Lift an engine without an engine lift?

lowkee

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
1,890
Hello everyone,

I have been reading a good majority of a small sampling of threads here for the past week (this forum truly is an encyclopedia of knowledge!) and plan to read for the remainder of my restoration project (a '90 Bayliner Capri 1950).

I'll start with a description of the project (I'll make a project thread soon) and work from there.

She's a 20' Capri with an awfully bad interior and, at first glance, a solid floor. At first glance because it seems the PO slapped a secondary floor above the original, which probably doesn't bode well for the top speed. I would rather see the floor ripped out than worry what is rotting beneath my feet. I have already bought the vinyl to redo the interior, as I have grand plans for what the inside of this boat can be. I also plan to paint her from top to bottom, all while removing the evil carpet and glassing the inside floor with a liberal topping of poly and gelcoat.

Let's hope my skills improve enough to produce what is currently skimming across the water in my head.

One question (of many, I'm sure) I can't seem to answer is.. how do I remove the engine out of my boat in order to replace the stringers and flooring?

Do I have to remove the engine in order to replace these two items? (man I hope not, but I will if I have to)

I have seen many project photos, but none of them seem to have the critical pieces I can't figure out. Getting the boat from the trailer, so I can paint it (eventually) and removing the engine without a $500 crane.

I'll admit I'm trying to not sink too much expendable cash into this boat, but I'll do what I need to to get her on the water and reliable again.

Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge on this forum. It has helped me greatly, and I've barely begun to rip out the interior!

- Lowkee

EDIT: I guess I should add this is my first 'real' power boat (read: not a 14' aluminum with a 6hp), so everything regarding power boats is quite new to me, including a motor I cannot pick up with my bare hands.
 

legoman67

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
636
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

the wood under the engine and the transom is the most important stuff, and if its bad it will need to be replaced, and the engine will need to be removed.

getting the boat off the trailer is relativly simple, and just requires some time.
1. lower the tongue of the trailer as low to the ground as you can(you will need to jack it back up)
2. block up the stern of the boat, you can probably find some scrap 2x4 or
2x6 to stack up and do this..
3. jack the tongue back up, this will lift the stern off the trailer.
4. anchor the boat to a strong point, a tree is the best. make sure it wont pull forward when the trailer does
5. now, unless you can find a shortcut, you will have to repeat the process of jacking up the bow, pulling the trailer ahead untill a crossmember, blocking, moving jack, repeat...
eventually it will get there, it took us 4 hours to get the trailer out from our 29'

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Removing the engine is easiest with a crane or tractor or excavator, but a big branch and a come along should do the trick too, or a chain chalk...
 

F14CRAZY

Ensign
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
945
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

Nothing is impossible but you really need to remove the engine/sterndrive to replace the mounts and stringers.

We've got a backhoe though...
 

lowkee

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
1,890
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

How much does a 3.0L Mercruiser weigh? I ask in wondering if my garage trusses would support the weight of the engine or if I can simply make a support system using some vertical 2x4s supporting a horizontal 2x10 with a chain fall hanging from it. I'm not sure which scenario sounds more scary to me (beyond dismantling a perfectly running engine).
 

drewpster

Commander
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
2,059
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

Years ago I pulled an engine out of a mustang using the trusses in our garage. They were 2x6. Before doing so we added some insurance by screwing a second 2x6 to the truss. We also stood two 4x4 posts on either side of the car to support the truss from the floor. It was more than enough to support the weight. If you can roll the boat on the trailer and you have enough room over head to get the engine out of the boat this is a good option. You can get a cheap 2 ton chain fall like the one below. Secure the hoist to the truss with a chain and lift away. Once it is done remove the 4x4's and your done.
link to hoist
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=996
 

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

How much does a 3.0L Mercruiser weigh? I ask in wondering if my garage trusses would support the weight of the engine or if I can simply make a support system using some vertical 2x4s supporting a horizontal 2x10 with a chain fall hanging from it. I'm not sure which scenario sounds more scary to me (beyond dismantling a perfectly running engine).



hi lowkee.....welcome to i boats....great place....great people.


