9/29/2014, Solving Our Engine Problem

After the SSCA GAM in late September, our new friend Robie couldn’t get the motor to start on his new sailboat, Celest, a 30 year old Bristol. On a very calm day, Chuck hip-towed Robie in Celeste with our dinghy, from the Rhode River, over to nearby Casa Rio Marina to see Chuck the Mechanic.

Chuck towing Celest with our dinghy (taken from Celest)

Our good deed turned this into our lucky day! We had been having trouble with our engine, which was chewing up engine belts at an alarming rate. The belts would loosen and slip. Then either the engine alarm would sound, or we would see the engine rpms varying wildly on the dial, and we’d know it was time for Chuck to run down below and tighten it up, while I kept watch above.

The last time we did this was in Maryland, on the way to the GAM on 9/26, just before the Bay Bridge near Annapolis. 

Annapolis Bay Bridge

We had just furled the sails, so the boat drifted toward the bridge with the fast tide, and I stayed vigilant in case we needed to change course.

Approaching the Annapolis Bay Bridge

I was nervous with the approaching bridge and the boat traffic, so I timed the operation: Four and a half minutes.

It turned out we were still an hour away from the bridge.

Annapolis “Bay Bridge,”
aka
 “William P. Lane Jr. Memorial Fixed Bridges”

On 9/29, we spent the day hanging out at the Casa Rio Marina with Robie and Celest. We watched Chuck the Mechanic work, and helped by handing him tools and turning switches on and off.  Robie made us a nice lunch in his galley. Celest’s problem was traced to clogged fuel filters, and some other minor things. By the end of the day, Celest was running and able to tow our dinghy back to the Rhode River anchorage.

Robie on Celest

While we were there, Chuck talked to Chuck the Mechanic about Balmar alternator mounting kits for Yanmar engines, and if and where they could get them, thinking that we needed to order a replacement for ours.  Chuck the Mechanic asked “Are the spacers in the mounting kit all there? And are they tight?” (If so, it can’t be moving around).

Chuck the Mechanic and Chuck, on Celest

When we got back to Summer Wind, Chuck found one of the spacers, a metal part that looks like a piece of stainless steel ziti, in the toolbox, and slid it over the mounting bolt. It worked! Since then we haven’t had any problem with the engine belts slipping or getting chewed up.

Sandy & Chuck

on s/v Summer Wind