polyanna
Well-Known Member
So there I was last Thursday looking forward to a peaceful days fishing on my own (SWMBO at work). Slipped out of PD at around 07:00 and headed out past Caernarfon bar to a wreck about 5 miles west. Set up the drift, got the lines in and sat there drinking in the peace and tranquillity of a dead calm and slightly misty morning.
Watched in awe as a huge raft of Guillemots, puffins and gannets started to feed just off to the north. It took a while before it dawned on me that they were feeding on baitfish and where there are bait fish there are predator fish.
Got the lines in and jumped on the helm, turned the key…. nothing. What!! tried again…nothing. By now the battery alarms are going off on main console, VHF and chart plotter. Switched everything off and checked the batteries. Everything looked ok, no loose connections. Bit stumped as I’d checked their levels and topped them up only a couple of weeks back. I’d had no problems the previous day and been on shore power over night. Checked the main panel. Oh b*gger, left the fridge on! But surely that hadn’t drained both batteries that quick? Started checking cables leading out from the batteries – nothing obvious found. Switched VHF back on….. dead.
Now I’m starting to worry and was slowly drifting westward. Dropped anchor and worked out my position ready for a pan pan. Dug the handheld out of the grab bag, full four bars on the battery, pressed to transmit….. and it died, b*gger. Still the option of using the flares but no other boats to be seen
Now is a good time to remember the Majors avatar “keep calm and carry on”. Went below to dig out the mobile, thank God it was fully charged and a good signal as well. Informed the very nice lady at Holyhead CG of position and stressed that I was in not in immanent danger but had suffered a total power failure and could not get back in.
Ten minutes later she rang back to tell me the Porthdinllaen lifeboat had been launched and would be with me in 40 mins. I’ve been a supporter and a coastal member of the RNLI for many years but how embarrassing is it when you have to call them out, especially after previous digs about the “tow you home service” on this site.
Still, they were great and towed me back to a courtesy buoy off Caernarfon. There was a little gentle probing on the way back, two radios? (yes), have you got any flares on board (yes - 2 sets), spares? (yes and tool kit). They even put me ashore so I could get myself sorted out. Also big thanks to Queen of the Sea pleasure trip boat for taking me back out to the boat later on. Although some of the tourists did look a little alarmed when I started putting on my life jacket. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Back on board with test meter and battery off the Jeep, I managed to trace it to a poor eath connection on a huge cable under the port side of the engine bolted on to the "chassis". cleaned it up and tighted it and everything came back to life /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Lesson learnt: need to check the hand held to see why it would not transmit.
Bob
Watched in awe as a huge raft of Guillemots, puffins and gannets started to feed just off to the north. It took a while before it dawned on me that they were feeding on baitfish and where there are bait fish there are predator fish.
Got the lines in and jumped on the helm, turned the key…. nothing. What!! tried again…nothing. By now the battery alarms are going off on main console, VHF and chart plotter. Switched everything off and checked the batteries. Everything looked ok, no loose connections. Bit stumped as I’d checked their levels and topped them up only a couple of weeks back. I’d had no problems the previous day and been on shore power over night. Checked the main panel. Oh b*gger, left the fridge on! But surely that hadn’t drained both batteries that quick? Started checking cables leading out from the batteries – nothing obvious found. Switched VHF back on….. dead.
Now I’m starting to worry and was slowly drifting westward. Dropped anchor and worked out my position ready for a pan pan. Dug the handheld out of the grab bag, full four bars on the battery, pressed to transmit….. and it died, b*gger. Still the option of using the flares but no other boats to be seen
Now is a good time to remember the Majors avatar “keep calm and carry on”. Went below to dig out the mobile, thank God it was fully charged and a good signal as well. Informed the very nice lady at Holyhead CG of position and stressed that I was in not in immanent danger but had suffered a total power failure and could not get back in.
Ten minutes later she rang back to tell me the Porthdinllaen lifeboat had been launched and would be with me in 40 mins. I’ve been a supporter and a coastal member of the RNLI for many years but how embarrassing is it when you have to call them out, especially after previous digs about the “tow you home service” on this site.
Still, they were great and towed me back to a courtesy buoy off Caernarfon. There was a little gentle probing on the way back, two radios? (yes), have you got any flares on board (yes - 2 sets), spares? (yes and tool kit). They even put me ashore so I could get myself sorted out. Also big thanks to Queen of the Sea pleasure trip boat for taking me back out to the boat later on. Although some of the tourists did look a little alarmed when I started putting on my life jacket. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Back on board with test meter and battery off the Jeep, I managed to trace it to a poor eath connection on a huge cable under the port side of the engine bolted on to the "chassis". cleaned it up and tighted it and everything came back to life /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Lesson learnt: need to check the hand held to see why it would not transmit.
Bob
