59 days to go. The last post was at 89 days. That’s a whole month! The days are flying past before we finally embark on our adventure. With only two months to go, Mayday came and went and the todo list stoically refuses to shrink. I think it’s a conspiracy.
The last month has finally confirmed that Darwin is in ‘the dry’ which meant that I could complete the recaulking and sanding of the teak deck. I am really pleased with the result and enjoying the feel underfoot while walking on deck. That’s a big tick.
The new Diesel engine raw water heat exchanger arrived from the USA, and was fitted in a trice. Once refilled with antifreeze the engine started on the first go. I love these old Diesel engines. Ours is a 90hp Ford Lehman tractor engine and gives a decent power for extended cruising but chews through diesel fuel at about 5 litres per hour. With only two months to go I thought it would be a good idea to do a complete oil change on the engine and the gearbox transmission. This is always a dirty job and involves spending time in the bilge, but all went well and I test ran the engine. I left it running but after about 15 minutes the engine coughed and stalled. Hmmm. That’s not what Diesel engines do, surely? After a quick check on fuel levels I tried restarting and she started reassuringly with that purr of a happy engine. Fifteen minutes later the same thing happened again. Hmmm. Here’s an idea, it could be fuel starvation so I think I’ll change the primary and secondary fuel filters. Good idea! Having spare filters in the locker, I set about this task, confident that all would be well.
It only took a few minutes and the job was done. Turned on the fuel pump and did the bleed on the system to eliminate the air. Magic! Again she started and ran like a dream. I thought that I would check the vacuum at the filter and noticed that it was a bit higher than normal but not enough to be a worry. The worse problem was that I could see air bubbles percolating through the glass filter bowl like some demented barista was hiding in there, and sure enough, 15 minutes later she coughed and died. Hmmm. How is that air getting in? That must be why it only runs for a short time using the fuel up and filling the top of the filter with air. Working backwards towards the fuel supply I checked all hoses and clamps until I eliminated the bubbles. Turned out it was a pinhole leak on the fuel feed that was allowing the pump to suck in air. Today I ran the engine for nearly two hours and she just kept keeping on, in gear and under load with the prop in reverse so as to clean the hull. Sweet!
So then it was out with the engine degreaser to clean off all the spilt diesel fuel, oil and antifreeze safely into the bilge to be pumped out into ‘environmentally friendly’ containers for disposal. Yay! Another big tick.
It’s Margies last day at work tomorrow and after she has a two week R & R in Perth we will be full on with transforming Moonshadow from a live aboard boat to a cruising yacht. All the sailing gear has to go back on board, spares to be replaced, provisioning to organise and the hardest part being how best to reorganise the stowage of too much ‘stuff’ into too few spaces. We also have to do the inventory so we know where ‘stuff’ is if needed in a hurry, which is often the case. Margie is great at organising so this is more of a pink shade of job instead of the blue.
Loads of other jobs have been completed over the last month including new high capacity bilge pumps and alarms, refurbishment of the dinghy and the tinny as well as servicing the 5hp and 15hp outboards.
All in all, I think we are on target for a July 1 departure. I am just loving this.
Life is grand!
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