S T E L L A
Class Association
Engine Maintenance
The joy of Stella ownership is generally associated with the boat’s superb sailing ability and not in the engine’s ability to reliably
plug against a foul tide for hours on end or get home quickly when the weather turns nasty.
A typical owner regularly checks and adjusts standing and running rigging, but perhaps gives less regard to the ‘lurking lump’ of machinery hiding under the
cockpit sole. When this fails, which is usually at the most inconvenient time, it is generally thought to be the fault of the maker/ boatyard/ co-owner etc,
but we Stella owners rarely blame ourselves for lack of attention!
There are times when an engine can break down due to internal failure, but these occasions are few compared to simple engine failures such as a blocked fuel
or cooling system or a slipping drive belt. Unlike cars, boats cannot be pulled over on the ‘hard shoulder’ to await the breakdown services, and it really
has to be a potentially life threatening situation before you should call the Lifeboat out!
Regular inspection and maintenance by the owner can overcome many breakdown problems, and if you get to know your engine well, you will gain great satisfaction
in recognising problems before they cause havoc. You will also be able to recover from minor breakdowns without resort to ‘expert’ help, thus saving a stash of
cash and lost sailing time.
If you haven’t got a manual for your engine, you should get one now and gradually work your way through sections of it, cup of coffee in hand and engine cover
off on a quiet weekend. Simply being able to identify the various components and those that are likely to give trouble will take you a long way in being able
to diagnose and sometimes overcome problems before and when they occur.
It is difficult to give Stella owners’ specific advice on engine inspection and maintenance, as there are many different engine installations, e.g. Vire and
Dolphin petrol engines, as well as Petter and Yanmar diesels. Most lie between 6HP to 12Hp (Horse Power), so tend to be single or twin cylinders.
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YSE8 Yanmar Diesel which was installed in Caravelle by the author in 2004. |
6HP restored Petter diesel |