Well, I always figured it was going to be entertaining watching these guys try and prise over 700 lbs(300 Kg) of rusty steel out of Compromise's engine bay and it was. First off. The man in the centre is Pepe. He is my Volvo Mechanic. The guy on the left was an acetylene welder, in this case simply there to cut out some old rusty bolts. The guy with the white terrycloth bandana, my personal favourite, is my ninja cowboy metal cutter man. Pepe described him to me (with sign language, remember I don't understand a word these guys are saying and they don't understand me) as the guy who was going to cut out the engine supports. Very funny. He showed up with a rotary angle grinder, a couple of spanners and a crow bar. He was always slightly manic and seemed to complain about Pepe but I all I could do is smile and shrug my shoulders. Well after a clunky attempt at laying the ground work for freeing the engine I realized after he left that he a bolt had been missed. The engine was unusual in that it had 6 bolts to anchor the engine down.
Next day all 3 appear and start arguing in Spanish how to proceed. Some kind of plan seemed to work it self out. After much clanging and pyrotechnics the engine could be lifted with a crowbar. A funky small boat forklift was called in and manoeuvred into position. It did not look like the engine was going to get out the hatch nor was the forklift going to get over the hatch. The forklift kept dangerously flexing the cap shroud and baby stay shrouds. Things seemed to get a bit heated and after an extended wait the ninja cowboy cutter and his acetylene torch mate high tailed it out of there leaving Pepe behind.
Eventually a phone call to Jaspin, my English speaking compatriot at Volvo, Pepe relayed the message via his mobile phone, it was the weekend and we could not get a forklift till Monday. OK, time to wrap it up. Damn I just sat on my mobile phone. Now I am in a boatyard with no phone. Brilliant.