3 weeks of non-stop non-progress

Three weeks have passed since my last blog.  During that time I managed to remove the Manifold and other miscellaneous parts and have them spread on the floor of the shed.  The biggest step however was the removal of the engine block.  After removing the manifold, I was able to get to the mounting bolts.  They all removed very easily with very little effort.  I did learn that the engine was held to the proper height with a series of washers.  I decided that there must be some sort of rubber washer or engine mount I can use to reduce vibration and thereby reduce the noise.  A problem for another time.  In the meantime I'll keep an eye's out for such a device.  After some fiddling with the transmission, inspecting the aft side of the engine, I realized that it's connected to the propeller shaft with the ball of rust commonly known as the 'Coupling'  Who would have thought.  After some minimal research on the web, I realized that it's not supposed to be a ball of rust and in it's natural, rust-free state, can be separated and removed quite easily.  Unfortunately, it turns out the seperation from my now ex-wife was easier.
 I began the process by simply putting a ratchet on one of the bolts.  That one came right out with minimal effort.  "great, this will be easy."  Famous last words, right?  I but the ratchet, or should I say TRIED to put the ratchet on the other two bolts.  It wouldn't fit.  They were too rusted.  I put an adjustable wrench.  no luck.  I tried a vice grip. Still no luck.  I ended up rounding the heads... not on purpose.  I then decided to take a different route.  A few days later I thought I would take the propeller off and pull the engine out shaft and all.  I can then drill out the bolts when I get it to the shop.  (I really hate hanging upside down with my torso unsupported.  Especially when I know that if I drop a tool, it's gone until I clean out the bilge.  I ain't sticking my hand in there for anything.)  I removed the lock nut for the propeller.  It was split.  It was at that point that I decided to go over EVERYTHING on board with a fine tooth comb.  I attempted to get the propeller nut off.  wasn't working.  Nothing to hold the prop shaft.  I went back inside to make another attempt with the bolts.  No luck.  Went home frustrated yet again.  The next time I was there I had to make progress.

I went back a few days later to inspect the rigging.  In addition to the main halyard and the jib halyard needing to be replaced, I found that the back stay and a starboard stay were starting to fray.  Secure now that I made a good decision to inspect everything, I removed the stays.  Took a bit of effort to remove the back stay, but nothing a hammer couldn't resolve.  I had to 'tap' the clevis pin at the top of the mast while standing precariously on a rickety ladder in 2 inches of sand.  Fun times.  I got the stay off, but the clevis pin is still there.  Another time.  The other stays looked good.

Determined to remove the engine block, and happy that I made progress, I decided to get serious with it.  I pulled out the hacksaw and, hanging upside down with my torso unsupported and balancing my good flashlight above the depths of the bilge, I sawed off the 2 bolt heads.  The bastard still wouldn't separate.  Lamenting to Jim, I heard something about using a sawz-all on the propeller shaft mentioned before I blacked out.
While I was blacked out for the next week or so, contemplating our next step, Jim wanted to remove the spreaders and the tiller and remake them.  Knowing how handy he is with a tool, and that it was a necessary part of the re-fit, I gave him my blessing.  As the starboard spreader was being removed, the wood crumbled.  Again, glad we're inspecting everything.  We're currently in the process of determining if it will be cheaper to buy new or copy these, and if we copy these, what type of wood should we use?

A sawz-all is the only option at this point.  Being that the propeller shaft is in good condition, and the coupling needs to be replaced anyway, it was decided to attack the coupling with the sawz-all.  We cut through the first bolt.  Started to cut the second bolt.  before I got too far though, I wanted to see if I could pry it apart yet.  I was successful!  The engine could now be removed from the compartment.  Now what.....

The block of the engine must weigh between 200-250 pounds at least.  Jim and I were able to pull it into the cabin successfully where we proceeded to come up with a plan.  I told Jim "If we get it into the cockpit, it's going home.  I don't want it to sit in the weather."  His reply "What, are you afraid it's going to rust?"  smart ass.  We decided the plan would be not to have a plan.  We wrapped a strap around the engine, I went to the top of the stairs and pulled, while he pushed from the bottom.  With minimal effort we got it into the cockpit.  Now what...

We decided to get it onto the side of the boat, then go from there.  We discussed throwing a tarp over the side and using a winch to lower it, we discussed using the ladder to lower it one step at a time.  Finally we got a 2x8 and leaned it against the boat deciding to slide it down on the oil pan.  Success.  We heaved it into the truck and carried it into the shed.  Now I can progress at full speed again.