OK, I stuffed up again.

[Alan Wheeler]

For you who don't understand that term, it means, "I made a big mistake". You lot must be really starting to wonder about me.
I forgot the really simple basic task of ensuring the engine seawater intake was on. I normaly leave it on all the time. It is in a stupid place to get to and turning it off after each time I come in is too hard. Seeing as we either go out often in summer, or run the engine regularly in the winter, it is easier for me to leave the valve on. However....over the weekend, I decided to replace the impellor, seeing as I had not done so for four years. It came out easily and was actually in good condition. A new one went in anyway. However, the packet the new impellor was in had been opened and the gasket was missing. Dang it I thought. Oh well I will try and reuse the old one. So after I finished the job, I turned on the valve to check for leaks and sure enough it leaked. So I turned the valve off again and removed the impellor cover plate and spread some sealant around it. I screwed this up tight again and then thought, I will open the valve later once the sealant had dried. Well guess what? I forgot didn't I.
So we (3 of my students and one of my fellow tutors) are heading out of the marina and all is well. The engine is still warming up and hadn't reached full temp. I was at a rather critical navigational area when I suddenly heard a change in the exhaust note. The other Tutor said he couldn't hear anything different, but I knew something was up. I senses were hightend and I noticed the sound of water wooshing out the back was not there. And then it suddenly hit me. OH NO!!!! the water is off. I opened the Engine room to be meet with clouds of smoke and fumes. I took a deep breath and climbed in and found the valve and turned it on, lept out and slammed the hatches down to keep the smoke in. I knew the exhuast system was compromised, but the engine should now be getting at least some water to keep her cool, providing the impellor hadn't totaly disintergrated. I swung the boat around int he channel hoping I didn't run aground and headed back to the marina hoping the engine wouldn't quite. We entered the marina and I noticed the engine starting to slow down. Oh no, please don't that be her locking up. But the engine temp guage was good. I wasn't sure what was actually making her slow in revs. Was the sender no longer in water and telling me lies or was there something else. I cam to the conclusion that the fumes below must be so thick it was causing the engine to suffocate. I was counting down the metres to go, just a little more, please oh please. I got to my birth and started to swing her. Right at the critical moment I selected reverse and opened the throttle, no response at all, she just stayed idling. Crunch into the end of my pier. Oh no not my new paint. We side swiped the pole which swung me into the birth and I came to a not to hard a stop against the end of the birth. I instantly shut her down and told everyone to get off, we may have a potential fire below. I grabbed the extinguisher and open up the engine room. Great bellows of smoke and fumes erupted out, but no flames. I turned on the extractor fan in the engine room and we sat down for awhile waiting all to clear.
It seems that all that has been damaged is the Exhaust water lock. Rather melted. Man I wish they weren't plastic, but then there ain't no perfect material to make them from reality. I Don't know about the impellor yet, but I bought a new one just incase. I have ordered an new water lock, which is setting me back NZ$350.00 Ouch, it's just a Vetus LP60 water lock. Why do these plastic things have to be so expensive.
The rub strip was all that swiped the pole and dock, so my paint is all OK. I think the fact that the engine lost all power was the smoke and fumes and probably teh filter blocking with this thick crud. My throat is quite sore tonight and I even went hoarse for awhile earlier. Some would say that was a good thing.
I think at some stage, I need to get a water flow alarm. But once again, so expensive.
So, that was my day, how was yours?:-)

[S/V Elusive]

Better than yours Wheels. Why do you keep abusing that beautiful boat (and yourself)????

Kiwis!!!! ::shaking head:::

Keep your pecker up (do they say that down there?) ... it may be an English thang.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

NZ$350.00 Ouch,

So, that was my day, how was yours?:-)

Wow! My day wasn't as good as yours!!! You should be doing a Happy Dance! You ran the engine with the water off and you only have damaged it to $350! (NZ dollars at that!)

I am not being facetious, I really mean it, you should be saying how lucky you are that a tiny little mistake didnt cause more damage, and you were able to get back to your marina berth, not get stuck up some lee shore, or coral encased tide rip into a lagoon, or somewhere where they let you air freight an new water lock in for $1,000 in 3 weeks time!

So count them lucky stars!

Mark

[Charlie]

Sorry about that wheels. Been there. Done that. Now I keep the keep attatched to the thru hull. I've also trained the kids to listen and look for water coming out the stern. Why is it that they go out at critical times. Last summer we were just moving the boat to top off with water maybe 5o meters. I heard that change and saw no water coming out the back. Couldn't shut the engine down as we were docking. As soon as we had a line tied on to the dock I shut the engine down. Long and short of it was that we had an air leak in the raw water strainer that repeated itself a couple of times before I figured out what the problem was. Lost a couple of impellers. Ruined a few days. But as my cousin says, "Any problem that you can write a check to fix isn't a real problem."

[Ex-Calif]

Tough break Wheels. Hope that there is no further damage.

BTW - That's detention for you...

