Engine Fixed

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sat 28 Jun 2014 03:49
Noon position: 45 36.6 N 155 47.2 E
Course: East nor' east, Speed 5.5 knots
Wind: south sou' east F3 gentle breeze
Weather: overcast, cool
Day's run: 106 nm

The fog didn't stay for long, but has come and gone a few times since yesterday. For now it is clear, and sailing conditions remain pleasant, ideal for trying to repair the engine. My suspicion was correct, that the problem lay in the wiring between the control panel and the engine. When I pulled the connector plugs apart I found that they were full of water and some of the pins badly corroded. In particular the pin that supplied power from the battery to the panel was completely corroded away. No wonder the engine would not start. I am certain that the water got into the connectors when all the water got below from our collision with the Asya, so the legacy of that encounter continues.

I am also experiencing some significant problems with the satellite phone at the moment, and I believe part of the problem is possibly also due to some moisture getting into the phone during the collision. It is also an old phone so I suspect this is a factor as well. Unfortunately I am using up an awful lot of airtime trying to get emails through, so am having to them short and my blog posts likewise succinct. With that in mind, I shall wrap this up.

We continue to make good daily runs but expect that by this time tomorrow we shall be pushing into headwinds.

All is well.