2011 Engineering Report

TIME FOR ALL NON-SKIPPERS AND NON-ENGINEERS TO SWITCH OFF!!
EXCEPT IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO HAS ASKED US OR INDEED WONDERED WHAT WE DO WITH OUR TIME.

Summary
Main engine - excellent
Diesel Generator - poor
Instrumentation – very good
Batteries - excellent
Sails – very good
Rigging – excellent
Ground Tackle (Anchor) - excellent
Fresh water system – average
Water Maker – average
First Mate –excellent with the occasional good 

Total distance sailed = 1775NM
Total Engine hours = 272
Total Genset hours = 26
Total Diesel Litres = 995L Main Engine =960L Genset =35L
Average L/hr = 3.5

Cheapest Fuel = Gibraltar @ £1.01pl (and MDL Hamble was the best @ £0.87pl)
Cooking Gas usage = 5 x 2.7kg camping gaz bottles @ between 10.50 to 14.10 euros per bottle.
Petrol (dinghy outboard engine) = max of 5 litres used
Haribo Star Mix (for passage making) = unknown but large quantities.
HP fruity sauce = 3 bottles and counting
Marmite = 4 jars and counting

REPAIRS
The equipment repairs below do not include the routine servicing (e.g. monthly strainer cleaning, etc) .

Autohelm – Hydraulics stripped out and sent back to manufacture for testing and service. Reinstalled and all OK

Water Maker – Tried to flood the boat when the high pressure hose blew (10NM into Biscay!). Replaced the hose and fittings with parts from the UK

Galley sink – Sump pump failed. Whole assembly stripped out and replaced with Whale gulper 220.

Freshwater pump – sprang a major leak and replaced. Seal kits for old pump were 90% of a complete new pump (and we wonder why we live in a throwaway society!).

Loose cockpit table – removed binnacle panels and secured mounting brackets

Bathing platform hydraulics – Replaced port ram, replaced ATF and balanced system. Now working like new.

Wind Generator - incorrectly wired (with regards to the power management system) as it appeared to be taking power out of the batteries when it was working. Rewired and now putting power into the batteries. Thanks to Nigel Calder!!

Running rigging replacements
Stay, Yankee and mainsail sheets
Stay and Yankee furling lines
Main outhaul and furl
Spinnaker halyard
Pole up
Topping lift

Diesel Generator – Blew an O ring and overheated. Stripped down freshwater side and replaced.

Air conditioning units x 3 – re-commissioned (for some strange reason this happened in August!!)

Calibrated both water temperature and log instruments.

Diesel Generator – Failed again and this time Nigel Calder and I could not fix it. So had to call in the experts. After three visits is was identified that it was a defective exhaust temperature sensor. They shipped the part to me and I installed and we were up and running again. Total bill £910 OUCH!!!!

Leaking Deck saloon windows x 4 – sealant removed and replaced with Sikaflex 295. No leaks detected yet……..fingers crossed.

250hr Engine service – replaced and cleaned primary and secondary fuel filters, replaced oil filter, replaced oil, replaced drive belt, removed, checked and replaced impeller, tightened stern gland and checked.

VHF radio - Nav station -LCD screen failed
- Binnacle – microphone stopped working
Also found to be poorly installed as it was slopping around with only 2 loose screws holding main unit in place from new. Stripped complete system out and brought back to UK for repairs. Fabricated a new mounting plate and glued to hull. Reinstalled and fully functional again.

Engine compartment bilge pump – failed, stripped out, replaced, re-plumbed and added antiphon loop.

Leaking accumulator – stripped out, cleaned and reinstalled.

Exhaust hose cracked – leaking between engine elbow and silencer. Cut away old hose, sourced new and fitted.

Serviced bikes – keeping them well-oiled to stave off the rust!!!!

Refrigeration raw water pump – failed, removed (not easy to get too!!), stripped down, removed family of mussels that had taken up residency!! Reinstalled all OK.

Spliced new dock lines with metal thimbles for metal springs to handle surges in marinas.

Coppercoat anitfouling – Really pleased with how this is working. We have now been in the warm water for 9 months and Max is NOT a bearded lady, unlike last year after only 4 months at Shamrock Quay!
A very thin film of slime has attached itself which can be brushed away if need be but nothing else. Great product applied professionally by bunch of keen amateurs!! (thanks to Steve, Geoff, Mandy and Dave).

Trilux 33 anitfouling – This was painted on to the bowthruster gearbox and propellers and when a diver went under to Max to replace the prop-shaft anode at the end of August, he checked the bowthruster and said that it was so clean that he thought she had only been launched a few weeks ago!!! Great product.
Should have applied this to the P bracket and main propeller, which have experienced some fouling.

……….AND PEOPLE WONDER WHAT WE DO WITH OUR TIME!!!!!!!