunk i put on them). This will solve that issue, for a fraction of the price of a serpentine system.

I have a shipright doing a 1-piece hatch conversion at the same time as increasing the height to accommodate these new engines.

Work commences next week, with reinstallation of the new engines scheduled for early December (start of our Summer).

[aussierob]

I don't think i can embed a video without putting it on Youtube, but here's a few links:

First firing!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/x2hx4adaLETW6ZVc8

Gilmer / transmission testing (was only running for a minute, so no exhaust water, didn't have time to come up to temp even)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LpcJooRAZQCjRKPx9

I'll paint any exposed machined surfaces before reinstallation too, obviously.

I was going to re-coat the bilge too, but i've run out of time. It was full of gunk and oil (the old engines were both leaking from the main seals it turns out), so i've done a solid clean up as much as possible.
Before and after:

[Tony Meola]

Rob

Nice work. Bilge cleaned up nicely.

[aussierob]

Rob

Nice work. Bilge cleaned up nicely.

Thanks Tony.

Yeah - someone gave it some love at some point, and given the timing of getting running again before Christmas, i'm satisfied enough with it to not undertake a full rework.

It will help not having chev's leaking about a litre of oil every few hours (port motor was horrific at the end). I'm still absorbing all the oil, but it's rather clean even in the forward bilge now. Has been a slow process since it's still in the water while i do the repower.

I used buckets to remove about 150L of sludge (and cleaning products) from the bilge to the appropriate area of my marina for safe removal. I've left those absorbent pads in there soaking anything i didn't catch the first time, but bilge water is the best it's looked in a long time now.

Rob

[Joseph Fikentscher]

Very nice! Can't wait to see them installed.

[aussierob]

Very nice! Can't wait to see them installed.

Thanks Joseph! Only a few weeks away now!

[aussierob]

Everything is now completed and running!

I finished all my plumbing and such before reinstallation and had both engines running on "fake" engine beds.





We did reinstallation in-water at a local boat ramp, with the help of the same crane operators that helped remove them.






We also were working on a 1-piece hatch conversion, since we had to increase the height of the engine hatches anyway, to accommodate the vortec motors.

We raised it a little more than was required, so it's inline with the removable seating in the cockpit. This makes seating a full boat of family or friends a breeze, when we're just cruising about.

Access is pretty tight now however. The support struts i'm lying between aren't ideal, but have been strongly recommended by the shipright - so i'll go with it.


I ran all new battery wiring (actually, every wire between batteries and helm is now brand new). I have four huge batteries sitting between the two engines, so their center of gravity is quite low. I have a large inverter i'm installing on the starboard side to help re-balance. The boat sits evenly in the water, but feels a little port-heavy while planing.


Finished hatch


I haven't run WOT or anything just yet - i've taken it easy running in the new motors, with 8hrs on the clock (though we've spent about 24hrs on it over a few days).

The new motors perform flawlessly, responding to my every request. Unlike the tired old motors which had to be asked nicely 3-different ways (and still didn't always comply). They're exceptionally smooth and quiet, and the new hatch has reduced noise over the old fibreglass ones too (i'll also sound-deaden soon).

Still much i'd like to do, but all incremental and less of a bulk overhaul than this repower was. And the boat runs in the mean time!

Rob

[Tony Meola]

Nice job. It looks like the step down coming off the engine box's is gone. I would think that makes standing against the gunnel a little nerve wracking, or is that just due to the angle of the picture?

[aussierob]

Nice job. It looks like the step down coming off the engine box's is gone. I would think that makes standing against the gunnel a little nerve wracking, or is that just due to the angle of the picture?

I'm not entirely sure if you mean port / starboard, or aft of the hatch?

The hatch is level across the whole way - though there's a little gap (you can see a fire extinguisher popped in there on stbd side).

In reality the gunnel height from the engine hatch previously was too low, and it still is. I'll likely put the metalwork that used to be there back, however along the gunnel only, rather than also cutting in front of the engine hatch (in a big L shape) as it does from the factory.

While sitting on the hatch you don't feel unsafe, and while standing on it, the 4" difference in hatch height is probably negligible from a safety standpoint.

I have removable seating in the cockpit - while that's in, it's not feasible to stand in the cockpit against the gunnels. For serious fishing the seats come out. However my boat is equally family boat, so it's best of both worlds.
We had New Years Eve on the water for the local fireworks, filled to legal capacity, and everyone was still very comfortable. When fishing, the backrests on the gunnels stay in and act as knee / leg cushions when leaning against the rail.

