Crashed into Spain at about 7.00 pm last night! :)

J

John Denney

.
Oct 30, 2019
114
Hi all, well I have made it to Spain. The Biscay crossing was my worst nightmare F6 / F7 all the way with an horrendous hour of incredible winds on Friday which ripped the foresail sheet block away from the deck - I have never been so frightened and just about everything on the boat broke. Waves as big as houses over the top of the boat, water everywhere,engine packed in, compass broke, genoa sheet block parted from its track on the deck, nav lights all failed, no way to charge batteries, Lay a'hull (drifting basically) for 24 hours through the shipping lanes (you talk to the nicest people in the middle of Biscay!), and I was shaken and battered for 4 days. I am black and blue (I look like I have been abused!) but I am still smiling and the boat was fine despite my inexperience!
I will never trust a forecaster again - I have an old RAF (met. man) mate in Manchester Airport who checked the weather for the crossing for me and he sad it would be fine - he got everything right except the wind strength - it was about 40% more than predicted! Such is life.

Anyway it is hot and sunny here so I am trying to dry out the boat and tidy up before a day or two of fixing stuff.

I will stick some pictures up when I find the camera.

Cabin boy John

ps I made a wise choice of boat. It just did what a good boat should do and held everything together whilst I made endless mistakes due to my inexperience. I am so proud of her - she is a bit scruffy looking now and not as posh as the yachts all around me in the Marina but I now have great trust in her and I will thank the designer one day - is he still alive?
 
V

Vega1447

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Oct 19, 2019
921
Albin Vega 27 Limerick
John, as we say in Ireland; "Fair Fecks"== "Well Done".

Look forward to hearing the details & hope the damage doesn't take long to repair.

John V1447 Breakaway

John Kinsella
Mathematics and Statistics Dept
University of Limerick

Phone 0035361202148
Web jkcray.maths.ul.ie
 
J

johnadenney

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Oct 30, 2011
221
Ta John, The engine now runs like a dream with no oil leaks! Must be
that lucky Irish diesel you got me! (boy did I need it.....
 
T

tomfentonvega2977beowulf

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Aug 29, 2011
103
Well done, John. Passageweather.com gives you wave heights as well as wind (scroll down to the third chart) and magicseaweed gives you swell. Where are you? La Coruna? Which marina? Beowulf is in Marina seca, but we flew home for the Olympics while we have a new prop shaft made and fitted. The old bronze one was very worn. We will be back on Aug 12 by which time I expect you will have reached Panama at your present rate.
 
J

johnadenney

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Oct 30, 2011
221
Hi Tom, Yes I am at La Coruna marina - the first one I came to! I
think Seca is just a little way up river? I may take a trip to have a
look at your roller reefing setup! I am just working on mine trying
to fit a fatter line so it is easier to hold whilst pulling on it.
The drum has quite small holes for the rope to go through and I cannot
get a decent size line through the hole. A 12mm line going down to an
8mm line (spliced) came with the boat and I have always wondered what
it was for. I assume it is the original reefing line but I cannot get
the 8mm end to go through the holes in the drum - I may have to re-it
my 6mm line and tie a bit of 12mm on the end that goes to the
cockpit. Not really sure what to do. Does anyone have any ideas or a
pic of their set up. I have the original Rotostay furling gear.
Hot and sweaty in Spain!

John

ps - I ended up removing the electric fuel pump I had fitted. It was
over-fueling the engine hence all the black smoke and the odd puff of
soot - it now runs much much better and the oil leak was cured at the
same time - I have no idea how to explain that but the engine does not
leak a drop now since I disconnected the electric fuel pump - weird!

Any ideas about the the roller reefing line set up welcome....
 
V

Vega1447

.
Oct 19, 2019
921
Albin Vega 27 Limerick
Hi again John.
While you wait for the experts....

I had 10mm furling line but decided to replace it as it over-filled the drum (Plastimo) and often jammed when rolling the sail out.

I went to the other extreme and changed to I think 4mm line. Very uncomfortable to handle under load but no more jams.

My furling line runs on port side of boat.

Im usually single handed so if on port tack I lead the furling line from turning block on port quarter back forward to the winch if effort needed.
And I lead the furling line across to the stbd cockpit winch if on stbd tack and breezy.

One turn on winch makes line much easier to handle.

Having said all that splicing a short piece of 10-12mm to a long piece of 4-6mm is prob the best soln.

All the best,
John

John Kinsella
Mathematics and Statistics Dept
University of Limerick

Phone 0035361202148
Web jkcray.maths.ul.ie
 
T

tim_klynn

.
Feb 12, 2008
337
You could also get a taperable 8mm high strength line (like New England Ropes Flightline or FSE Robline Dinghy Control) and strip the cover off the first 15' so it is down to
the 4mm core for the first 15' that attaches to the drum, leaving the 8mm covered length where it is handled. -Tim
________________________________
From: John.Kinsella John.Kinsella@...
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 4:40 AM
Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Crashed into Spain at about 7.00 pm last night! :)



Hi again John.
While you wait for the experts....

