Boat broken down - what do i do?

O

Oldgeezer

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 Sep 2010
Messages
208
Location
St Albans - boat was at Woodbridge
Visit site
I'm a bit at a loss what to do.
My boat (Torcello) is now anchored in the deben by Methersgate quay.
The engine is overheating as there is no water going through!
Checked impeller looks ok - nothing getting through the seacock for some reason.

My home mooring is at Eversons Woodbridge.

Please can anyone advise?
 
Oldgeezer said:
I'm a bit at a loss what to do.
My boat (Torcello) is now anchored in the deben by Methersgate quay.
The engine is overheating as there is no water going through!
Checked impeller looks ok - nothing getting through the seacock for some reason.

My home mooring is at Eversons Woodbridge.

Please can anyone advise?
Click to expand...

remove a pipe from the inlet & blow it through with a dinghy pump forcing what ever is in the inlet back out.#
or poke something through the seacock
 
now got water at impeller - and replaced impeller (running dry wouldn't have done it any good)
Letting engine cool a little before I try a start again

If all else fails, should I call Pan pan and ask for a tow from someone going to Woodbridge - or is that not really on?

Or is there a yacht breadown Co. I can call?
 
Oldgeezer said:
now got water at impeller - and replaced impeller (running dry wouldn't have done it any good)
Letting engine cool a little before I try a start again

If all else fails, should I call Pan pan and ask for a tow from someone going to Woodbridge - or is that not really on?

Or is there a yacht breadown Co. I can call?
Click to expand...

just flag down a passing boat would be my choice. a Pan Pan will get the CG involved & its not exactly an emergency is it.
if you have water at the pump it should be ok
what sort of boat is she
 
Can't see where the water is coming from - it seems ok to the heat exchanger - so possibly from the exhaust - but that wouldn't explain the overheating.

I'm doing this remotely as my son is sailing the boat (Westerly Centaur - "Torcello") and is on the phone to me from the Deben.

I have suggested asking a passing boat for a tow, and possibly a pan pan stating its not serious or I have suggested calling Tidemill yacht harbour as they may have callout facilities or knowledge of some one....

I wish I was on the boat myself.......
 
Latest report -
No boats going up the Deben this evening according to son.

So he's called Pan pan and is waiting help.

I think pan pan is ok, to quote -

Fouled propeller, engine failure or out of fuel -

Provided the vessel is now either anchored or under sail and safe from any immediate danger of collision or stranding. The crew may be planning to clear the propeller, refuel from an onboard supply, hoist sail or use some other alternative propulsion. Alternatively, as part of the "pan-pan" call the skipper may request a tow from a suitable vessel, if possible, but without immediate urgency.

If I were there I might try to investigate further but I think he did well to change the impeller and clear the seacock - must be something else though.
 
Oldgeezer said:
Latest report -
No boats going up the Deben this evening according to son.

So he's called Pan pan and is waiting help.

I think pan pan is ok, to quote -

Fouled propeller, engine failure or out of fuel -

Provided the vessel is now either anchored or under sail and safe from any immediate danger of collision or stranding. The crew may be planning to clear the propeller, refuel from an onboard supply, hoist sail or use some other alternative propulsion. Alternatively, as part of the "pan-pan" call the skipper may request a tow from a suitable vessel, if possible, but without immediate urgency.

If I were there I might try to investigate further but I think he did well to change the impeller and clear the seacock - must be something else though.
Click to expand...

blown a gasket is my guess after over heating, did he not hear the exhaust note getting louder due to no water
 
depending on boat size a dingy with outboard can be tied alongside for and aft (also must use springs ) ad quite a big boat can be shifted this way

would need tide with you though
 
Unfortunately he would have talked louder if the engine was making more noise!
He says it wasn't anyway.

latest report - Tidemill Yacht Harbour came to the rescue and towed them to the mooring. (Good service I thought!) Now all crew on dry land - heading for something to eat.
Tidemill charged £50 which is fair enough on a Sunday evening, so I'll call Eversons in the morning and get them to have a look.

I can feel some expense coming on....
 
Next time I'll try the dinghy - tide was with them but only 2hp motor which might struggle. I did suggest the dinghy but son thought it probably wouldn't do the trick and the would end up hitting Methersgate Quay as they were so close and wind picking up.

Thanks for all suggestions - Its a learning thing this sailing isn't it! (oh, and a money thing)
 
I think you did exactly the right thing, there are some strong currents at odd angels to the channel in the upper reaches, particularly around Troublesome, I don't thing a side tow with a 2hp would have done it. Credit to Tidemill, £50 is a bargain bearing in mind their hourly rate.
 
I have now spoken in detail with son!

They anchored as soon as they had overheated four times in quick succession - they didn't want to try again with the engine. (Once would have been enough for me!)

Thats when they phoned and I got them to change the impeller and clean out the seacock (thanks for advice on this forum!)

The engine then started and seemed to pump water - but none was coming out of the exhaust - another overheat on its way? But bilge was filling instead. I suggested the next course of action was to hitch a lift or call 'Pan Pan'.

The coastguard responded and contacted Tidemill Y H. They arrived fairly quickly and for £50 took the yacht to its mooring outside Eversons in Woodbridge.

I'll go and have a look myself later this week when the tide is favourable and see if I can see where the water is going if not out the exhaust.

Not sure what the 'plastic water lock' is? There is an anti syphon plastic thingy after the impeller but I think it must be somewhere in the exhaust?

Oh, and I'll have to take the end off the cooling stack to find bits of impeller as the removed one is somewhat nude!

The engine only has 90 hours on it so I hope its not something v. bad.
 
Its got a nice new betamarine 20hp with a Vetus NLP 40 water lock. (I've been looking at some of the photos I took when I bought it)

I can see how it could have melted without water - I just need to go and have a look. It would be easier to replace than a blown gasket. Looks like Wednesday for a visit...
 
Sneaking in at the end, when more evidence is available :) i'd say it sounds like he had a blocked sea cock, which caused the engine to overheat and the waterlock to melt. With a melted waterlock and unblocked sea cock, the water is now going through the engine and into the bilge.

Hopefully no damage to the engine. If the waterlock has melted, i'd be inclined to replace the exhaust hoses, could be well BBQ'd on the inside.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

C
Newbie - am I being too unrealistic?
2 3
Replies
59
Views
2K
peterhull
P

Share this page

Top