Rob

[Yannis]

Rob,

The partial side metalwork I believe might create stumbling problems when trying to go the forward deck.
I had done just that (retained the sides while gotten rid of the aft part) and there's always a tube where you least expect it. I finally got rid of it all.

What happened to the head window?

You might wish to add a small removable step to climb up the engine box from aft (either plastic to stow away, or wooden flip-down). If you do this up and down often (and depending on your knees' condition!) you might find it practical.

Enjoy!

[aussierob]

Rob,

The partial side metalwork I believe might create stumbling problems when trying to go the forward deck.
I had done just that (retained the sides while gotten rid of the aft part) and there's always a tube where you least expect it. I finally got rid of it all.

What happened to the head window?

You might wish to add a small removable step to climb up the engine box from aft (either plastic to stow away, or wooden flip-down). If you do this up and down often (and depending on your knees' condition!) you might find it practical.

Enjoy!

Hi Yannis,

Yes - i had thought it might too. I'm ok with it not being there...
Especially with the seating in, stepping from the dock onto the engine hatch now provides very good entry, without treading on the seats.

My bulkhead never had a window in the head - only a vent.

The engine box still isn't high enough to warrant a step i don't believe. If it becomes a problem i'd build it into the hatch as we did with the step back down into the cabin. My knees are only 35yrs old, however some who are older than I and been on the boat haven't mentioned it either. Thanks for the suggestion - will keep an eye.

Rob

[Tony Meola]

I'm not entirely sure if you mean port / starboard, or aft of the hatch?

The hatch is level across the whole way - though there's a little gap (you can see a fire extinguisher popped in there on stbd side).

In reality the gunnel height from the engine hatch previously was too low, and it still is. I'll likely put the metalwork that used to be there back, however along the gunnel only, rather than also cutting in front of the engine hatch (in a big L shape) as it does from the factory.

While sitting on the hatch you don't feel unsafe, and while standing on it, the 4" difference in hatch height is probably negligible from a safety standpoint.

I have removable seating in the cockpit - while that's in, it's not feasible to stand in the cockpit against the gunnels. For serious fishing the seats come out. However my boat is equally family boat, so it's best of both worlds.
We had New Years Eve on the water for the local fireworks, filled to legal capacity, and everyone was still very comfortable. When fishing, the backrests on the gunnels stay in and act as knee / leg cushions when leaning against the rail. Rob

Rob

Ok I think I understand you now. So when you stand at lets say at the transom, your knees are hiting the gunnel. From the picture it looks like you shin hits the gunnel. Which would be way too low or high depending on how you look at it.

[aussierob]

Ok I think I understand you now. So when you stand at lets say at the transom, your knees are hiting the gunnel. From the picture it looks like you shin hits the gunnel. Which would be way too low or high depending on how you look at it.

Hi Tony,

When the seats are out and it's in "fishing mode", correct - the deck is standard height and you have nice knee pads on the gunnels. Only around the engine box do you not have that much height, but you don't have much height there in factory configuration either.

When in "family mode" the seats are in and we can cruise / sit / picnic comfortably with as many on board as we like (or safely carry).

Rob

[aussierob]

This is a pic of the cockpit with seats in from the flybridge, which might help with the visual:



Rob

[Yannis]

Rob,

This is a multi passenger configuration, almost a day-cruise rental ship one!

The aft central piece, does it really offer additional seating?
You sacrifice two seats, one on either aftmost side while you supply two new seats. I was thinking...if there wasn't the central aft addition you would still have the same number of seats, plus, you would have much more free deck space and direct access to the aft pump, the steering and whatever else is hidden down there through the quickly accessible hatches.

[Yannis]

Rob,

This is my rear bench configuration.
Note that it doesn't touch the deck, so all 3 hatches are readily openable in case of need. Undo six screws and it's out already, if you want to fish.
It seats 4ppl comfortably, plus another 1 or 2 on the stb engine cushion (with angled back rest), plus 1 or 2 more ppl up on the bridge, that's a total of 8 if not a bit more.
I think 8 is the max capacity of our boats, so that if sh!t happens you can still move around and resolve things.
You still can sit 8 simultaneously on deck with 2 opening chairs that are light and comfy too.
You can even have a table open with 6-8 ppl around it.
Also, at least in my case, even though there may well be 8ppl onboard, very seldom they are all together on deck...one or more are swimming, the other is cooking inside, the other is sunbathing on the fwd deck, just 3-4 left to be on the aft deck...very comfortable design...I thought I should just let you know!


https://imgur.com/a/uxfdMtA