Disaster!
Philippides III
Chris & Carol Jackson
Fri 30 Apr 2010 07:33
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Bit dramatic but what an evening we had! the trip
from Palermo to Sardinia was going well, we had had some good sailing as well as
the endless hours of motoring, we had seen lots of turtles, sun fish and
dolphins, a good day, when around 1700, we were 4 hours out of Port Teulada
when the engine stopped, we had had a plastic sheet around the prop earlier but
had managed to free it without too much trouble, The engine refused to restart
and we found fuel dripping from the bottom of the front engine casing, further
investigation revealed an apparent leak from the point where the fuel pump joins
the engine casing, not curable by me. We radioed for assistance and the harbour
master said, tough mate, no tugs available, however, they got a private company
to agree to pick us up, we were by this time out of wind and drifting slowly but
inexerably toward a lee shore, the fee we had to agree was 700 euros!!!
Eventually, after countless telephone calls and radio calls, they found us at
around 2100, dusk, they towed us to port and made a good job of putting us
alongside a pontoon, water and electric connected, so we had a bottle of wine
and went to bed, now I am due at the marina office at 1000 and a mechanic is
arriving around noon, this could be mega expensive. Its strange but yesterday
Carol and I had, at last, come to a decision, which is to definitely sell P3, we
have decided that the refit is going to be too expensive and we will be better
going for a more modern vessel, or maybe having a break from it. At the moment
we would take 5 bob for her!!! I am sure all will be well in the end, await
tomorrows thrilling instalment.
Chris
SAT Phone 00881631573629
http://blog.mailasail.com/p3 |