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.