We contacted Marsh Harbor Boat Yard-MHBY-at 8:00 this morning via VHF radio. They said their engine mechanic would be able to look at our engine first thing in the morning and that we should come into their boatyard today. Yippee!! It is about 5 nm away.
By about 9:30 Dave started bringing up the chain and anchor by hand. He didn’t have to physically pull it up. He had a device to ratchet the chain through the windlass by hand. Dave had added this just for cases like this where the engine wasn’t running, or if the windlass was broken. It worked great because it held the chain in place as it was brought up. We had brought out the main sail, so once the anchor was free, I was able to sail out of the anchorage. We had a few boats to go through, but nothing too close. There was an eerie quietness leaving by sail.
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| Dave ratcheting the anchor and chain onto the boat |
We had “light and variable” winds this morning. That means about 3-6mph. We also put out the jenny sail. So we averaged about 2.5 knots. “Slow boat to Marsh Harbor”. About 11:30, we were about a half mile out of their channel entrance. We called ahead to warn them that we would use the engine coming in, but may have to shut it off if it starts running hard again. They gave us directions as to where to tie up and said they would have 3 people on the dock to help us.
We had taken down the main sail earlier. As we turned into the channel, the jenny helped give us enough power to continue on without the engine. Dave went out on deck to help throw the lines to the dock hands. And I brought the boat up to the dock at the helm. Dave said the guys on the dock were complimenting me on bringing in the boat and how I brought in the jenny sail. Dave said “I know, I have a good one there.”
After collecting our wits, we went up to the office to see how to proceed. Loretta was very helpful. She said Dennis, the engine mechanic, had a cancellation that afternoon and should be able to look at our boat today. So we were glad we headed over here right away. The outboard motor mechanic was there, too, John. Dave visited with him a little about the problems we were having and he knew it was the carburetor. So we decided to let him look at ours while we were here.
Dennis listened to our story and checked things out for himself. He thought that there was only one way for diesel to get into the oil and that was the lift pump. They had one in stock, so they recommended changing that, no rebuild kit was available. Dennis even called his Yanmar company man to see if they knew of any other possible condition and they didn’t. So we went ahead with exchanging the part. Dave then changed the oil himself and kept the old pump to rebuild and have as a spare.
In the meantime, someone came by to get the Mercury outboard. They decided it would be difficult to lift it off, so they took the dinghy to their shop. Of course, the fuel bulb wouldn’t hold pressure. So the guy rowed the boat across the boat yard basin.
Dennis came back to run the motor and check the oil, etc. He wants to go on a sea trial in the morning with us to check everything out.
We took advantage of their free wifi and spent some time on the computer tonight.
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| trying to eyeball the entrance to the boat yard |
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| sailing through their entrance channel |
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| dock hands helping stop the boat and tie it up |
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