Yangon!
Digiboat's "Product Testing"
Simon Blundell
Thu 23 May 2013 02:23
16:49.50N 096:07.015E
21/5
1300
Ended up spending
the extra, and apparently obligatory, extra day at anchor at the pilot
station.
So at the 2100
call-in hour, on our second day, for the pilot boarding assignment for the next
morning we stood by the radio for our turn and heard more than half the ships
ordered to call back the following day, to our great relief when our turn came
we were told to expect our pilot at 0630 the next morning.
This last night at
anchor was by far the worst night of the trip. Continuous storms, strong
currents and full trade winds with chop and swell meant full anchor watch for
Luke and me. Not the typical anchor watch which is usually watching a movie,
reading or lying on deck enjoying the night sky. We dragged continuously and the
only way to counteract this was to keep an engine engaged in gear, and using the
autopilot allowed us to balance the boat and hold station against the wind and
current. But as we were still at anchor, we stood at the helm station ready to
quickly disengage the pilot and engine incase the conditions changed, ie if the
current suddenly turned then we could've driven over our anchor
chain.
Although we were
stationary it felt as if we were underway at quite a speed. Several times the
bow went under a wave and washed over the foredeck.
So after essentially
another sleepless night, Luke and I started pulling anchor at 0600 to motor
the mile or so over to the pilot boarding launch. While pulling anchor the
starboard engine died. Worse case means this is a full supply problem
(definitely not out of fuel, but a blockage always likely with the dirty fuel we
get in Asia), easier scenario is that the stbd engine had been starved because
I'd only been running the port eng for the last few days and the existing fuel
delivery system can draw fuel easier from the other engine than the tanks. So as
we motor on one engine to the pilot vessel I'm hoping all I need do is bleed an
engine.
But no. The worst
possible happens - as we draw up to the pilot vessel the other engine dies.
Handing the wheel over to Luke I disappear into the bilges and eng room to start
the process of changing to a known clean tank, changing filters, cleaning the
fuel pump, and finding and clearing the blockage in the delivery
lines. Usually all this is half day job, but with the pilot about to board
and the need to get up river on the flood tide, there allowed no luxury of time
for this job. Luke was instructed to get the pilot onto our boat before
admitting that we had no engines, then just keep him company and make out I was
just changing a dirty fuel filter.
Fortunately, Luke
kept him entertained (although at times I could hear the conversation was
getting strained) while I just went through the processes as quickly as
possible. After about 45 minutes, the boat had drifted a mile or two towards the
shore, the pilot was starting to look doubtful, but it was time to bleed an
engine and see if it would start and keep running. Successful bleed, so we could
start motoring slowly on one engine to the river, needed to wait 10 min or so to
ensure the fuel supply was continuous, then bled other engine and started no
problem.
So tentatively wound
up the revs and aimed for Yangon. After half hour or so I had confidence the
fuel was OK so revved up more and with the flood tide pushing, we shot up the
river at 10-11 kn.
An otherwise
uneventful and fast and easy passage up-river to dock outside the lock in the
middle of Yangon, at 1300.
A successful trip,
with a lot of great sailing, no fish but a high standard from the galley,
no casualties so all up - Success! (The Jolly Roger's whole demeaner and facial
expressions have changed since sighting land).
No more blogs from
EO now for many months as she enjoys her facelift.....
SJB