A few weeks ago our dinghy was lost, stolen or strayed from the Balmain Sailing Club. It was in the rack, locked up with a stainless wire and decent sized padlock. It was also looking the worse for wear with the fender having parted from the actual boat across the front so it looked like a flying nun. It also had some peeling paint leaving nasty sploges on the sides. But it floated and would take three people so it was very useful. Its disappearance is not only a mystery but very annoying. Specially since there were lots of better looking dinghies and some were not even locked up.
And it meant we had the problem of how to get to Cheshire Cat. Commodore Roger kindly offered to lend us his dinghy which was sitting in his Elizabeth Bay driveway. Then my good mate Malcolm offered to meet me at Roger's at 8am on Saturday - he is a very good mate! - with his roof racks on his 4WD car. Much as I love my car you can't fit a dinghy in a convertable Mecedes unless its an inflatable. The dinghy, not the Mercedes. So we loaded the dinghy, drove to Balmain, took it off the car walked it down some stairs to the lift and took it down to the club. Where I locked it up! Hopefully the burgler wont be back. And I bought Mal a coffee and a sultana snail at Balmain's "2006 best bakery" for his trouble.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Engine Trouble
Its funny how when bad things happen you learn something new. I now know how to bleed the deisel engine on Cheshire Cat for when the fuel lines get air in them. This could come in handy again some day. I'm also glad I recently got some spanners to put on board having decided not to wait any longer for Richard's tool kit to materialise.
Dayna and I set off happily, collected Laine, Claire and Terina form the pontoon and then the engine stalled before we even got back past the mooring. So we picked up the nearby police mooring and dug out the engine manual. Luckily we had two people on board who actually know something about motors, Claire and Laine. Between them and Dayna they worked out what was wrong and fixed it - for a while. As the problem kept happening we decided to sail across the start line thus putting us ahead of Alcyone for the point score and then go and fill up the fuel tank at the CYC. The theory was that the air lock was because of low fuel level. Even though I'd put in 20 litres that morning. So as Mercedes sailed away to complete the course - again - we went to buy petrol (well diesel actually).
As it turned out, after filling the tank and the spare gerry can and the water tanks since we were there, the problem continued. Next theory is that the line has a small leak somewhere that is sucking in air. We headed home in the knowledge that we could keep the motor going by regular bleeding of the lines. And so we stopped by Topknot, Laine's boat to see how she was with her new mast, commented collectively on how much work Laurie has to do on Iruka, and managed to get back to the mooring with only one more bleed stop.
Now a call to the machanic is required to get the motor seen to. And maybe the bottom cleraned as well. And, what the hell, perhaps even a holding tank for the toilet too. As a Christmas present for our smiley cat.
Dayna and I set off happily, collected Laine, Claire and Terina form the pontoon and then the engine stalled before we even got back past the mooring. So we picked up the nearby police mooring and dug out the engine manual. Luckily we had two people on board who actually know something about motors, Claire and Laine. Between them and Dayna they worked out what was wrong and fixed it - for a while. As the problem kept happening we decided to sail across the start line thus putting us ahead of Alcyone for the point score and then go and fill up the fuel tank at the CYC. The theory was that the air lock was because of low fuel level. Even though I'd put in 20 litres that morning. So as Mercedes sailed away to complete the course - again - we went to buy petrol (well diesel actually).
As it turned out, after filling the tank and the spare gerry can and the water tanks since we were there, the problem continued. Next theory is that the line has a small leak somewhere that is sucking in air. We headed home in the knowledge that we could keep the motor going by regular bleeding of the lines. And so we stopped by Topknot, Laine's boat to see how she was with her new mast, commented collectively on how much work Laurie has to do on Iruka, and managed to get back to the mooring with only one more bleed stop.
Now a call to the machanic is required to get the motor seen to. And maybe the bottom cleraned as well. And, what the hell, perhaps even a holding tank for the toilet too. As a Christmas present for our smiley cat.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Two's Company
We were one of only two boats in our Spring Series 5th race. Another lonely start but a good one with Jenni on the helm. As we headed for Lady Bay the sun was shining on another pefect Sydney day. In fact its getting boring how nice the weather can be.
The grunge on the bottom slowed us down a bit and so on the final leg Mercedes, the other boat in the race, caught us and slipped past, but not before I took some pictures.
This is Mercedes in all her glory
Julie and Dayna holding the boom out. You can just seee Mercedes under Julie's arm
Are we there yet?
The grunge on the bottom slowed us down a bit and so on the final leg Mercedes, the other boat in the race, caught us and slipped past, but not before I took some pictures.
This is Mercedes in all her glory
Julie and Dayna holding the boom out. You can just seee Mercedes under Julie's arm
Are we there yet?
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