You've no idea how relieved I am...

[jamesjermain]

You\'ve no idea how relieved I am...

Last week my trusty (?) Volvo 2003, which had been behaving badly since Sweet Lucy's relaunch, finally died after a short period of decline.

Its demise coincided with the arrival of the Range Safety Launch off Lulworth and the departure of what little wind we had while on passage from Weymouth to Poole. A 14-hour passage finally brought us to anchor in Studland.

The upside of the experience was that we spend the next few days doing everything under sail including berthing in my marina - which seemed to impress the locals. Not having an engine can be a great release, we discovered; since you cannot predict arrival times, you no longer worry about being late - you go with the flow, drift with the tide, chill out man.

I was particularly delighted that my wife, who is, shall we say, a nervous sailor, thoroughly enjoyed the experience and says she feels more confident about the whole business now she knows we don't need the beast in the bilge.

But what really worried me was the thought that the nearly 20-year-old-engine was about to be condemned. All the symptoms suggested fuel starvation but - what if the cylinders were worn, what if I needed three new injectors, what if the head was cracked? I had the letters ready to send to the bank, building societyand rich friends. I rang the engineer to learn the worst:

'Ah! Yes. Sweet Lucy - what did we do to Sweet Lucy George? Oh! Yes. We tightened a jubilee clip and a banjo connector and that seens to have solved the problem!'



JJ

 

[andrewhopkins]

This week in soton water...

I've been out with my friend who's training for his yachtmaster ticket. The instructor told me to go below, make us a cup of tea and whispered "cut the engine".

Great time re-learning how to sail without sails, ferry glide, etc.

We too had had a horror suggested about our 4 year old volvo!. new bearings, sail drive, etc but turned out to be loose engine mount only. phew

 

[Guest]

Manouvering under sail.

Two weeks ago I was sitting on a mooring buoy at Queenborough having a spot of breakfast and was amused to watch 3 large men in a Westerly Tiger trying to pick up a mooring buoy under motor - they missed twice, bounced off the neighbouring boats, shouted a lot and gave up. Meanwhile, a few yards away a lady sailing singlehanded in a SeaWitch neatly picked up a buoy under sail - Such a contrast.

 

[AndrewD]

Re: You\'ve no idea how relieved I am...

Go on James, don't keep us in suspense - what jubilee clip and which banjo, and why?

No sig is a good sig

 

[janie]

Noise

I do hope your wife complains next time about the noisy, smelly engine! Certainly, our crew, after many months of no engine, all complained when it had to be used again! Life without an engine is so much more civilised.

 

[jollyjacktar]

I\'m glad you\'ve relieved yourself.

.

 

[Mirelle]

20, eh! The Youth of Today....

My MD2 is 34 years old! Every time an engineer looks at it he tells me it is no longer worth repairing and I should buy a new one. However, since the engine does not know this, and was mollycoddled for the first 17 years of its life by the previous owner, who has it installed in place of a 30- year old Kelvin, it carries on quite happily. It does cough and wheeze a bit, first thing in the morning, but so does its owner!

Still using the 64 year old Kelvin sterngear, incidentally!

 

[Guest]

Re: Rig for silent running.

I must confess I hate the sound of an engine running. As soon as possible the cry goes out “rig for silent running” meaning shut that noisy engine down, nothing to do with submarines.
A little practice does go a long way when sailing in to a berth, but you have no trouble hearing what others are telling you.
Happy (quiet) sailing………Old Salt Oz.

 

[oldharry]

Ahhh!... back to nature

Modern life being what it is, ruled to the 100th of a second by the wrist mounted LCD display (and which of us can press those tiny little watch buttons to GET 100th second accuracy anyway!), the 'beast in the bilges' has come to be regarded as an essential adjunct to modern sailing.

Indeed, essential to the extent that an engine is regarded as a basic requirement. And what for? Only to get us back on time, and actually deprive us of some of the more advanced (qv frustrating) elements of our sport. Being a dweller of the 'intertidal zone' (i.e. having a drying mooring) means that timings are even more essential. Being in addition right at the top of Chichester harbour nearly five miles from the bar, through some of the most crowded mooring areas of the harbour returning to the mooring under sail means a) allowing half a day to ensure catching the tide, b) risking the wrath of the HM who 'requests' us NOT to sail up the Itchenor reach, c) a reasonably favourable wind to beat the 2knot ebb and d) a reasonably strong wind to ensure there is enough 'puff' to get past the sheltered wooded areas.

Unfortunately, the demands of modern employment also mean severe penalties ashore for missing the tide.

Result: On goes the engine.

Or perhaps its different for Yachting journos?

Ten years ago sailing in West Wales, exploring some of the lesser creeks and inlets, one would find old derelict lime kilns tucked away in the most unlikely corners. This meant that places which I had difficulty reaching under power in my 24 footer, were 100 years ago being regularly visited by trading ships 3 or more times the size of my little bilge keeler.

And never an engine in sight!

 

[jamesjermain]

Re: You\'ve no idea how relieved I am...

Tha banjo on top of the fuel filter and...err...not sure which jubilee clip. The clip, apparently, was very loose and sucking in air badly.The banjo just needed a nip and probably wasn't causing any problems.
Yes, I should have spotted the problem myself, but it is a bit worrying that a clip can work loose like that. It shows just why it is so important to double clip anything on which your life depends - such as skin fittings and engine fuel lines.

JJ

 

[graham]

Re: Manouvering under sail.

Our single cylinder 2stroke outboard mounted in a cockpit well is noisy enough to drive you potty if run for more than half an hour.

This has resulted in our cruises being being planned on the day allowing wind and tide to do the work.

Lately I have been relearning the art of spinnaker flying which can give the extra knot needed to keep the Japanese torture machine switched off .On monday sailed across from Barry to Burnham on a broad reach with spinnaker dragging us along in fine style.Came back today after the wind veered on another broad spinnaker reach!Cant be unlucky all the time!

 

[ChrisJ]

Re: Ahhh!... back to nature

"Not allowed" to sail through Itchenor?? Which reminds of last summer.
I normally sail on the East Coats, but this year had taken 2 weeks to sail down and along the south coast. We (Mum, Dad and 2 young children) had left Chichester heading South for the Isle (Bembridge), wind dropping, tidal constrained arrival time - so its On with the donkey. No joy!
Turn around, and head back into Chichester - cruising chute up as it was about the only thing to give us steerage way.
Picked up a mooring buoy under sail around the back of Hayling Island - contacted the Marina "Yes, our engineer will be out directly." "Sorry, he has just gone on leave for 2 weeks"!.
So its back to sailing, up past Itchenor and towards Chichester Marina (Volvo dealer is based there). Still with the cruising chute, on a sunny Sunday evening, along with the rest of the 100's of boats returning.
On the VHF "Can we enter your lock?" "Yes, Sir, No problems". "Can we enter your Marina?" "Yes, Sir, No problems". "Can we enter under sail?" "No...... go away".
So it was back to manouvering alongside the external jetty outside the lock under sail - just like sailing a big dinghy, apart from the reaction times and turning circle!

The problem? Just a well worn and corroded connection at the battery, which was fixed in 5 minutes.

Cheers, Chris
Westerly Konsort
Bungay Girl