Fred and I left TYC about 9am Saturday morning for the run to Newport and the Folk Festival. There was no wind to speak of and since it was a 42 mile trip give or take, it meant that we had to motor. Everything went well until we were off of Point Judith RI. The sea had been rather choppy and we bounced around a lot, rolling side to side as well as up and down and off of Point Judith, the engine started running rough and loosing power. Eventually it stall out and would not run. I checked the fuel filter and found that it was clogged. I got out a spare and replaced the clogged one and ABISHAG started right up.
We rounded Pt. Judith and had been headed up the Bay when the engine started acting up again. Eventually after about and hour she shut down again. I checked the filter and it was clogged again. Since there was was only one more spare filter, I knocked the filter against the side of the trash can and knocked out as much of the "grunge" that I could. I put it back in and we decide to let it run a bit. Good thing too as the dingy we were towing turned turtle: ie was upside down. I had borrowed a dingy from a TYC member and it was a hard, sailing and it had shipped water and that put it out of balance and it went over.
We dropped anchor, in the fog and in the middle of the channel, and spent an hour righting it and getting the water out. It required that I actually get in the water to accomplish this amazing feat but we got it done, a lot of straining and swearing later. The engine had continued to run just fine so rather than go into Point Judith, I decided that we would head off to Newport. It was about 6 miles away and I had spent $160 for a mooring for two nights at the Ida Lewis Yacht Club. Right off Castle Rock Light, about 3 miles from Ida Lewis, the engine quit again. By this time the wind had picked up and we raised sail and went forward that way.
I contacted the members of the cruise and they promised to send some dinghies to guide us in and help us moor. Did I mention that the Newport Folk Festival was going on at this time? There were boats anchored all over the place listening to the music and drinking was too much. With Fred at the helm we had to weave our way though the anchored boats to find a clear spot in the channel where we could wait for the dinghies to show up. Which they did. They latched on and propelled us to out mooring as neat as you please. We were finally safe at 7pm within spitting distance of the New York Yacht Club "Clubhouse." While Fred cooked I took the launch in to register and get ice ( which we had forgotten leaving TYC.) After dinner and wine, we were not moving, even though the members of the cruise gathered for a gam on VOYAGER. we were just too beat. We tried starting the engine with no joy, so we went to bed.
I figured that the crap that usually resides in fuel tank had been stired up and that a night of not moving or rocking would settled it back down. I tried starting again in the morning but again nothing.
In the afternoon, having had several members in the fleet come by and make suggestions that also didn't work, I called tow members whom I knew were very knowledgeable about diesel engines and their secrets. They came by and worked for two hours but even they couldn't get it going. They came to the conclusion that the injectors were clogged and that the fuel was not getting to the piston chamber. It was beyond their ability and tools to work on them, especially since they might have to be replaced.
After a steak dinner and several glasses of wine, I decided to call BOAT/US for a tow back to New London. I pay $149 a year for unlimited towing and I haven't used it since the ICW, so it was tome to use it. I called and set up a tow for the next day. I would get towed out into the Bay to a place where there was wind that would allow us to sail. If there was no wind, the tow would take us all the way to TYC. It would cost $3,000 . . . . if I didn't have the towing insurance, but I did, so it was FREE and I went to bed and slept the sleep of the just.
Next morning, the tow boat showed up at 8:45, hooked on and towed us to the wind, which turned out to be all the way down at Point Judith. We were able to sail all the way Watch Hill where the wind died and I had to call BOAT?US again. They towed us the last 8 miles to TYC and again, by 7pm, we were safe on a mooring, my very own mooring.
Tuesday will be boat cleanup day, contacting a diesel mechanic, and spending a lot of time in prayer that I have the funds to cover the repair, whatever it is.
AH!, THE JOYS OF BOAT OWNERSHIP!!!!!
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