Return of steam powered yachting ...

[bobgosling]

Left Haslar for a bit of messing about in The Solent on Sunday and just got to the end of the Small Boat Channel when clouds of smoke and steam started billowing out of the engine bay and temperature alarm started trilling away. You guessed it ! Some idiot ( OK, it was me /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif ) forgot the seacock. Engine off, sail up and advised Coast Guard by VHF. Replaced disintegrated impeller after waiting for the engine to cool down. On restarting all SEEMS correct. Engine behaved itself and the old girl got safely back to her berth. The question is, what damage may have been done to the engine ? The coolant had boiled and I let it cool down slowly. Couldn't see any obvious damage to the exhaust system. I intend to change the oil and dismantle the tube stack to check for bits of impeller.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what else to check ? What may have been damaged by my "senior moment" ? I intend to make up a laminated card saying "SEACOCK!" and tie it to a piece of tube which I will slip over the throttle, though to be honest I doubt whether I will ever do that again ( SWMBO will make sure ).

I think I could have sailed back to Haslar if necessary thanks to a tail wind in the harbour mouth but normally this would entail having to tack, which I think QHM would not approve of. Any suggestions for how to deal with getting back into Portsmouth with no engine ? What would you do ?

 

[BrendanS]

Personally I'd call QHM on Ch11. They have plenty of volunteer patrols out on weekends, and I'm sure they'd rather give you a tow than have you tacking about on the entrance.

One for Solitaire and Plombier, as they are on the volunteer patrols

 

[bobgosling]

Yes, of course I would have avised CG and QHM before attempting anything. I have heard that marinas are not allowed to tow you in, you have to get to their entrance on your own before their insurance will cover them to tow you. Would the harbour patrol have helped or would they have handed me over to a commercial tow ?

 

[BrendanS]

I've pm'd Solitaire already to answer this one. He's on the volunteer patrol, so should be able to answer definitively. Without his input, I'd call them, I'm pretty sure they'd help out.

I was in a similar situation recently on a mobo with an engine that was faltering. I was ready on Ch11 to call QHM for assistance if it had failed during entry.

 

[Norman_E]

Probably no damage except the impeller so long as there was still some water still boiling away when you stopped the engine. The reason is that as long as there is still some water boiling away the actual engine temperature will have risen, but not disastrously, because of the fact that considerable heat is being taken out of the engine due to the latent heat of evaporation of water. Once all the water has gone then there is nothing (except the circulating oil) to check the temperature rise, and that is when the real damage is done. With no water injected into the exhaust system I would expect the early casualties to include any plastic & rubber parts of that system. If they are OK you have probably got away with it.

 

[bobgosling]

Thanks for the reassurance.

 

[andy_wilson]

The engine will appreciate new oil but it is unlikely to be required.

I agree it is worth trying to find all the bits to make a complete impellor however. Did you keep the hub?

 

[neil_s]

I'd pull the exhaust hose off the engine and have a look inside to check its condition. Be prepared to replace, since the inside of the pipe can turn to charcoal while the outside still looks OK. Go ahead with your sign on the gear lever - I have forgotten the seacock twice, now!

Neil

 

[Solitaire]

[ QUOTE ]
I think I could have sailed back to Haslar if necessary thanks to a tail wind in the harbour mouth but normally this would entail having to tack, which I think QHM would not approve of. Any suggestions for how to deal with getting back into Portsmouth with no engine ? What would you do ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Brendan is correct - put a call in via Ch 11 to QHM and advise of your situation. Sooner rather than later would be better. In such circumstances, QHM may grant permission to sail in or would task either a Harbour Patrol or even the MOD police launch in certain circumstances.

The patrols are about to start up again by the VHP - I'm on duty on 27th May!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[huldah]

Unlikely to be critical on a boat engine, but I had a mini overheat years ago. The only problem was valve bounce. The valve springs had lost their temper, due to the heat.

Philip

 

[Stemar]

I agree with the comments about checking impellor and exhaust hose - likewise any plastic silencer or similar.

You're unlikely to have done any real damage to a cast iron engine, but I'd keep a close eye on the oil level for a few weeks, just in case. If it goes up or you see droplets of water on the dipstick, you've probably blown the head gasket and on a raw water cooled engine this needs urgent attention, as salt water won't do anything any good.