Change Generator Location?

[dvd]

Took possession of my Newburyport (Hershine) 37 this week and spent several days doing the new boat things (major cleaning, taking off all of the POs junk, putting on my junk, crawling around the ER, inspecting every locker, port & hatch, etc.) including hiring the mechanic who has worked on the boat the past ten years to go over all the systems from stem to stern with me. Of course, I had a full survey & sea trial so there were no major surprises - just the little things that you notice after being aboard for hours/days.

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One of those things is that the boat has a starboard list of about 2-3 degrees. The PO put about 15 granite blocks in the aft port quarter (bilge and lockers), apparently in an attempt to trim the boat but they are unsecured and I was thinking of removing them. The fuel tanks have an equalization hose, so are constantly equalized, port to starboard. The 150 gallon water tank is midline under the aft berth, the engine and house battery bank are midline. There are two batteries (engine start & generator start) that are to starboard. the generator is forward of the engine, just off midline to port. Unfortunately, the generator is placed athwart midline with the oil dipstick, impeller housing and oil filter just inches from a forward bulkhead, making it very difficult to service. I have a fairly large space in the ER aft of the engine to port.

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So, attempting to solve two problems (service access to generator and weight distribution) I could potentially move the generator to the unused space. Alternatively, I could cut an access panel through the bulkhead (from the forward head) for generator service and move the house bank to the unused space. The easiest,although not solving all the problems, would be to leave the generator and house bank in place and move the granite blocks to the unused ER space and secure them.

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Moving the generator would be MAJOR work, moving the house bank would be easier, but, obviously, entail significant wiring changes. Currently, the generator and house bank are significant impediments to accessing the shower sump, the bilge pump and a couple of seacocks.

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I have fantasies of going solar and getting rid of the generator completely, but, after reading through a couple of other threads, I don't think that would be possible since I have no propane on board (not a bad thing).

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Advice appreciated.

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Photos: 1- ER starboard looking forward, 2 - generator next to forward bulkhead, 3 - port side ER space.

 

[motion30]

can you slide the genset to port till boat sits level ? I had a access problem with my gen. waterpump and did drill a 4'' hole in the bulkhead now I can change the waterpump without much problem

 

[dvd]

The generator is as far to port as it can go, and even where it is, it blocks access to the waterline seacock for the pump-out (currently closed and zip-tied, but still can't get to it).

If I were to cut an access into the bulkhead, it would be fairly large (20 X 14 inches or so) and covered with a pre-made inspection hatch.

 

[dvd]

That is a cooling fan, however, the enclosure hasn't been in place for years because it is so difficult to access the forward side. On board, there is no doubt when the generator is running. If I leave it in place, I may make a simpler enclosure and work at attenuating the sound a bit.

 

[FF]

Why nor toss the noisemaker , and the concrete blocks?

Get a propane reefer , so you can live for months with cold beer/ice cream and no noise.

Solar will take care of the TV and interior lights , also no noise or stench.

With 2-3 hours of noisemaker a day required to keep reefer batts marginal , at a fuel cost of $4.00 a gal, at $10.a day that's $300 a month . plus perhaps the same amount in genset maint and depreciation, almost enough savings to go cruising with!

 

[healhustler]

FF has a good point, and is speaking what I've been thinking for quite a while. My genny is an 8K NorthernLights also mounted athwart-ships beneath the Galley, and makes my access to everything in that area of the hull a real pain. When I think about what the space would be like without it, well.....I have to think about what my boat would be like without A/C, which is about the only thing I REALLY need it for. Here in Miami, it's great to have it, but in the Islands, I probably wouldn't use it at all. I've got solar on the pilothouse roof, and I plan on adding a wind genny too. If there's any way I can figure my way out of that genny with the current tech and batteries, it's history. Maybe I'll drag along a 2K Honda portable for emergency charging.

 

[Phil Fill]

A couple degree list is nothing for a boat, so I would not nothing except maybe close the transfer hose so one tank is fuller than the other.* In the winter every week I have to transfer fuel from the starboard tank to the port as the Webasto draws from the port tank.* Also during the week the boat changes because of domestic water and sanitation.* Lever your level on the dirt and dont worry about it. *In a strong broad side wind the Eagle will list more than a couple of degrees.
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Also I would not take out the gen set to conver to large battery bank and inverter.*