Saturday 26 November 2016
Monday 7 November 2016
Willies Adventures: 6: Am I Mechanical?
The jury is out on this one. I am sure that I mentioned that a drive belt on the hybrid motor broke on the way here. The net effect of that was not significant , such is the redundancy built into our particular Wylo. One of the jobs of the hybrid is to generate lots of electricity when the engine is running. If the hybrid is not working, we fall back to ordinary systems where, when the engine is running, it charges the batteries through the alternator. This is slower and not very efficient but gets the job done. We can't manoeuvre the boat using the electric motor and can't use the mains type electric for cooking or charging stuff. Other than that, it is a non event.
We took the precaution of pre-positioning a spare belt around the prop shaft before the shaft was coupled together. That meant that the belt was ready to slip over the various wheels and tensioner and then be tensioned and "Bob's your Uncle and away you go ".
However, when you really look at everything there are a number of pieces of this jigsaw that don't seem to fit. Most frustrating but very much helped by a call to the man who invented the thing and who is happy to help a helpless customer on his Sunday. Graeme of Hybrid Marine, made a short video for me showing the majority of what needed doing, sent me an updated version of the manual and took a long call from me while I checked my understanding. Loins suitably girded, I got out the tool bag and jumped in. Everything went swimmingly until I got to an unforeseen step which was cleared up by another call to Graeme. Problem was I needed tools I didn't have. Step in the marina. They provided free loan of the bits I needed and joy of joy, job done.
Time to start the engine and test things out. Turn the key and flash bang, no engine start but sparks and sinking feeling. Racking my brains as to what I could have disturbed, managed to take a lump out of my finger on a sharp bit while tracing wires. Not happy. Phone Graeme. Within two minutes fault is traced to loose connection on the engine battery and engine starts as normal. Then run through a series of checks to verify that the repairs to the belt are sound and that the hybrid is working normally. Lo and behold it all works.
What is the learning? I need an expanded range of tools. Having a great supplier who is willing to offer support in a tight corner is fantastic. Having sorted it, it was relatively simple with the right tools.
My conclusion is that I am not yet mechanical enough but I took big steps in the right direction today.ðŸ›
Oh by the way, given that this is Willie's Adventures Sailing and Fishing you might like to know that we caught our first fish, a tasty tuna called a bonito. See below.
Oh, and did I happen to mention quietly that IRELAND STUFFED THE ALL BLACKS. WAHOOO!!!!!!!
Till next time when we will be en route to the Canaries via a couple of deserted islands.
Regards
Willie
We took the precaution of pre-positioning a spare belt around the prop shaft before the shaft was coupled together. That meant that the belt was ready to slip over the various wheels and tensioner and then be tensioned and "Bob's your Uncle and away you go ".
However, when you really look at everything there are a number of pieces of this jigsaw that don't seem to fit. Most frustrating but very much helped by a call to the man who invented the thing and who is happy to help a helpless customer on his Sunday. Graeme of Hybrid Marine, made a short video for me showing the majority of what needed doing, sent me an updated version of the manual and took a long call from me while I checked my understanding. Loins suitably girded, I got out the tool bag and jumped in. Everything went swimmingly until I got to an unforeseen step which was cleared up by another call to Graeme. Problem was I needed tools I didn't have. Step in the marina. They provided free loan of the bits I needed and joy of joy, job done.
Time to start the engine and test things out. Turn the key and flash bang, no engine start but sparks and sinking feeling. Racking my brains as to what I could have disturbed, managed to take a lump out of my finger on a sharp bit while tracing wires. Not happy. Phone Graeme. Within two minutes fault is traced to loose connection on the engine battery and engine starts as normal. Then run through a series of checks to verify that the repairs to the belt are sound and that the hybrid is working normally. Lo and behold it all works.
What is the learning? I need an expanded range of tools. Having a great supplier who is willing to offer support in a tight corner is fantastic. Having sorted it, it was relatively simple with the right tools.
My conclusion is that I am not yet mechanical enough but I took big steps in the right direction today.ðŸ›
Oh by the way, given that this is Willie's Adventures Sailing and Fishing you might like to know that we caught our first fish, a tasty tuna called a bonito. See below.
Oh, and did I happen to mention quietly that IRELAND STUFFED THE ALL BLACKS. WAHOOO!!!!!!!
Till next time when we will be en route to the Canaries via a couple of deserted islands.
Regards
Willie
Thursday 3 November 2016
Willie's Adventures: 5: Remarkable Progress...
The new crew assembled according to plan in Lisbon. We made a small cruise down towards the sea to get a away from the noise of the bridge and to get to a nicer marina.
The new crew were great. We paired them off in watches of two with me as the floating resource. After about day two, I really wasn't needed and had a lot of sleep while the crew managed the boat. We arrived uneventfully in Porto Santo about 20 miles north of Madeira Tuesday lunchtime after departing Lisbon the previous Thursday afternoon. This was an average of just under 5 kts for the 570 mile passage.
Then the weather took over and we waited for 6 days for a consistent forecast that made the 5/6 day trip towards Madeira possible. Some people in the same marina planning on the same passage left a day earlier than we did. However, comparing notes at this end, we all had the same frustrations of not enough wind from the right directions to make the passage really great. Having said that, we had a really good passage where we tried out the modified self steering on various points of sail and I was pleased with the results. We can self steer reliably on many more sail plans and points of sail. We also had a little visitor.
The new crew were great. We paired them off in watches of two with me as the floating resource. After about day two, I really wasn't needed and had a lot of sleep while the crew managed the boat. We arrived uneventfully in Porto Santo about 20 miles north of Madeira Tuesday lunchtime after departing Lisbon the previous Thursday afternoon. This was an average of just under 5 kts for the 570 mile passage.
Relaxed helming!
In Lisbon I employed some engineers to service the engine. In that process they moved something and didn't put it back exactly. The net result was a broken drive belt on an important piece of kit that generates electricity on board. We are still carrying that defect and will attend to it in Madeira.
In Lisbon I employed some engineers to service the engine. In that process they moved something and didn't put it back exactly. The net result was a broken drive belt on an important piece of kit that generates electricity on board. We are still carrying that defect and will attend to it in Madeira.
Speaking of which, we are ready to leave tomorrow and will be there for about a week when I will repair the belt and get a few other little jobs done. I will leave you with a few views of Porto Santo.
Till next time... Willie
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