geardownthreegreens
Well-Known Member
New to me this year, a 23ft crownline with 5ltr efi.
Set off from Davis's at Cobbs(poole), go fetch some fuel from cobbs and proceed up towrds harbour entrance.3/4 way up i can smell burning rubber and its getting quite bad. Next thing, smoke starts pouring into cabin,filling that up, then smoke behind me froma pocket. Starting to panic at this time. I move away from main channel,stop and lift engine hatch to be greated by a cloud of smoke. Now i know i'm in trouble. Female friend and her 2 kids on board. Everyone on with lifejackets and pfd ready. Slowly start to head back and engine fails. Nothing else to do bar dial 999 and asked for coast guard. Within 15-20 mins and using a flare to signal them,we had poole r n l i at our side. Towed us to harbour wall and met with 2 fire engines. By this time the smoke had gone except for the smell.
Can finally see now what was burning or melting. Right hand exhaust manifold had paint bubbling up and the rubber exhaust bellows were melting and by the time they'd cooled,had gone completely brittle.
After a little investigating, turns out there was a small piece of an old impeller which had been replaced last yr in the thermostat housing restricting flow and the thermostat wasn't opening,well only a fraction.
So what a day on Sunday.
RNLI guys were superb,they'd been called in from whereever they were to come and rescue us. My hats off to them!! Firebrigade were great also,even though nothing to do for them as they were happy by the time we'd reached them and everything had cooled.
All i could think about was my crew, thoughts that this may go up in flames and having to throw then overboard. Talk about emotional.This has really dampened my spirits and is not how you want to start your season.
There must be a lesson to learn here, but one thing for sure,safety will be top of my priority from now on,not that it was ever far from away.
Main thing is everyone is ok,and kids look at it as an adventure,bless them.
Set off from Davis's at Cobbs(poole), go fetch some fuel from cobbs and proceed up towrds harbour entrance.3/4 way up i can smell burning rubber and its getting quite bad. Next thing, smoke starts pouring into cabin,filling that up, then smoke behind me froma pocket. Starting to panic at this time. I move away from main channel,stop and lift engine hatch to be greated by a cloud of smoke. Now i know i'm in trouble. Female friend and her 2 kids on board. Everyone on with lifejackets and pfd ready. Slowly start to head back and engine fails. Nothing else to do bar dial 999 and asked for coast guard. Within 15-20 mins and using a flare to signal them,we had poole r n l i at our side. Towed us to harbour wall and met with 2 fire engines. By this time the smoke had gone except for the smell.
Can finally see now what was burning or melting. Right hand exhaust manifold had paint bubbling up and the rubber exhaust bellows were melting and by the time they'd cooled,had gone completely brittle.
After a little investigating, turns out there was a small piece of an old impeller which had been replaced last yr in the thermostat housing restricting flow and the thermostat wasn't opening,well only a fraction.
So what a day on Sunday.
RNLI guys were superb,they'd been called in from whereever they were to come and rescue us. My hats off to them!! Firebrigade were great also,even though nothing to do for them as they were happy by the time we'd reached them and everything had cooled.
All i could think about was my crew, thoughts that this may go up in flames and having to throw then overboard. Talk about emotional.This has really dampened my spirits and is not how you want to start your season.
There must be a lesson to learn here, but one thing for sure,safety will be top of my priority from now on,not that it was ever far from away.
Main thing is everyone is ok,and kids look at it as an adventure,bless them.
