A near change in plans
13 May 2012 | Still over Marianas Trench
David
Don't put off until tomorrow what can be done today
Or is it?
Quit while you are ahead
We have been running the engine almost non-stop for 40 hours. So at daybreak when I came on shift and it was coolest we stopped the boat to check the oil and replace what I thought was a faulty bilge pump.
We had burnt some oil since Saipan so I topped it up with about 150ml. I found the bilge pump had only blown a fuse as it had been bumped and left on so that was easy to fix. While I had the engine covers off I thought it might be a good idea to tighten the alternator and water pump belts. They were not that loose but half the work is in stopping the boat, getting the covers off and getting dirty so may as well. I tightened them both then went to turn on the engine. It would not start.
This is the most isolated place we have been so far and now we do not have a working engine and also no wind. Bloody hell! Things started racing through my mind. I had experienced not being able to start an engine on Darshaun's boat in Hawaii. That had a problematic but safe ending. But that was also in the US. It was also due to a burnt out starter motor - something I don't have a spare of out here nor will I be able to get in Truk.
Ok, We can sail but with little wind it will take us ages to get anywhere. We definately will not be able to navigate the narrow atoll channels of all the beautiful islands we came to see without an engine so that means we will have to sail past them after all this effort to get here. Without an engine and no wind to turn the wind generator our batteries will be dead after a couple of days. And how are we going to navigate safely or get someone to tow us into Truk? I turned off all our electronics to save battery power, jumped overboard for a quick dip to cool down, made some coffee then then got out the useless Yanmar engine manual to do some problem solving.
We could not start the engine because the electric ignition would not start. I looked and noticed I have left the battery switch on. Oh. I assumed then that when I was working on tightening the alternator belt I may have created a short circuit with a metal spanner touching things it should not.
Andrew and Hirose San can contest to how useless both the Japanese and English versions of the manual are. In Ogasawara when we could not prime the engine it felt like we were reading the jokers version of monopoly. The problem solving tree was something like: Engine wonft start - Go to page 37. Engine wonft prime ? go to page 44. But why did page 44 have a diagram of how to change the oil? This morning was no different. There were several electric diagrams for different engines. The engines were labelled Type A, Type B etc. But Yarramundifs engine is a 3GM. On the 3GM page there is nothing about a Type A or Type B. Blood type of the mechanic? What is a type A engine in a 2GM and 3GM engine manual?
I noticed some consistencies with the diagrams and that they all had a 30amp fuse in front of the starter motor. I delved in and there was a nice little fuse holder, taped securely ? actually hidden well would be a better description - just where the diagram said it would be. I untaped it hoping to see a burnt out fuse and sure enough it had blown. And thanks to Mr. Yanmar there was another 30amp fuse taped inside the holder. I thought I would keep it as a spare and see if one of my 20amp fuses would work so we replaced it and anxiously turned on the ignition. Yes ? the first time I have enjoyed that ear piercing high pitch engine alarm. The motor started, I had a another swim to wash off all the engine grime and we were off.
The lesson here was donft work on critical things like the engine until Ifve had my coffee. And also pack some 30amp fuses. I have tightened the alternator belt and done other engine work in the past and have always turned off the battery switch leading to the engine. Well now I know why that is a good idea. Whilst it was also a useful learning execrise on my engine it was a bit of a lucky escape.
I donft want to mention it now but since starting to write this blog the wind has picked up and we are doing a nice little 5 knots without the engine.
At current speed we will arrive in Woleai late Tuesday afternoon. That is a little after high tide which is critical for entering the atolls main entrance. Rather than put down the throttle and waste fuel we will take it easy and time around arrival for the next high tide early Wednesday morning. We only have to average 3.9 knots to arrive then so hopefully we wonft have to use the engine for a while.
David