The End of the Voyage

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Nov 22, 2008
3,562
Endeavour 32 Portland, Maine
As I quoted Sterling Hayden in my first post:

[FONT=&quot]Every true voyage must rest on a firm foundation of financial uncertainty.[/FONT]
I said that I had that covered and I've undertaken this trip with the same perspective as you have to have on the forces of nature and chance that can suddenly take your vessel, and even your life from you.

I woke up this morning and started the engine and the oil alarm went off. Half the oil I put in during the oil change yesterday is in the oil pan mixed with seawater. It isn't leaking from the oil filter seal. I haven't found the source yet.

Whatever the source, I can't afford to pull, rebuild, or replace this engine without going back to work. The boat needs to be hauled anyway for zinc replacement so my agenda now is finding the best place to have her pulled and stored.

My TowboatUS insurance will probably only give me the option of having her taken to the yard in Reedville. I can probably get her further, possibly to Oxford where I have friends and support, by having someone bring me a couple jugs of oil and pouring them through the engine as I go. However, the fact that the oil alarm was going off while the dipstick was still showing only a couple quarts down is pretty ominous and that might be killing the engine.

I would appreciate any local advice about where to take the boat or have it towed.
 

Jimm

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Jan 22, 2008
372
Hunter 33.5 Bodkin Creek - Bodkin YC
As I quoted Sterling Hayden in my first post:



I said that I had that covered and I've undertaken this trip with the same perspective as you have to have on the forces of nature and chance that can suddenly take your vessel, and even your life from you.

I woke up this morning and started the engine and the oil alarm went off. Half the oil I put in during the oil change yesterday is in the oil pan mixed with seawater. It isn't leaking from the oil filter seal. I haven't found the source yet.

Whatever the source, I can't afford to pull, rebuild, or replace this engine without going back to work. The boat needs to be hauled anyway for zinc replacement so my agenda now is finding the best place to have her pulled and stored.

My TowboatUS insurance will probably only give me the option of having her taken to the yard in Reedville. I can probably get her further, possibly to Oxford where I have friends and support, by having someone bring me a couple jugs of oil and pouring them through the engine as I go. However, the fact that the oil alarm was going off while the dipstick was still showing only a couple quarts down is pretty ominous and that might be killing the engine.

I would appreciate any local advice about where to take the boat or have it towed.
Dissappointing news - certainly any of the major harbors have competent yards - Solomons or Annapolis would be my first choices. Know you have friends here on the Bay and we'll help out as needed!
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
What a Bumber....

I woke up this morning and started the engine and the oil alarm went off. Half the oil I put in during the oil change yesterday is in the oil pan mixed with seawater. It isn't leaking from the oil filter seal. I haven't found the source yet.

quote]

i dont have any advice or comments regarding where to take your boat for haul out .....

if memory serves me correctly you have a 2qm15 yanmar ...if indeed that is correct....the first thing that comes to mind is the water jacket has given way...when redoing my 2qm last year i found that to be the weakest link in that old engine due to its age i am sure and the fact that they are sea water cooled......

really hate to read this of your trip as you have provided some very good reading for me and some others as well.....

good luck


regards

woody
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Sorry to hear, Roger.. I am hoping you find something benign .. Rocker arm external oil line, banjo connector, rocker arm support..??
broken oil pressure sender switch??
Again I wish you luck in finding the simple, low cost solution !
 
Jun 28, 2005
440
Hunter H33 2004 Mumford Cove,CT & Block Island
You have passed Deltaville, but it has has a reputation as a place to get work done at reasonable prices.
 
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Mar 21, 2004
2,175
Hunter 356 Cobb Island, MD
Tough news, Roger... after such a wonderful time..

Winds are going to be from the S-SW for next couple of days. Your a sailboat, head to Oxford and if needed then call Towboat. There are good yards in Reedville, one that comes to mind is Jennings boatyard, also good yards in Solomons. Good Luck to you..
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
As I quoted Sterling Hayden in my first post:



I said that I had that covered and I've undertaken this trip with the same perspective as you have to have on the forces of nature and chance that can suddenly take your vessel, and even your life from you.

I woke up this morning and started the engine and the oil alarm went off. Half the oil I put in during the oil change yesterday is in the oil pan mixed with seawater. It isn't leaking from the oil filter seal. I haven't found the source yet.

Whatever the source, I can't afford to pull, rebuild, or replace this engine without going back to work. The boat needs to be hauled anyway for zinc replacement so my agenda now is finding the best place to have her pulled and stored.

My TowboatUS insurance will probably only give me the option of having her taken to the yard in Reedville. I can probably get her further, possibly to Oxford where I have friends and support, by having someone bring me a couple jugs of oil and pouring them through the engine as I go. However, the fact that the oil alarm was going off while the dipstick was still showing only a couple quarts down is pretty ominous and that might be killing the engine.

I would appreciate any local advice about where to take the boat or have it towed.
Don't give up the ship yet Roger. The fact you just changed the oil, and half is now in the pan, makes me think there's a connection,....

What about the drain? Check everything again. If the engine was running fine yesterday, something changed, not necessarily broke.

Your column has been a great read this winter, I'd hate to see it end now. Good luck.
 

