Splinter back in Whangarei

Splinters Apprentice
Bone & Beth Bushnell
Sat 28 Mar 2009 20:58
Well we had a lovely week in Great Barrier., sunny, peaceful and managed to check out most systems such as the water maker. Unfortunately the Dive Compressor engine didn't want to start and the main engine developed a water leak problem so we had to come back to Riverside Drive Marina whilst we got things fixed. The sail back from Great Barrier was great 15-20 kt southerly so we were cracking along at 6-7 knots.
Needless to say all has proved more difficult and expensive than hoped. The main engine was a leaking relief valve so a bit of hard cleaning work saw that ok but the compressor, ugh. They don't do spares for our 26yr old Briggs and Stratton engine, bit off, I think, so its a new engine and of course all the sizes have changed. Now this compressor lives inside the main cabin behind the port berth so we need to get near the size or it's a rebuild of the port cabin. No thank you! Anyway hours on the internet measuring engines and we have a Robin (Subaru) ordered that should fit with minimum alteration. Says Bone.
Hope fully we will get back out sailing by Friday. We will head up to bay of Islands and Whagaparoa before joining the waiting game in Opua in April.