Engine Stops - Then What?

[FraidNot]

My aviation experience has taught me to always think through the implications and options for uncomfortable scenarios - BEFORE they hit you.

So - I'm in the bay (Moreton) - sailing home (to Manly) - near the final channel into harbour I fire up the motor - it runs for a bit and stalls - and won't re-start.

I do not have the skills or confidence to sail into the marina.

I throw up the main, sail clear of the channel and pick a spot well clear where I have room under the keel at low tide and drop anchor. Now what?

1. I guess I can tether up the tender (9hp) to drive in with it - but I've never done that before so not sure how easy or hard that is in a tight marina.

2. I can call a local recovery service?? Is there one nearby - I've been looking but can't find one!

3. I can anchor - drop the family ashore in the tender, and come back tomorrow with 2 tenders and have better control for the marina entry and docking?? How hard is it to push a 40' mono around with the tender?

4. Other ideas?

[nigel1]

Think with a 9HP tender it is doable, I have tried with a 4HP outboard on a tender hipped up to a 47 foot mono, and if your slow, careful and methodical, and have a couple of mates to act as mobile fenders, it works.
You can ask the marina to try and make available an easy berth.
You obvioulsy need to take into account wind, tidal stream, current.

Forgot to mention earlier, when towing alongside, if you have the tënder on the port side of yacht, the yacht will turn easier to stbd. To get it to turn easier to port, go astern on the tender. And always keep speed to minimum, less speed, less stopping distance

[James S]

I'm thinking I would first spend a bit more time finding the problem with the engine.
I'll assume there is fuel in the tanks...and the engine hasn't over heated since I was watching my guages...must mean the filter is fouled although I could switch to the second filter (since I have two side by side) I decide to sail to a safe anchorage and replace the fouled filter, then head in and still have a spare.

If you decide to push/pull with a tender you certainly can...but the weather better be right and stopping is a bitch.

I think I'd be inclined to radio some friends and get as much help as possible.

I don't want to damage or loss my boat.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by FraidNot

My aviation experience has taught me to always think through the implications and options for uncomfortable scenarios - BEFORE they hit you.

So - I'm in the bay (Moreton) - sailing home (to Manly) - near the final channel into harbour I fire up the motor - it runs for a bit and stalls - and won't re-start.

I do not have the skills or confidence to sail into the marina.

I throw up the main, sail clear of the channel and pick a spot well clear where I have room under the keel at low tide and drop anchor. Now what?

1. I guess I can tether up the tender (9hp) to drive in with it - but I've never done that before so not sure how easy or hard that is in a tight marina.

2. I can call a local recovery service?? Is there one nearby - I've been looking but can't find one!

3. I can anchor - drop the family ashore in the tender, and come back tomorrow with 2 tenders and have better control for the marina entry and docking?? How hard is it to push a 40' mono around with the tender?

4. Other ideas?

Sounds like a good show for the folks hanging around the marina

Once safely anchored, what's your hurry to get dockside? Fix your engine while on the hook if you can.

Towing with a dinghy (or using it for a tug) is likely to result in a hard landing at the dock, even in mild weather and no current.

[skipmac]

Hello Fraidnot,

First, you started out right. Don't proceed into an uncertain situation if you have the option to stop and evaluate the situation and form a plan (usually a lot easier to do this on a boat than a plane).

Taking the boat in with a dinghy would depend on the location and conditions. If the wind is very light and there is no current in the marina then a very small outboard would do it. A strong current through the marina docking even with your main engine can be tricky.

With calm wind and current go in slowly with boat hook, fenders and some long dock lines at hand and all you need to do is get close enough to your slip to get a line across and pull yourself in. Just be careful not to build up too much speed as it will be hard to stop. Even a small outboard pulling for a few minutes can get you going faster than you think.

Like Nigel indicated, best way is to tie the dinghy to the stern quarter. Lash it up tight with fenders between the dinghy and the hull. This gives you much better control than towing from ahead.

