Engine rpm's~

I'd been really anxious to get the diesel engine going. Even though its a sailboat and you don't really need an engine to travel, you kinda need it to get on and off the dock. Its also an important system in the boat from an electrical standpoint. Since we wont have a generator right away, our main engine will be the main charging system for our D/C power supply while underway and abroad.

Aside from this, I really wanted to get the engine going simply to hear the old diesel engine spin up some rpm's and produce some man made power!

Plus I really wanted to go sailing!!

So on to the wiring....

 These are the new engine gauges plus a key switch and buzzer with idiot light for high temp and low oil pressure. 

 This is the back side of the new engine panel I built. The wire harness is color coded because that is the way you do it.

Here you can see what the engine panel will look like once installed. Engine Tach, Oil Pressure, Water Temp, Key start switch, Glow plug button and finally a 12V outlet. I left space in the panel in case we want to add something down the road, maybe an ipod jack?  The panel is built of 5/8" white starboard and will be recessed into the cockpit wall.  This decision was made partly by accident when I began digging open on old repair looking area in the cockpit. Turns out this was where the original engine panel was located. 

This was the location of the old engine panel. You can see the old switch and buttons to the left. Only problem is you can't just screw in a new panel, thats way to simple... so I had to build a frame in which to mount the new panel. I built it with 1"x1" trim, and epoxied it into place, this will give me an interior frame to recess the new panel.

View from inside the engine room looking out. Otter wood frame with inner starboard frame.

 Getting ready to glue and screw it all together...

Ta Daaaa!!!  The new engine panel is complete!

Now were ready to fire her up!