The morning started relatively calm as usual, though we were warned during the VHF 22 session that we could expect wind speeds of 10-20 knots overnight.
Arnold and I put in an hour investigating the starter problem. We were hoping that the starter would fail so that we could do certain experiments to isolate the problem. But we had bad-good luck and the engine cranked each of the four times that we tried the starter. Nevertheless we think that we made progress. The wire from the push button starter to the solenoid appeared to be copper with no tinning. The connector to the solenoid appeared to be in bad shape. I checked the voltage coming through that wire while Arnold held down the starter button and the maximum I could read was 9.88 V, whereas using the same grounding point I had read 12.6 V on the battery cable to the solenoid. At this point we plan to replace the entire starter switch wiring, taking the power directly from the bus bar behind the breaker panel. We'll then go off for a couple of weeks exploring some of the islands and bays to the north and see if the starter behaves itself. If it doesn't at least we will have eliminated the switch wiring as the problem and can look at problem in the starter-solenoid combo.
Arnold and I went to the marina for showers and a shave for me. The plan was to return to the boat after the showers, pack our laptops, and head off for the internet cafe and from there I would get the electrical wire for the starter switch job. However, the wind had picked up by the time we returned to the boat and Arnold got a bit wet from the spray. Over the next two hours we watched the wind speed increase from 15 to 20 knots and we did not want to risk damage to our laptops by trying to get ashore and back in these conditions. We were resigned to having an easy day on the boat which suited me because I was pretty tired from the activities of the previous few days.
I cooked spaghetti for lunch and had a nap. Then I got up thinking that this might be a good opportunity for installing the new outlet hose for the toilet. I uncoupled the hose at the toilet end and after letting the relatively clean salt water drain out compared the end profiles of the new and old hose. The old hose looked better than the new one. Whereas the new hose was made up of one layer of plastic with ripples along the inside the old hose had a second inner layer of black material that presented the advantages of a thicker laminated wall and a smooth interior. I showed this to Arnold and he agreed. He was afraid that the new hose might rupture. I was also afraid of odors working their through the hose wall to the outside. In short, I had purchased hosing that looked like the real McCoy but was not proper sanitation hose. So I secured the old hose again with the clamps and spent the next hour cleaning the head and after that the dusty navigation table. I'll probably carry the new hose in under one of the quarter berths as emergency spare.
By 5 PM the wind was hitting 22 knots and we had agreed to watch a movie.
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1 comment:
Sure were strong winds.
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