Two Contessa 32 engine swaps - Ep 1 Old engines out, problems found and fixed.

I am replacing the engines on two theoretically identical Contessa 32 sailing yachts, both changing from Yanmar 2GM to BetaMarine 25. Sounds simple until you start unpeeling the onion on nearly 50 year old classic boats and there are, as always, a few surprises in store. I end up getting into replacing or refitting the stern tube, rudder tube, seacocks and that’s before I even get to measuring up for the new engine beds. Come along for the ride on this latest refit job.
I’m thirsty after all that talking, buy me a beer?…. www.paypal.me/...
If you have enjoyed this video and/or learned something you can now buy me a beer using the link above to make a donation to the channel. If I end up with more beer tokens than I need then I will put your donations towards a better camera, better mic’s or lighting so that all benefits you the viewer. I don’t do Patreon, I don’t sell T shirts but you can help support this growing channel. Thank you
My thanks to the owners of these boats for giving me permission to create this content based on the refit of their boats.
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About Me
I run a small business called The Solent Boat Butler and spend my days repairing, maintaining and refitting sailing boats (often Contessa 32’s due to my long experience with them). I'm mostly in the central Solent area of the UK. Being a cruising and racing sailor with many thousands of inshore and offshore sea miles logged I like to think that I bring a great deal of real-world experience to my work and help many new (and not so new) boat owners to improve and maintain their boats. When I'm not fixing boats I also provide some own-boat sail training, help owners with deliveries, provide pre-purchase inspections and deliver consultancy services to those that are refitting their own boats for cruising or racing.
Facebook - thesolentboatbutler
Instagram - george_the_boat_butler
Website - www.solentboatbutler.co.uk
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Disclaimer
I hope that viewers both enjoy and learn something from my videos but please remember to take the appropriate precautions for any DIY refit works you undertake with appropriate PPE and the correct tools for the job. If you are in any way unsure as to how to go about a project or are unsure if something on your boat is safe please consult a professional.
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Music credit - Bensound.com and KZbin audio library (Dyala and Quincas Moreira) royalty free music.
Music credit : Temperatures Rising, Musician: LoveFine Site: icons8.com/music/
Music: credit : Back to 1987, Musician: EnjoyMusic, Site: enjoymusic.ai

[@olivierorban787]

Hello Georges You are the king of contessa 32 engine bay. If my centurion 32 was not near Marseilles, it will be on your boatyard form same prep, before put a new engine. I will go with a Vetus 29 finally. Cheers

[@dcdow180]

Two Contessa stern tube replacements and two different methods of refill of void, hm. Certainly very hard work and rather you than me, I’ll stick with my 35 year old 2qm15 which runs faultless

[@captratty2167]

That first engine is the cleanest looking 2GM I have seen. Someone should get a good second hand engine. It may need nothing more than a good flush of the cooling system and a routine service. In charter boats they seem to go for 6000 hours or more.

[@jonc4752]

I must say having recently carried out a Volvo engine change on my own boat...Great Dane 28, aswell as cockpit drain plumbing etc. I fully appreciate the strength of character it takes to carry out this type of work in a such a confined space without losing one's patience. Hats off to you. PS I wish a Volvo MD11C was as easy to drag around as a Yanmar seems to be! 🙂

[@RefitandSail]

No one said I don’t occasionally loose my sense of humour, once these are done I have a gearbox replacement booked in no then hopefully no more engine bays this winter!! Thanks for the comment.

[@ulrich2441]

Great episode again George - right length and level of detail I think and very informative/educational indeed - thank you for sharing this!

[@RefitandSail]

Thanks, sorry I am yet to respond to your email.

[@ulrich2441]

@@RefitandSail No problem, let’s have a quick chat over the phone, one evening that suits you.

[@polderfischer8565]

These were short 53 minutes! Thanks for showing!

[@RefitandSail]

It was recorded on and off over about 3 weeks so a little longer than 53 minutes in real-time.

[@polderfischer8565]

@@RefitandSail I know, but the film was so interesting that it felt like 15 minutes. Have a good day!

[@RefitandSail]

@@polderfischer8565 pleased you enjoyed it.

[@calvinb.ainsworth200]

First time viewer. Great episode with lots of good information , glass work and editing. Suggestion, cut a hole in the center of bulkhead for access to glass behind it and further inspections of rudder post area. Structurally, will be just as strong and just velcro your insulation on for easy on and off to do so.

[@pmnfernando]

as someone that is reffiting a Pionier 9 i relate a lot to your videos. very nice stuff. im posting on a forum, i would never finish if i was doing youtube!

[@sailingyachtrocknroll8402]

Hi, love the videos. I’ve sailed with the owner of Arial before he owned it. I’m doing a complete refit of a Hurley Silhouette Mk 3 in the yard of SYC. I’ll give you a shout out on my next episode. Cheers Ian

[@RefitandSail]

Thanks, best of luck with your refit

[@denisconnaughton2923]

Thanks George. Excellent video.

