Outline of SSS Chaser's main engine replacement

1986-- SEA Scout Ship Chaser is acquired

1994-- turbocharger failure, starboard engine, rebuilt turbochargers for both engines

1995-- first major engine failure, broken crankshaft starboard engine

2000—broke injector pump driveshaft, starboard engine

2001 -- broke injector pump driveshaft coupling port engine

2001-- seized piston liner starboard engine

2004-- seized piston liners, port engine, the cylinders 3 and 4

2005-- cracked cylinder head, Port engine

2005-- seized piston liner, port and starboard, engines

In the spring of 2005, with major component failures in both the port and starboard main engines, the decision was made to look into a rebuilding both existing engines.

In consultation with the company that has supplied us with parts over the last 15 years, it was determined that replacement parts were all but nonexistent. Parts that were peculiar only to our engines were unattainable.

The two, 6 cylinder, Waukesha engines that were in the ship, had now exceeded their useful life. We had been informed by the Waukesha factory that we had 2 of 14 Marine propulsion engines of this series that they had ever built. Our two engines were the last two known to be running.

The search for a similar replacement engine, i.e. similar horsepower, similar physical size, similar weight, fuel consumption, and similar service life had begun.

We looked into engine programs sponsored by the state of California that funded replacement engines based on the air pollution requirements. Due to the limited operation of our cruising schedule we did not meet their minimum requirements. This put us in a position of locating and funding engine replacements. We were on our own.

We decided to launch a fundraising program that was beyond the scope of any before attempted in our unit's history, and maybe in all of Sea Scouting. This program called upon tapping the resources of our past members i.e. our alumni. We sent a mass mailing to our alumni, which from July to present has generated about $50,000.

Through our parents club, a 501(c) 3 organization, a California non profit corporation, we were donated a small yacht that upon the sale netted us approximately $40,000.

This total amount of money approximately $90,000 has put us in a position where we now have two main engines, bought and paid for, two auxiliary generator units bought and paid for and being readied for the ship.

This fund raising has been done by private and personal donations only,

All personnel associated with the Sea Scout Ship Chaser are volunteers, no paid salaries. We, as a unit, are very fortunate over the years to have amassed a group of volunteers with exceptional talents. These talents enable us to do almost all of our own work in-house, welders, ship fitters, machinists, heavy diesel engine mechanics, electricians, Marine engineers.  The same people provide the backbone for our youth training program.

New factory engines of almost any brand that met our size, horsepower, and weight requirements were far beyond any monetary resources we have available.

The engines that we have selected are an older series of Caterpillar engine. These engines have had an excellent reputation in marine applications similar to ours.

The Caterpillar D 379 is comparable to our existing engines. These engines are rebuilt, low hours, and were only recently removed from service.

The D 379  have a shaft speed equal to our existing engines, and the engine bell housing matches up to our existing reduction gears. The Caterpillar engines are of V-8 configuration, the Waukesha engines were in line 6  The new engines are of similar weight and will give us a little more space in our engine room.

I located these engines in Jackson, Mississippi. When it was determined that these engines met our specifications, I flew to Mississippi, to personally inspect these engines before a decision to purchase was made. The name of the company that helped us locate these engines is ESSCO of Jackson, Mississippi. While I was at their facility they ran both engines for me. We also opened the side inspection plates and inspected the engine internals.

In talking with the diesel engine experts at ESSCO, it was determined that these diesel engines would fit our purposes nicely.  They also agreed to hold the engines until our fund raising produced sufficient money to pay for the engines out right. In a tremendous show of faith in our program, they held these engines from July 05 until February 06 when we had raised sufficient funds to pay for both engines and have them shipped.

Today, February 06, we have our two main engines in Napa. Ancillary equipment is being installed on the main engines; raw water pumps, heat exchangers, pre-start oil pumps, and a few other modifications that have to be done before the engines can be put into the ship.

A few years ago we are acquired two Caterpillar auxiliary engines that are currently being fitted with generator ends. These units are 50 KW capacity and will replace our aging generators that are 20 KW capacity. The old units will be removed and new ones installed at the same time the main engines are removed and replaced.

The new generators are about 85 percent assembled. After load testing and painting, they will be ready to install aboard the ship.

All this removing and replacing of major equipment has created numerous challenges relating to other shipboard equipment: relocation and electrification of the main ships bilge pump and the main ships fire pump; the replacement and upgrading of main engine exhaust piping; the installation of the emergency diesel driven air compressor (all four engines in the ship are compressed air start).

When the decision was made that repairing the existing main engines was not a viable option, work immediately began on removal of the existing engines. The engines had to be stripped down to a bare block, removing the cylinder heads, pistons, connecting rods, intake and exhaust manifolds. We salvaged some component parts that may have some value to someone in the future .The existing equipment in the ship had to be completely disconnected. The old engine blocks had to be unbolted from the transmissions, exhaust piping and manifolds had to be disconnected. All ancillary equipment, starters, Pre-start pumps, heat exchanger's had to be removed and refurbished for use with the new equipment. Ship service generators had to be disconnected, and will have to be moved forward to the main engine room prior to their removal from the ship. This preparation is going on right up to the present time.

The removal and installation of engines on board the chaser is scheduled for the spring.  The crane company is scheduled for mid March for engine and generator removal and generator replacement. The main engine installation is scheduled in early May.

Our marine engineering consultants have determined that in order to maintain safe stability levels on board the ship when the engines are being removed, the ship must be ballasted down to full tank levels. This can be accomplished by filling the tanks with freshwater. This in the long run is very undesirable, and will require the disposal of 9000 plus or minus gallons of oily water and opening and cleaning of all the involved tanks.

The most desirable method to accomplish the ballasting is to fill the main fuel tanks with marine diesel fuel, no cleaning problem, and no oily water disposal problem. This also has a benefit that when the ship's operational, we will have fuel on board to immediately commence our cruising program.

This brings us up-to-date as of February 26 2006.

Carl Shellhorn, Skipper, Sea Scout Ship CHASER