Having had a bee stay onboard most of the way to Brid, today's visitor was a young gull. It flew ahead of me, then waited until I went past before flying ahead again. Stayed for a couple of hours, then probably got bored with my conversation.... I tried to identify it using the book I'd got with me, bloody useless and now 75ft below sea level!
Dropped the hook outside Scarborough in the early afternoon in baking sunshine.
Got a call on VHF later to come in, that's when the fun started!
Started engine, pulled up anchor, got back to cockpit to find engine stopped. Started engine, engine stopped....
Dropped anchor again....
Started engine, stopped again.
Let harbour know I was having problems, then swapped spark plugs for new ones, as spark was weak.
Made no difference.
On VHF again to keep them informed.
Got a call from a fishing boat offering to tow me in.
"Predator" tied me alongside and deposited me neatly on the visitors pontoon.
Predator...
Friday evening and Saturday was spent trying to track down the problem. It would start and tick over, but died as soon as the throttle was opened. Sounded like fuel starvation. Ended up with the fuel tank lifted above the engine and connected straight to the carb, no difference!
Going back to the weak spark....
Changed the ignition coil, no diff... You get the idea..
By the time I'd found the points were a bit pitted I was getting tired and stressed. Cleaned them up and put it back together. No difference!
Steve, moored next to me suggested the condenser could be the problem, and a few of the Scarb Yacht Club told me where I could possibly find a replacement, but not until Monday.
So, early Mon morning I strip the engine again so I can take the condenser for a comparison and swap. As soon as I unscrewed it, I could see cracks in the insulation in 2 places! Wrapped in stretchy self-amalgamating tape and screwed back together I sat down. I hardly dared to try it and find "no difference" again....
Anyway, I did and it worked!!!
Running better than ever, I know now what's been causing the odd splutter since I've had the engine!
So, it's heading north again early tomorrow.
Today I'm relaxing....
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