This was posted today to my blog at www.sailblogs.com/member/seaka See video at
ZQ__Well thats excellent. The diesel leak and the fuse who cares those can the fixed NSW . I would say making the wind vane is the best value boat dollars you have spent
Make sure that oar blade is well clear of the water when you return to your mooring. Reversing under power will put a lot of strain on it.
Very satisfying having a vane that works well. They can be a bit mesmerizing and its hard not to just sit there and watch it!
Need some luff tension on that headsail.
Make sure that oar blade is well clear of the water when you return to your mooring. Reversing under power will put a lot of strain on it. I took the moun
Very satisfying having a vane that works well. They can be a bit mesmerizing and its hard not to just sit there and watch it!
Need some luff tension on that headsail.
Took the mounting home yesterday Ramona for final adjustments, I can now swing it up out of the water.
Oh the headsail, least of my problems during that sail Ramona, but I promise next time it will well tensioned
Make sure that oar blade is well clear of the water when you return to your mooring. Reversing under power will put a lot of strain on it. I took the moun
Very satisfying having a vane that works well. They can be a bit mesmerizing and its hard not to just sit there and watch it!
Need some luff tension on that headsail.
Took the mounting home yesterday Ramona for final adjustments, I can now swing it up out of the water.
Oh the headsail, least of my problems during that sail Ramona, but I promise next time it will well tensioned
Looking forward to the next sea trail NSW
Jeez NSW,
Now we will all be trying to emulate your wind vane.
Well done. Can't wait to see it in action.
Well, should have sailed north last Tuesday, now bar bound until at least Saturday 21st.
But all ready.
I am flying to Sydney in two weeks. When I left the boat some weeks ago it was all ready to set sail, fully fueled, watered, and the fridge and freezer stocked.
As long as nothing has changed in my absence we will start heading north as soon as my crew is familiar with how everything works on the boat and where everything is and we do a few man overboard drills before we get to open water. (The old racing habits are still good habits).
We will be a week or so behind you but I expect we will catch up with you somewhere north of Fraser Island as our timetable is a little different to yours. Were still sailing short handed but with two on board we will probably go straight up to Southport.
We are going to do a bit of socialising in Brisbane before we set off again.
Once we get north of the Sunshine Coast we will settle into a different pace and enjoy the scenery a bit more.
Of course, all that depends on the weather. We might never catch up with you.
Planning to leave this Saturday 0600 with the southerly and sail straight through to Yamba with a planned arrival of around 1200 on Sunday.
Might have to motor the last few miles to beat a return to NE'ers.
Planning to leave this Saturday 0600 with the southerly and sail straight through to Yamba with a planned arrival of around 1200 on Sunday.
Might have to motor the last few miles to beat a return to NE'ers.
Looking forward to your blogs NSW good luck and enjoy the journey may the wind favor you
Planning to leave this Saturday 0600 with the southerly and sail straight through to Yamba with a planned arrival of around 1200 on Sunday.
Might have to motor the last few miles to beat a return to NE'ers.
We will be about 10 days behind you but with a crew on board will probably sail non stop to Southport if the weather permits.
With you planned stop to haul out I expect we will see you soon.
I will follow your blogs to keep tabs on where you are and we have each others email.
Have fun and fair sailing.
Thanks for all the best wishes and fare winds,
All ready now and Bluemoon will join me for the 150 nm run straight to Iluka.
Between us we will be able to maintain maximum speed as already the weather window is getting shorter. .
Next blog will be on Sunday.
Hey Phil,
If I catch up to you on my way north you had better stay on your boat.
I need a good windvane and boom brake, lol.
Good work. Anything that makes our life easier is worth the effort.
Good sailing mate. Hope to see you somewhere in Qld.
Rick.
New blog post at
www.sailblogs.com/member/seaka
Link to your blog is not working for me. Any clues??
Just read your blog. I went through Grafton on the day you were there but was in a hurry anyway. Was good to catch up in Coffs.
Just read your blog. I went through Grafton on the day you were there but was in a hurry anyway. Was good to catch up in Coffs.
That's a shame, walked my bloody feet off walking around Grafton trying to get a new AA battery charger,
then found I could use a USB cable on the one I had when I returned to Seaka.
Now sitting at Harwood Bridge for an opening at 0645 Tuesday 1st.
Sunday 5th April
Well today I am reflecting in the sunshine, anchored in Bum's Bay Southport, mind you we are not going anywhere at present, let me explain.
As I have posted earlier I decided to wait until the weather window on Saturday 4th, this was in Iluka Bay, and then going on the Friday 3rd as the weather guru's had changed their minds, proved to be the right one. Unfortunately they forgot to tell the wind about it and during the entire voyage we had only light winds and in fact on Saturday in the Coral Sea, virtually none at all, which was important as you will see.
On that Friday morning with very light winds I raised the Main and Genoa sails while still at anchor then proceeded out of Iluka Bay into a flood tide against which we slowly proceeded to sea. By 0915 we were clear of the bar and motor sailing at just over 4 knots in the very light wind. I had to maintain 4 knots to arrive at Southport for the flood tide at 0800 on Saturday.
