12/31/2020
Lets back up a bit. (Before alcohol). 3 miles off of Race Rocks. There is a lot of current going the wrong way. So, as mentioned above we were making 3 knots under sail with a 2 knot current. Therefore we decided to motor to Victoria. /Well; that sounds like a good idea. We start engine and motor for about 15 minutes while we drop all sail and point at Victoria. At that point we decide that 1500 rpm is too slow for max throttle. So, I take a look under the bonnet and to my surprise there is a stream of diesel fuel shooting out of the side (port) of the engine. Mind you, it is a small stream, as in not a fire hose, but still a stream of high pressure fuel. I think to myself, "this is not good. Thank God this is not a gasoline engine." Okay! Lets stop the engine. Oh wait, the kill pull lever does not work. I need to reach into the engine and push on the fuel cut off lever with a screwdriver... Okay. That was not so bad. Reach in and kill the engine. Now the engine is off, so lets fix it. Give me a wrench, Paul. Nope too big, nope too big. Nope to big, but it fits this other nut. And since its on the correct housing lets turn it. 1/16 turn, 1/16 turn, 1/16 turn etc.... Ok, lets start the engine and see if the fuel leak has been stopped. CRANK. VERROOMMMMMM. SH*TTTT!!!! Turn it off. Oh ya, the fuel cut off does not work. BURST, spray, spray, spray. Now not only is the engine racing over 3000 rpm with my head 6 inches from it a cooling hose has burst. I thought it was only fuel being sprayed everywhere but it was only a cooling hose that had burst. Only! Okay I worsened this mess I can't exactly jump off the boat while the engine explodes and swim to shore. So stick the old arm in the engine and try to manually push the engine kill cable to stope the engine. Paul hold this driver handle. Wow what happened. The engine rpm dropped to 2000 rpm. (Later I found out that Dave S had just shoved it into gear to try and lower the reves) So know I am running around looking for a long straight slot so I can push the fuel cut off farther to stop the engine. Okay I found the unopened set of screwdrivers. I shove my hand and the screwdriver into the engine and it winds down and stops. You know, I thought it was going to blow up in my face. I look at Paul. Okay it stopped you pull your arm out now. And actually during all that I noticed that the fuel leak stopped. So now all we have to do is back that nut that I tightened out and fix the burst water cooling hose. So, to make a long story short. We fix the hose start the engine and motor the rest of the way to Victoria. Other than the limited RPM (1700) and fuel only dripping from the engine into the drip pan the rest of the evening goes well. Chinese food and Sour Apple Martinis. DB
