F. ENGINE, SHAFT, PROP
WESTSAIL 32 BROKEN ENGINE MOUNT BRACKETS
The single biggest problem for the Westsail 32 engine installation seems to be excessive
engine vibration leading to broken mounting brackets, failed engine mounts, excessively worn
shaft bearings, transmission bearing damage and exhaust system failures. The majority of the
broken mounting brackets have occurred on the Volvo 2 and 3 cylinder models because the
original Volvo brackets were replaced by ones designed and built by Westsail. The job of
bonding the liner to the hull is fairly easy, and we have a written procedure to do the job.
ENGINE MOUNTS
If you have been noticing excessive vibration while running your engine, it is probably time to
check on the engine mounts. They are set in a rubber donut, and if they are 10 years old, or
older, you might want to consider replacing them. On a recent survey I found three of the four
rubber mounts to be sheared, and the engine ready to fall off the mounts if sailed hard in a
seaway. At the same time, if you have a Westsail 32 with the full engine room liner, you might
also want to consider bonding the pan to the hull to eliminate this cause of excessive vibration.
REPLACING A SHAFT BEARING
If the cutlass bearing is worn, and needs to be replaced, it can usually be done without
removing the shaft log from the boat. A step by step procedure is written up on doing this job.
INSTALLATION OF THE SHAFT LOG AFTER REPLACING AN ENGINE
A very complete description of the procedure to follow to replace the shaft log in the hull. This
procedure is the one usually followed when installing a new engine for the first time, and can also
be used to replace the shaft log and bearing. Sometimes it is necessary to remove the log from
the hull to be able to change the bearing in the log. New shaft logs, bearings, and stuffing boxes
are available from Worldcruiser.
EXHAUST SYSTEMS
We have had a lot of inquiries regarding the proper exhaust system for a sailboat engine, and
have found that welded steel or stainless steel mufflers usually last about 7 to 10 years, then
they crack along the welds. For the past 20 years we have been using the fiberglass waterlift
mufflers in conjunction with a steel pipe or cast iron water cooled exhaust elbow on the manifold.
A proper installation should have the water cooled elbow pointing down at about a 30 degree
angle from the manifold, and the water injected on the downward slope. This portion of the line
can be a reasonable length of good quality rubber hose as the water is mixed with the exhaust
gas here and cooled. The purpose of the design of the muffler is then to lift the exhaust gas and
water up to the hull outlet, and to quiet the exhaust noises.
PROPELLER CHOICES
For the 2 cylinder Volvo, we recommend a three blade 16" diameter by 10" pitch, left hand
rotation prop. It will give much better performance than a two bladed prop, as there are always
at least two blades in the water stream. The 3 cylinder Volvo should have a 16x13 or 17x12 left
hand 3 blade prop. The Perkins 4-108 should have a 16x13 or 17x12 right hand rotation 3 blade
prop. The feathering design prop, such as the one made by Maxprop, is very efficient in both
powering and reducing drag while sailing.
ENGINE CHOICES FOR REPOWERING A W-32
If you are considering repowering, I believe comparing performance of various engine choices
should be based on the cubic inch displacement of the cylinders rather than rated horsepower, as
the displacement translates itself into power available at the shaft. Horsepower ratings cannot
be accurately compared, as the manufacturers use different RPM's to calculate horsepower, and
the higher the RPM, the more the rated horsepower. The Volvo MD 2B (later called the MD
11C) has 66 cubic inches of displacement, and rated at 25 HP, and has proven to not have
enough reserve power to adequately move the Westsail 32 in any-thing other than smooth water.
The Volvo MD 3B (later called the MD 17C) was rated at 35 HP, and has 99 cubic inches of
displacement. The Perkins 4-108 was rated at 50 HP, and has 108 cubic inches of
displacement. Either of these engines will push the boat at 7 knots in smooth water, and
maintain 5 to 6 knots against rough water, with ample reserve power. If you are comparing
engines and prices for a replacement, be sure the engine you choose for the Westsail 32 has at
least 90 cubic inches of displacement, as any less will not give satisfactory motoring
performance.
There is no question that there a number of good engines on the market, but in my opinion, the
Perkins is the best one for the Westsail 32. This is based on 20 years experience with the
engine, and results of use in the Westsail since 1972. Perkins has two models suitable for the
Westsail 32, the three cylinder, 91 cubic inch Model M-35, and the four cylinder, 126 cubic inch
Model M-50. The M-35 is the smallest size engine we would recommend installing in the
Westsail 32.
PERKINS M-35 ENGINE FOR THE WESTSAIL 32
The M-35 is not much larger in size than the 2 cylinder Volvo, and is lighter in weight. It fits
very nicely, with only some modification to the rear mounting flats required. The engine comes
standard with fresh water cooling and a Hurth HBW 100 transmission with a 1.8 to 1 reduction,
which is appropriate for the boat. While it is preferable to exchange the engine with the boat
hauled out, it is possible to do the whole job in the water. The same shaft, log, stuffing box and
engine controls and cable can be used.
PERKINS M-50 ENGINE FOR THE WESTSAIL 32
The engine that has proven most successful in the Westsail 32 is the Perkins 4-108. This
engine is no longer available, however the new version, the M-50 is now offered. It has been in
use since 1989, and has proven to be very reliable. It is slightly more powerful than the 108, at
122 cu. in. dis-placement, but is 3" shorter in overall length, and lighter in weight. The engine
comes standard with fresh water cooling and a Hurth HBW 10 transmission with a 2.1 to 1
reduction. While it is preferable to exchange the engine with the boat hauled out, it is possible to
have the whole job done in the water. The same shaft, log, stuffing box and engine controls are
able to be used. The propeller should be changed, as more pitch is necessary than used on a
Volvo engine.
SMALL ENGINE PAN MODIFICATION FOR PERKINS M-50
A procedure to install a Perkins M-50 engine in a Westsail 32 that currently has a Volvo 2 or 3
cylinder engine, and the small fiberglass pan type mount. A set of aluminum plates are bolted to
the existing pan to mount the new engine.
FULL ENGINE ROOM LINER MODIFICATION FOR PERKINS M-50
A procedure to install a Perkins M-50 engine in a Westsail 32 that currently has a Volvo 2 or 3
cylinder engine, with the full engine room liner. This does necessitate cutting and bonding the
fiberglass liner at the rear mounting pads.
WESTSAIL SERVICE MANUAL TOPICS
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