When it comes to maintaining the engine on my 1979 S2 11-meter sailboat, it was a nightmare getting to the engine to take the valve covers off to check the timing. The reason was simple enough: the engine was remarkably close to the underside of the cockpit floor.
When it came time to overhaul my Volvo MD17C diesel, the only option I thought I had was to remove the engine from the boat. This was not an attractive option. Then one of my cruising friends asked a simple question: “Why don’t you install an access hatch?”
That’s what I did. I cut an opening in the cockpit sole and put in a hatch. The result was much easier access to the engine. Engine maintenance is still a chore, but at least now I can get at it to do the work.
About the author:
Dave Keaggy sails aboard his S2 sailboat, Luma Marie.
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