Got the lads to move the boat on to the road Thursday night ready for an early start Friday, made sure all the wheels were clamped.
Friday morning went to Paul's (sanctuary crew) to pick up rockoil oil samples for Jim, then set of to Jim's got a bit lost around them country lanes and came face to face with a bus luckily he reversed, I should have followed the directions Jim had given me.
Arrived at Jim's who opened his Aladdin's cave of a garage he set to work straight a way, he had no problem removing prop as he had serviced the engine and had greased the prop and splines at last service. He had warned me that the repair of the gearbox seals on an Evinrude can be a Barsteward of a job. Looking at the manual it looked a pretty straight forward job IF YOU HAD THE TOOLS.
Its not just the tools you need it the knowledge of how to get corroded parts out, which thank god Jim has. First problem came straight away despite his best efforts with the blow lamp and TLC on a corroded bolt it sheared no problem says Jim.
Next he uses his special tools to remove seal and bearings housing a very delicate operation requiring him to use the blow lamp and re-tap the bolt holes to make sure we have enough anchorage to use the extracting tool (if I had been doing the job I would have had one scrap out board by now)
Having removed this he is able to get to the corroded seals, which he quickly removes then begins the difficult operation of removeing what is left of the sheared bolt, using his electric welder and bench drill he is able to remove and re-tap the hole. Then the new oil seals are fitted and the engine reassembled, the gearbox oil is replaced with new and a brew is had whilst we check to see if any oil leaks appear. Every thing being OK I am quickly on my way home to arrange a fishing trip Sunday for those early Tope.

Hi Sanctary,

Good news, hope your trip is a good one.

those johnson bolts are pigs they shear at the sight of a spanner

Launch 9.30 am stuck to the plan fished Norbeck till top of tide but the tope did not follow the plan caught 12lb tope at Norbreck and instead of using net decided to haul it on board with the trace. Trace was not wire tope waved good bye and was gone continued catching whiting no dog fish and as planned set off to tope mark No Tope just dogfish came back just gone 3.00pm also caught the Sun not as bad as Dean who was glowing.
Engine performed great after Jim's repair

Sanctuary,

Is that Norbreck, just to the north of Blackpool? or somewhere else?

"they shear at the sight of a spanner"

oi chesters, I'm no beauty but I'm not that ugly!

Yes in line with the Norbreck Hotel