Engine Repairs at the RYCV

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Thu 14 Mar 2019 00:25

Position: 37 51.64 S  144 54.45 E
Alongside Royal Yacht Club of Victoria
Wind: SE, F2 – gentle breeze
Sea: calm. Swell: nil
Weather: sunny and warm

Oops! I just noticed that I had not updated my blog since arriving in Port Phillip.  A quick update.

We got through the Rip with a flooding tide which, with a light fair wind, was smooth and fast, with Sylph making good 10 knots over the ground as we passed through its turbulent waters. A leisurely sail up the huge bay that is Port Phillip, we arrived alongside the outer wall of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria a little before midnight.

The next day I arranged for a proper berth, did some study, and met Kate at the Southern Cross Station in the early evening. From there we returned to Williamtown to enjoy a solid meal at a 150 year old pub called ‘The Rose’.

Yesterday we moved to our assigned berth (it had been windy the day prior so I decided it was best to wait for the wind to drop off and for the first mate’s arrival). Kate proceeded into town to do a little shopping while I pulled the fuel injection pump out.  Fortunately, this did not present any real difficulties.  Then it was onto a train and bus to deliver it to a diesel injection service centre in Fitzroy.  As I stood in the foyer waiting for the sole mechanic to get off the phone, I examined the pump.  It was pretty obvious that the number one valve’s spring was defective. When the mechanic got off the phone I pointed this out to him. He promptly took the pump away and less than a minute later returned with the spring. It was broken in two places. After a little discussion, the diagnosis is that it is just a bit of bad luck.  I am disappointed that the pump had failed after only 650 hours of operation; however, I am pleased to find out that it did not fail due to operator error, eg dirty fuel.  The pump should be ready later today for collection.

Happy birthday Peter (he would have been 59 today).

All is well.