Blackdragon Repower

[waterdog]

Hawk, we are back.   We changed crew in Campbell River and brother-in-law has the boat.   If he comes back with more than 50 hours on the new engine and hasn't changed the oil at the first interval, the white objects on the sea bed at my siip will be his bones plucked clean by the crabs.   

Damn, thinking out loud again.   Must remember, never post in public forum anything that might be presented as evidence.  Forget I mentioned it.       

[waterdog]

Loaded the old M25XP into the back of somebody's truck this week.    They loaded a thousand dollars into my wallet.   A fair exchange. 

I actually had some regret.   I think it would have been fun to finish the rebuild, but I think I would rather put the energy into building a guitar. 

There was another loose end on this project.   I had to settle the bill with the mechanic.   They are highly reputable local company, but I think they completely missed on the diagnostic work on the old engine.   I decided not to make it a big confrontation.  I sent them a letter with details right down to compression readings and gave them a choice:

"I have enclosed two cheques which in total amount to what is on the invoice.   If you feel that this is your best service and are proud of the work done on my boat, by all means cash them both.   If you feel that you may have missed on this one and don't feel entirely comfortable with the work in this case, maybe you only want to cash one of the cheques.   Your call."

They cashed none.   

[scotty]

Thanks for the ending of the story.  Very cool by all concerned.  Good job on the engine swap!!

[jkar]

Steve, it has been 3 years since you did this.  Are you still happy with the Beta?  I am in the process of repowering and I really don't want a third Universal.  I have seen where others including you have gone Beta 25 and liked them, but then it has been quiet for a bit.  If you are still reading these forums, any additional history/thoughts are welcome.  Thanks, Joel

[waterdog]

Hi Joel,

Yes I was happy with the Beta right up to the end.   I would definitely go down the same path again.   Having said that, the oil pan gasket began to leak just after I sold the boat.     Tightening the bolts didn't fix the problem.   The new owner went to Beta (I left him the receipt for the engine buy).   The dealer pulled the pan and replaced the gasket for him at no charge under warranty.   

I think they are good engines and the service here locally is great.   But then maybe it's not fair to compare a new Beta with a 25 year old Universal.   Maybe the new Universals are just as good.   I don't know.    I have a pair of Volvos now with saildrives.   Just spent 20K on a new leg and prop that suffered impact damage.   It sort of sucks to buy a new Volvo and not get any leather seats or power windows!  I would kill for a pair of Betas with conventional shafts and stuffing boxes.    Though I have to say, I do like folding props...

[Hawk]

Hey Steve, I had noticed your boat MIA at the marina then was in Seattle recently talking with Pete at Swiftsure when your name came up and he said you bought a cat. U keep it in Vancouver?

Tom

[waterdog]

Hi Tom,

You'll find Blackdragon over at Burrard Civic.    We did get a new cat.   1999 Manta 40.   We keep it at Reed Point.   I think we'll be over at Keats on the weekend.

This boat is wildly different than a Catalina 34.    It's just built for a whole different purpose.   It's not a performance cat.   It's not a charter cat with sliding patio doors and flybridge.   It's decently performing cruising cat designed for a couple to sail around the world with absolute ease and comfort.   Acres of solar, water maker, SSB, air conditioning, genset, Leisurefurl, etc. etc.    The systems are amazing.   It is such a pleasure to sail.   You can fart and it will do 4 knots.   Sneeze and it will do 10.   

We can't wait to finish the lease on our townhouse and move aboard.  Foster starts engineering school in a few weeks.   We'll give him a year or so to settle in.  Probably shake down in Alaska next summer and turn left the summer after.    We'll come back when it's not fun any more.   Maybe when we are 60.   Maybe when we are 80.   

[Hawk]

Steve,

Sounds very cool. Getting ready for the big offshore plunge!

I sailed on Mahina again last August with my youngest son this time...1700 miles Azores to Scotland across the Atlantic. Couple of very cool photos during a 50 knot gale mid-Atlantic. Let me know when you need a marginal crewmember:)

Tom

[waterdog]

Tom,

Very interesting.   John Neal of Mahina featured the Manta 40 as one of his ten bluewater choices during the boat selection portion of a seminar we went to.   At dinner I explained to him that we had planned to look at a Manta 40 the next day, but his pictures of upside down cats did nothing to convince Tracey that buying a boat that is equally stable upright or inverted was a good idea.   She was diehard mono.    John just looked at Tracey and said, "You'll never flip a Manta".    Once we saw the boat the choice was obvious.   

Steve