Fiji Bound
Vega
Hugh and Annie
Wed 30 May 2018 00:45
All was set for a Monday departure to Fiji. The replacement coolant pipe for the engine hadn’t turned up and so we had a temporary repair to get us through the weekend. If it didn't arrive in time to be fitted on Monday morning then it would follow us to Fiji on a later departing yacht..........
So on Sunday we went out for a shakedown sail to test the new furler for the cruising chute, windlass for anchoring, new genoa reefing line and so on. Nothing like leaving things until the last minute. We got as far as Paihia in the Bay of Islands and dropped anchor (at least the windlass was still working) but then became the relay radio between a yacht 6 miles away with an injured crew member and the maritime radio service. Apparently a helicopter was on the way and we were stuck there as the hub of radio communication until it arrived. By the time we left the anchorage we just had enough time to stop at the fuel berth and fill the tank before dark.
The trip to Fiji should take about 10 days - longer if we stop at Minerva Reef on the way. Minerva would give a good first opportunity to try out the new dive gear but enthusiasm has dwindled since attending a talk on fishing from your boat and being asked not to spearfish or to gut fish within the Minerva lagoon as there is “an issue” with Tiger and Bull sharks.
Still, as we set off on Monday, two hours behind our intended time but with a new coolant hose, Minerva was the last thing on our mind as we picked up the fresh south east breeze and headed out into the Pacific Ocean. It takes a few days to get back into the swing of passage making and a disrupted sleep pattern. It’s coming into the winter in NZ and at night the temperature plummets. At about 2300 we put the heater on and were immediately assailed by a strong smell of diesel. We checked the bilges and there was a steady trickle of fuel making its way down to the bilge sump. I immediately checked the engine and there was no sign of leakage from any of the pipework or fittings and so, thinking it must be coming from the tank, I spent most of the night crawling through our lazarettes trying to find a way to get at it. Fumes and seasickness eventually took their toll and we decided we could soak up the leakage with rags until daylight. In the morning Annie had the bright idea that it might have been residual fuel from the leak when were in the marina - we had syphoned 2.5 litres from the engine bilge then but didn’t think we had got it all. Another check of sump showed it was dry as a bone and so, how to access the fuel tank? We bit the bullet and completely emptied the side lazarette, spare outboard motor, lines, spare anchor and all and once inside again I discovered that you can access the filler and breather pipes on one corner of the tank and the inspection plate and fuel outlets to the engine on another corner (through a small hatch cover in the bottom of the lazarette). And lo, the inspection plate to the fuel tank had not been bolted down tightly enough and diesel was welling up around one of the bolts every time the boat healed. Phew, much relief all around and last night provided much more calm and restful.
The lesson we take from our two fuel leaks and severing of the engine coolant hose is that they are all parts that had been worked on by “professionals”. A salutary tale and one that makes us realise that the only way to make sure that everything has been done properly is is to do as much maintenance as possible yourself.
So, here we are two days out of NZ and thoughts are turning once more to Minerva Reef, which seems to be a popular stopping off point for those on the way to either Tonga or Fiji. Another six days to go.