We Lost our Engine! Gale at Cape Lookout | Distant Shores
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ม.ค. 2020
- This time on Distant Shores we make a 2 day passage around Cape Hatteras - deal with fuel problems that disable our engine - and face a gale as we sail past Cape Lookout to beat into rough seas towards Beaufort North Carolina.
02:40 Cape Hatteras at Night
03:55 Engine Problems
07:12 Dolphin Encounter
08:05 Gale at Cape Lookout
Music we used in the Episode - all provided by Epidemic Sound
00:01 Under the Radar - True Messenger
07:12 Universe of the Dolphins - Trace Way
09:35 Under the Radar - True Messenger
14:27 Monkey Madness - Mike Franklyn
#distantshorestv #sailinglife #sailingadventure #Southerly480
About:
Paul and Sheryl Shard are award-winning travel documentary television producers and videographers and have been cruising internationally since 1989 documenting their global adventures for television, social media, in books and sailing publications. They have sailed over 110,000 nm including 9 ocean crossings and are the producers and presenters of the Distant Shores sailing adventure TV series which is broadcast to 47 million households in 24 languages around the world. Through their TV programs, TH-cam videos, articles/blogs and popular cruising seminars, the Shards help anyone dreaming of setting sail to get out on the water and experience their own adventure safely and comfortably.
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Current Boat:
Southerly 480 by Discovery with variable-draft swing-keel
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Equipment:
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Thank you for watching!
Sheryl and Paul
One of the best educational channels around. Thanks for sharing your challenges and solutions.
Rudee Inlet at Virginia Beach. Amazing coincidence. I used to live 5 blocks from there. A Facebook friend posted a photo of her standing by the beach. And in the background? You guessed it! The mouth of Rudee Inlet. I love that! Thanks for the memory! Chart House full of memories.
Tough passage, but you made it look like a piece of cake. Well done. Having also lost an engine to diesel bug, I too always think of a Plan B for leaving and arriving in marinas. It's also the reason I don't zip up the lazy bag before arriving at my berth. Thanks for showing us how it's done.
ADDITIONALLY, although this may not apply to your situation...experience tells me, that you may have hose deterioration. Your fuel line can collapse from the inside when the fuel is being drawn into the engine. HOWEVER, you will NOT see a blockage when blowing threw the hose to test for blockage because blowing creates pressure which prevents the hose from collapsing. The problem is extremely difficult to diagnose without the use of a suction gauge (mounted on the top of your filter) that will indicate excessive vacuum at the fuel line. Or you can invite a Master ASE certified 30 year retired mechanic on board like me to help you along. Great videos.
This is an important video for all "would be sailors" to see. There are a lot of people I see on the internet saying "I've just taken my ASAs! What do I do now?" You learn diesel troubleshooting and maintenance. Also electrical troubleshooting and maintenance. Sailing is easy by comparison to maintaining the boat.
There it is! NICE..
Very nice video and good management of a crisis. I’m no specialist in rigging, but I strongly advise you to check the tension on your lower shrouds. On your video, one can see them woobling hard, and they clearly shouldn’t... I wish you good winds
Cool, calm and collected!
Great video thank you for sharing. I learned a great deal.
Safe Sailing
I like it when a crew can sail in gale force conditions without all of the drama and anxxiety I see on YT. And without a working engine. My compliments to the captain and crew. 👍👍👍👍
Great video. I'm surprised that you didn't mention your fuel line getting clogged by the movement of the boat while going thru those big waves leaving harbor. That movement shook up the fuel tanks and dislodged all that gunk allowing in to enter the fuel lines. Happened to me once.
A hand held vacuum pump would be useful to have onboard, we have one. If the line gets clogged you can syphon the sludge out. Its good also for bleeding the system.
It is easy put a T connection on your dieseltank outlet and one on the return line, Then use a 12 volt diesel pump and polish it true a good Racor filter, in this way you can circulate and clean your fuel even when you not use your engine for long time. Yes adding bug killer in the tank is also wise to do.
GREAT JOB GUYS...
Well done 👌
Not pushing any product but ran diesel trucks for years used Power Service or Stanadyne diesel fuel additive with every tank fill stopped any issues with diesel bug and gelling up hear in the Canadian North. Awesome videos 👍
Thanks for the video! Good adventure!
