Amador part 2

The AMADOR

Part 2

Getting the engines / without getting the shaft

Purchasing the new main engines for my tug AMADOR was a big adventure for me. I had just moved back to Sausalito from Friday Harbor Washington after working on the Yacht PAULLU as chief engineer for 4 years. I had not quite got the lay of the land yet, in terms of finding the deals on used equipment . So I set out to gather the advice of friends and acquaintances. I had borrowed a large sum of money from my mentor and previous employer the late great Paul Whittier, in order to get this Amador project off the ground. So I had cash for the engines burning a hole in my pocket. My friend Harold had told me good things about Dan's diesel in Richmond. Harold had just finished installing a 4-71 Detroit diesel on a V drive for his Schooner WANDERBIRD . So I hot footed it over to Richmond to se if Dan could relieve me of some of my borrowed money. Well Dan said he could certainly oblige me in this matter. As he had Just received 2 LOW HOUR 6-71 Detroit diesels with Twin disc gear boxes to boot. Well this seemed like a good deal and this was 1984 ( pre on line auction days) But I was becoming a savvy shopper and I decided to get another Quote. An acquaintance had told me about the Jessie James equipment company of Petaluma. He said it might be a good place to buy a generator set for the boat. But, he warned me, don't buy anything big from Mr. James. I should have taken him a bit more seriously. Mr. James quoted me a much lower price. so I jumped on his band wagon. I sent him a sizable deposit on the main engines. And then Things got busy for me for. I was not able to retrieve the engines for about 6 months. then low and behold Jessie James became a hard to get a hold of as a blob of jello. My mother helped me wage a war of words on Mr. James I was sending so many registered letters I got to Know the postman on a first name basis. Finely Mr. James acknowledged that he in some way owed me some engines. He told me I could pick them up at Dans Diesel! "just pay Dan the balance". These engines bore a striking resemblance to the ones Dan wanted to sell me 6 months earlier.

Some how out of this deal I acquired some Wabco air controls for the main engines.

The next phase of the operation required getting the engines back to the boat a land distance of some 20 miles. I rented a flatbed truck from a local establishment. And somehow talked my big brother into coming along . We arrived in Richmond at Dans shop and the loaded the engines and gear onto the truck. Chris and I tied them down "real good" and off we went back to the home dock. we got about halfway home before the engines fell over. I felt this was a real accomplishment as last time I had attempted something like this we only made it a bout 6 blocks. Luck was with us as the engines chose not to fall of the truck. Chris and I tied them down "real good" this time and we made it back to Sausalito with no more problems. Once back at the home dock We were able to do some good standing around trying to figure out how to get them off the truck without breaking them. We decided the best approach was to use the forklift that Onshore marine was using to launch and retrieve small boats in there operation near the Amador. This forklift was a giant hydraulic oil spewing monster Belching Thick clouds of black exhaust out of its mufflerless smoke stack . When started it would scare the be jesus out of any small children that had the misfortune of standing nearby. This machine was quite handy for our purpose. We were able to turn the boat around and put it stern to the dock. and the forklift set the engines down on the back deck.

Next time Installing the main engines without crushing your toes.