[lockie]

Dunno what your local water cops are like, but here in Melbourne they were nice as could be when our engine failed and I raised them on the VHF, and they towed us in. It was our first trip and I knew sfa, so when the engine stopped I was knackered. Later I discovered the cause was a hastily-stowed fender had nudged the diesel tank outlet valve shut. Next day I learned where the valve was, and how to bleed the fuel system.
I hope I'm not missing the point of your post, but I think it is essential to learn about your engine. Diesels are pretty simple, and so long as they have clean fuel, lube oil and cooling water they'll go.

Prevention, cure, blah blah blah.........

[James S]

Welcome to the forum Lockie

[sigmasailor]

Sounds like a clogged fuel filter.
If you have a spare install it. If not, use the dingy to get one and install it. You will need to bleed your engine. Your instruction manual will point out how to do this.
Usually there is a manual lever to bleed the filter, that's where you start (open small screw on top of the filter). After that you need to bleed the injectors; simply loosen the connection at the injectors and crank the engine (use the decompression function if available) until no more air bubbles show (make sure engine is at full throttle and stop is in the 'on' position). Tighten everything and it should fire up.
Go to your slip and treat yourself to some well earned rum.

We dingy handled a 47 ft Beneteau with a 9.9 outboard with no problems once. It wouldn't turn around in the confined space of the marina. Later we found out there was not enough water under the keel; the dingy was plenty strong enough to do it.

[sailfish2008]

hello fraidnot i know manly harbour and the channel is over a mile long and thats before you get into the harbour .there is also a strong cross current depending on the tide ,if your certain you have ample water under your keel at low tide then i would anchor (i know its quit shallow outside of the markers there) but if not head back to green island and anchor there and check your engine. most of the time what happens is the tanks have been stired around and some sediment has blocked your filters im assuming your engine wasnt over heated and you have plenty of oil in her. if you cant find the problem and the conditions are really calm and you have a few helpers then i would use the little outboard to motor it in but if the wind is up and the current is running then you could radio the coast guard there on vmr402 on vhf 67 and they will come and tow you in but it is not cheap hope this helps you regards markus

[FraidNot]

Great info guys - thanks very much - this is helping my peace of mind!

I have a lot of faith in the motor - it was handled with kid gloves by last owners - the oil spectral analysis came up very well and it hasn't missed a beat in the 6 months I've had it. I've change oil and fuel/oil filters - and all fuel goes in via racor pouring filter etc etc.
I'm assuming that if it does fail - the most likely, and first thing to change is the fuel filter on the fuel tank (I have one on board) - if so - then the short run back to Green Island - change filter and see how that goes.

I think VMR is probably better, given advice above - than me using the tender. Usually 10 to 15kts at Manly and some current.
Anyone know how much a VMR tow costs ??

[Joli]

We've docked the boat with our dinghy tied to the side of the boat. Last year the engine quit as we entered the marina breakwall. Interesting experience.

[anjou]

You have to fix the engine anyway so anchor out where you have a few hours worth of safety to give you time to check out fuel supply to the injector pump.

Keep your tender and VHF options for later if plan A fails

[Roaring Girl]

I don't know what it is but I have had engine failure frequently - and not (or not only) on my own boats - so I have sailed into Brightlingsea, Tollesbury, Lymington, St Katherines (UK), A Coruna (Spain)Sines and Portimao (Portugal) in four different boats.

If you can't sail in, as happened to us in the Golfe de Fos two years ago where to get back involved a very narrow channel against the wind, then drop the hook (may be easier to use the genoa than the main to get enough control to be anchored) and try to fix it. In the Golfe de Fos it was a blocked raw water intake and was an absolute bugger to fix. We got it done well enough to limp back in and then fix it properly.

If that doesn't work, a professional tow is good. Happened to me off Brighton once, and while anchored the RNLI came and got us as they were on standby but bored at that moment! Fortunately they're free.

I would see using your dinghy as a low-down choice. Partly because doing it under stress is never a good learning moment, unless you've practiced. (Thought - maybe we should!) I've always found that if I can get very close, the harbourmaster comes to help. Also don't forget that you don't have to get to your berth - just the first easy one, so a hammerhead arrival is often the best solution.

[FraidNot]

"a hammerhead arrival"

What the heck is that ??

[sailfish2008]

yes what is that im curious too