I shall look at the raw water exhaust after starting
I shall look at the raw water exhaust after starting
I shall look at the raw water exhaust after starting
I shall look at the raw water exhaust after starting

Repeat 100 times then clean the blackboard erasers.

[delmarrey]

Wow Wheels,

I thought I had a bad one yesterday (see my thread bungee's).

Well, at least, you made it back in, that saved you a tow or something worst then $350.

If the valve is hard to get to, have you considered a push/pull lever attached for EZ use. One trick I've learned, after frying an impeller, is I now hang my ignition key on the handle when it's off so I can't even start the motor until the valve has been worked.

Gees, and just as your weather is clearing up.

[cooper]

wow wheels, not fun. Maybee a micro switch beside the raw water seacock hooked back to a light at the ignition. Cheap and easy ? Glad you havnt cooked your motor. ....SV elusive...um ...here in Oz and I think in NZ it does mean somthing.....somthing very masculine....!

[Steve Pope]

The only thing in NZ that could be called a pecker is a chook, now a gobbler is something else!

[yachtrodney]

My God - Alan!

I'm flabbergasted - I was only looking at all the photos in your gallery - this morning - and saying what a beautiful yacht - you've got - and so well setup. Everything about it indicates how careful you are for things to be right and ship shape.

I suppose we should give thanks though, that the engine wasn't cooked.

It goes to show again - how easily and innocently a pleasant day out - can turn it a shipboard catastrophe - and I have to agree - that although it's pretty damn bad - it could have been wo....

Let's not tempt it.

Did the exhaust fumes mess much up - I had a bad break in mine once - filled up the boat - and was scrubbing the ceilings for a week - you've probably got a bad film on everything that'll need to be 'spray & wiped'.

I'm really sorry to hear about it.

Rodney

[Morgan Paul]

Sorry about that man.

The first thing I do after I fire up my old Atomic Four gasoline engine is to make sure I see water coming out the exhaust.

[seafox]

Geez Wheels, at least the beer was ok.

I always turn my seacock off when I leave the boat (except when I am cruising). The first thing I do when I start the motor is stare over the side until I see the gush off water out the exhaust.

Your impellor will be stuffed. The little thing needs a bit of lubrication (water). I bet there is not a fin left on it. I have been there, fried that

Bloody Andy's motor still aint ready. Reading this I thought that I might have been drinking my beer by myself next week.

Our mates on Allora went across today. I think it was a 30 knot Northerly in the Strait. I am sure it would have been a rough trip.

Can you leave the bloody boat alone until it is time to catch up?

[Alan Wheeler]

Thanks for the sympathy guy's. I wasn't really expecting sympathy. I was expecting things like, where did ya get ya licience and other slightly deservedly insulting theme's.
Rodney, you need to scroll down this forum a little and see some of the other...ummm... adventures I have had. It makes this one seem a little tame and you might think differently of me when you read them. Like maybe, I hope I don't meet this guy on the water.
I made that little yet seriouse mistake of "complacency". Operating a boat is like operating an aeroplane. You need to go through the check list. But when one gets complacent and has a light touch...OK, medium to heavey touch of impatience, then check lists go out the window. The very simple and easy to do Golden Rule of looking at the exhaust water, was not heeded. And you know what, I should have known better. I really am having trouble with my memory of late and I should have remembered to turn that valve on, but I didn't.
I like Charlies line

But as my cousin says, "Any problem that you can write a check to fix isn't a real problem

Brilliant, just Brilliant. I told my wife that line. It helped somewhat.
Darryl, I suspect the impellor is stuffed, but I did use grease on it, so you never know. I bought a new one today just incase and I also have a spare. $63.00 I thought that was actually quite good. I can remember them being 80 odd way back 20yrs ago.
I bet Allora god a hammering. It blew and rained here today. it was quite heavey weather over the sounds. It wouldn't have been a day I would have chosen to come across. At least it was North and not Nor'west. And mate, we will be there next week no matter what. Dawn is so lookign forward to this trip, she'll get the wip out and make me row the inflatable if that is all the transport we will have.

Oh yeah that reminds me, I don't think I told the story of me running the outboard without two stroke oil the other week. The motor seized up, but after awhile, I was able to start and run it again. It sounds OK. I do hope it stays that way.

[cooper]

OK mrs wheels where are you,...its time to take charge,...he ran tha egg beater without oil ??!! forgive him lord for he has sinned....

[seafox]

Oh yeah that reminds me, I don't think I told the story of me running the outboard without two stroke oil the other week. The motor seized up, but after awhile, I was able to start and run it again. It sounds OK. I do hope it stays that way.

Has something dropped on your head lately? or have you finally got a taste for the rum?

We had a NW in the Strait according the the nowcast and Met observations. They probably had to motor most of the way. The tide would have been coming out of Komaru so that wouldn't have helped.

The chart for Friday looks good at this stage. That'll be me I suppose if Mr Mitch can get his motor act together.

I will email when I am leaving the marina and txt you when we get there.

[cooper]

..safe trip...im jealous..back to work... bloody nz ers... bloody pirates...come on cooper ... its timeto go and sulk....