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Old 01-05-2011, 02:09 PM
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ILikeRust ILikeRust is offline
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Hoisting the engine

In just a couple days, the boat will be hauled and blocked for some pre-Spring maintenance, repairs and mods. While it's on the hard, I'm going to pull the A4 out and take it home so I can work on it on a bench. I'm going to do an overhaul, but haven't yet completely decided how far I'll go. I'm thinking I'll probably end up going pretty far, actually.

Anyhow, I've seen the pics and read the tips about using the boom to lift it out and swing it down to the ground, but for some reason that makes me feel a bit hinky. The guy at the boatyard, of course, cautioned against it - he's had a couple people drop their engines in the cockpit when trying these clever tricks. He's got a yard crane and will gladly assist me in hoisting the engine out - and I was surprised at how expensive it would be, particularly in light of how reasonable I thought his other fees (hauling, pressure-washing, blocking, etc.) were.

So - is it really no big deal to haul the engine with the boom? Am I being too much of a worry-wart? I know the engine weighs about 350 lbs., so it's not a huge amount - but does using the boom to hoist it place unusual strains on the boom, mast, shrouds, etc.? I can just see a shroud going "POING!" and the mast starting to come down right as I'm swinging it over the side and trying to lower it into my truck bed. But I'm also interested in not having spend a couple hundred bucks for the yard crane service if I don't have to.
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