_______________________ DIESEL ENGINE BLUES ______________________

I once heard a mechanical (as in engines) tale, or is that a myth (of course in the sense that myths do not contain a lie rather they contain a fundamental truth(s) - [But the fundamental truth(s) contained in myths, is Shipmates another story indeed.]

Where was I - ah yes. I once heard a tale that mechanical things cooperate together in a rather supportive way that enables the whole mechanical outfit to continue running. The truth is: mess, change, alter, bugger up one component and you precipitate a domino effect.

I have precipitated a domino effect. The long story, short, is that the effect of removing the engine and dealing to its fundamental problems has had 'down stream' implications. Apart from the work that has been done on the corpus of the engine I am now installing new: engine rubber mounts, engine bearers, propeller shaft, fuel tank connections, exhaust water lock box, exhaust piping, exhaust sea cock and exhaust manifold. I have also had to remove and realign the propeller strut and deal to a range of other small items and adjustments.

My feelings about this situation are a bit paradoxical. I am happy that the whole carboodle is being dealt to in a way that should give me at least another 10 years good service but alarmed that among other retail outrages new flexible 50mm ID Lloyds rated exhaust hose costs $100 per metre - yikes! (and a bucket load of other expletive deleteds).

One difficult job is going to be removing the somewhat 'stuffed' bronze exhaust sea cock at the stern of Mariner. I will have to cut a large hole in the stern sheets of the cockpit and install a largish hatch to facilitate its removal (swinging room for pipe wrenches). How the hell I ever got the bloody thing installed 40 years ago has disappeared from my long term memory.

One little ray of sunshine has been my ability to get right inside the port cockpit locker when dismantling the exhaust system. It's only because I have lost a bit of weight that I was able to clamber inside and deal to all of that.

The piece de resistance to this little tableau shipmates has been the weather. Basically it's been simply pissing with rain, which despite my efforts with a makeshift cover has found its watery way into the bilge. Bugger.

But. No matter shipmates. I have been here before and risen again like the mythical phoenix - and remember, despite contemporary definitions -  myths contain truth(s).