|
Mika and I had a great time visiting with Steve, and Carol Bliven. While in Padanaram I was able to work on cleaning my fuel system more. Steve took me around to do some errands, which included a case of Racor filters for my dirty fuel plus some dog food. While in Padanaram I also had some great meals with Steve and Carol, plus another Southern Cross Owner, Jack Walsh, and his friend Marie had dinner with us as well. While working on my fuel systems for both my furnace as well as my engine another Southern Cross boat owner Keven Brown came out to the Sarah Maria for a visit as well.
But all good things eventually come to an end and Mika the Wonder Dog and I left the comphorts of Padanaram once more for the high seas on our way to Point Judith, RI on October 12. The engine shut down with a clogged filter just as we were leaving Buzzards Bay, however with the sails up and auto pilot working I was able to change the filter and eventually get the engine running again.
With little event I made it to Point Judith arriving just around 4pm, and even though I was warned by Jack Walsh not to anchor where I did, I did not take his advice. Once the wind shifted out of the southwest it became very Rollie through the night and by 3am I was bumping ground so I had to start the engine and move back out a few hundred feet.
On October 13 after Mika's walk we left Point Judith with plans of anchoring off of Fishers Island.
The engine kicked out again while useing the smaller top tank but I think it was just rough and I may have sucked up air, but I changed the filter anyway and switched to the lower tank. I ran for a few hours on that tank, however about 5 miles east of Fishers Island the engine started making funny screaming sounds as once more the engine died. I started the engine, and when I put in gear the linkage to the transmition snapped.
Again for the fifth time this season I had to call Towboat US. I kept sailing but I was not going to be able to point high enough to get around Watch Hill. The tow and I decided that we would meet there.
Towboat US towed me to the Noank Ship Yard in Noank CT, where they arranged for a mechanic.
Before the mechanic came out I took some time to do some trouble shooting myself, and ya the linkage cable had snapped, which was bad in it self. When I checked the dip tube of the transmition it was full of this brown watery crap, sending me sort of a panick thinking that I may need a new transmition.
The Mechanic in the yard came down with a used cable that he gave me, and told me to do as much of the work as I can as far as hooking up the new linkaged, which I did. As I was hooking up the linkage he was working on flushing the water out of the transmition.
Mika the Wonder Dog was barking. I ask surprisingly if he was barking at the mechanic? No he was barking at Jack Walsh, who drove down from RI to see if he could lend a hand.
Even though the yard mechanic thought I needed a new transmition Jack thought that the linkage just needed to be adjusted. The cable was a couple of feet longer than the one that was broke and I thought the throw was a little off myself, since it was something I worked on myself while helping install the new engine. To make a long story just a little longer. I will be staying a few more days in Noank Ship Yard, decided not to replace the transmition until I check out the old with a new cable.
Our next port of call when we leave Noank will be have way down Long Island Sound, on our way to the East River and New York City.
Make sure to follow our trip on Captian Ed's Facebook page, and also follow our trip on spot. Hopefully you have saved the link I will try to post it again.
|
