The Shakedown Cruise...

beancounter

beancounter

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...is, I suppose, meant to shakedown things. Ours was yesterday, and here is a list of items suitably shaken down, in order of appearance:

a) The VHF appears terminally ill. It will receive local traffic (i.e. I could hear the Lock Control), but not pick up any Coastguard broadcasts. Also the mike is u/s, or the set has given up transmitting too.

b) The single line reefing jammed as the sail was hauled up. Bearing in mind it jammed on the last outing last season, was fettled at some expense over the winter, and had not been touched until yesterday, I was somewhat miffed.

c) The engine overheat alarm went off repeatedly, but only when speed/revs went above a certain point. Water was flowing out of the exhaust, I checke the filter & impller - all OK. Possibly a thermostat issue?

d) Possibly linked to the above, the calorifier wouldn't produce any hot water.

The cruise should have been on Saturday, but just as we were getting ready to leave, we realised that the lifejackets were still in the wardrobe at home. Cue a 2-and-a-bit hour roud trip to collect them.

This sailing lark's good, innit?......
 
a] I would start by suspecting the masthead cabling....

b] Whoops!

c] Could be... or it could also be the sender, or cabling to the sender

d] Suggests that the thermostat is worth investigating....

Only forgot the lifejackets?..... must try harder... try the boat keys next time.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

So is she safely on her new berth then?
 
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a] I would start by suspecting the masthead cabling....

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possibly, tho' I did replace the aged plug and socket for thru deck fitting over the winter.
 
My VHF handheld will broadcast but I can't hear the reply - accountants aren't supposed to understand these things.

I can't see why the reefing lines would jam unless, like my M31, you still have the old reefing clutches at the mast end of the boom and one of those has broken or is not open (in the up position).

The only time my overheat alarm has gone off was right after the coolant had been drained and refilled and there was an airlock that made the coolant level drop when the engine ran. You don't talk about coolant - are you fresh or salt water cooled? If not that then thermostat or (dare I say it) a partially blocked exhaust elbow that can't cope with the higher revs. That would not have set in over winter though.

Not sure how the calorifier is arranged but lack of coolant in the heat exchanger = no exchange of heat!

It's nice when everything is on board. I keep a spare key in the car and one at the marina office.

Good luck with sorting these problems.
 
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My VHF handheld will broadcast but I can't hear the reply - accountants aren't supposed to understand these things.

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Roger,

Isn't transmit/receive just a sort of electronic debit and credit ..? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Apparently our boom is an older Selden model, not ideally suited to in-boom single line reefing - the little travellers for the lines can get snarled up. So maybe returning to simple slab reefing is the way to go. (I suspect a new boom wouldn't get approval from the Management)
 
Ah that's the problem then - I've retired from debit and credit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

There is an article on the MOA technical pages about converting to two line reefing both from the cockpit.
 
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My VHF handheld will broadcast but I can't hear the reply - accountants aren't supposed to understand these things.


[/ QUOTE ]

I thought that on saturday. I was hailing Emsworth YH on both the channels that I was led to understand they were monitoing and getting nothing back. At the same time, I was getting all sorts of traffic on Ch80 from Northney.

When I got to Emsworth I discovered there had simply been nobody in the office!!!
 
Come down to the Roach Meeting this weekend, and we can have a Stargazer Master Workshop. Laugh while you learn.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Certainly not. FC is fully loaded with the Emergency Response Equipment, and I suspect that Morgana is showing signs of getting fatter with each Weekend owing to the groaning amount of kit and spares onboard.
Magna Carter also has a completely superfluous copy of Nigel Calders fine tome on Boatfixing. Pah!
 
Listen matey.... not all of us have learnt to recite the Calder bible edition verbatim yet......

However, as reported... Morgana will need lifting shortly to have her boot topping raised......

On a more serious note.... John, the run down to the Roach is a cracker... a nice distance, and nothing too challenging for this early in the year... and you'll struggle to find a more sheltered anchorage....
 
I saw yours, and judged it by the cover alone. I have just ordered one (for Lynn you will understand)at 38 dollars off Amazon USA.
I will also be sporting a new tome on sail repair and maintenance, as well as the Worlds Cruising Routes.
 
I'll have to pass up the opportunity, owing to a prior engagement.

I shall be in relentless pursuit of the almighty dollar: down in Jersey teaching a bunch of embryonic trust fund managers the finer points of International Financial Reporting Standards. ( /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif)

Got to pay for this hobby somehow...
 
I can beat that. Some years ago we took a boat out for the first sail of the season and were beating/running up and down Southampton water, setting the rig up. After an hour or so of this someone went below and noticed water just beginning to come over the floorboards (and this was deep-bilged boat). A hand brake turn and we headed back to the Hamble, while pumping commenced. The CG arranged for a travel hoist to be waiting for us and we motored into it, just keeping pace with the water inflow.

Seems during the winter, the owner had asked for an extra keel bolt to be added at the very front of the keel, to prevent the keel working against the hull, which resulted in fairing cracking away. The yard had drilled the hole, filled it with sealant and put the bolt in. Unfortunately part of the hole they had drilled ran through a void at the top of the keel. When the boat was heeled the strain distorted the hole and allowed water to come in around the keel/hull joint, and staight up the bolt hole into the bilges.
 
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