Trip to Yellow Patch derailed by engine problems

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Well as the title suggests things did not go according to plan. About an hour after the last blog entry, which by the way I have added some pics to now, Naomi noticed the exhaust was sounding different and then the temperature was rising rapidly. I switched the engine off immediately just as the temperature was hitting 100 C and found that the pulley wheel for the raw water pump had come loose.

Any repair would require leaning against the very hot engine so we got the sails up, let Naomi's parents know and slowly sailed toward Hummocky Island which luckily was only a mile away and had a sheltered anchorage. In light winds we were only travelling 1-2 knots. They were waiting for us and anchored nearby once we dropped our anchor which we did for the first time under sail.

With Don's help tackled the engine which had now cooled. I decided to remove some old piping from the cabin heating system to get access which tore off at the wall as I tugged it loose. With the wheel off we replaced the locking screw with something easier to tighten, and with help of a hammer worked the pulley wheel back into place and it seemed to work.



We had missed our tidal window to enter Yellow Patch so we were at Hummocky for the night. We visited the small rocky beach in the afternoon. Went for a test drive around the sheltered side of the island and re anchored a little closer to Neesea but found the screw had come a little loose.

After sundowner drinks on Neesea I applied some Locktight to the thread and tightened it up again and as I did so the bolt sheared off at the head ! Only hope it holds the wheel in place because getting the screw out again will be difficult.



This morning with the potential for the engine to go wrong we abandoned plans to enter Yellow Patch. This decision was swung heavily because Naomi is feeling sick and not wanting move from being flat on her back. It was a bit of rocky rolly night but she feels it more than seasickness. Naomi's parents have gone back to Great Keppel Island and we will hopefully join them tomorrow when the wind it more in our favour as at the moment it's right on the nose.

Luke

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Comments

[Sarndra]

Hi!
Hi guys, Poor you Nay! Hope you are feeling better. Are you still around Yeppoon/ Keppel? let me know if you are coming to dry land and i'll come down for a catch up xxx Love to you all