Conditions were very calm so out went the fishing lure but there would be no bites and we retrieved it late the next morning. Generally the sailing was good and by late in the afternoon, after 40 nm, we were passing Ballina and reporting into MR Ballina. The bar look OK from 2 miles out, but there was no way I was going in there after my last short visit in 2011, maybe I should have. Just after dark and 15nm later, we were off Cape Byron and reporting into MR Bryon Bay.
The next 25nm would take us up to Fingal Head and Danger Reef, which we would pass on the east side. During this part we had the first real AIS/R [Automatic Identification System/Receiver] warning. This turned out to be a large container ship approach from my stern but some 2nm to our starboard side. It passed safely, but without the AIS/R I would never have known it was there.
Now about 0300 that morning I was sitting inside when all of a sudden there was this smell of hot metal and steam! I immediately stopped the Nanni diesel engine and lifted the engine hatch. I was greeted by the smell of hot metal and steam. All was too hot to touch but I determined that all the coolant had been expelled from the engine. ****! Well there was nothing I could do with everything so hot so got back to the cockpit and trim the sails, as that was all that was going to get us to Southport.
On Saturday morning at 0700 I reported into MR Point Danger and gave them an estimated time of arrival at Southport of 1500 hours and reported my problems asking that to be passed onto VMR Seaway Tower. So the gods are angry, then the wind dropped to nothing and here I was with no motor and only a slight northward current to get me to Southport. During the day I stripped off the windvane gear and set up the 2-stroke outboard motor to provide some sort of propulsion. We had 2 or 3 rain bands go through during the day and these provided just enough wind so that by 1430 we were off the Seaway.
Looking at the situation I thought I may be able to sail in right around to Bum's Bay and as I thought that the wind died for good, as it turn out. The decision was made when I observed that a yacht had doused all sails before going in, the ebb must still running which meant I wasn't going to sail in.
So for the first time I radioed into a rescue service with rescue in mind. VMR Seaway Tower was very businesslike and got all my details and Lat/Long saying they would send someone out as soon as possible. I used that time to clean up, lowering all sails and putting in two reinforcing lines back from my bow bollard to the winches on each side. It was not very long before they arrived and organised the tow.
"Keep directly behind us and pointed at us at all times" they said.
Telling them my hull speed was 5 knots [a little white lie, as it's actually 6.2 knots] we proceeded for the bar. They did keep to the 5 knots and we made it over the bar without incident. We were then towed up to Bum's Bay, crowded because of the Easter weekend, and found a place to anchor. I thanked the VMR boys and they got out their paper work and at $50 per half hour for one and half hours work with me I considered the cost very cheap. Never, never would I have made it in by myself without at least 10 knots of wind, which we still haven't had since I have been here, and a flood tide.
I spent the rest of the day tiding up, having a meal, and crashing for twelve hours sleep.
l this mean? Well I won't get a diesel mechanic before Tuesday at the earliest, so watch this space on that one. I have to get up to Horizon Shores at Jacobs Well to do my anti-fouling, that's on hold also until we see what's happened to the diesel engine, thou that might also be done at Horizon Shores.
One decision that has been made is that the round Australia Voyage will be limited to the Queensland coast this year, continuance will depend on how we are going later in the year.
Couple of short videos here:
Hi nsw
you said you turned the motor off. Have you tried to restart the motor?, if not try to restart the motor now that it has cooled down, It may only be a blown hose or gasket which will be obvious. I am in Brisbane but happy to help if there is anything I can contribute. Not a mechanic but reasonably competent around an engine.
Thanks G
Hi nsw
you said you turned the motor off. Have you tried to restart the motor?, if not try to restart the motor now that it has cooled down, It may only be a blown hose or gasket which will be obvious. I am in Brisbane but happy to help if there is anything I can contribute. Not a mechanic but reasonably competent around an engine.
NSW check your oil on the dip stick see if there is any discolor Milky means possible head gasket(water in the oil and see if it still turns over by the start motor dont start it just see it will turn over . Is the motor raw water cooled? possible blockage some where between the engine sea cock and the water pump and check your impeller. perhaps the raw water cooling is blocked . I have no idea what set up you have there
Thanks Libran I will keep you posted.
Spoke to my mechanic who has worked on this engine and will start with the raw water side first checking for blockages.
I will check the oil colour HG02, hadn't thought of that.
Will check the impeller and see if water is getting to the water lock for the exhaust.
Didn't do anything today as I did my back in, but will start Tuesday morning.
Thanks Libran I will keep you posted.
Spoke to my mechanic who has worked on this engine and will start with the raw water side first checking for blockages.
I will check the oil colour HG02, hadn't thought of that.
Will check the impeller and see if water is getting to the water lock for the exhaust.
Didn't do anything today as I did my back in, but will start Tuesday morning.
If the oils a good black color you have less to worry about then as long at it has not got extremely hot you should be OK
( head gasket and over heated piston rings) the rings could cause a little bit of oil consumption but would still get you around Oz ok
Mate had a small fish blocking his sea cock hose starved the cooling system warning buzzer when off shut it down . He carries a piece of wire to clear out any thing in there a old car aerial would be good have
I have contemplated one of these
Mt last PC build had a shut down if the flow stopped
a very nice bit of German engineering
Have though of adapting one for the Bukh but its a little expensive for that