REBUILD or RE-POWER our Sailboat? Our Engine is SEIZED... Ep 430
December 26, 2025 · 21 min · 34K views · Kareeberg Local Municipality, South Africa
What this video covers
Josh returns to Nandji 2, a Tayana 47 CC berthed in Hout Bay, South Africa, to find the engine hydro-locked and seized after saltwater entered while the boat sat unattended for at least four months.0:00 The oil sump, initially showing no milky oil on the dipstick, pumps out nearly straight water; salt crystals pack the interior around the injectors; and the waterlock on the exhaust is full — evidence the failure developed over an extended period, not just the four months away.20:08 The immediate question is whether to rebuild the existing engine or repower entirely, with reliability and cost in South Africa driving the decision.0:46
To access the engine, Josh first removes the generator solo, using Tallulah's skateboard to maneuver the roughly 300-kg unit through the companionway and into the cockpit.7:51 With the generator out, he exposes a 28–30-year-old bilge, begins scrubbing it with concentrated engine-and-bilge cleaner, and discovers a separate freshwater leak from a deteriorating original hose running beneath the engine bulkhead.11:02 He strips the engine down — turbo, heat exchanger, exhaust components — both to reduce weight for extraction and as a learning exercise, since he has never fully disassembled a diesel before.14:41 He also outlines a plan to eliminate the generator permanently by fitting a dual alternator on the new engine, doubling the current 170-amp output to keep the lithium house bank charged while motoring.15:59 The stripping process reveals the damage is more extensive than a straightforward rebuild, pushing the decision toward repowering.20:34
Boats in this video
More from Sailing Nandji - Frothlyfe
From Sailing Nandji - Frothlyfe — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.