yes....you can do it !...a 3.l doesnot weigh that mugh.....just shore up the rafters with some scabbed wood....so it will take a little more weight.

on a side note......where are you....(post it in your greeting....we need it for helping you better....your location helps us with things like salt or fresh....cold or warm....ect....ect).

post pics...!

im doing a 19 foot 89 or 90 b-liner capri open bow in a few weeks.....it also has a 4 cyl in it.......possibly the same boat.....im doing stringers ...foam....and mabe.....(most likely......:eek: :eek:) a transom.

im gonna just bang mine off quick......but i have some experiance with boats.

a couple of things.....most boats are made the same.....so it doesnt matter what boat it is you are working on.......

but.....search a member called "robj"......on the bottom of his sig.....is his boat...its identical to a b-liner......same boat.....different name..s step by step process.....and he did a fantastic job on his.....ive seen it in the water beside 75k boats......it looked like it belonged.

the guys here are fantastic.......the knowlage they have is great....they can walk you right thru any thing you want to do to your boat.......

cheers
oops
 

zach103

Commander
Joined
Mar 11, 2008
Messages
2,233
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

you might be able to lift it by hand.. if you look at my thread Next Poject i can lift that engine myself.. i didnt do it myself just cuz of its size and i was smart to borrow someone just to be careful. but you can try it with two guys and if its to heavy there are plenty of ways to get it offf
 

erikgreen

Captain
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
3,105
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

Lots of people have used trees for this, built hoists, or even built gantry cranes. There are plans online to build your own from places like synthx? I think. Drewpster here posted about it a while back (going from memory here, so it's fuzzy :)

You can buy a pretty hefty steel gantry crane or a hoist from harbor freight, from less than $100 for a small one up to about $700 for the 12 foot gantry.

You can also get by with a come-along on a tree branch.

The simplest way for most people is probably to use their garage door header, which is actually a long stronger than the rafters. Align the engine under it, brace on both sides of the boat with 4x4 posts wedged in place as insurance, and lift with a hoist or come-along.

Myself, I rented a 9 foot engine hoist from a local shop for about $60 for a day... it was tall enough to reach into the boat and pick up the engine.

You could also have a local boat shop lift it out for you.. should be quick and relatively cheap if you disconnect it down to the mounting bolts yourself.

Search there board here, there are lots of options for doing this and lots of solutions :)

Erik
 

drewpster

Commander
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
2,059
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

The gantry I built came from plans found at this website.

http://www.synthx.com/shop/index.php

I built it because my big boat sits way off the ground. It is a bit of overkill for what you want. I had an excuse to build it because I also use it for my work. I also got tired of being put off by a friend who was supposed to help me out with my engine. Shame what people won't do when your not paying them.:rolleyes:
 

J. Mark

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
303
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

I pulled the mercruiser 5.7 and attached velvet drive from mine with a rented engine hoist. $35.00 for 4 hours and I had it out in 45 minutes. Due to the limited lifting range (8 feet) and reach I had to lift the engine and drive and shift them to the back of the boat, move the hoist and reconnect and lift up to maximum height and then tow the boat out from under them. I had the manifolds off and figure I was lifting about 700 pounds or so. Mine's an inboard, but with an IO you will have less weight to deal with and should not have to relocate the engine and hoist to pull it.
 

fishrdan

Admiral
Joined
Jan 25, 2008
Messages
6,989
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

I picked up a 2 ton engine hoist from Harbor Freight for $150 when it was on sale. Sure made removing my 3.0 a snap. When I get done with it I'm most likely going to craigslist it for $100. $50-60 for 3-4 months use of an engine hoist isn't too bad.
 

lowkee

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
1,890
Re: Lift an engine without an engine lift?

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm not yet sure what I'm going to do about the engine lift. Craigslist has few for the $100 range, so I may just buy one, use it, sell it back on CL.

I have all of next week off (no family gatherings), so I'll hopefully have the boat stripped down to the stringers by week's end. I'll be sure to photo-document my journey (if only to know how it all went together afterwards!)

I must say, before coming here, I was a lot more apprehensive about this task, but now I can't wait to begin!

Hopefully I'll have this boat for the next 10 years, and I plan on putting in the effort with that plan in mind.
 
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