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Do I Have the World's Only 3 Cylinder Gasoline Engine?

Not long ago my 4 cylinder Gray Marine engine was virtually unusable. It had reached the point where I was seriously considering replacing the engine. Now it is everything I could hope for after being converted to a 3 cylinder. Following is my journey to a rather unique problem nobody knew how to solve

My boat is 69 years old. I didn't trust the engine so in 2012 I decided to have it rebuilt as I wanted something I didn't have to worry about. I can't say I achieved that goal. The most persistent problem was the exhaust valve sticking on the aft-most #1 cylinder. Very occasionally at first but toward the end it became virtually unusable. One of the issues is that when the exhaust valve sticks the cylinder sucks water out of the wet exhaust. Does it stick because of the water or does it get water because it sticks? I don't know but I do know that over the years I tried everything anyone could think of to keep it from sticking.

The article starts with a short (8 second) video so you can see it running.

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Ultimate Unassisted Mast Climbing (Updated 1/1/2026)

https://l-36.com/image/UltimateMastClimbing_top-2.jpg

It had been several years since I last went up my mast, and this year it was time for a thorough rigging inspection. At 77 years old, the thought of having my crew haul me up briefly crossed my mind, if only because of my age. But I have not had anyone haul me up the mast in decades, and this climb removed any lingering temptation to go back to that. The bottom line is I feel safer putting my life in my own hands.

I have tried dozens of ways to climb my mast. In the process I have accumulated way too many ascenders, rappel devices, carabiners, and a GriGri. I think this climbing system is the best. It is simple to rig, quick going up, requires very little to transition from up to down, and is very fast and controlled going down. It takes just a couple of minutes to get down, including rigging the rappel device.

The article starts with a short (4 1/2 minute) video that gives an overview. Start there.

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Beyond Soft Shackles

Nearly all of the soft shackles now sold include features I introduced years ago, yet there is an irony in that success: I rarely use them myself. For almost everything else on my boat, I use what I call line shackles. They work on the same basic principle as a soft shackle but eliminate the separate piece altogether. Instead, the connection is built right into the line itself. It is faster, cleaner, and better suited to many of the places where a soft shackle feels like one part too many.

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History of the Soft Shackle

From centuries-old button-and-eye knots to modern Dyneema innovations, soft shackles have been shaped by sailors, riggers, and plenty of experiments along the way. This article traces that evolution - from the Kohlhoff and Colligo versions, to my own Better Soft Shackle and the Stronger Soft Shackle that grew out of forum collaboration.

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A quick tour of L-36.com

L-36.com is built for sailors but has information for way beyond that. About 95% come here for the Weather Page, but that is only a small part of what is on the site.

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AI and the Talking Wall

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a big deal. This articles is the story of my relationship, good and bad, with AI.

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Seven Great Boating Tools

Over the last four decades as a wooden sailboat owner, I've purchased and tested countless tools for maintaining my boat. Among them, the 7 products listed below stand out as my favorites. I use these regularly and have frequently recommended them to friends over the years. The images included feature the actual tools I own; if you see a hand in a picture, it's mine.

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Soft Shackle Ultra-lite sheets

I didn't know if I should call this "Splicing Samson Untra-lite", "Integrated Soft Shackle Light Air Sheet", "Soft Light Air Sheet", or "The Ultimate Sheet for Light Air Sailing". Maybe "How I Went From Doing Pirouettes in Light Air to Nirvana." The truth is that it is all of these.

In most of the time I owned Papoose, if the wind got below 5 knots the boat would just sit there and turn usually backing to the wind. Now I have a free flying light air jib, a spinnaker and thses sheets, sailing in 5 knots of wind is my favorite sailing condition.

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Soft Shackle Y-sheets

Y-Sheet use for spinnakers is not a new idea. In fact, it is widely used but typically requires tying to the clew with a bowline. That makes using high tech lines like Amsteel problematic because knots slip in Dyneema. In this implementation, the attachment to the clew is just like a soft shackle but unlike a traditional soft shackle, the shackle is divided into its key elements with the adjustable eye integrated in the Y-Sheet itself and the diamond knot permanently attached to the clew ring.

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My Youtube Channel

As of 4/7/2024 My YouTube channel, @L-36, has 4,470 subscribers. The top video now has almost a half million views. To see the most popular videos, click on the link below.

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A Better Soft Shackle

My "Better Soft Shackle" has become the standard in soft shackle design along with the stronger soft shackle. I invented this version several yeas ago and was co inventor of the stronger soft shackle along with the late Brion Toss and Evans Starzinger. Of the two versions, I prefer this one. It is easier to tie and easier to use. If I want a stronger shackle, I start with stronger line. For example, the stronger soft shackle is 35% stronger but going up one line size gains 60% in strength. All things considered, I believe this is the superior version.

The original soft shackle is rather difficult to open and to milk closed. With age, it becomes increasingly difficult. The alternative Kohlhoff style is easy to use, but it sacrifices some security. This version incorporates the best properties of both of these versions. The eye is easy to open but can only be opened just enough to fit the stopper knot through it. Almost any slight force will close it quickly.

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How to Tie a Bowline (fast and easy)

There are lots of ways to tie a bowline. I think this is the quickest, fastest, easiest to do and remember of all the ways. I learned this when I was a kid from my dad. He probably learned it in the navy in WW II, not sure. But I do know he was a sailor and knew how to tie a bowline fast.

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