PBS has been running series lately on how the ancients did things like
raising Egyptian obelisks, the Easter Island heads, etc. Just totally
practical methods, as you described. No alien assistance required.
Dale C.
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The only thing better than having a boat is having friends with boats,
and I do, so I try to help 'em out when asked.
So my pal Tommy Doyle calls me a month ago all excited 'cause he got a
new diesel motor for his 35 foot sloop. It's too late to stop him, as
he's already sold the perfectly good Atomic 4 out of the thing." How 'ya
gonna get it in" I ask. "No problemo, the guy with the boom truck is
coming to take the gas one out and drop the new one in"
So I let it go and he calls again and says come see and I do and it's
sitting in the middle of the salon floor in the boat. "How 'ya gonna get
it in there under the cockpit where it goes, and how 'ya gonna mount the
thing" "Well can you help?"
So I get some stainless plate for sleepers and some 5/8 threaded rod and
some rubber mounts from McMaster-Carr and make up the mounts and get 'em
on the motor, but I can't figure an easy way to get the 300+ lb. thing
in there, 'til the light bulb goes on. I send TD to Home Depot to get 4'
of 3/16" vinyl covered wire rope and clamps; I go home and get a 12'
length of that nice heavy wall 1 3/4" tubing for the cage of my lil race
car, as well as some wood and a 2' length of square tubing and some
tools.
I get back and get in deep the hole and screw a couple of 15" 2x4's to a
bunkhead so they rest vertically on the sole of the hull 2' apart, then
put the square tubing across their tops and tack 'em with nails thru
small holes predrilled in the steel so it doesn't fall off. We loop the
wire rope thru the engine lift points and secure it, then pass the steel
tube under the wire and in to rest on the fulcrum. TD goes next door and
gets the kid just home from college; they lift the end of the 12' tube
and I SLIDE the SOB downward along the 10 degree/ angle tube, 'cause the
vinyl coating presents no friction on the smooth round steel. "Let it
down, it's perfect"!
I'm reminded of an article I read in YANKEE Magazine about a guy
reflecting on his grandfather. His favorite image of him was him walking
behind a building he was moving with a straw in his mouth and a grin on
his face; the horse knew the way and some kids were having fun
retrieving the exiting rollers and replacing them in front of the
building. The author recalled his grandfather's expression of "If it's
hard, it's wrong", and I try to think of it when I'm problem solving.
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