13th May 2011 - Into the Caledonian Canal (Friday the 13th!)

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

Moderator: Jeff

Post Reply
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

13th May 2011 - Into the Caledonian Canal (Friday the 13th!)

Post by Jeff »

I didn't know it was friday the 13th and I am in no way superstitious (or at least I try very hard not to be), but when the lock keeper at Clachnaharry sea lock (the entrance lock to the canal at the North Eastern, Inverness, end) told me the date, I had to fight the urge to feel that the reason our engine had silently exploded and flooded the bilges with sea water two hours earlier was anything to do with the date!

We've run the engine, hard, without a problem, for well over 50 hours now since we started out this year. But when it was warming up this morning in preparation for our short motor from Inverness Marina to the Caledonian Canal entrance lock, the bolt holding one end of the heat exchanger in to the engine sheared, resulting in the engine pumping litre after litre of raw sea water into our bilges. This did not produce a change of note in the engine whatsoever and I only noticed because I heard a flow of water suddenly begin from an outlet on the side of the hull. I couldn't work out what on earth it was at first, then I went below and saw that the automatic bilge pump light was on! Moments later I discovered the problem and stopped the engine.

An hour and a half later, after a taxi ride, a free return trip courtesy of Caley Marina (thank you!!) and much grunting and usage of tools, the engine was restarted. I let it run for 30 minutes while awaited our updated lock entry time slot.

All is well now I think, but I do need to check the coolant level, and I need to get a brass bolt to replace the new steel one we have in there now, which will no doubt corrode due to its contact with the brass housing of the heat exchanger.

Perhaps I ought to change all of the coolant in the closed circuit side also... I guess it might have got some saltwater mixed in with it somehow.

Not going any further today, just in case!! :P

Still in Inverness. :|
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Discus
RNLI Supporter
RNLI Supporter
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:46 pm
Location: Floating around the SW

Post by Discus »

Another nightmare!!! Have you changed your anode on the heat exchanger regularly - if not, the brass bolt might of de-zincified and become weak- just a thought. At least you have the good bit of the trip to look forward to. Keep on trucking!!!!! Rob
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

Hi Rob. Yep, we change it a lot actually. It gets eaten through very quickly despite galvanic isolator and good hull anodes. I have a reminder in my calendar to check it every 4 weeks and in practice it seems to need changing every 8 to 12. Beta Marina said "they do waste quite quickly".

The fracture on the bolt is a brittle one which I guess could backup your suggestion. I wondered if my anti-freeze hadn't been doing its job in the winter and the bolt took a bit of a repeated stretching as the content of the heat exchanger froze/thawed. With that in mind, perhaps I ought to replace the bolt at the other end also.

From Jeff, on a swing mooring next to Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness!!! :D
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Discus
RNLI Supporter
RNLI Supporter
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:46 pm
Location: Floating around the SW

Post by Discus »

Sounds logical - our Beta anode depletes quite quickly too. I am sitting at home today (waiting for a Hydrovane to be delivered!! yipee!!!) and am now VERY jealous of you being in Loch Ness. We went there a few years ago for new year and had a great time. Urquhart Castle is a fantastic spot - worth going to the visitor centre if you have time. Take some photos/film!!!!! The whole area is a bit special and I love sailing up in Scotland. I'll be sailing for a week on the Clyde with my dad in early July and hopefully Karen and I will be taking his boat for about a week at the end of August. By the way, I only live about 15 miles from the Beta factory so if you ever need bits in a hurry, just shout (They can be a bit slow on delivering - was stuck in the hamble for days waiting for an alternator from them). Hope the weather is good - who am I kidding!!! :-)

Rob
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

Cheers Rob. They've been super speedy for me in the past - must've been lucky.

Hope you have better Scottish weather than we do. But to be honest, as I'm working, I prefer it to be claggy so I don't feel that I'm missing out. Also it's Scotland - it has to feel a bit "grrrr" for full authenticity :)
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Discus
RNLI Supporter
RNLI Supporter
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:46 pm
Location: Floating around the SW

Post by Discus »

Yep, plenty of "Grrrr" up there, they could export it!!!! Would love to be able to work from the boat, weekends just not long enough anymore and always a real sense of sadness when we leave on a Sunday. Bet you can improve your fishing record in Loch Ness, bit of fishing off the back at dusk could be fruitful. :-)
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

Fishing! There were a lot of jumping fish yesterday. Any recommended techniques?
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Discus
RNLI Supporter
RNLI Supporter
Posts: 416
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:46 pm
Location: Floating around the SW

Post by Discus »

Got a net??? Can't really admit to being an expert (vegetarian). Just always see people fishing on Loch Ness. Can you use the dog to scare them into a bucket? :-)
Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 751
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Jeff »

Genius :)
To join our mailing list and receive notification of blog updates, please send an email to watchblog@yacht-forum.co.uk and we'll keep you posted. You do not need to sign up to the forum to do this, and we absolutely WILL NOT share your contact details, or send you anything but notifications of new blog entries.
Post Reply