Lossiemouth - Day 14

Lossiemouth - Monday 16th June 2011 - Day14

07.45 Engine no start, John from motor cruiser lent me his boost start and found 2nd stage fuel filter very dirty and changed for new one, changed 1st stage filter and satisfactory.
08.45 Left pontoon and outside piers set 2 reefs on main and No.2 jib in South West wind force 4/5.
11.00 The auto-helm was unable to handle the heavy conditions and had been hand steering for an hour when the engine high temperature alarm sounded.  Stopped the engine then the fuel pump stop coil began smoking and burnt out.
Attempt to hold the yacht in position by backing the foresail; this did not work and the yacht was spinning like a top, so dropped the jib and aborted the trip to Inverness.
Began the run back to Lossiemouth and checked the engine water pump impeller and primed the system, engine started and arrived back on same pontoon at 13.00; very relieved.
The problems were due to the following:
1. Engine overheating, on port tack and heavily heeled over lost sea suction which is on the port side.
2. Stop coil burnt out, the bent engine ignition key jammed in stop position supplying power to coil.
3. Unable to hove to, the No.2 jib has a high cut on the foot and in these conditions was useless.
4. Auto-helm, in heavy conditions the unit tends to jump off the tiller pin.

The next crew member, Lizz  Richardson from the Tallships was due to join in Inverness and called her informing of the situation before her flight was due to leave Soughtampton.  She agreed to carry on.  Phoned Andy Miller to obtain Bukh engine spares department, spoke to their engineer Norman Griffers and ordered stop coil with bolts, ignition keys and fuel filter, for hopefully next day delivery.
Met local marine engineer Jimmy Watt who attepted to track down a stop coil and loaned me his battery charger as mine had just thrown its hand in.

21.00 Lizz arrived by taxi from Inverness and went to the Royal Naval Association to relate the day's events and I was all for packing it all in but things were to turn out differently.