_____________ A PORSCHE 911 AIR FILTER AND POOH BEAR ____________

Shipmates, I am aware that many of you have been waking in the early hours of the morning plagued with the question: "Just when am I going to be able to view a photograph of the good ship 'Mariners' engine exhaust plumbing?" Well folks today is the day and not only do you get to see the plumbing but you get a full technical description straight from the installers mouth:

- The big black round thingy mounted on its very own stainless steel bracket, that looks a bit like a vacuum cleaner is the exhaust water lock. I think it provides a chamber where the engine exhaust gases mix with sea water from the water pump before being ejected out through the stern exhaust fitting.

- The big black hose is the exhaust pipe. The part of this large hose to the right leads the exhaust back to the exhaust pipe at the stern of the boat.

- The first small black hose to the left brings water from the water pump to up to the  grey coloured anti-siphon 'U bend'.

- The second small black hose to the right take the water and ejects it as a coolant into the engines manifold. The water and exhaust fumes then flow to a connection at the base of the black water lock through the side of the cockpit well on the right hand side.

- The clear hose leading from the grey 'U bend' is the anti siphon hose. It provides a way (by letting in air) to ensure that when the whole system is loaded up (with water) and the engine is off, the exhaust system doesn't siphon water.

- The green hose in the above photo that is hanging down and looking a bit lost is a vent from one of the water tanks.

If you are still reading this and have not been put to sleep by my scintillating poetic explanations and  by the gentle cadence of words such as siphon, U bend and plumbing then you have passed the test. Well done.

The grey coloured metal U bend to the top left of the photo (directly above) is the motors new exhaust manifold. I won't tell you how much it cost to get this fabricated because you simply wouldn't believe me.

If you look closely you can see the bottom of the manifold exiting into the water lock in the cockpit locker. Water from black hose (center in the photo) ejects cooling water into the manifold.

The bright red air filter is a component given to me when I was recently viewing a brand new Porsche 911. Sometimes if you look keen and gullible the car sales person tries to get you to take the car you are viewing home for the weekend. They know this technique usually seals the sale. In this case it was I who asked to take the car home; but the only part they would allow off their premises was the Porsche 911s' air cleaner (which I had to pay for) and it has come in pretty darn useful I must say - and I know again, you simply won't believe me on that one either.

Features (above) that I hope will improve the running and maintenance of this little motor are:

- Large flexible engine mounts. These are twice the size of the previous ones and should smooth out vibrations more efficiently.

- Lower left in the photo - a draining tap from the diesel tanks sump. I will be able to readily and frequently drain off any water or other contaminants from the tank.

- Middle left in the photo - The tallish silver cylinder with the black tap on top is a remote greaser for the stern gland. A quarter turn of this after running the motor each time is all that is required to grease the stern gland and stop it from dripping.

- The new stainless steel engine bearers and their new cross bracings should provide less vibration in the wooden bearers that they are bolted to and won't rust in the manner of the old ones.

If you have been very observant you will have spied two rope controls in the above photograph. One is the motors decompression control (the motor starts on half compression). The other is the engines stop lever. I can hear some of you muttering the words 'Heath Robinson' under your breathe - cut it out right now - you know about the kiss principle (keep it simple stupid).

The only stupid, or more to the point, slightly alarming aspect about this whole drama has been my regular decent into the port cockpit locker to install the exhaust system. The entrance is so narrow I have to exhale the very last gasp of air in my lungs to squeeze my diaphragm through. It gives one the experience similar to one Pooh Bear Esq who after visiting his friend Rabbit and consuming a number of pots of honey got stuck halfway in and halfway out of Rabbits door - I know the feeling.