Classic Australian Wooden Power Boat Association

Very satisfying day today with the engine 75% in & lined up. Now that I know the engine lines up nicely with the skeg & the log, I can go ahead and Sika both into place & bolt up. I also can see now that the fuel tank can be removed without having to pull the engine out.

Moving forward now to get the engine in and lined up. First task is to get the skeg and log in line. The shaft log has some prop shaft wear on the bottom of the hole meaning that the alingment was out. Oddly the bolt holes for the skeg were also slightly off, maybe by a half a bolt hole width. I fig...

It's me! I'm a measure once cut twice kinda guy!

Since the engine came back from Craig, I've been busy chipping my way through a seemingly endless list of small but essential jobs on the engine & the hull fit out. A few of these include fitting the final gauge, the oil pressure gauge, figuring out & sourcing oil pressure fittings and water...

The wheel nuts are the same size as the socket on the rattle gun.

After months and months of chasing our tail, the little & 83 year old ageing Hercules lives again. My eternal thanks to Craig for his mechanical & engineering excellence- without his unwavering contribution and support this engine would have wound up as scrap. Its still not without its issue...

Better too big than too small Al. Now where have I heard that before?

The grand kids & their parents have gone and I got a therapeutic afternoon back on Nirvana. Water pick up in, fuel tank breather in & bilge pump outlet in. A Sika kind of an arvo to kick off 2024. Huge news coming tomorrow, so big that I won't sleep a wink at all tonight.

Don't let him anywhere near the controls. He blows things up !

Thanks Chivs... wow it looks half okay in those pics! Maybe a case of good from far but far from good. I actually bought Nirvana in 2007 so it's been a long time coming & now just a month or more away from launching. Let's hope that you get to take the helm Chivs and experiencel 1940's motor boa...