Our family's second boat was ALTA, a 22' lapstrake oak motorsailer (finished bright=loads of work). ALTA had a big box in her cockpit with a two cylinder Volvo under it, which could ONLY be started with a crank. RAGS's Yanmar has a lot more compression than that Volvo, even with the compression lever released. Skip had the same engine in WILDFLOWER and neither of us were able to crank start them.
No, the crank does not have a ratchet but to keep from ripping your arm off, the teeth are cut at an angle so the handle releases easily. I had that end cut off and an additional length of tube welded on so it would clear the bulkhead in front of the engine. The handle was supplied with the boat but was apparently not intended to be used. I need to take the companionway ladder out (it's in the way), have someone nearby to take me to the hospital, and give it a bloody go. I want to crank start it at least once (dammit).
That story about starting the engine with a gybe was sorted out awhile back over in Skip's thread.
I'm back to wanting two battery monitors and I've found a place to install them without drilling any new holes. (Cool, another boat project!)
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