May 9, 2014

It is confirmed that the engine has a blown head gasket, if not a cracked head. This is a first for us given all the engines we have owned over the years. I usually do my own engine work but I think I will contract this one out since the work requires hours on knees stuffed into the engine compartment. That said, there is a positive aspect to this situation. At least it happened in a good spot and at a full service yard and not some wonderful, remote anchorage in the third world. We have been fortunate that way during our cruise. The service manual does call for periodic tightening of the bolts that keep the gasket mashed properly. This is a costly result of not doing that and a warning to others that one does not want to learn that the hard way. Most critical is the one that happens just a hundred hours into a new engine's life.

It seems Scurv has a secret life. We learned from two other boaters that he was seen ashore early mornings when we thought he would stay aboard at first light. Seems he has a secret program to run the ducks out of the marina then be back aboard before we notice. Can't trust our own head of security. Now we an explanation for his reduced doggie output. He is now on restriction until further notice. The netting is up on the lifelines.