So we ordered a new motor today..

For those following us on Facebook, you can safely ignore the next couple of posts.

It will be installed while we are in Adelaide in April and hopefully finished by the time we get back.

It was a very hard decision as the current motor was running like a sewing machine but we've had repeated failures of the exhaust manifold (due to poor design IMHO) and oil is seeping out old gaskets and the rear seal into the bilge.

The leaks cannot be fixed in place so we would have to pull the engine out to replace the seals and gaskets and I can see no point in putting an old engine with over nearly 4,000 hours back in as it's a big job to get them in and out.

My biggest worry was the oil leaks. The bilge pump is automatically activated and we get a constant influx of sea water through the stern gland (by design) so every time the bilge pump empties the bilge, I have to race onto the deck, pump up a weed spray unit and hose down the oil slick with detergent.

It's not a lot of oil but just a few drops create a lovely rainbow slick behind the boat. Not a good look in Sydney harbour and it would be completely wrong when we move north to the reef.

$25k later..

For those with a technical bent, the motor is a Kubota V2203-B 50HP general purpose engine marinized by WM Engineering in Pittwater.

The transmission is a PRM with a ratio of 2.1:1 driving a 3 blade Maxprop 17" feathering propeller with an 11" pitch.

Location: Inner West, Sydney NSW, Australia
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