engine bay Recommendations for engine enclosure on a trad?

[James_P]

Hi,

Please could you give your recommendations on the internal enclosure to separate the cabin from the engine, batteries etc. For a trad stern. 

 

Just getting a boat and this is the one area that is still a project. So there is the floor above the engine for the entrance.

But now wall around the engine or to close off the engine bay.

 

 Beyond being:

solid,

sound damping,

reasonable weather proof

easy to clean from engine grime

Ease of engine access.

What madatory requirements or practical considers are relevent?

 

What construction would you recommend?

Eg plywood, metal etc

 

How to make it sturdy and easy to disassemble?

 

Sure there is much I've missed would love to hear your thoughts!

 

James

[Tony Brooks]

I would suggest thick sheet "wood" for the sides with wooden battens screwed to the relevant panels and under the entrance floor. You could also fit small battens to the cabin floor in pairs to drop the side, and front panels into and this locate them, This will allow you to screw the other panes to the battens, making disassembly easier for access.  I suspect I might use OSB 3 on the grounds of cost, density and sound proofing. For more sound proofing, line the inside with sheets of one of the sound proofing material that can have a wipe clean surface. You may wish to apply a thin ply to the outside of the visible panels for cosmetic reasons - pained OSB always looks like painted OSB.

 

If you do this well you will have created an almost airtight box which is very bad for the engine, so you need to work out where and how to vent the box, so sound does not escape into the cabin - fumes as well.  If you have a rear bulkhead, this may be the best location for such vents because the weed hatch will not worry about noise and fumes. I would suggest at least 6 sq in of hole size.

 

Others will have different suggestions.

[Alan de Enfield]

40 minutes ago, James_P said:

Please could you give your recommendations on the internal enclosure to separate the cabin from the engine, batteries etc. For a trad stern. 

 

 

Just to be clear, is this for a Trad sterned boat with the engine beneath the rear deck and protruding thru into the cabin, and is boxed in and your steps are alongside the engine, or

Is this a Trad boat where the engine is inside the cabin and exposed ?

 

If it is the former, then ensure that the boxing in panels are removable otherwise you will not be able to access things like oil filters, belts etc.

On the one we had it had been very carefully thought out by the builder (Reeves) and the 'lid' lifted off, and each side panel unclipped so you had full access to the engine.

 

On the left hand side of this picture the engine dissapears back under the rear trad-stern (only accessible via the steel hatch). The wooden batten going from top to bottom of the pictures is actually the lower part of the frame for the doors.

 

The wooden panel at the 'bottom' of the picture lifted out for engine access.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[Tracy D'arth]

Vent the fresh air  for cooling and the air for combustion from under the cabin floor via 3" pipes. Keeps it dry and quietens the air inlet.

[James_P]

Thanks guys,

 

It's trad sterned boat with the engine beneath the rear deck and protruding thru into the cabin.

 

And don't think there is a rear bulk head. 

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

39 minutes ago, James_P said:

Thanks guys,

 

It's trad sterned boat with the engine beneath the rear deck and protruding thru into the cabin.

 

And don't think there is a rear bulk head. 

 

 

 

Well, if not there is a hell of a big hole between the hull sides. It may not be a "down to the baseplate" bulkhead, but you must have something. I would guess one with a big hole cut into it for the engine and gearbox to poke through. If so, that would be the fixing for the battens/location device for the side panels. How about a photo, take it a lowish resolution so it won't be too big for the forum.

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

As with Alan’s photo above. Is there a steel bulk head(grey metal to the right on the photo) separating the engine compartment from the cabin space?

[David Schweizer]

This is the engine enclosure we had on Helvetia

 

 

 

 

[James_P]

 

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the recommendations.

 

Below, is the rear of the boat from the inside. Just a white wooden box over the engine and no bulkhead across the boat.

 

I think the wooden box will want to be replaced with something more like what you guys have shown already.

 

What ways of making the detachable engine access panels so they won't rattle with the engine?

 

Also what/how much sounds damping is practical and not o.t.t. with no real benefit?

 

Thanks again

 

James

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

The grill is obviously doing a good job of stopping it escaping.

Is it fed and waterered thru the bars ?

 

Which raises another point- when you make the panels 'removable' make them easily removable (use over-centre clips) as when you do your daily engine checks (you do do them don't you ?) you need to get them off to check belts, oil, water, drips and leaks and get them replaced before you start the engine.

 

This sort of thing - dozens of designs and types available.

 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[Tony Brooks]

Yes, but strive to get good quality ones. The easily available ones seem to be made from butter metal and soon fail due to bending.

[James_P]

Of course the Lister is water feed through the bars. I have heard giving water-methanol in its bottle can make it a right beast! Some may frown upon the discovery that a narrow boat can also be a planing hull...

 

Ok, over enter clips look nice and simple. Like the bonnet of an old car, or for that matter the cowling of a modern aircraft.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

Is there anything in the RCD/RCR as to what can and cant be used?

[Puffling]

2 hours ago, James_P said:

[...] Ok, over enter clips look nice and simple. Like the bonnet of an old car, or for that matter the cowling of a modern aircraft.
 

I'm going for slightly different latches on my deck boards. You might be interested in the options discussed here...

 

[James_P]

Thanks guys,

Yes, so what would the key concern/ requirements for RCD and RCR be?

 

Eg appropriate gas tightness for carbon monoxide/fumes.

Any fire resistance requirments.

Etc...

 

As far as latch &. Catches,

For the  access panels for periodic maintenance like oil and filters then I'll have to find something that will hold things tight.

 

For the day access, then is there something like the quick release for a bike sadle/wheels, but mounting on something like a barrel nut so the fastener doest not fall into the bildge?

[Tony Brooks]

The only thing I can think of RCR/RCD or BSS wise is that any sound deadening material that you might stick on the inside of the panels need a degree of fire resistance. I don't think either care about you depriving the engine of air etc.

[koukouvagia]

This is how I boxed in the rather noisy 1.8 BMC on our motorised butty.  It reduced the noise level from 86 to 58 decibels.  I used the heavy quality accoustic deadening lining.  It's possible to get lighter and cheaper versions, but they are not as effective.

 

The frame can be completely dismantled in case I should ever need full access to the engine.  For example, the front end (nearest the camera) can be unbolted to get to the water pump, alternator belt etc.

 

The enclosure is lined out with accoustic lining. 

 

The finished enclosure.  The top and front can be quickly opened.  The checkerplate is rubber, by the way.

[David Mack]

3 hours ago, James_P said:

 

Eg appropriate gas tightness for carbon monoxide/fumes.

Your exhaust system should be gas tight so that no CO or fumes can enter the engine compartment. There is therefore no need for the engine compartment itself to be gas tight - indeed some boats have no enclosure between the engine space and the accommodation. The engine space does need to be well ventilated both to provide air for combustion and to allow adequate cooling airflow around the alternator (and air to cool the engine itself if it is not water cooled).

Edited May 2, 2023 by David Mack

[James_P]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the advice.