Why am I doing this. 

Well I think there must be many boaters who are, like myself, DIY inclined, and prefer not to pay many hundreds or even thousands of pounds to the  'professionals'.

So this will be the tale of how we re-engined the boat.  She is an Aquastar 27 ft SD hull  circa 1975 built as a fisherman, but has had a long a varied career until she came into my hands. I have owned her for the last two years and enjoyed every minute of it. BUT, and this is a big BUT, for the Isle of MAn she is just not up to the very changeable weather , the tides, and the currents we get around here. She had a Perkins 50 hp diesel which would give a WOT of about 6.25 kts in still water, no wind.... etc, and as she lives on a half tide mooring you have to watch the time very closely. and if the weather turns a bit lumpy it can delay you getting back into harbour.  Yes, we have scraped in with the keel almost rubbing the ground at times, and the echo sounder alarm buzzing merrily away.