Alec

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Sep 23, 2005
79
Catalina 28mkII Bohemia River, MD
If you can get her up the Choptank you might try Generation III marina in Cambridge. I had really good experiences there. David Wheatly does first quality service & has reasonable prices plus it's not far from Oxford.
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Drain the oil quick. Sea water and bearings don't mix well at all.
I suspect the oil in the sump is being displaced by the water so there may not be an oil leak proper.
I don't know if you can but consider changing the oil and shutting off the cooling water supply then running the engine for a minute or two to purge the salt water from the bearings.
 
Nov 22, 2008
3,562
Endeavour 32 Portland, Maine
I'm signing off now as I've got to start conserving battery power now that I have no means of replacing it.
 
Sep 26, 2008
81
Hunter 44 Middle River, MD
Rodger: I've been following your posts. Sounds like a temporary setback. We live in the upper Chesapeake Bay and keep our boat at Tidewater Marina (Havre de Grace, MD). If you can get this far (by power or sail), we can offer you a room at our house and help with transportation. The marina has a great staff and capability for repairs/haul/storage. Don't hesitate to contact me with anything you may need.
 

RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
2QM raw water pump can easily leak both oil and raw water, when the shaft 'lip seals' go (simultaneously). Look for the tell-tale weepage on the front of the engine 'under' the pump and its 'weep hole'.

The seals and if needed a new shaft are usually available from Yanmar dealers ... the 'master' Yanmar distributor in the Ches. Bay area is Bayshore Marine Services in Annapolis
http://www.bayshoremarineengines.com/
Bay Shore Marine
7344 Edgewood Rd.
Annapolis, MD 21403
Phone: (410) 263-8370

They will SEND parts.

If this is the problem, and you get 'parts' to rebuild the pump you WILL need the tech page info as these pumps have precise 'set up' clearances for the bearings, seals ... and they are all set 'by hand' with 'joe blocks' and micro-gages, etc.
 
Nov 22, 2008
3,562
Endeavour 32 Portland, Maine
2QM raw water pump can easily leak both oil and raw water
Thanks for checking in good to hear from you. I just had the water pump rebuilt and that's the first place I looked after the oil filter. I've been all over the engine except for the part I can't see which is the bottom of the flywheel housing. No leaks visible anywhere. I think that kind of narrows it down to the aft main crankshaft seal.

The engine is going to have come out of the boat.

It's time for new shaft zincs anyway so I'll probably just go ahead and have the boat hauled.
 
Jan 20, 2009
15
Endeavour 32 Fredericton, NB
Maybe not as bad as it seems

Roger, sorry to hear your bad news. I may well have told you my engine failure stories when our paths crossed in the past - but they are likely more interesting now.

In Maine the frost plug behind the flywheel failed and seawater was suddenly streaming out the timing hole in the bellhousing. (Raw water cooled). I thought the trip was over but I pulled the engine and a local diesel mechanic fixed it while I watched and helped. Total lost time including diagnosis, pull, fix, replace was about five days and we were on our way. Mainers are a pretty helpful bunch.

Then last summer the damper plate failed catastrophically in southwestern Nova Scotia. Though there was oil and it wasn't overheating, I thought the trip was over when I couldn't turn the engine with a wrench. Turned out it the broken damper plate parts had piled up such that the engine could not turn. Of course I assumed the engine was seized and removed it and took it home to rebuild before I even removed the bell housing and tranny. We lost a month of sailing last summer when looking back it could have been fixed in a week on the boat if I had dug a bit deeper and shipped the new damper plate to the boat before I assumed the worst and took the engine home.

So based on my limited experience, I would dig in to the engine a bit before I assumed the worst - which is really what RichH is saying above.

Paul from New Brunswick

PS - I've had a great time watching your progress, reading your impressions, and wishing it was me.
 
Jun 4, 2004
287
Beneteau Oceanis 352 NYC
Hang in there and don't give up yet! A lot of people depend on you're posts each day to help them dream, well maybe that's just me!!!!!
 
Aug 21, 2006
203
Pearson 367 Alexandria, VA
Roger,

Sorry to read the bad news. If you decide to sail to Solomon’s, I suggest you try Spring Cove Marina (410-326-2161). They are good people who will treat you fairly. The yard is very DIY friendly.

Garner
 
Jan 30, 2012
1,123
Nor'Sea 27 "Kiwanda" Portland/ Anacortes
Roger -

If a crankshaft seal failed one would not expect seawater/oil mixed in the catch pan. Since the raw water pump is evidently cam driven, the pump shaft/seals are the most likely culprit.

Ignore the fact it was just "rebuilt." Top up the oil in the motor, run the motor briefly and see if the pump leaks as Rich H suggests. If this is the culprit, then make sure the pump shaft is either replaced or well polished to avoid shaft lip seal failure.

I doubt you will need the pump body - but if you do - I might be able to locate a complete unit.

Charles
 
Apr 29, 2011
134
Finnsailer 38 Massachusetts
Sounds like you are getting some good technical advice on what to look for. When something is broken and looks really bad my wife always tells me to let it be at least overnight while I think through the options. A solution or at least a better course of action can often be found after a good night's rest and some contemplation.

Just throwing it out there that it is not a bad sail at all from the Chesapeake up to New England, choosing your weather of course. One overnight can take you to Cape May, and another overnight or two to Block Island or Cuttyhunk. It might be handier to get the boat closer to home, though there are good yards in the Chesapeake.
 
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