Come on - Please Help Me Out Here

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Woodentop

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I am part of a group doing some research into breakdowns at sea.

You must have had a problem at sea (machinery failure) which you either solved yourselves or had to get help.

What was it ?

The background is here;

http://www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20060909115905ymnews.html

And click the link at the bottom to go the survey..

Please, if you have a story about machinery failure, breakdown, etc let us know.

BTW - it is all anonymous - no embarrasing details will come out.

(No "tin opener failed on the FB pie" incidents please)
 
It's a bit flawed. I've only ever had one breakdown, belt came off, called seastart and pottered into Alum Bay where I fixed it myself. Seastart insisted on coming out anyway to make sure it was OK, and accompanying me back.

However, many other might have had multiple problems, some of which they fixed themselves, some they needed help for, some they needed RNLI assistance or other for tow home, so the survey should allow for multiple instances, with different outcomes for each. If you want accurate responses at least, otherwise people will give most conservative outcomes or similar responses
 
The last part - what a silly question or I am missing the point.

Is it possible to reach a safe mooring/anchorage under sail only?
 
Seems reasonable enough to me, the only time we've had an engine problem we sailed back onto the mooring to fix it. We're lucky tho' mooring is fairly easily accessible by sail others, like back end of a tight marina, not so easy perhaps?
 
This looks like we will be providing ammunition for a campaign for more regulation and more funding for MCA and the like.
Will we see headlines like
" A survey of boatowners proves that umpteen% don't have their engines professionally maintained. This puts enormous strain on rescue services" ?
[implied unspoken comment "irresponsible yachties should be banned"]
Perhaps I'm being cynical as it's Monday.
 
Yes, it would be interesting to know why the MCA feel they need to do this survey. There must be some reason prompting it...

Rick
 
funnily enough all my engine problems were when the boat was new and professionally maintained.

since I started doing everything myself I have been fine - and I now go a lot lot further than I ever used to!

a the owner of a single engined diesel unless the lump completely fails the size of your tool kit and competence to use it are the factors that will 'get you home' or have you becoming a statistic. At the risk of over generalising this competence has come to my generation from learing the hard way with my cars and motocycles in a manner that todays youths have little opportunity due to complex engine management systems and a world where replacement is more economical the repair.

This generation is ill equipped to deal with mechanical or electrical or plumbing failures but knows a man who can!
 
Well I've filled out a couple of questionnaires in which I recount fuel failure etc and say I sailed the boat to an anchorage and sorted it out. Presumably if enough of us admit that we have had problems and sorted it out ourselves, that should be ammunition against any proposed change to current regulations and practice.
 
Sail back onto moorings - didnt give an option on using the engine from my tender lashed alongside to get me back onto my mooring.
 
Happened to me for the first time yesterday. Sailed through Portsmouth Harbour (under the watchful eye of the Harbour Patrol - Thanks guys) and up to the waiting pontoon at Port Solent. Hopefully the nice folks there are towing Mystique into the marina today so I can investigate further tomorrow.

Good experience for my novice crew & nice to have to do it "for real"
 
Close encounter with fishing net knackered the prop (admittedly not breakdown, but machinery failure). Dried out on a sandbank to investigate the problem (bilge keels), sailed to local port, towed through lock by another yacht to boatyard who sorted us out. No rescue services involved.
 
I think part of the problem is access to training that goes further than the 1 day RYA Diesel maintenance course.

I have bought a DVD and a book on the subject, but reluctant to start pulling my own engine to pieces, like I used to as a boy with my bicycle in fear of potential damage I might do. So it means the cost of a professioanal service every 2 years, with frequent oil changes in between.

But hands on ability and skill to undertake repairs at sea is the real way to avoid calling out the RNLI when outside your Seastart area.

The MCA do run a 5 day course, but opportunties to undertake it are limited and cost over £ 400.
 
my logic too John - managed to get all 4 incidents on the same entry with a bit of extra explanation in the free form section of 'what was the problem'.

also highlighted that the first 3 were all warantee issues with a new boat ................ /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Tony Brooks' course used to be excellent for the very reason that you got to play with a few different engines over a weekend. I did it with my lad when it was at Reading - as a few around here have done.

Not sure what the current status with his course is since he's partially retired - but he sometimes pops up on here. Well worth talking to if anyone is interested in a bespoke course tailored to your engine. Even his online notes are useful.

Rick
 
I have complied. BUT, BUT, I hated having to answer in all honesty that I had help from RNLI, when what really happened was that Dover CG, having been advised that I was without power (no wind either) but returning with rubberdubby alongside (making nearly 3kts), insisted on my being taken in tow by LB, otherwise not allowed into Dover Harbour.
 
John
I'm of the same opinion - I filled out the form and admitted I'd had a breakdown at sea but fixed it myself. On the question of did you inform the CG I answered (truthfully) NO because I know that if I had of done so I would have had a LB alongside in 15 mins, just in time to see me getting underway. Waste of time and resources.
I fully understand HMCG's stance that if they get a call informing them of a breakdown they immediately want to "assist" but surely a few quick questions to the concerned party should stop a lot of unnecessary call outs.

Assess the situation and monitor gets my vote.

Peter.
 
Absolutely right. All of us who have sorted out our own problems without calling for help must send in a response.

And to KevB - the answer is that all that will produce is data of people who called for help!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I sailed for years with Stuart Turner engines.
It would take ages to list all the incidents of engine failure.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is very true and probably very relevant to the discussion!

Most of us who were around when engines were not the reliable things they are today and yottie VHF sets didn't exist will be practiced at sorting out the problem and getting home unaided. My first boat had a Seagull engine that was a museum piece, the next had a Stuart Turner 4hp with hand start and no charging. The next 2 boats had diesels but Volvo MD1's were not the most reliable except at being unreliable.

Over the years I've sailed a number of boats home with non-working motors. Liz 30 from Cherbourg marina to Poole Quay (camshaft broke), same boat from mid Channel to Poole with net around the prop, Westerly Conway on a company charter Cherbourg marina to Lymington Yacht Haven (crew broke key in ignition). The only one we needed help for was a Westerly 33 when the oil pump drive sheared and the motor seized, no wind and in Poole entrance, by the chain ferry and with a X-Channel ferry on it's way in - another boat luckily towed us back onto our mooring, we could neither sail nor anchor our way out of trouble quickly enough. In none of the other cases did we ask for help and in none did we need CG or RNLI help. On a delivery trip from Brighton to Poole on a friend's boat, mid winter and thick fog the drive coupling sheared off the Owers after we caught a pot line. The tide had turned against us, the wind was very light and we drifted our way back to Brighton. This time we did advise Solent CG because we had wives awaiting to meet us that would be concerned and we couldn't raise them so far via VHF Link calls (probably out partying). We sailed into Brighton entrance and were met as we requested on VHF by their work boat, the RNLI inshore RIB also arrived (unasked) and it's wash banged us against the work boat, not helpful but they were just doing what they'd been asked!

I did answer the survey with some of the above.
 
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