I had 10mm furling line but decided to replace it as it over-filled the drum (Plastimo) and often jammed when rolling the sail out.

I went to the other extreme and changed to I think 4mm line. Very uncomfortable to handle under load but no more jams.

My furling line runs on port side of boat.

Im usually single handed so if on port tack I lead the furling line from turning block on port quarter back forward to the winch if effort needed.
And I lead the furling line across to the stbd cockpit winch if on stbd tack and breezy.

One turn on winch makes line much easier to handle.

Having said all that splicing a short piece of 10-12mm to a long piece of 4-6mm is prob the best soln.

All the best,
John

John Kinsella
Mathematics and Statistics Dept
University of Limerick

Phone 0035361202148
Web jkcray.maths.ul.ie
 
T

tomfentonvega2977beowulf

.
Aug 29, 2011
103
Are we talking about the Main or the foresail. Beowulf has slab reefing on
the main and a fairly new Furlex on the forestay. There is another Vega at
Marina Seca, round the back (North side?) of the workshop. Cannot remember
its name or what the reefing systems were. Unless you are planning to take
it easy down the Spanish and Portuguese coast, it looks as if we will miss
you. If so, good luck and keep the reports coming. Take care and don't let
the weather roger the cabin boy. Tom
 
J

johnadenney

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Oct 30, 2011
221
Too much fuel pressure due to the electric pump. (I think!) It gave me
loads of soot on the stern and the occasional puff of black soot on
the water as I increased power. Now that I am back on just the (new)
mechanical pump it runs like a dream - I mean really well.... more
power, more economy and I can get to full throttle without the engine
"labouring". It pushes the boat along at just over 6kts at full
chat. Lets hope it lasts.
 
G

groundhogyh

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May 30, 2006
1,075
Hi John,
What I dont understand is how the electric pump that produces fuel pressure at the input of the engine fuel pump which produces pressure at the Bosch injector mechanism can effect the injection of fuel so far away?
groundhog
 
T

tim_klynn

.
Feb 12, 2008
337
I'm not clear on that either. I would think that the electric fuel pump just puts out a few pounds of pressure, while the injection pump puts out hundreds or thousands of pounds of pressure.
I don't really know the Volvo system (and I'm glad that I don't have to) , but if it has mechanical injectors, perhaps the pump was pressurizing a return line the pump fuel into a leaky injector. Not likely though. -Tim
________________________________
From: groundhog groundhogyh@...
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 3:12 PM
Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Crashed into Spain at about 7.00 pm last night! :)



Hi John,
What I dont understand is how the electric pump that produces fuel pressure at the input of the engine fuel pump which produces pressure at the Bosch injector mechanism can effect the injection of fuel so far away?
groundhog
 
J

johnadenney

.
Oct 30, 2011
221
Yes, I agree - it amazed me but it cannot be a coincidence. As soon
as I had disconnected the electric fuel pump the difference was truly
startling. (note - a new mechanical pump has been also fitted
recently) I have motored 20 hours without the electric fuel pump and
there are no signs of soot deposits on the stern and no more puffs of
black "soot" on the water when I open the throttle. I am truly
mystified why the oil leak has been cured at exactly the same time - I
would be interested to hear others views. I have been working on old
diesels , tractors, diggers, dumpers for most of my life so I have a
good understanding of a diesel engine. Suffice to say that I am
delighted that the engine is running so well but still curious about
why!

Still sat in the marina at Coruna - it is overcast today and I am
helping my neighbour fix his steering gear. I have met the most
amazing people. I have repaired the furling line - just attached a
12mm line to the existing 6mm line with a sheet bend and whipped the
ends and strapped up with self amalgamating tape - not elegant but it
will suffice until I can find a better solution. I spent all day
yesterday removing "rust" stains from my newly painted hull. I dont
understand why suddenly I have developed rust stains - from existing
fittings that have been on the boat since new! Maybe the heat and
salt water are more "rust producing" here!

I thought I may be lonely but I have been just the opposite. I even
met a chap who lives just up the road from me on his Vancouver yacht -
going the same direction as me. It is so good to be having a bit of
an adventure and feeling sort of "free".

A few more jobs to dom on this boat and then a good tidy up and I
shall be ready to set off into the blue yonder again.

Cabin boy John
 
J

johnadenney

.
Oct 30, 2011
221
So far it seems to be pumping from the bilge tank ok. (in quite a
large swell) It is less than half full and is fine. I shall soon see
if it struggles when the tank is low. The old fuel pump (on
inspection) showed signs of a weakening of the membrane that pumps the
fuel. It looked a bit "stretched and floppy" and I think the rubber
had perished a bit. So the old pump was 'working" but not producing
enough suction. The new one even primes much quicker when you operate
the little lever. Based on my experience I would buy and fit a new
mechanical pump. I am still amazed that the oil leak was cured as
well - weird!
 
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