Fear of engine failure high up the Dart on a falling tide

CaptainBob

CaptainBob

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Being off the boat all winter, and in anticipation of launch, 'the fear' has returned somewhat. Posting this as a form of therapy - but also keen to hear reassuring replies or suggestions.

I've installed a new fuel filter system with lots of new pipework and connections. I've triple checked it and bled it, and I will shortly run the engine for a while (on the hard) to check it's working OK.... but I can't realistically run it under any load for any length of time until we're actually underway down river, on the falling tide.

And once we're underway, in the confines of the river valley, I seem to recall there's little radio/phone signal, and therefore I'm worried there'll be little potential assistance should something go wrong. And the sails aren't on - and likely wouldn't help much anyway if they were.

I know how to bleed the fuel system, but we'll have limited time before we run out of water due to tide falling... and air in the fuel isn't the only possible engine issue anyway.

I suspect if there is a failure of any kind, we _might_ be able to drift down river on the current and drop the hook so we're safely over a 'hole'... but we could equally drift onto some shallows and have all sorts of problems as we slowly fall over into the rocks/trees/mud.

Aahhgh. I feel worse than before now.

Does insurance cover this kind of thing?

TY!
 
Vessel is a Nauticat 38 - 13 tonnes. Doesn't sail well. Sails aren't on atm anyway. Valley pretty sheltered from wind on the whole, which prevails anyway from the direction we're headed (ish).

We don't have an outboard.

But I will bend on a sail or two if I get chance - better than nothing.
 
To check for air you should run the engingine for an hour at around 1,300 revs preferably in the sea not on the hard. If the revs go up and down then you have an air leak. Use talcum powder on all the joints, bleed screw and where filters join the bowls, if you have a leak you willl see diesel in the powder. If the engine stops drop an anchor and see if you can fix it, if not call for help. Also don't leave without the sails on.
 
CaptainBob said:
Vessel is a Nauticat 38 - 13 tonnes. Doesn't sail well. Sails aren't on atm anyway. Valley pretty sheltered from wind on the whole, which prevails anyway from the direction we're headed (ish).

We don't have an outboard.

But I will bend on a sail or two if I get chance - better than nothing.
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In your position if I was seriously worried I would definitly rent or borrow an OB 4 hp or better. Get the lines on so you can set it up for the hip tow in a hurry.
 
A 5hp outboard on an inflatable will give you more than enough oomph to have steerage way on a falling tide, in any case you'll get plenty of warning if you have an air leak unless its a catastrophic one. I understand the emotions though, I'm always pleasantly surprised that the engine on the boat works as it should, despite it never letting us down.
 
Firstly get your sails on. You can always sail onto a mooring if in desperate need.
Make sure you have a good supply at the injection pump by letting it drip into a jar. you will know if it right!
 
Paulonboard said:
Firstly get your sails on. You can always sail onto a mooring if in desperate need.
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Not much good if that mooring's going to dry out soon, though. Probably better continuing to drift downriver than that.

Assuming you have a reasonable dinghy, I reckon getting your hands on an outboard is a good idea. The square-riggers I've sailed on routinely put a RIB in the water before entering or leaving harbour, which follows them closely alongside in case a helpful shove is needed during manoeuvering. If you could arrange an inflatable dinghy to follow you down similarly, and tow you into deep water if necessary, the worry should be all but eliminated.

Pete
 
Thanks for the replies.

My tender is an Avon Redcrest or Redstart - no outboard bracket.

Don't know (m)any other boaters in the area.

Anyone fancy a trip down the dart in their large(ish) tender, around 0930BST on April 29th?
 
CaptainBob said:
Does insurance cover this kind of thing?

TY!
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No. Insurance expects you to act prudently and not testing on land or having sails on board is not prudent let alone the issue of diy maintenance when in your own words " air in the fuel isn't the only possible engine issue anyway".

Connect your seacock to a bucket of water filled by a hose and run the engine on land for an hour or so. Doesnt need to be under load - after all, you can still make progress under power at engine idle speed. But you need a sail on board just in case the movement of launch disloges some air. And have your anchor at the ready.

