Blog 20th May 2010
Nightsong
Thu 20 May 2010 17:30
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Dear Blog
Noon Position 33 29N 61 18W
A good run of 173 miles noon to noon about 7.2
knots - wind eased during the night after we put up and then furled the Code 0
which spoilt our +180 mile target.
Decided to investigate the engine this morning and
found that the vibration was not a bent shaft or prop but my old friend the
flexible coupling. 2 of the 4 bolts which hold the coupling onto the gearbox end
which we had had a problem with on the passage from Tenerife to Lanzarote had
sheered through completely - nuts hadn't come off Tony but I suppose the
rattling around hadn't done them any good. Thought we were knackered because
these are large 10mm bolts but luckily remembered the new stanchion bases so I
sawed 2 shafts off 2 of these and Nick and I spent 4 hours fixing them. Picture
shows the front end fixed but we had to push the shaft back 3" to fit the new
bolts and we had one hell of job pulling it forward again.
 David had the brilliant idea of using 2
spanners with 2 other bolts I had found and eventually managed to pull it
forward until the bolts engaged and there was enough thread showing to fit the
nuts. Another Northshore problem - it will have to be done properly with proper
bolts in Horta but at least we can carefully motor for the forecast light winds
in 2 days time. And Locktite will show if there is any bolt or nut
problems.
Simon is feeling a little bit seasick but hasn't
been and we are all getting on very well. Simon is much more competent than he
made himself out to be so we do 4 x 3 hr 1 man watches at night - which is
great.
At the moment we have Force 5 from the south and
are cracking along at +8kts just about on the rhum line with 5 other yachts in
sight - which makes the ocean seem much less lonely
AJB
29th
May 2010
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