It always happens at the start of a weekend
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West'
Pete Bernfeld
Sat 28 Nov 2009 16:29
batteries and make some water. Rt engine started OK. Left engine....nada.
Checked the starter battery, fully charged. Hmmm.
During the 'cruisers net' on the VHF radio I asked if anybody had a
recommendation for marine electrical engineers. A chap called Mike called
me after the net and volunteered to come over with his meter and check
electrical circuits. To make a short story of it the starter solenoid was
totally corroded through and needs replacing (I don't have a spare). As it
happens, Mike is about to start work for a local engineering company, so
he's left a message on the company voicemail which will be picked up first
thing on Monday morning.
So, now we have to source a solenoid (or possibly a starter motor if they
don't sell them separately). Of course, to get to the starter motor we
have to move the engine. Luckily, it is attached to the engine mounts by
two bolts and to the saildrive by one. It's a fairly light unit, so by
putting an oar across the top of the engine bay and passing a couple of
ropes underneath the engine we'll be able to manoever it enough to fit the
new solenoid or starter motor.
The actual work should take a day, but how long to source the bits? Could
be Xmas in the ABCs and then stronger winds than I wanted to get to
Cartegena.
The water continues to pass slowly. I've now blown through the tank pipe
(and heard the sound of air going into the tank, so probably not a
blockage). I tried running the system with no filter in, slightly more
flow but not 'normal' & I drained the accumulator and re-pressurized it.
The only thing now is to strip the water pump because the likliehood is
some rubbish got through the pre-pump filter and is lodged in one of the
chambers. This is a job that will wait, I have two noisy but working pumps
at the moment and intend to keep two working pumps.
I suppose the only thing I can say is that I'm dealing with this in
English, not Dutch (ABC islands) or Spanish (Columbia & Panama).
I have no idea what all this will cost, I just hope it's not the financial
nail in the coffin of the Panama transit for this season. If it is, then
I'll cruise around Grenada & the Grenadines until May, then head over to
Panama then and go through in Feb/March 11, but we're not there yet!