Tag Archives: engine problems

3. East Coast USA

On the Hard

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The past week on the hard has in many ways been our most challenging week so far, and unfortunately the end is not yet in sight. The repairs to our hull are nearly complete — just waiting for the last coat of interior paint. The work looks good (too good, in that the surface has a nice gloss that is long gone from the rest of the hull).

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What’s been difficult about the repair is the epoxy and fiberglass dust within our living quarters.  But worse, we were parked next to a large steel (or possibly aluminum?) work boat where they were grinding the bottom and welding on cooling tubes. For our first days on the hard, with the wind blowing from the east, the noise was annoying (along with the Navy jets constantly flying low overhead). Then the wind shifted to the north, and their grinding dust covered our boat – ugly and black and into everything. We tried to ignore it, but it became intolerable.

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We complained to the yard manager, who reluctantly moved us to a new parking spot, while muttering, “It’s a boatyard. That’s the gamble you take at a boatyard.” Not sure what’s going to show up on our bill…

While stuck here, we’ve done LOTS of projects on the boat.

Sail cover removed to sailmaker for repairs
Sail cover removed to sailmaker for repairs
Replace cracked 'lenses' on hatches
Replacing cracked ‘lenses’ on hatches
Secure handrails on transoms
Better mounts for handrails on transoms
Repair chips in transom, and reinforce cleats
Repair chips in transom, and reinforce cleats
Plan for lightning protection at base of mast
Plan for lightning protection at base of mast
Chart plotter sent to manufacturer for 'recall'
Chart plotter sent to manufacturer for recall/fix
Cleaning/painting props
Cleaning/painting props
Fixing switch to electric winch
Fixing switch for electric winch
Making fender boards
Making fender boards
Making dinghy cover
Making dinghy cover
Outboard mount to carry O/B off of dinghy when at sea
Outboard mount to carry O/B off of dinghy when at sea
Rigging control lines for new hydro generator
Rigging control lines for new hydro generator
Remounting WiFi antenna
Remounting WiFi antenna

And more…

Yesterday we thought we were down to the last time-sensitive project — getting a mechanic to diagnose why our starboard engine (the “new” one) was increasingly difficult to start, and belched black smoke when it did finally start. The mechanic did a cylinder compression test while we watched, and one cylinder was bad. [The compression was below the point where diesel will ignite, but close enough that once the engine started on the other 2 cylinders and began to heat up, the bad cylinder would kick in.] He asserted that the engine has more hours on it than we were led to believe, and it needs serious work. We agreed to have him remove the engine so he could work on it in his shop. Pulling the engine through the hatch is no small feat!

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Tim and Bill watched as the mechanic pulled the engine apart, and demonstrated a long list of problems with it. What we thought was a nearly-new engine needs to be rebuilt! And…some of the parts are on back order from Japan. Tim has been on the phone calling all over the country for parts. We asked about going back in the water, and installing the fixed engine without another haul. Nope; not a good idea to have our saildrive transmission hanging loose, disconnected from an engine.

So…time to recalibrate our expectations about getting off the hard.

3. East Coast USA

SC to FL

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I thoroughly enjoyed our relatively long stay in Charleston.  I could even imagine living there.

Bill’s daughter Nora joined us.

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We left at dawn in the rain, and headed down the ICW. One engine overheated. Tim determined that the belt for the cooling water system was loose. He tried to tighten it (it’s very difficult to access, especially when the engine is hot), but it still overheated. No problem, we only need one engine for tootling along the ICW. Then the second engine overheated, and we had an emergency anchoring drill (in the rain, and strong wind, and strong current).

We checked the filters on the cooling system, and found they were full of gunk. In retrospect, that’s not surprising, since the place we stayed in Charleston was so shallow that our props stirred up lots of muck. After cleaning them, things have worked. Except when we tried to get the anchor back up we got the rope jammed in the windlass.

We went through some fascinating creeks (up one, through a cut, down the next, current first with us, then against us).  Without GPS and a good chart, one could go in circles here!

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We decided to anchor mid-afternoon in a middle-of-nowhere creek. The wind and rain came up hard just as we got in.  Everything on the boat was wet.  But in spite of the problems, I was happy to be moving again.  It even occurred to me while we were dealing with our issues that it was kind of funny that I was enjoying it all!

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Next stop: Beaufort, SC, at a delightful marina across the bridge from downtown.  Showers.  Laundry (more importantly a dryer).  More wicked good food.  Fun walking around town.

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We need to move on in the morning. Stocked up with treats from the bakery, and headed out once again in the rain. Though it was calm as we motored down the Beaufort River, strong northerlies were predicted, so we decided to head offshore and reel off some miles. Indeed, last night was challenging, with rain squalls and gusts up to 40 knots, and sustained winds of 30. Occasional bone-jarring crashes of waves against the side of the boat.

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Selfie after a tough night
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Nora after a tough night

But by noon today we were on a mooring in St Augustine, eating the rest of the treats from the bakery. And the sun is now out and we get to dry our stuff!

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I’m excited that we have made it to Florida.  But only a brief visit to town this evening, as we plan to head back outside in the morning to take advantage of the north wind, this time expected to come with sunny skies.  That could make for a happy Thanksgiving, in spite of being away from family and the traditional feast.

3. East Coast USA

A day in Oriental, NC

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I’ve been aboard a week. This life isn’t easy. Trying to live with two men, each of us with our distinct lifestyles; living in a small space; gear everywhere; endless projects; an occasional shower. Trying to adjust to getting up with the sun and going to sleep many hours earlier than my old routine. Missing the comforts and relationships of home.

We spent the entire day today at a boatyard in Oriental, NC, because we have once again had problems with dirty fuel causing one engine to stall. The yard has been cycling our fuel through a filtering system all day long. We changed the oil in both engines today, which is a messy job (as is most any job in the cramped “engine rooms”). We started working on problems we have with the plumbing of our heads/toilets, but we have lots more work to do there. We got a fuel gauge working that had stopped. We failed to fix our wind speed indicator, which works occasionally, but mostly not. We did most of the rigging of a bracket to hold our outboard motor securely, rather than leaving it on the dinghy when we’re out at sea. It’s been a productive day.

Everyone we have met in Oriental has been delightful. Everyone at the boatyard is knowledgeable and helpful. The town seems to be a very pleasant place, though maybe a little too sleepy for my taste. Seems like lots of people travel here from away (many by boat), find that they like it, and decide to retire here.

The weather, after our initial gale, has been wonderful. Until this evening’s rain, that is, and tomorrow it is supposed to get cold, and below freezing tomorrow night. But with the cold front comes a north wind, which we can use to our advantage. We’re thinking of going as far as Beaufort, NC, tomorrow; spending the night; then heading out into the ocean for an overnight (again in strong winds and cold) to Charleston, SC. In one overnight of intense sailing we can go as far as in 3 or 4 days of motoring down “the ditch.” We’ll re-check the weather and again consider the plan tomorrow night.

It should be interesting getting out of this marina in the morning, as the boats couldn’t be packed in any tighter!

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