Motor (rebuilt in '95 with 200 hrs) is siezed. There is heavy, dry, cakey, oil residue all over the bilge to the top of the stringers and it had to float there. This tells me "black" oil from the engine was floated out into the bilge through the dipstick, crankcase vent on the side of the pan, or main seals. There was significant rust (from condensation?) on the underside of the valve cover indicating long term presence of water vapor? Motor dipstick showed black oil, but no emulsification ?

My first bet was water in a couple cylinders from raw seawater backing up in the exhaust system. If a syphon was created in the raw water circuit, it could have filled up cylinders and leaked into the oil pan. However, the Vetus waterlock had very little water in it when I removed it and there was really none in the exhaust piping below the exhaust manifold outlet. Maybe the exhaust system is not  the most likely culprit.

When I pulled the transmission off the bell housing I found the bell housing 1/2 full of emulsified oil and water. The emulsified oil tells me the motor was probably run with oil and water in the bell housing. So maybe the transmission filled up with water and floated the oil into the bell housing? Maybe both the engine and transmission simply were submerged above the crankshaft center and leaked into both over time. The boat had 2 manual switched bilge pumps in the engine compartment.

The transmission either filled up becasue it was submerged or because the transmission cooler leaked seawater into it and beyond.. There was a lot of rusty debris on the top of the transmission which may have floated there when it was submerged and was deposited when the water was pumped out. I found seacocks open. If they were closed and didn't leak, water infiltration to the trans or engine would have been impossible or limited.

I can imagine water syphoning into the engine or transmission over time and floating the oil out, then filling up the bilge space under the engine. Transmission cooler could be the culprit.

Pulling the transmission dipstick, I found it full of clear water to the top.

Next possibility is the engine bed of the boat sat full enough of water to seep into the engine and transmission through crank seals or crankcase vent or dipstick tube. If the motor was not run, it could be seized due to rusted cylinders and electrolysis of pistons and the lower end could be ok.

However: When I pulled the motor out and checked the transmission, I found it full of clear water to the top. Water could enter from a failed transmission cooler

Ok, the fun has begun. I spent 3 days on and off the boat and feel Like I got very little accomplished May 20-23, 2009. I've visited 2 local boat yards and aquired a lot of information about the boat and it's past owner. I met a couple owners of essentially the same boat. They love their boats and have done a lot of the work that I have in front of me and they're happy to share information and resources - even help.

Bottom line is I've got to get the boat out of the water ASAP, get the bottom cleaned and painted, new zincs installed, prop shaft and thru hulls checked, transponder for depth sounder installed. and knot meter sensor installed. It would be great to get a coat of LPU paint sprayed on the topsides, but that could be done later...

The motor is siezed and may still be rebuildable. Otherwise I have to obtain a used or rebuilt motor. The motor comes out through a removable cockpit and this was apparently done in the past (1995).

Two diesel tanks are steel;, rusted through and leaking. I guess the standard is to replace them with aluminum ($2,500 for the tanks?) This will be much easier with the motor out of the way. the owner apparently converted one of the stainless water tanks into a diesel tank,

Kelly Peterson 44 Boat Review

Autopilot is a  pretty bomb proof Ben-Mar 21 unit and can be sent to Benmar for rebuilding..???

Autohelm Windvane is pretty cool.

Lighthouse Stainless Steel Electric Windlass (with double Stainless Steel Rollers)