It is time to get serious about the boat systems. We have already divided up some of the boat tasks and I raised my hand for Engines. We will have three diesel engines on the boat – Port, Starboard and Generator. I have always aspired to be a bit of a tinkerer but up to now it has been limited to disassembling and sometimes even re-assembling computers. Engines are a whole other subject and a bit intimidating to me. But, since I had the time, I decided to enroll in a Diesel Engine class. Fortunately, there was a nearby company – Mack Boring – that offers practical training.
Diesel 101
The class was at the right level for me and the instructor was excellent. My fellow students all actually owned boats, were mostly a few years older than me, and were male. They were staying for the two day follow-on practical portion but at this point just learning the lingo is enough for me.
My biggest takeaway from the class was ‘read the manual and follow their maintenance instructions’ since every broken part that was handed around the class was broken because of owner error and misuse. I also learned about a mysterious part called the impeller that seems to disintegrate within a matter of seconds and seems very hard to remove.
While the best experience for troubleshooting engines is practice, I finally feel that I am advancing a bit and am looking forward to returning for part two. — Gail
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