My project scope this winter has crept into the engine room.  Due to multiple areas of rot in the shelves on the port side and the need for a better layout, I have torn a bit out.  The replacement will be done in Coosa panels.  I would love some insight from those who have experience with the stuff.  I am planning on coating the cut pieces with epoxy and cloth (maybe overkill but that stuff is ruff to the touch and I want it as tuff as I can make it).  The final product will be painted white.   Was planning on just using bilgecoat for that.

thanks in advance for any and all input.

bryon

Byron: 

I've pinged someone about coosa board -- maybe he'll comment. 

Engine room - I've spent alot of time in the engine room on Pygmalion - W32. 

In 2008 I installed a new engine  and redid the engine compartment. 

Thoughts: 

If the engine is out this a great time to really spend time fixing the compartment. 

The fuel tanks can be removed more or less easily.  On Pygmalion a corner had to be sawed off the liner to remove the tanks -- with the engine installed - almost impossible to remove the tanks. IMHO.  Once removed you can clean the insides as needed.  Consider adding inspection ports for cleaning the tanks later on w/o removal. 

Move the fuel tank vents from the outside of the hull to inside the cockpit - be sure to keep a high loop up in the bulwarks.  Hopefully this will prevent a burp of fuel into the water. 

In the photo album linked above, you can see that I removed the cockpit drains and routed them back to the stern just above the water line.  I also sealed up holes in the hull - freeing up the engine compartment and plugging two very large holes and 6 smaller holes.  

You can also think about sound attenuation... from the engine compartment both bulwarks allow engine sounds to travel through the open passageways forward.  I find it impossible to reach these areas from the engine compartment with the fuel tanks installed and the engine installed.  I would have liked to install PVC wire chases on both sides to route wires forward then fully blocked with 1/2 plywood or ?  sealing off the engine compartment as much as possible. 

Now is also a good time to think about cleaning up the wiring that in Pygmalion was in the engine compartment and was a mess. 

I also sealed up the large opening between the stern bulkhead - near the lazarette - to the bottom of the deck.  This blocked a lot of noise from the engine compartment in to the cockpit.  I suspect that the opening is the air supply to the engine for many boats but Pygmalion has a cockpit air supply. 

Refinishing the compartment - I used all Bilge Coat white -- great paint and has held up very well -- but I would recommend Bildge Coat light grey under the engine or maybe from the water line down - with white above.  

If you need more ideas on projects let me know:) 

Jay 

Jay,

thanks for the feedback.  My engine is not out of the engine room and with luck I won’t need to think about a repowering for some years.  So I am doing what I can just on this side for now and will turn my attention to the starboard side next fall/winter.  

Its great to hear your feedback because those little obstacles that we think are unmovable (the seasock for my cockpit drain are in an unfortunate place right now when talking about space appropriation in the engine room).  I like your idea of moving them aft a bit.

thank you

bryon

Anonymous wrote:

Rob,

thats is the feedback I needed. I know that you had said that you were using Coosa Board when we met at the last west Canada rendezvous.  

For the the purpose of using Coosa in the engine compartment, knowing that I want to paint it white, I’m assuming that percolating it with resin and fiberglass would give me a better surface to paint over.

thanks,

bryon

That will definitely help. I did experiment with laminating/vacuum bagging the Coosa on both sides with 1708 biaxial glass. Turned out nice and smooth, but it would be tedious to laminate large quantities, so I opted not to do that. 

I recall at one time, Coosa offered pre-laminated sheets. Don't know if they still do?

Either way, the stuff should work well for your project. Look forward to pictures :-)

-rob

I have used Baltek Airex boards with great results.  Plus you can buy from Jamestown smaller than 4x8' sheets which can be sent UPS which saves a BUNCH.

https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/product/product-detail/1593

Rich Morpurgo

W32 Jasmine