Repowering. My Freedom 28(30in UK) CK

[VeloFellow]

My transmission would only go in reverse on my volvo md7a ms reverse gear Freedom 28 Cat Ketch. If you ever tried to back a stubby full keeled boat with an extra mast in the bow, you know having reverse only hasn't been a useful modification. The volvo mechanics did their breakdown and produced a list of needed transmission parts, many no where in the world, others at prices...I might buy my DNA F4 .

So the real deal is trying to decide to invest more than the cost of the boat in a new engine repower with Yanmar and Beta the two leading choices, an outboard, an electric with lead gel or graphene vapor batteries or the yuloh, all a distant second.

I know by prior posts that at least two of the Freedom 28 have been repowered with Betas. Most of the american Freedom 28 CK came with Yanmars. I know one electric 32 and another electric 35. No one has a yulow.

I have enjoyed my boats history. It has had a good life. It is one of the biggest boat feeling 28 footers you will ever sail. It has the freedom advantages and troubles. It is time for a bottom job and topside paint. It has some bottom blisters and some core issue in a coaming. It wants a new anchor...It is younger than one of my children and older than the other....They have handled their mileage better but a least were garaged and not left out in four hurricanes....

So if you re powered your boat recently, or are in the same mode what are your thought?

Lets hear your experience.

[CrazyRU]

If I were to repower my f28 ck. It is the way I actually explore since my yanmar 2qm15 is about to die. I invested quite a lot of thinking into process
I would get rid of steering wheel and get back to tiller thinking.
I have seen some original drawing of F 28. It called for tiller steering and outboard motor in a wall.
It is relativy easy modification. The boat was designed with the wall and outboard. You will need to cut through the cockpit floor and make a wall. Put 8 hp outboard in it. Have all the access and easiness of having outboard . Thaen you can go crazy and create three independent watertight compartments. one under the cockpit. Another one is a v-birth. The boat can be made unsinkable with outboard in wall... it seems it is the original drawing were calling for.

[arrancomrades]

Hello Velo,

I've re-engined two boats with Beta 3-cyl machines. Both times very successful. The F33 was hard due to the v poor access and space in the engine room. I sheathed all the floorboards and ordered a shallow sump model without oil change pump so it would sit happily on its bottom. It could then be shoved around the cabin (back mast removed) while I worked in the abyss under the cockpit. You need some way to hoist it from the floor onto its bed - you'll do this over and over again. The biggest trick is to take plenty of time, preferably a whole winter, and maybe some days you'll just sit and look at it, take a few measurements, go back to the drawings, round and round. This will save you 10-20% of the cost. The local 'professionals' suggest 80 manhours for a simple job, and they start at over £40 per hour. I estimate I spent 200 manhours on the F33, fortunately my own.

Both times I was able to sell the old engine as a going concern and discovered several brokers in the south of England who traded in old Volvos, selling them on to Africa. They might have an old gearbox.

I have a lot of old photos and could write at some length on the subject. Beta are great, but if you're tempted by their 25hp model look deeply at the torque curve.

[andygc]

My F30 CK UK-built centreboarder, also 1981, was re-engined by the previous owner with a Beta 20. When I was looking at the boat before purchase we sailed and motored and it seemed to be the right sort of power. Despite the reported design weight, according to the boatyard crane the boat actually weighs a little over 5 tons - and that is not because the balsa core is saturated - it's not. When I spoke to Darglow Engineering about re-pitching a Featherstream prop that I happened to have they reckoned that 20hp was about right. The only problem with the engine is that they cut away half of the drip tray when they installed it. That shouldn't have been necessary if they had specified the shallow sump.

I don't think I'd choose to cut holes in the hull for an outboard motor, and I certainly wouldn't want to be relying on as little as 8hp if I was in a situation where I really needed an engine.

[VeloFellow]

Thanks for the replies. I went best cost option, yanmar. The boat easily to / above hull speed with old engine so I went wth 2ym15. Considered electric but we still haven't retired and have timelines. Also electric plus batteries were more money, more weight more space and not enough run time for our current situation.

I still think wife powered yoloh best envionmental option. Could have saved weight and cash.

Engine is in. New shaft cutlass bearing shaft seal and prop on the way.
Anxious to be sailing again.
Pictures soon.

[Goose13]

I went down the electric road a year ago and I'm very happy with it. You can read my posts under electric, hybrid.