With her light Aluminum hull and a wooden cabin with solid walls on top to catch the wind, Lillie May pretty much goes where the wind blows her. A little twelve horse diesel is just not enough to keep her under control in windy conditions, or even a breeze, which makes for some interesting docking adventures!
Other than that little problem, the boat was working out well for us as a day cruiser and occasional weekender. The remedy: a bigger heart was in order. Jeff found a used three cylinder Westerbeke diesel 27 horse for sale. Perfect. He had it checked out and approved by a local diesel mechanic, and made arrangements to have it put in.
Here's the process:
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| First, to get the old engine out the back access had to be enlarged. This was a little painful. Jeff took a sawzall to it and it didn't take long but got the job done. |
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| Next he went in with the forks on the loader to remove the old engine. |
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| Then the new engine was brought in and set down. New motor mounts would have to be make and everything fandangled to fit. |
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