Atop a custom engine bed – recently fitted and fastened to new-sawn frames on an historic schooner – sits a brand-new diesel engine. The engine bed, designed and fabricated by GIBY, and the engine, donated by Cummins Marine, will soon serve to power Mary E, a 1906, two-masted clipper schooner currently undergoing a major restoration in Bath, Maine, on the Maine Maritime Museum campus.

While the Museum’s team of shipwrights continues their year-long work, reframing, replanking, and redecking the vessel, GIBY’s involvement in this unique project has recently shifted focus from repowering the boat to hooking up systems. To this end, GIBY’s system tech, Steve, has begun to collaborate with MMM staff on connecting the exhaust and fuel systems. Soon, Mary E will be ready for her re-launch, and final engine alignment!

While GIBY’s management of this job initially centered around pulling the vessel’s old engine; replacing the cutless bearing; designing and fabricating the drop-in engine bed; and mounting and aligning the new engine, these responsibilities ultimately expanded to include the coordination of various vendors involved in the project. GIBY is pleased to be a contributing player, and to be in the good company of Maine Maritime Museum and all those who are helping to make this restoration possible. Cummins Marine, notably, has donated the new engine, covered significant labor costs, and facilitated the acquisition of the exhaust bracketing and a ZF transmission. And Cumberland Ironworks has jumped in to construct a new fuel tank and adapt the vessel’s 100+ year old steering system to accept new materials as it fabricates a new rudder post, bearing, and coupling.

To read more about this project, and GIBY’s involvement, click here.