Engine / Saildrive Configuration

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   Hi, we bought our boat last year and enjoy our racing on Lake Windereme in the UK albeit that we are the only Laser 28 on the lake. 
Unfortunately, while preparing for the Winter Series this year we have found the sail drive to be badly corroded and letting water into the gearbox and engine oil. 
Given that neither the leg nor the engine are in production anymore we intend to take the engine out at the end of the series for a thorough inspection before making the decision to invest in a re-conditioned saildrive. 
Although most of you race one design, does anybody know of an alternative engine/drive configuration that has proved succesful in practise? 
Thanks, Ben.

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ben varley Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Rookie Joined: 17 November 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote ben varley Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Engine / Saildrive Configuration Posted: 17 November 2007 at 8:26am
	Hi, we bought our boat last year and enjoy our racing on Lake Windereme in the UK albeit that we are the only Laser 28 on the lake. Unfortunately, while preparing for the Winter Series this year we have found the sail drive to be badly corroded and letting water into the gearbox and engine oil. Given that neither the leg nor the engine are in production anymore we intend to take the engine out at the end of the series for a thorough inspection before making the decision to invest in a re-conditioned saildrive. Although most of you race one design, does anybody know of an alternative engine/drive configuration that has proved succesful in practise? Thanks, Ben.

Bill Layton Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Commodore Joined: 15 September 2002 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 551	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bill Layton Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 November 2007 at 4:31pm
	No need to worry over this, as the BUKH factory in Denmark still sells all parts you need and also does reconditioning, as well as other Diesel shops in Europe Links of Interest http://www.bukh.dk/ http://www.lsm-diesel.dk/

khardy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Commodore Joined: 22 June 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 132	Post Options Post Reply Quote khardy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 November 2007 at 9:22am
	The sail-drive leg is in production. I replaced mine last year. I think new in the US it was around $1,200. It came complete with new membranes. The only way to remove it is to push it up through the hull so you will have to remove the engine to get the old leg out.

ben varley Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Rookie Joined: 17 November 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote ben varley Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 November 2007 at 3:19pm
	Thanks both of you for the information. khardy - it may be down to changes in the exchange rate over the last year but $1,200 is a lot cheaper than we have been quoted over here. Please can you send me the details of the supplier you used in the US? Many thanks, Ben.

khardy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Commodore Joined: 22 June 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 132	Post Options Post Reply Quote khardy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 November 2007 at 5:10pm
	I got mine through north jersey marine: 201-546-6377. Maybe it cost more, i can't remember. I was all set to get a used one and the previous owner wanted like two thirds of the cost of a new one. Good luck.

meholden Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Rookie Joined: 12 May 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19	Post Options Post Reply Quote meholden Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 November 2007 at 1:33am
	I recall hearing more like $6000 for the saildrive from crinan, but you should contact them directly. A reasonable alternative seems to be the saildrive 330. It's gas not diesel, but should save some weight and noise. www.saildrive330.com, it's $6800 according to their web page. Stinkeye is a prototype Laser 28 and was built with one of these (the earlier model 280?); I emailed the local distributor and he said one was also retrofitted on a laser 28 in southern California. Made in Sweden so hopefully somewhere in the UK there's a distributor. I just bought my laser, it's been in the water in San Francisco a long time, and it came with a zinc fish to augment the tiny anode on the saildrive, which I think is a good idea. Like this only mine is homemade and the wire is bolted to the engine block: http://www.valuemarine.com/ps485144.html. I put it in a bucket when we go sailing and scrub the growth off it regularly. -Mike

Hitchhiker Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Rookie Joined: 15 November 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9	Post Options Post Reply Quote Hitchhiker Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 December 2007 at 1:45pm
	Quote: Originally posted by meholden on 26 November 2007 www.saildrive330.com, it's $6800 according to their web page. Stinkeye is a prototype Laser 28 and was built with one of these (the earlier model 280?); I emailed the local distributor and he said one was also retrofitted on a laser 28 in southern California. Made in Sweden so hopefully somewhere in the UK there's a distributor. I have the Laser In SoCal with the saildrive S280. Installed it in 2001, has been running well ever since. Incredibly simple seal around the shaft leg, which rests against a molded FRP well incorporated into the engine bed, also of molded FRP. The powerhead is a Honda 9.9 hp four stroke. Would be nice if it was freshwater cooled. The other big drawback is that the impeller is in the shaft leg, ala an outboard, which is essentially what it is. I keep think about a way to drive a pump from inside. Otherwise very happy with it, powers the boat nicely and is very quite and smooth.
	I sail, therefore I am.