[@edwarddavis6022]

👍🏽

[@bendaves77]

Cool video.. I live about 20 minutes north of a large Gates plant..they make great belts and hoses..I used to have a friend who worked there and he was always able to get rolls of 150 foot or less of all kinds of hoses..I made a garden hose 10 years ago out of some free hose he gave me and it's still like new even though I leave it outside all year long

[@stewtube1240]

Great job !

[@stephenmoorey2597]

Wow Fantastic work.

[@RefitandSail]

Thanks

[@davidcummings6299]

You do a vary nice job editing , great video

[@RefitandSail]

I hope I am getting better, thanks.

[@kiang8269]

Another great episode! I have a Yanmar 2qm15 that's been leaking oil for a while and now has a water blockage somewhere. Curious to hear how you rate these old engines and whether you'd look to repair or replace if it were your boat? Cheers

[@RefitandSail]

Hard to advise as it depends on your budget, your plans for the boat and the general condition of the engine beyond the issues you have raised. They are generally good engines but yours is a very old model now.

[@bendaves77]

You need to order yourself a drum of citrus acid.. it's biodegradable and it will clean paint and grease off etc.. you dilute it down and it definitely works without the issues of using something like muratic acid..muratic acid will clean a bilge and engine bay and have it looking brand new except for any unpainted metal that's not stainless steel. It will cover it in a thin layer of rust. Sorry I made this comment before you showed what you were using..zep products are good but expensive. You can order a 55 gallon drum of that citrus acid undiluted for about $500 last time I knew. It's been a couple of years since I've needed one

[@antonyslack3710]

Thanks George, another great video. Could you tell me what sound insulation you use. There appears to be a confusing heap of choices available.

[@RefitandSail]

I think it’s called quiet life or something like that, you can by it from ASAP supplies if you are in the uk.

[@superformOG]

how old/hours was the 2gm? it looks like its in really good condition, what is the reason for replacing it?

[@RefitandSail]

Both engines started and ran fine but both starting to get old (in the region if 25 years), both owners are after a bit more power and the smoother running of a 3cyl engine. Not sure what hours were in the engines as no hour meter fitted.

[@bendaves77]

Have you seen the American channel Epoxy and Butyl Tape here on KZbin?? He's transforming a older contessa 26 into a beautiful sailboat and has done so fairly cheap.. he is much like you as far as fixing things the correct way.. seems like you're getting really busy at work which means we get to see some awesome videos.. are you always this busy or is it picking up a bit

[@RefitandSail]

Hi, I have not seen that channel, may look it up. At this time of year I am always very very busy, it quietens down a bit over the summer on the refit side but I am never short of work and get the opportunity to do a bit more sail training/own boat tuition in the summer which I enjoy. Most of my refit work is booked in well in advance.

[@mikemcguire4430]

Just stumbled on this site last night. Great vids, nice to see the ship right skippering, in the open ocean! Question on the Co32, are the tops of the bulkheads, (main and secondary) glasses to the deck? Or mechanically fastened? Or just reside in channels? Is that the same for the Co35?

[@RefitandSail]

Pleased you are enjoying the videos, to be honest I’m not sure how the top of the main and forward bulkheads are attached to the deck, I suspect they are just in channels with the addition of some gap filling bog or thickened resin when the boats were built. The bottom and sides are bonded in as you would expect with layers of CSM. I have not been on a co35 to advise but may be similar.

[@mickey1299]

Good morning George , nice job mate , and finally i caught ya fitting a stern tube . Very interesting , more so as i may be getting involved with something similar myself . Just got a couple of questions though ; First off , you mention degreasers , do you use an ordinary engine degreaser , or is it something similar ? . I ask this question as i'm considering a boat of this vintage myself , actually with the same engine . It's not had any real attention for something like 25 years , so i may do an engine out , complete overhaul type of job . This will give me full access , such as it is to the stern gear , both rudder and shaft , which i may replace due to age . My concern is the effect an ordinary engine degreaser will have on what is basically the porous side of the glassfibre . My second question is refitting the shaft . You used what i'm guessing was a thickened epoxy at first , but do you not lay matting on the outside as well , or is the epoxy enough ? . Now my third is basically an inquiry . When i removed the engine on my previous boat , separating the shaft from the gearbox i found what basically was a plastic pad between the matting surfaces . It was not the usual plastic , more a tough polythene disc , about 10mm thick . I've never seen you using such a product , so i'm guessing this is not usual ? . The engine was a small BMW single cylinder 7hp , a D7 . It was also interesting to see the cockpit floor flex as you walked over it , despite what looks to be stiffeners fitted , while fitting the cockpit drains , 35.59

[@RefitandSail]

Thanks. Engine bay cleaner is Zep, think I showed a pic of it in the video. Stern tube is bonded in with thickened epoxy, there is a large fillet on the outside abs then I add glass in the onboard end. Glass on the water all end is unnecessary. You prob had an R&D semi-flexi coupling (or similar) on the engine you mention, the engine’s I’m fitting will all get the same between gearbox and shaft coupling.

