Hello Folks!
It is time for me to replace saildrive seal (original, from 2001) on my B40-3.
I'm in doubt how to lift the engine. I will make wooden base to slide it forward, but the question is what to use to support engine weight? I'm thinking of placing a plank above the salon entrance and lift the engine by halyard with blocks attached to this plank (see attached picture).
Is it good idea?
It is! I did it that way too and it worked well.
I thought I'd need to do a similar thing, however taking our dyneema main halyard back to the hoist did the trick.
https://youtu.be/E8Qs5_UUtlg?si=y8ZunuCW8zzF-sVT
To support under the engine we used jack bags - this was a game changer!!
https://amzn.eu/d/01QkVIs
We did as your drawing with a chain hoist onto a timber across the companionway top. Directly behind the washboards on our B35 is a step with metal grip top. Removed the metal plate and drilled through the GRP to pass a Dyneema line straight onto engine lift point. Worked a treat to lift engine sufficient to disengage and slide forward. After refitting engine plug the drilled hole and refit the metal gripper over.
as you show and if you haven't got a block or chain hoist then a truck ratchet strap will be strong enough to ratchet it up, its only a couple of hundred kg, we have had to use them to pull 5ton axles back into place.
Thank you very much folks for all the suggestions!
Quote from: MagicalArmchair on December 07 2025, 15:24To support under the engine we used jack bags - this was a game changer!!
https://amzn.eu/d/01QkVIs
MagicalArmchair, nice idea about jack bags. How many of them did you use?
Also are you satisfied with your wooden frame (https://www.bavariayacht.org/forum/index.php/topic,3880.0.html) ? If so, I would build the same using mentioned dimensions since I have identical boat.