By C45Sanctuary on 6/29/2010 12:00 AM

What started as an engine refit ended up being a complete propulsion overhaul.  Initially, I had only envisioned replacing all hoses, clamps, fluids, belts, and normal maintenance parts.  The manifold had an exhaust leak, so that also needed to be repaired.

It was soon obvious that a simple refit was not enough.  The heat riser had a substantial amount of carbon deposits, which blocked the exhaust and caused a significant loss of power.  The heat riser and exhaust manifold was completely replaced.  By the time the project ended, the engine was rebuilt and the propulsion system was overhauled.

So, no more engine problems.  I hope.

By C45Sanctuary on 6/24/2010 12:00 AM

The old anchor windlass never worked. Not even once.  Not even, after rebuilding it, then testing it in port, did it actually function when I needed it.  So, after hauling the anchor up by hand at least ... oh, I dunno .. at least ten times, I finally got too tired to weigh anchor without a windlass.

For a replacement windlass, I had one main requirement: It had to have a manual override function, so if the power is out, I can just manually winch up and get moving.  Anything else was purely optional.  Since Sanctuary is so massive (it's true! she is a battleship disguised as a sailboat), none of the cheap options were available.  I finally settled on the Tigres, from Lowfrans.  This windlass has it all: electric up, electric down, a cleat on top (handy, since I only have one cleat at the forward end of the boat)

By C45Sanctuary on 8/8/2009 5:06 PM

The prevailing winds died down around 5am.  A bit after 6am, at first light, Sanctuary was underway and headed back to port.  The harbor was almost like glass when the keel scraped the sand bar just outside the slip.  Within a few hours the winds had picked back up to their normal 20 knots from the southeast.

Next week will be spent replacing the forestay with new wire rope, unfouling the prop, and working random projects on the "To Do" list.

By C45Sanctuary on 8/5/2009 11:00 PM

I don't think I went topside until well after noon.  In the afternoon, I swam to shore with fins and snorkel gear.  On the way back I swam through a small pod of dolphin.  I think, in their minds, they had erected a toll booth.  I didn't have any change and my toll tag is back at the dock, so I just blew past and hoped a dolphin cop didn't try to pull me over.

Dinner was rib eye, and more roasted corn.  Best. Steak. Ever.  The new grill kicks ass.

By C45Sanctuary on 8/4/2009 11:45 PM

With the winds blowing at 20 knots fromt he southeast, and an engine that seemed to be running at ten percent power, it would have been too risky to attempt the channel back to port.  The high winds would have driven Sanctuary out of the channel and into the shallows.  At least, that's what has happened twice before (check the June entries for details).  I'd have to wait for the prevailing winds to calm a bit (which could take until November, knowing this bay), or I'd have to fix the engine as best I could and take my chances.  I decided, instead, to test the engine a bit.  I hoisted anchor (by hand), cast off the lines from Platform 199, and headed directly into the wind towards San Jose Island. There's a protected anchorage where that island meets Mud Island.  Plus, the fishing is supposed to be pretty good in that area.

At first Sanctuary could make about 3 knots into the wind.  The junk I cut off the prop shaft seemed to greatly imcrease the available power.  But, within a few minutes, I heard some wierd whining, so I slowed until the noise and vibrations stopped.  It took more than an hour to cross the two miles to the protected anchorage.

In the afternoon the Achilles inflatable was unstowed, inflated, and put into the water.  The new gas grill was mounted on the aft rail.  Dinner was grilled tilapia with roasted corn.