Engine working... sort of...

Early morning looked like the time most likely to have very low wind. So I managed to get down to King Malu by 8am. That is not really a Richard time of the day. I prefer to think there should be only one 8 o'clock in the day and that is evening. Anyhow, it was calm so I hoisted the repaired genoa and then hoisted the new sail cover which we bought from Lee Sail Covers in the USA. It looked great.

When Tim arrived we then measured out the sheets for the genoa and worked out how it will fly. I must say I am looking forward to seeing her sail.

Then Ken arrived and Tim and he set about working on getting the injectors out to take back to the workshop that repaired them in the first place. The labelled each of them, knowing that number 4 was the one that had been showing air and might therefore have been faulty.

When they got to the workshop the guy takes them and one by one puts them on the test rig: First one OK, second one OK, third one OK... by now Tim and Ken were thinking they might have been mistaken about a faulty injector. Last one... faulty. Ken asked what number it was. The technician looks at the injector and says '4'. Ken and Tim pass knowing glances.

Meanwhile I was rigging the rest of the boat: kicking straps for main and mizzen booms and sheet for the mizzen sail. Just enough left on the 'reel deal' from Mailspeed Marine. But we will have to order another 100 metres from them: The spinnaker halyard needs at least 37 metres; the genoa halyard is also slightly worn... OK, so we will not be flying the spinnaker yet, but the spinnaker halyard is what we attach the bosuns chair to in order to go up the main mast, and that I do need to fix the wind speed/direction indicator for the Raymarine navitronics.

When Ken and Tim arrive back they replace the injectors, replace the connection to the fuel lift pump and check all the timing. No luck. They slightly advance the pump and the engine leaps into life. Great. Except there is a leak in the oil lubrication system and a couple of litres is pumped out into the bilge.

'Did anybody bring this empty milk bottle to the boat for a reason?'

'Yes, to cut off and use for a paintbrush washing pot'

'Ah... 'cos I have just squashed it and put it in the bin'

I learnt it helps to tell your partners the reason for bizarre activities like bringing empty milk containers to the boat!

While Ken and Tim are working on the engine, I get some more wood from NEK to eventually mount the cooker and then paint a second top coat of grey on the stern cabin roof. I say second top coat, but the first was matt and had not taken at all well. I now know why the instructions are severe about the humidity in the atmosphere when you are using Awlgrip paints: Today the grey top coat behaved like a totally different paint and went on like a dream... as all the other top coats had.

They have also acquired a oil extract pump from Comar Marine, with the intention of pumping out through the dip stick. They do extract this thick gunky oil eventually and replace with fresh oil.

That is the point I left them, replacing with fresh oil. I shall be interested to know is the engine started reliably again.