The Nanni is Removed

It was a momentous day, and we're close to being 50% done with the project. Removing the old engine is half of the required work to install the new Beta. Here's how we did it.

Adrian and Bill work together to remove the propeller coupling.

Adrian stands beside the chain hoist system that he constructed. We were astounded that it worked so well.

Tommy (left) and Adrian (right) work on using spare line to fabricate slings to lift the engine. It all looks so slipshod, but it worked just as he said, and it was far from his first.

Tommy and Adrian at work.

The chain hoist was directly connected to this doubled piece of red 3/4-inch line. That line was supported by the doubled 2x4 cross members. The cross members were raised above the lip of the hatch by short pieces of 2x4, preventing damage to the hatch lip that seals against water. It is a very clever system.

The engine has been lifted from the mounts and is being slowly and carefully moved to a prepared white pad.

This is what 35 years of oil and grime do to a once-white bilge. Conni and I must clean this mess prior to installing the new engine. The red disc is the "flex coupling" that connects the propeller shaft to the transmission. It's suppose to fail if the prop hits something and save the transmission. The grey box is the transmission.

Adrian Pataki, master mind of the work, was trained as a mechanical engineer but hated sitting in front of computer screens. He set sail and has worked in dozens of countries around the world, including the US.

Conni watches Tommy and Adrian work.

With the engine still in the air, Adrian and Tommy work to remove the 40-pound flywheel. Whatever we can remove will lighten the load when we push the engine through the boat and its lifted out.

With a pile of removed parts, and resting on the prepared pad, our old Nanni looks a bit forlorn.

We're done for the day. The flywheel and friction plate are on the bench at right, bell housing and transmission in the center, and engine and hoist at left.