Bad day in Chichester

[ricky_s]

Bad day in Chichester

What a day I had yesterday.

My boat is a Cranchi Riviera, nearly 20 years old but only 180 hours!!!

I haven't used it for two years for various reasons but for the last few months it wouldn't start. Luckily for me, my neighbour is a boat mechanic working for Peters who has been sorting it for me.

We yesterday was the last sort out before I headed for Itchenor to launch. Sorted out fuel system, cleaned out card and fired up!!!

Excellent, got it warmed up then cuts out. Fiddled some more get it going then cuts out again.

Eventually seems to be running well so head to Chichester habour from here in Bognor.

Pop in to Aladdins on the way to pick up some bits and as I get out of the car there is a horrible smell from the trailer. A wheel bearing has gone! Guys at Aladding (now called force 4) ring local trailer guy near then and he aggrees to sort me out if I can get to him. Tow very slowly to Sidlesham and eventually wheel sorted.

Cool. So I then head to Itchenor to lauch and my friend backs her in to harbour. Get her started and warmed up. Just as I go to back out she cuts out again and can't get her restarted.

Great, pull her out again, she wasn't in the water for long but just long enough for the boat to get covered in sea weed.

Oh well, will have to try and get it sorted for next weekend

Andy, if you read this. Thanks for everything you have done on the boat so far.

Moral of this story, don't leave a boat on the drive for a couple of years and then expect to be able to launch and go without hitch.

 

[enterprise]

Re: Bad day in Chichester

Had very simmilar problem, turned out to be oil pressure switch (loose wire), very same symptoms you describe.

 

[Mike_S]

Re: Bad day in Chichester

Look on the bright side, it's better it happened there than out at sea.

FWIW, after lying unused for 6 months our boat did this when shifting from drive into neutral, engine just cut out and wouldn't restart. Turned out to be a sticky throttle cable / linkage, soon sorted. It did cause a few moments of panic though as we drifted between some very expensive boats in the marina /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Steveu]

Re: Bad day in Chichester

Well, I don't know what sort of engine you've got but if it's old technology like cars used to have yonks ago then your specific symptom: goes fine till it warms up, then inexplicably dies....was usually the condensor in the distributor breaking down when it got hot, only to work once more when it cooled. Everybody used to be familiar with that one. THe advent of electronic ignition in the eighties saw that off.

 

[Sneds]

Re: Bad day in Chichester

Ahh the good old days! When your car broke down and you could fix it without resorting to "techinicains and computers" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
On the plus side, they don't conk out like they used to!

 

[ricky_s]

Re: Bad day in Chichester

Think the condenser sounds like the problem to me and this has been suggested by my boat mechanic neighbour. Hopefully he is going to get a chance to look at it today so might just get it on the water next weekend.

It is an old engine (1988) so all simple but getting the parts is a pain and they are so expensive.

 

[ricky_s]

Re: Bad day in Chichester

Boat seems to be sorted now. New coil and condenser and running like a dream. Can't wait for the weekend, Chichester here we come

 

[ricky_s]

Re: Bad day in Chichester

Great. Wait all this time to go out and look at the weather forecast. Do you ever feel like someone up there doesn't like you?