[@RefitandSail]

Yes cockpit floor flexes a bit as I removed the supporting bulkhead and the stringers/strengthening pieces are quite small on this boat. With the bulkhead back in (I just glassed it it today) the floor no longer flexes like that.

[@fredbrudenall2503]

I see you used a shim to line up the stern shaft a little plastic white thing to have it aligned coming through into the boat my question is is this a buy of the shelf thing or something made as I have to do the same but for a prm150 and Perkins 4107 1”1/8 thanks Fred

[@RefitandSail]

The “bung” as I call it that centres the shaft in the stern tube is custom made, I have a few of them for different sized shafts/stern tubes. Any machinist wold be able to make you one from dimensions. Remember, it’s only in there to do the alignment ashore and is removed after, you can then fit your stern gland.

[@fredbrudenall2503]

Ahhh ok mate thanks great videos rebuilding a ohlsen 38 drive plate was no more than 5 mm on the shaft all had to come out as no drive so changing it all as well as the John crane shaft seal trouble is it’s surprising how far it’s all out of alignment I have a flexi coupling that all looks good god know how my slack that’s taken up cutless hasn’t done any work. So fingers x the alignment should be straight forward seeing your vid was very informative thanks very much for the vids really appreciate the depth you go

[@andrewhebden2793]

A Beta 25 rather than a 20? I fitted a 25 in my previous boat but a Rival 31 is a tonne heavier and a larger prop can be fitted than on a CO32. Super engines with reasonably priced parts being a Kubato. Will they have the done angle gearbox option? If I ever need to replace my VP 2002 then I will need to budget for a new Featherstream for a right hand Beta. ☹️

[@RefitandSail]

20 is plenty on a co32 but 25 gives a bit of reserve and a coarser pitch on the prop is possible. It is possible to modify the prop aperture on a co32 to enlarge it and run a larger prop if necessary but a 14” is normally sufficient. Down angle gearbox unnecessary on a co32, they are normally straight.

[@RefitandSail]

Darglow and prob adjust your prop to run in the other direction without needing a whole new prop.

[@philipritson8821]

Just a quick question. Why didn't you coat that plywood bulkhead in epoxy before fitting to the boat? Isn't it going to get wet and rot/delaminated? Thanks for the explanation as to why you use epoxy rather than polyester by the way!

[@RefitandSail]

I could have done but it can also be coated in place, that bulked is now glassed in place (you can see that in the next episode once published) and before being finished all surfaces will be sealed. It’s a very high quality plywood so even if it is get wet it should last well. The most important thing to ty and do is seal the end grain of any plywood.

[@philipmackin1025]

Just before the 36 minute you were on the cockpit floor. I was surprised to see quite a lot of flexing of the floor. Is that normal?

[@RefitandSail]

Yes and no, the cockpit sole normally has two stingers (strengthening members) that resist the flex but the ones on Ariel are quite small, also the bulkhead I removed supports the cockpit sole so that aloe means more flexing until it is refitted.

[@stephenauty2402]

Would you sell the Yanmar?

[@RefitandSail]

One of the removed engines is sold and gone already but the other is waiting for a new home. If interested then please feel free to email me direct (I have in-fact got 3 2GM’s that I need to do something with).

[@omvaren]

that Yanmar was in prestine condition....why change??

[@RefitandSail]

It is in good condition and is being reinstalled in another boat. The owner wanted a new engine as the yanmar is about 25+ years old and a little more power along with a larger prop.

[@Anne6621]

Mr Sail i am curious what kind of boat you own now

[@RefitandSail]

I currently have a Westerly Sealord, good cruising platform, have been away for an Atlantic circuit on it for 12 months, returned in august this year. I also have a co32 that is awaiting a refit but I’m on the lookout for something quicker to get back solo racing again.

[@AKCub1]

What lights are you using for the engine bay?

[@RefitandSail]

Small LED strip lights, if you watch project Lottie ep15 you will see them there

[@Yeaitstemp]

I want a contessa 32 so bad

[@RefitandSail]

Don’t blame you, nice boats. I have a spare one in the yard I need to do something with, she is waiting for someone to come and buy her and ask for a refit.

[@Yeaitstemp]

If I could pull it off I would but I live on the Chesapeake bay in the states have a albin ballad rn but a English built contessa 32 my all time favorite

[@Yeaitstemp]

Has alot to do cause I found sailing threw john kretschmer book cape horn to starboard where they took a contessa 32 around the horn

[@RefitandSail]

@@Yeaitstemp I suspect John’s books and articles have resulted in a few co32 sales over the years. I only met him once but he’s a really nice guy.

[@Yeaitstemp]

@@RefitandSail it's funny I met him in Solomons Maryland where working at washburns where he found his boat he has now and we were talking he gave me a tour of his boat we had a beer and talked sailing it was funny a contessa 32 was tor sale beside him at the time I was crusing the east coast on a oday 28