Towards the end of last season the engine was increasingly difficult to start. We have a raw water cooled 1979 Volvo MD11C 23hp rustbucket, but when she gets going she does just fine. Since neither of us are well acquainted with diesels we brought in an outside consultant, who kindly came down on May 24 to take a look. The starter wasn't working properly, so he took it out and took it to a shop to have it rebuilt. Per the guys at the shop, the inside was almost totally rusted and there was only one of six electrical connections remaining. It was too far gone to be rebuilt, and no one is manufacturing counter clockwise volvo starters these days, but there is apparently a specialty starter shop in Minneapolis that will build custom starters for you same day. So for 230.00 we got a brand new custom starter, which fit like a glove. Friday, May 27, our consultant returned and installed it for us. The diesel started right up, just as stinky and smoky as last year so I guess we are good to go. Fuel filters were changed, and the air bled from the lines. The interior was as finished as it needed to be so in we went. This boat does make the club's boat lift look itty bitty.
Some more shots of the interior with the new cabin liners. The new lights are LED fixtures, made of plastic and all the electronics are sealed to water intrusion. The old metal and glass 12v incandescent fixtures were largely shorted out by water, or alternately full of mud dauber nests.
We're still sanding the handrails and coaming and such. By now I have one coat of cetol on the handrails and eyebrows but there are a lot more to go.
The boat came with some interesting magazines, looks like the first owner did his homework:
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