Departed at 0500 h Fri for the express run through to Cairns non-stop. After tracking south for 15 miles it was then ESE toward Second Three Mile Opening - an unmarked passage through the outer reef. No sooner had I transited the channel the Battery Alarm sounded!!. This was not the place to lose an engine so there was no way in this earth I was going to turn that baby off. A quick glance at the alternator belt and a multimeter on the output confirmed all was ok and I would not do any damage by running the engine until I had some safe room to play. It's a diesel....it doesn't need electricity to run, ergons are only used to make life easier for the operator and reduce workloads. Once I had some easting I checked again and noted the Rev counter was not working. The solder/crimp connection had broken under the insulation and the main engine loom connector needs a rework as it's locking ring is broken which permits the plug to vibrate apart.
The run down outside Lizard island was extremely quiet....no traffic at all. Calms prevailed all morning and the variable ENE, NE, NWW breeze came in around 1500-1600 h. Managed a fair bit of sleep and arrived at Trinity Passage early morning for the transit back inside the reef. By 1100 h I was refuelled and safely tied up at Half Moon Bay Marina at 1100 h.....and boy was it hot!
Met up with Ihor from H&M GEM Engines, who did my cylinder head work, and handed back the tension wrench kindly loaned to me so I could reassemble the engine. I happily parted with a slab of XXXX gold cans for his boys as a Christmas gesture. They did all the leg work for me to locate the parts required and also picked up and dropped off bits at the airport. Had a nice Thai feed and then into bed ready for tomorrows passage.