getting the motors out of a aft cabin tricabin

larryeddington · Post by **larryeddington** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:31 pm

Gotta say it was a reale easy deal onmine as the F28 has engInes in rear just took my backhoe and lifted them out. Should be easy in as well. But that is my boat.

kevin babineau · Post by **kevin babineau** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:47 pm

I have pulled many motors but only out of smaller boats where you can just pick them up and pull them out..I am goiing to rent a boom truck ,cut access in the back door panel of the f 36 sedan (I taking the motors out of my sedan and putting them in the tricabin) .the boom will go straight in it and pull them right out ..but as someone just mentioned I was hoping to find someone with a 73 ish tricabin that has removed the engines. my boat has the motors in the aft cabin with walters vee drives. my back deck and aft bulkhead have some rot. since I'm replacing the 360s with 454 I might just tear the aft deck and bulkhead apart. I will still be limited on height .

jon_e_quest · Post by **jon_e_quest** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 11:06 am

Kevin,

I COMPLETELY disassembled my Tri-Cabin screw by screw from the windshield back. By the time I was finished, only the stringers remained. So here's my two cents:

Although the bulkhead panels on either side of the aft cabin door are designed for removal when changing engines, they are a bugger to actually remove because of the adhesive sealant Trojan used during assembly. The screws come out easy enough, but you'll probably ruin some of the teak trim in the process.

You said you planned to deal with the aft cockpit sole, as well. It would make the engine removal a lot easier if you did have the aft deck out, but you also have to remove the main teak support beam at the forward end of the cockpit where the aft bulkhead ties in or there's no real advantage. That's where things start getting flimsy because that teak beam supports a lot, including the sun bridge above via the aft cabin door framing. You'll need to provide temporary support for the sun bridge before disconnecting the aft cabin door frame members.

While you're at it, think about redesigning how the aft deck is supported where it ties in to the port and st'brd hullsides. Trojan's design is a total fail because, well, there's NO support. Someone should have told those guys that you can't fiberglass over teak, which is an oily wood. Probably delaminated two days after the warranty was up!

Anyway, you have a big project ahead. Good Luck!

kevin babineau · Post by **kevin babineau** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 12:47 pm

well i guess ill take johns suggestion and just tear all the decks off.. the bridge deck has some rot too.. but i wont be replacing the teak slats.. i will just go 3/4 ply with 3/4 fiberglass.. i might as well start fresh...

Bob Giaier · Post by **Bob Giaier** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:37 pm

Kevin, I have the same 73 tri cabin. I've not had to replace an engine (knock on wood). I've tried to envision how that would work and I know you can't get an engine thru the aft window. I believe the aft cabin walls have to come out and they are removable, leaving just the aft door frame. The problem I see is that a chain won't be at the CG of the engine when you drop a chain thru the opeing.......That means that you would need a few strong people to try to lift the offset of the weight of the engine to get it out/in the opening.

Like I said, I've never done it and if I ever have to do it, I will do it in pieces. That means pulling and/or inserting the short block and re-building it in the cradle.

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:36 pm

R&I...R&I probly the best way, nuttin like working in tight spaces

Vitaliy · Post by **Vitaliy** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 10:28 pm

makes me wonder how the PO of my boat go those 454s in there.... probably had to disassemble everything as well since when i was redoing ym back deck the deck was freshly (ish) re epoxied... and the window seals werent original nor the caulk that held it all togather....

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 10:30 pm

Vitaliy wrote:makes me wonder how the PO of my boat go those 454s in there.... probably had to disassemble everything as well since when i was redoing ym back deck the deck was freshly (ish) re epoxied... and the window seals werent original nor the caulk that held it all togather....

answered your own question!

Vitaliy · Post by **Vitaliy** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 10:58 am

yea yea...but just the pain of all that....

rooferdave · Post by **rooferdave** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:13 pm

We have the same boat, I got mine when the po had dropped them in, but not assembled. The bed sides were removed and the pOrt side of the floor of the rear deck, straight lift from there