MD2B

[CAPNBEN]

Took my Westerly Pentland out on Saturday for its first real shakedown after purchasing it last year. Ran the engine for approx 3 hours to get out of the Humber against a SE light breeze. Cleared the river and headed out NE with the Genoa up and the mizzen. About 15 miles offshore and a freshening breeze which was slowly veering SW turned round and headed back. Wasn't making a lot of headway and so decided to put the engine on. Then minutes later there was a strong smell of burning and smoke issueing from the engine access in the cabin. Off engine and left it for ten minutes before carefully opening up for a look.
The vetus plastic water trap/muffler had melted and blown holes through the sides !!!!!
A lesson to be learned here, for me anyway.
I think the water pump has failed. I serviced the engine over the winter but did not change the impellor 'cos I had been led to believe it had been recently done.
Got back into the river (Humber) but it was taking ages to try and tack across to the entrance to Grimsby Fish Dock. I intended to take in the sails and start the engine at the last minute to get me through the entrance. Anyway along came a knight in shining armour in the shape of that "Nice man from the HENRY WATSON" alias "The Count" who took me in tow and got me nicely into the marina.
Phew !!!
So now, who is the best people for water pumps for the MD2B (although I think the answer may be Cleghorn Waring - looking at an earlier post ? and
Question two is How can I get the boat to sail closer to the wind. About the best I could manage was about 60 degrees off the wind on either tack with the Genoa reefed in about 50 percent with the force 6 gusting breeze and sheeted in as hard as possible.
Any answers gratefully accepted.



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[tritonofnor]

See post below... my friend is having trouble with his too! An ideal opportunity for pooling resources methinks.

<hr width=100% size=1>Marina skips - the greatest free resource centre!

 

[Born_Free]

Well CAPNBEN regarding the cause of your problem, I think you'll might find that your pump may well be Ok and if you're lucky all you need is a new impellor and you have indeed learned that you never ever leave an impellor in the pump over winter, it permanently distorts and if used in this condition will beat itself to death as yours seems to have done. As for your sailing question, if I can get my old Fairey Fisherman up to 60 degrees off the wind I'm doing well, so I'll leave that one to those who know more about the finer points of sailing.
Good luck anyway
Martin

<hr width=100% size=1>I have nothing to declare, except my genius
(Sorry Oscar)

 

[seaesta]

Only way I can think of to get closer winded is to motorsail and luff up until the foresail starts to tremble at the luff (check the GPS for "velocity made good" and its true even though it is counter intuitive to sail so close to wind)
Not much help if the engine is dud but you canot have everything.
Dont envy you the tacking in the Humber - the ammount of shipping scares the pants of me everytime I go in or out the Humber even with sail and motor!
Martin

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[Mirelle]

The pump and impeller may well be fine. The pump is highly unlikely to go wrong - you can have fun with the oil and water side seals, but that is a different issue. If the impeller has failed, change it THEN DISMANTLE THE EXHAUST SYSTEM to get any odd bits of rubber out.

I managed to melt no less than three Vetus waterboxes, last season, before discovering that when I had taken the heads and manifold off mucked out the waterways on my MD2 (ancestor of the 2B) some bits of crud that I dislodged had hung up in the water injection bend...

If you find that the impeller is OK, then you have to look elsewhere, as I did - having first made sure that the inlet seacock is not blocked (quite possible!) and that the suction side hose is not collapsing, check the injection bend and the flexible hose between the injection bend and the water trap - it can happen that a bit of lining breaks away and acts as a joker valve...

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

I've a brand new unused Vetus water trap in a battered box for sale considerably cheaper than new-was spare for my MD2B, but never used because I took the impellor out each winter! Post me if you are interested.

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