8th April 2011 - Afloat Again!

Jeff's blog of his life living aboard a yacht, at anchor, in the UK, with his wife, a dog and a baby.

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Jeff
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8th April 2011 - Afloat Again!

Post by Jeff »

Quick synopsis of the last couple of days....

Monday 4th
Lift back in booked for friday AM high tide. 08:00 BST.
New fuel tank promised for later today.

Tuesday 5th
No sign of fuel tank completion.

Wednesday 6th
Fuel tank completed by 10am and handed over to me for installation.
Fuel tank successfully installed by noon. Cracking on with some work for internet clients.
After work, went to have a good look at the tank and decided the sealant used on the access hatch would be ready, so put some fuel in.
Found a way to pressure test the tank and heard some air leaks from the top.
Fixed the air leaks with a hot knife (it's a plastic tank) but not happy.
Later - noticed fuel leaking from two places lower down the tank!
9pm - Manually pumped all of the fuel out of the tank, back into plastic fuel cans.
By 10pm had tank un-installed and ready to take back to makers (thank goodness it was the yard and not some distant firm)

Thursday 7th (relaunch tomorrow AM)
Had promised client I'd work to make up for yesterday's lack of hours so quite stressed.
Took tank to chaps in the yard at 8am.
Got tank back by 10am with new welds all over the leak points.
Test filled it outside. It worked - no leaks - PHEW!
Re-installed tank in 30 mins flat.
Stuck in 40 litres of diesel.
No leaks!
Now to bleed the fuel lines to get diesel with no air bubbles in all the way from the fuel tank, through two filters, and into the engine. Never done it before. Some trepidation.
Pump pump pump pump. Nothing. Asked friendly knowledgeable boat owner. "Keep pumping"
Pump Pump PUMP PUMP PUMP. Nothing. Asked again. "Keep pumping"
Much more pumping.
Time ticking, now gone lunch time. Client pressing by text. Very tired, only slept 4 hours last night.
Friendly boat owner: "take that pipe off there and suck fuel through to see if there's an air leak into the system somewhere"
Mouthful of diesel. Fuel now through first filter. No air leaks. Why wasn't the pump working. Got Rose to turn off fuel at the tank so my sucked fuel wouldn't return to the tank while I put the pipe back where it was meant to be.
Phonecall to Beta Marine (engine maker) "turn the engine over a few times, can't think why the manual pump not working" stress
Engine fires a couple of times then just turns over. Still no sign of fuel.
Friendly boat owner "now that you've run the engine you've sucked air into the injectors and you'll need to bleed air out of those too. Keep pumping"
PUMP PUMPETY PUMP - 15 minutes straight of moving a tiny lever up and down with the strong feeling nothing will ever happen.
Turn engine over for 5 seconds. Pump while waiting for fuel.
Realised that I'd not turned the fuel on at the tank since I asked Rose to turn it off!!!
PUMPING PUMPING PUMP PUMP PUMP. Nothing.
Turn engine over for 5 seconds with starter motor. Starter motor now getting warm.
Pump while waiting for it to cool.
Starter motor cranking for 5 seconds.
Pump.
Starter motor...
Repeat last two.
Starter motor hot.
Go online and do an urgent web site fix for client to keep them from cancelling my contract.
Time really getting on. Yard closes in a couple of hours. No more assistance after that.
Try turning engine over again. Engine fired up and ran!!! Awesome!!!
Fuel tank still not leaking!!! WOOHOO!!!
Now 5pm. Put boat back together as everything is somewhere it is not usually.
Now 6pm. Dinner. Movie (Social Network movie about Facebook. Not bad. Bit dressed up.)
11.30PM go to bed. Exhausted so sleep instantly comes.

Friday 8th April (today! launch day!)
Wake up at 5am with thought that maybe I forgot to close the oil pump valve that I opened in order to replace the fuel filter.
Can't sleep.
Up at 6am.
Oil pump valve was closed already.
Get all ropes and fenders on, tidy up, stow the folding ladder, disconnect the mains hookup.
Wait for the yard guys to rock up.
Walk 300 yards to the marina. Nobody about. Think I can see a spare space on the pontoon.
Back to the yard. Chaps arrive.
Set off on the tractor ride to the slip.
Into the water at 08:15.
Check all seacocks for leaks. No leaks.
Burp the stern gland. Good burpage, no drips.
Go to start the engine.... won't start!!!
AAAAGH!
Count to 5, deep breathing.
Try the engine again. Fired up after a couple of turns.
Ready to go. Can I remember how to do it? Wind's picking up now, blowing off the pontoon, makes things harder.
Executed a perfect mooring the RYA would have been proud of. Absolutely flawless. Nobody there to watch it happen!
Ran engine hard in gear for a while. All systems GO. All A OK.
Got the main sail re-installed OK.
Had to climb the mast to re-install the lazyjacks (things to assist in lowering and packing the main sail automatically)
Nipped into Whitby for some whelks and an ice-cream.
Back to boat to crack on with work for my very eager client.
He's gone to Filey for a day off.
Pressure off.
Tired.
Need to make a passage plan now for Hartlepool. Been a while. Sun is shining. Will do passage plan tomorrow after a good nights sleep.

Some pictures...

The new fuel tank. Second installation complete. Rose described it as "looks like a CDT project" :(
Image

Into the hoist for the night
Image

Waiting for the tractor driver to take us to the slipway
Image

On the way to the slipway
Image

Moored up, not sinking, deep sighs of relief all round
Image

Up the mast to install the lazyjacks
Image

I can see my bedroom!
Image
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Discus
RNLI Supporter
RNLI Supporter
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:46 pm
Location: Floating around the SW

Post by Discus »

OH, MY, GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hell truly is boat ownership!!! That was an epic week. I know that priming the fuel system can be difficult but didn't think it would be that hard!!! I think the manual pump on the Beta is a bit 'weedy' - but then they are on most boat engines that I have seen. I can see that work was the added stress you didn't need when trying to get everything working again - boat maintenance is enough stress on its own. Glad to see that you are afloat and all is well with the engine again. You won't have any more fuel supply starting problems now you have run the engine up as there is obviously no air in your lines anymore. Good news for Karen and me, we have our launch booked with the yard, Wednesday 20th April so we have been firing on all cylinders this weekend to get the boat antifouled, engine serviced, sails and stackpack on and send the upholstery away with our friends who are valeters to get it cleaned. Jobs list is finally reducing. If the weather holds we are hoping to spend some of the Easter holiday time down in Falmouth.......or anywhere with a good pub. By the way, Rose was incorrect - if your tank was a CDT project, it would have arrived in wood, with the inspection hatch on the bottom and the fuel lines coming out the wrong side!!!!!! Nice piccies of the boat - and dog!!!!!

Relax and Enjoy

Rob
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

Thanks Rob! Best of luck for your launch!! :D

from Hartlepool!
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methodman
YF Newbie
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:34 pm

jesus

Post by methodman »

my god jeff, that sounds like some serious stress. i was talking to Sam about when u launch and i said i might go and jeer at you, im glad i didnt now, else i would of had a gaff in my head.

well done tho,
Jeff
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Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
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Post by Jeff »

Cheers Aggie :)

Note to self: Get a gaff!
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