Introduction; Attempting To Revive An A4

[joe_db]

Get towing insurance! Best $150 or so you will ever spend and it covers YOU, not the boat, so it works on any other boat you are on that dies.
The engine may well not have any internal issues. Fix the plate behind the alternator and clean it up. Might be fine

[sealevelsound]

She made it!

We had a great day for the trip, and the boat sailed marvelously. We only had to motor out of Wickford Harbor and into the marina in Portsmouth. The A4 performed flawlessly, though when I first threw her into reverse to back out of the slip in Wickford, I was nervous to the point of shaking. Getting the engine to run in neutral on land is one thing; counting on it to propel you through a narrow channel with a swift current is another entirely. She was up to the task, though. The fact that the boat is now safely over here is huge weight off our shoulders. We can much more easily focus on additional tweaks, repairs, etc.

Yesterday was officially the last full day of summer. I made a joke to my brother about setting a new record for latest-in-season launch

[jcwright]

Tools for rebuild

Good morning Sealevelsound.

Two years ago I rebuilt our A4. I have several tools I got just for this job, including engine stand, stud extractors, ring compressors and honing kit, etc. I'm near you (in Narragansett) and would be glad to loan you any tools you'd rather not buy. -Jack

[Marty Levenson]

bravo

"...and would be glad to loan you any tools you'd rather not buy."

That's what I love about this forum.

[azazzera]

Flashback

Reading your account of your trip brought me back to when I took my trip out of mt. Sinai harbor to port Jeff. My sister came along and very glad I had the extra pair of hands. It must have been 15 gusting to 20 with a new (to me) Pearson 30. That was a good sail. I would most definitely heed the advice of the knowing ones on this forum and pressure test the engine first. Just from the outside look of that engine I think it would call for a complete rebuild. Of course money as it is too offen in life can be a deciding factor in the decision. I probably spent way more than I should have on my rebuild. I learned way more than I could have ever imagined. know just about every nut and bolt on that engine. That is priceless. I got some cool new tools to boot. It turned out ok on mine but I took a big risk not pressure testing things first. I would most certainly convert to fresh water cooling no matter how deep the rebuild goes.

I think I can speak for some if not all that we are excited for you and your brothers new endeavor. One thing I can tell you if you haven’t noticed is that due to its scimitar rudder p30’s don’t behave in reverse all that well. It takes a bit of getting to know it’s reversing characteristics.

Good luck. Keep posting when you can.

[sealevelsound]

Good morning Jack, and thank you for the very generous offer! I am about to leave the area and will not be back until mid December. However, I am eager to take on the project. I will definitely keep you in mind. I appreciate your generosity.

[sealevelsound]

azazzera-

Glad to hear of your similar adventure with a P30. I had read about the unusual reversing characteristics you describe, but of course couldn't quite grasp it until real world experience came into play. Backing out of the slip, I kept thinking, "uh...the boat should be turning." I had the wheel going all over the place (this P30 came with a lot of the factory upgrades, including a wheel in place of the tiller). Once in forward, she swung around no problem. That was a welcome relief.

I will heed your advice and pressure test the engine before undertaking any major overhauling.

My previous sailing experience is with an ODay 28, a Catalina 22, and various small/fun sailboats. I can say now that the P30 is a delight to sail, and was quite swift in the water. I see why these boats have a faithful following. Especially cool that we brought her home to Portsmouth, RI, where she was originally built.