San Francisco or Bust!
San Francisco or Bust!
San Francisco or Bust!
Standing out on deck, I heard the engines begin to slow, cough and chug to a halt as the big diesels begged for fuel. With Catalina Island just out of view to the south this was not the place to lose the engines. During the night we had been buffeted by four to six foot waves and taking on water from deck seams as we pounded our way northward. Now we were dead in the water and sliding into the dreaded trough of this nasty wave pattern. Being held captive in the trough is never a place any sailor wants be. As if the night hadn't been dread enough, our morning was about to become a new nightmare as we looked at each other and instantly darted toward the engine compartment. We had filed a float plan and registered our rented EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) but I hoped we wouldn't need either.
"San Fran or bust" had jokingly been our motto as we left the dock that Wednesday morning in early June, heading out of San Diego and rolling up the coast to deliver the Great Banks 32 on the first step of her Seattle trip. Newly purchased and not recently worked on, she looked her age as we got aboard and assessed our initial prep work. While in dire need of some tlc, we took note of the mechanical and electrical systems with the wiring and plumbing looking like it hadn't been touched in years. I suppose that should be expected from a vessel launched in 1984. We proceeded to joke about the task ahead of us but the first thing I planned to get was a few rolls of that magical duct tape! Making sure a boat is mechanically sound is the first step in ensuring a safe passage. I recommend all systems be professionally checked and take no chances when going to sea. If you find yourself saying "that should be OK" then have it checked or replaced anyway!
We had her fully inspected, forming a list for the yard to work on while we checked the navigation and live aboard amenities ourselves. By mid-May she was back in the water and ready for trials. I guess we should have highlighted that word "trials" because a trial she was. Most everything had a leak or went out completely like the radar and the existing GPS never could find itself! Maintenance was not a word to be found in this boat's logbook. After three so called trial runs we seemed to have everything working and running smoothly. Perhaps she was once again ready for sea although not necessarily fond of the idea. By now the GPS had been locating better but still not usable so a new one was ordered.
Flinging open the engine compartment, we saw nothing obvious to indicate a loss of fuel. My cohort on the trip, Arthur, informed me he had just changed over to the port fuel tank. Well, no leaks, a clog maybe? By now rolling heavily in the trough we had to trace the lines and verify fuel flow. Arthur dug into the job as I watched for other vessels and got a handle on our drift direction. Soon it was clear that our port tank was not being drawn from at all despite having the valve settings correct and filter clean. Great! Two hundred gallons of fuel we cannot use. Switching back to the starboard tank we finally got the engines running again and set off northward.
With Arthur on the helm I checked the chart to calculate our range based on our consumption so far and the fuel remaining in the starboard tank. The best scenario would be to change course for Santa Barbara Harbor and hole up there until we could affect repairs and get underway again. We adjusted course and reduced speed to conserve fuel while I tried to figure a way to siphon fuel from the port tank if we needed to. Fortunately we arrived in the harbor during the final minutes of daylight and were guided to an open dock. We picked up the boat and headed up to the office to sign in and inquire about repair assistance. Planning an extended trip like this requires experience and a clear plan including contingencies when the unforeseen comes along. Carry spares where at all practical and be sure to have several new fuel filters ready to go. Create an inventory of spares and be sure they are on board and easily locatable in an emergency.
Having found local help we made arrangements to meet in the morning and looked around for a place to rest and recharge our own batteries. It didn't take long for the locals to recommend the Brophy Brothers Restaurant located conveniently nearby on the marina waterfront. With this latest discovery our evening (and mood) improved dramatically. It sure beat drifting and riding in the trough all day. After all, there are certainly worse places to be stranded than in Santa Barbara! We took a few minutes to call and update the owner about our progress, or lack thereof. He wasn't too put off by the problem but was anxious to know when we could get moving again. We promised him a call again in the morning. Lastly, I called to update our float plan and adjust our new departure location.
As we loaded up on seafood and refreshments we unloaded our frustrations with the trip. So far we agreed we had not tested the tank changeover satisfactorily leading to the fuel issue. The radar wiring was loose under the mount and of course it quit during the night but was quickly found and repaired. Having had the engines overhauled, the fuel tanks cleaned, lube oil replaced, batteries and lines checked we concluded that the fuel problem couldn't be too hard to fix. So far everything else seemed to hold up with the exception finding the deck leaks. Arthur's background is engineering while I'm a deck officer so together we felt up to the task of getting the boat to San Francisco once we got that port tank online. Cleaning the fuel tanks can be important not only to remove moisture but small particles that can accumulate over time will be stirred up at sea and clog fuel filters. This problem will usually mask itself in local waters where the tanks are not subject to a lot of movement and wave action.
Underway again that following afternoon we headed out all smiles with bellies and tanks full. Turns out the port tank had debris right at the opening to the crossover system and some air pressure blew it loose in short order. From there our trip was uneventful save the wonderful sunrise and sunsets we enjoyed as we motored along toward San Francisco. It is a true wonder to sail under the famous Golden Gate Bridge and file that memory away. We took some pictures and had the time of our lives as we navigated our way to the boat haul out area. The owner had planned to send the boat via truck for the last leg to Seattle. We said goodbye to the boat and gathered our things to head for the airport while snapping a few more pictures of the boat so the owner had a baseline of the vessel's condition prior to the trip.
Flying home we reviewed our preparations and agreed that all in all things had proceeded quite well. We also had to return the rented EPIRB and had checked in to complete our float plan. These are two items that seem to routinely escape the thoughts of most boaters, even some of the more experienced. In addition to thoroughly inspecting the boat's mechanical, electrical, navigation and communications systems take the time file a float plan with the Coast Guard and use an EPIRB device when offshore. These two small tasks can save lives! The EPIRB will indicate your location immediately even if you were off the intended course stated in your float plan. Using the float plan, rescue personnel will know exactly how many souls were on board so as to search aggressively for everyone. The information provided by the two merge to create an instant account of your situation that can be acted upon quickly.
Safe boating is always the goal. There's no place to just pull over and call for help on your cell phone. As you can see from our trip, despite efforts to ensure that critical equipment was checked and ready for sea we still encountered problems. When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity. A crisis at sea is very serious and potentially life threatening. Let's avoid the danger part and take maximum advantage of the opportunity provided beforehand to thoroughly prepare the vessel, yourself and your crew for potential problems. Keeping these ideas in mind should ensure that your boating experiences are always a joy. Enjoy your cruise.
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Gregory Eagles
September, 2010
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