Hand Crank a Volvo MD7A in a Cape Dory 28 Sailboat

We fried our starter after crossing the Atlantic in our Cape Dory 28 sailboat. We had to resort to using the hand crank to get it started. We'd never used it before this and we found it easiest to use to people. One to crank and one to push down the decompression lever. With one person, the engine speed slowed down too quickly by the time they reaching the lever.

[@maxcrittenden9109]

Impressive! I had an MD7A for years and never came close to hand-starting it. Good trick with the fender too.

[@cvwassociates6857]

You crazy kids! This looks very helpful and very hazardous. I hope y’all got a new starter. 😊

[@rimasmeleshyus9486]

Wow ,so amazingly working .

[@stevewhite791]

Very real...awesome. Good to know this. That handle spinning is a thrill! Good teamwork. Maybe tie a tether to it, a very thin long enough line that would whip around but be long enough to just yank. OR...just stick with the buoy method, haha.

[@BethBrowne]

This is so good to know! Thank you!!

[@richkallerud2781]

Made me smile. We have Cape Dory 29 hull#343

[@glennmobley1771]

Thanks for the video

[@peterrenders1056]

I have the same engine. It helps to practice when you don't need the crank. Once you've done it once I expect you will have much more confidence in what it feels like to start the engine. When you flip the compression switch it will get hard to crank but if you make one more revolution on the crank it will start.

[@reefrunnersailing]

Haha yes! Unfortunately we had just crossed the Atlantic and needed it to get to our winter haul.

[@consponlongitron4765]

The handle 🫣

[@diederikdevries]

Thank you so very much!

[@asdasdf7908]

It would be verry nice if you could upload this kind of short videos more frequent!

[@reefrunnersailing]

We Try :)). Anything specific you'd like to see?

[@youyouulf]

I think maybe oiling the crank a little would make the release more likely.

[@autonomousindividual7780]

Careful with that handle. Many arms broken back in the day of crank automobiles. It should be cut in a way to kick it off the shaft when it starts.

[@reefrunnersailing]

It has a cut away that it should fall right off. I'm certain that's why the fender is able to knock it off so easily. Maybe a little rust mitigation on the handle would help it slip off at the right time.

[@johnkilty1419]

I would try a battery powered drill.

[@Headwind-1]

dude grease the crank ffs. .. . .