After many months of sweat, blood and tears, we have our new engine installed. And boy is it glorious. Even with the substantial cost and time invested in this project, I would say it was well worth it. We will now be able to cruise with peace of mind, having full confidence our engine will be reliable.
Not only that, but this project has been a huge upgrade to Silver Heels. Our new alternator is twice as powerful (125amps) enabling quick battery bank recharging. The increase from 40 to 45 horsepower is a noticeable improvement. The increased prop wash makes maneuvering in the marina more forgiving, and at sea, we can reach near our maximum hull speed of 7.6 knots with ease.
Perhaps most importantly, our knowledge of our boat has deepened. We now know the purpose of every single wire, bolt and hose in the engine room and have increased confidence in our abilities to fix issues en-route.
The weather has been quite moody in the Med lately, but once we have a good window, God knows we will back out there cruising the blue.
