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1960 Gardner 4LW

Gardner 4LW - Year of Manufacture 1960

This Gardner 4LW, 56hp @ 1300 rpm, had been temporarily removed from M/Y Mary Islay to undergo some repairs resulting from salt water corrosion. The engine was purchased from a re-conditioners in the north of England by the current owners in 2007. This was to replace an elderly Foden FD4 engine that was becoming increasingly difficult to source parts for and in use was also extremely loud. Once fitted the Gardner had only completed around 10 hours before ill health meant the engine sat idle until recently. The boat is now undergoing repairs to its hull with a traditional shipwright in Poole and is due to be relaunched in time for her 60th birthday in early 2017.

To carry out some of the repairs it was necessary to remove the engine, this revealed that approximately six years with salt water in the bilges and in contact with the bottom of the engine had cause the engine oil sump to corrode through and is now holed and no longer holds oil. Due to the water level in relation to the engine it is now with MPS to repair/replace the oil sump and for inspection of the engines crankshaft, main and big end bearings and gearbox for damage relating to contact with salt water. Once repaired the engine will be serviced, aesthetically tidied and reset to the marine light duty of 62hp @1500rpm to closer match the 72hp@1700rpm of the Foden it replaced.

Mary Islay was commissioned by Sir Giles Gutherie, later chairman of BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) and built in 1957 by Aero Marine Ltd, Emsworth.

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