Where are you launching from? Dont they have a workboat? They should have if offering launch service
 
Hello Capt'n Hell is it that time of the year already ??
Just go for it and stop worrying . She motored up ok last year so no reason to be worried about going down . Remember you have to go to sea this year!!
When you going down ? We may be in the area and can offer to hold yer hand . cheers. mate
 
Test the engine on the hard, as you said, but make sure you let it run for long period , say half an hour, and rev it up a bit (ensure cooling is adequate). If the engine runs well, then it will make very little difference whether there is loading or not.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Thanks Clyst :)

No thanks Lakesailor - but perhaps I should take up sailing on a lake! ;)

Bosun Higgs said:
No. Insurance expects you to act prudently and not testing on land or having sails on board is not prudent let alone the issue of diy maintenance when in your own words " air in the fuel isn't the only possible engine issue anyway".
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You've misunderstood. I definitely WILL be testing on land first. And I will have sails aboard, but not bent on (though will if I have time). I really don't think that sails will do us any good for this trip though tbh - the river bends in all directions, and is sheltered from the wind, and my boat doesn't sail well anyway - I think we could waste a lot of time trying to sail ourselves out of trouble, if we get in it.

And my "air in the fuel system isn't the only potential problem" comment - I wasn't referring to something I know about or expect - I was just being pessimistic. Things do go unexpectedly wrong. The lifeboat here where I am in Whitby recently had one of its engines "blow up" while on a rescue. Some major internal part failure on a very well maintained, seemingly perfect engine.

Launching from Baltic Wharf - no they do not have a launch I don't believe.

So given my apparently greater due diligence than you first thought, Bosun, do you think insurance might cover us?
 
What's the worst that can happen if your engine does fail and you go aground? Would a Nauticat with its' not very deep keel go so far over that it would fill up on the next tide? How fast does the tide run, and would it push an engineless boat down river fast enough to keep up with a falling tide (assuming you had some way of maintaining at least a bit of control on direction, like trailing a couple of anchors, or a couple of really big sweeps maybe).

If it's any consolation, I have just moved my boat 12 miles - first run of the season, and I imagined all sorts of problems from water in the fuel to the prop falling off. Since I had a lift there, and therefore an escort back, I took all my tools, spare diesel, lifejacket, vhf, and a couple of kitchen sinks, the old Perkins engine behaved perfectly of course. Short of a hole appearing in the hull there can't really be much to worry about. Be as prepared as you can, and if possible get either an outboard + dinghy or a larger mobo to escort you and you'll end up being pleasantly surprised. It's not unhealthy to worry a bit about the potential problems as that means you are more likely to be able to cope if it does go a bit wrong. It's the Capt. Calamity's of this world that are the real problems, the ones who set off in unseaworthy boats with road maps for charts and **** for brains.
 
Bend on a headsail - ask someone on the hard to help if needs be (at crane-in time there are always plenty of folks around) - it'll give you some headway/steerage in emergency and is quick to unroll. Test the engine, as others have said, using a bucket and a hose to keep it full; take off the inlet hose and insert it in the bucket. Ask someone to go with you - an extra pair of hands makes all the difference. People like being asked to help. And as others have hinted, examine the worst that can go wrong and realise that you'll cope and be OK. Eg if you do get stuck, make sure the boat leans towards the upside of the bank if the bottom isn't flat, by moving weight or swinging out the boom and tying something heavy to it.
 
CaptainBob said:
Thanks for the replies.

My tender is an Avon Redcrest or Redstart - no outboard bracket.

Don't know (m)any other boaters in the area.

Anyone fancy a trip down the dart in their large(ish) tender, around 0930BST on April 29th?
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I assume you are at Baltic Wharf, if so you only have to get as far as Sharpham (about a mile) to stop worrying about the tide. If you do have problems anchor there and go back to Baltic Wharf on the next tide for repairs. PM me, I'm on the river and will lend a hand if you need it.
 
Just carry a gallon can of diesel and a hose with connection that can quickly put onto te lift pump suction. that will get you
Out of trouble if needed.
Dont worry about the bugger factor Capt'n I will be keeping it busy down here I expect !!
 
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