Motor mount update

I braved the 12 degree weather this morning and headed out to the boat. I took my camera with me to document the motor mounts (or isolators) and a notebook to write down dimensions. The two shown here are on the port side and easy to get to. The mounts on the starboard side are difficult to get to.

After driving home, I decided to call Hunter Marine for parts information and installation suggestions. They don't carry motor mounts at Hunter and suggested I call their supplier, Mastry Engine Center. They are not retail, and suggested I call Mack Boring. They were very helpful, giving me the correct Yanmar part number and the local suppliers. Joe even e-mailed me the spec sheet on the correct mount (they call it a shock absorber).

Hunter told me that the engine box was installed after the deck was placed, and that I should be able to take apart some of the wood panels for easier access.

I don't know... it still looks like a daunting job. I will have to think a bit more before tackling this project myself.

Winter work on your boat?

I am told that winter is the best time to work on those boat projects that you thought about last year. Some folks own a sailboat and don't cruise or race; they love to think up new projects and spend the weekends working on their boats. I much rather sail in the summer.

My winter project is one that I don't feel that I can do myself. The engine needs new motor mounts and an alignment. I have hired the local Yanmar tech to do the work sometimes this winter. I can't imagine working on a boat in January or February. Too cold!

I got to thinking this morning as I read the newspaper stock report. I imagine the cost of having a tech replace my motor mounts would be about $450 for the four new mounts, and $700 to $1000 labor for installation and aligning the engine.

How hard can it be? All that I need to do is uncouple the shaft from the transmission and jack up the engine. After blocking the engine, remove the old mounts and install the new ones; lower the engine and align the coupling.

To verify my thoughts, I Googled key words and found the following website. Sleeping With Oars.

I guess it doesn't sound too difficult. Let's see if I can really save that labor cost.

Has anybody out the done before?

So... Do you have a winter project? Please click the "comment" link below and tell us all about it.

How has the low lake level affected you?

The Great Lakes water levels have been hitting record lows. Some boaters had to haul their boats early for the winter, and others just got stuck in the mud. My yacht club is now having to dredge every two years because of the high amount of silt and the water levels being low.

Dredging isn't cheap. It costs thousands of dollars just getting the equipment to your docks. You have to have all of your paperwork in order, then decide how deep to dig and how long will it last. The final bill can be quite high if you dig down two or three feet.

Boating is becoming a truly expensive hobby. New boats are very expensive, fuel keeps going up, and your yacht club or marina has to dredge more often. Your boat dock now cost much more if you plan on dredging again in a couple years.

Join in this discussion with your views.

General questions to sailors of Lake Ontario

This thread should be used to ask your fellow Lake Ontario questions. Such as:

• Yacht club recommendations
  
• Marina recommendations
• Sailboat chartering
• Introduce yourself
• Tell us about your boat

Welcome to Lake Ontario Sailing

This will be the year for a blog site for LakeOntarioSailing.com. It can be a new place to gather sailing , port, boat information and more. So please join in and have some fun.