21:06:744S 149:13:596E
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----- Original Message -----
From: Shaya
Moya
To: Web Diary
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2014 7:21 AM
Subject: 21:06.450S 149:130.36E So the day fast approaches
when Mackay can finally be departed and with that, close the chapter of what has
been a particularly dull month of my life (I’m not having a dig at Dons
company). Don and I arrived here back
on the 14th of July with the Plan of leaving on the 17th.
Unfortunately we still haven’t left due to ongoing mechanical issues, but we can
get into that later. We arrived in Mackay with
engine problems having lost top end power during our last 24 hours motoring, so
our priority was to get this fixed. We left this problem to be sorted by the
local diesel engine specialists whom seemed more than capable of doing a good
job (experience has taught us otherwise). The job dragged out and Don ended up
having to leave the boat and fly back to
So the next two weeks I spent on my own in Mackay Marina. I had purchased the box set of Breaking Bad to watch, thinking this would last me over the two weeks… 3 days later that was finished.
I started making new friends at this point… Luckily the Gentleman on the boat next door to us was a tugboat captain and offered kindly to take me along one day to go and drag some coal ships around.
The tugboats are amazing bits of kit and I had a great time out on the water with those guys.
The
next week or so was fairly uneventful as the main mechanic was on holiday and
unfortunately the apprentices we had working on the motor had come to a bit of a
dead end. Capable as they were, perhaps just not quite good enough at the
problem solving side of the issue. So we decided to go ahead with getting the
boat out of the water for repairs on the rudder until Keith (the head diesel
mechanic) was back. Morrie a Kiwi that had previously worked on the boat in
The
next 4 days Shaya Moya spent her days and nights sat up in the shipyard having
work done. Morrie fixed the rudder swiftly and I polished stainless all day.
On the 15th of July Don Arrived back at the boat and the day after work commenced once again on fixing the engine. We finally had her up and running again after having the turbo replaced, injectors cleaned, fuel pump serviced (twice) filters changed and manner of other things, but after taking her for a test run found that we still didn’t have full top end power, back to the drawing board.
Roger joined us as new crew a few days ago and has been
put straight to work, fitting new lights, fixing hydraulics and getting sent up
the mast! An excellent new crew addition to the boat.
With a bit of luck there is potential that we will be
departing Mackay Marina tomorrow afternoon and continuing on our adventure, as
every day we spend tied up to the dock is one less day of exploring Australia. I
can’t wait to leave!
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