For some time I have been wondering what to do with Bonita's old engine. This was a 2 cylinder Gleniffer engine of about 20hp, manufactured sometime before 1918 and installed in Bonita in 1927. It could be run on either petrol or paraffin. This was definitely a good quality engine in its day and gave generally good service until we replaced it with a modern diesel in 1983. The Gleniffer company went on to make large diesel engines until they were taken over in about 1963 and Bonita's may well be the only one of their petrol engines still in existence. However the design of the internal combustion engine had undoubtedly progressed somewhat between 1918 and 1983, and by modern standards the old engine was heavy, uneconomical, vibrated the old boat more than seemed wise and could sometimes be reluctant to start. It is started by hand and you have to prime the cylinders with just the right amount of petrol and adjust the timing first, so it was a good idea to get it going well before it might be needed. Since its removal the engine had been stored in my garage, although I set it up and had it running about a year ago. But what to do with it?
We made some enquiries and the Maritime Museum at Chatham expressed an interest. There is talk of putting it in a launch of similar vintage and maybe getting it working on the water again. This seemed like the best hope for the future for the old engine and as a bonus would free up some useful space in the garage. I offered to donate it and get it to them .
This in itself was a significant undertaking. The engine is very heavy: probably over 400lb, maybe a lot more. With Johns help, a car jack and many wooden blocks we spent a morning lifting it up and slid it into the back of the van.
When I got the engine to Chatham I was met by Nick and James and they appeared enthusiastic. We removed the engine using a hoist and fork-lift truck and with this help it came out of the van a lot more easily than it went in. The Museum have lots of projects planned and I was afraid the Gleniffer would join the back of the queue, however we wheeled it into their workshop and they seemed keen to get it going again.
So I was a bit sorry to see the old engine go. It has given us good service and I have spent many hours listening to its regular beat both in UK waters and abroad. It was in the boat when my father bought her and he developed a profound understanding of its inner workings. Dad could be very resourceful. I was with him once when the engine failed due to one of the teeth breaking off the timing gear. We were coming back to our mooring at Erith in a flat calm. Dad not only diagnosed the problem, he drilled the timing gear, tapped in a bolt and filed it into shape to replace the missing gear tooth, then successfully restarted the engine. All the time he was doing this Bonita was drifting up the river and I was towing her rowing the dinghy to maintain at least some steerage way.
So I'm hoping we might see the old Gleniffer back in action in the river Medway off Chatham sometime.
And modern yachtsmen who can have engine power reliably and instantly at the press of a button don't know how lucky they are.
The Gleniffer in its new surroundings.....