I've been pondering on ways around fitting the twin cylinder vanguard engine for lift on my TS3. There is approximately 50 mm difference in the height of the twin and the single intek engine. The twin is obviously a smoother running engine, weight difference is approx 7 kg, so not worth worrying about.
The problem with fitting the twin is that the front screen will not fit because of the height difference.
There are several options around it, I could chop a hole in the front screen and then make up something to cover the engine bits that are poking through. I could make up a completely new front screen for it, which I quite fancy doing, but is time consuming and not really worth making a plug & mould for a one off.
Then this afternoon while pondering ways around it, it dawned on me to make up a plinth for the screen to fit on. The front screen is bolted along the bottom flange through the hull. So how would the best way be to make the plinth? I could of course make it up out of glassfibre but again we're talking of making plugs etc, then I had a brain wave
I could make up two horse shoe shaped hoops out of aluminium angle that follow the shape of the front screen and space them approximately 75 mm apart using stainless threaded bar through the bolt holes in the bottom of the screen, then all I would need to do is infill between the aluminium angles. I thought that possibly a good infill material would be:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAINLESS-STEEL-SOFFIT-VENT-INSECT-FLY-BUG-MESH-ROLLS-Pest-Proof/151685590404?hash=item23512a6d84:m:mZH6Z6juV3MJTC51R-ughkg:rk:3:pf:0This would allow more air to enter the lift fan duct, but my biggest worry is how much water would it allow through if I was hit by a freak wave? Would it let enough water through the approximately 40 mm - 50 mm gap between the two aluminium angles to damage the lift fan?