Glad you overcame that challenge and your diesel engine worked again. I learned a few things watching this video. Thanks.
The rockring off the boat heading out, probably was the issue. Making the sludge to stir up from the bottom of the tank.
If you First have a clear seetrou filter this can easaly be checked. 👍
I have installed a fuel stir pump with a clear filter just to avoid sludge buildup
There has been many boats ending up on ground due to fuel issues..
You need to know more then just sailing a boat to own a boat. If something is going to break it will happen at sea not at berth. Great video cheers from the UK
Nicely done....
I would put money on more of that sludge in the tank, been there done that.
Good video thanks
For sure there will be more of that sludge in the tank. This massive poop doesn't start in the fuel line, but nearly almost on the bottom of the tank. And, as seen here, when motoring or motorsailing in rough conditions, it get mixed with the cleaner fuel above. And so suddenly clogs valves or filters. And the engine stops, where it is least convenient. So the tank has to be emptied, cleaned, then all the fuel has to be filtered and some biocide has to be added. And from now on for quite a while, as living bacteria will stay and hide for a while somewhere in the fuel system.
And something else: a sailor should stay selfreliand as far as possible. To ask for a tow boat should only be considered, when there is no other safe way out of a situation. Especially, when the costs are payed by an insurance company like Pantaenius. The insurance company pays means: all the other sailors of this company pay for your comfortable in time arrival at the desired place. Another entrance, that you can sail into on a more or less broad reach would look more like a seaman like approach to the situation. There are offshore sailors out there without any engine. Without engine wouldn't be to my taste, but shows, what is possible and safe.
One thing that helps a lot is a fuel cooler placed in the return flow. It's a common part on modern diesel cars to keep the fuel in the tank cool, reducing condensation and rapid groth caused by the combination of water and a nice warm invironment. Diesel bug doesn't need water per see, warm diesel and oxygen is enough. Especially diesel mixt with a bio component, wich i know is standard in Europe. You can recognize this type of fuel by the code (letter and number). B7 means 7% bio component. That percentage is an average measured over a number of badges made. A badge of diesel may contain just 2% and another above 10%, so keeping your diesel in the tank cool is key and iff you replace your old tanks buy plastic ones to prevent condensation.
I admire you guys, and dont want be giving advice to my heros..but hey ..USE NITRILE gloves for the fuel task ( ive been working in the industry for years )pls thx.... its carcinogenic stuff ..
awwesome video like always and thx for sharing your days with us...you guys are great cheers mates !
fuel polishing 1st on list before sailing Maine to Newfoundland. Stirred up Sludge seems to be the most common issue for offshore passages.
great
Good vid ya'll.
That is why I love my 1973 vessel!!!
No SURPRISES!!!
😁🤣🤣
I had a very similar experience but I was about 100 metres off the entrance to Ramsgate in the UK. Luckily my son was able to get our headsail out sharpish and we sailed out to clean the system - but similar weather, etc! Not great for the blood pressure :)
Great episode ! Surprised you don't have a dual Racor set-up and a onboard fuel polishing system.
We had the same thing happen after a sail in choppy seas from Chub Cay to Nassau. As I cranked the engine to enter the harbor, it ran about five minutes and died. We sailed in, dropped anchor and changed the filter, and it still wouldn’t run. I took the fuel line apart and found a diesel “bug” stuck in a 90 degree fitting. it looked like the seed end of a piece of Johnson grass. Enjoyed your video!
Usual great video, tho I'm surprised at you guys getting the bug! Main point....Watching your leeward shroud in your latest episode (gale/diesel bug), I noticed it was way too loose - it was going utterly loose and slack, then snatching tight, repeatedly. I know you are mega experienced, but I'd advise you to check your static rig tension and/or the amount of mainsheet (and backstay) tension you have (even when not using your main - with sheet tension being transmitted via toping lift) when beating, under reefed genoa, in strong winds. You best ought to avoid the cyclical snatching of the leeward shrouds ( to the extent I saw) - it stresses terminals and may lead to premature rig failure ( if you do a lot of strong, reefed, upwind work). Bye.
I noticed that too, great way to lose the rig....
What??? You made this look like just another day at sea, where other sailors would be in panic/crisis mode...I am in awe! Thanks for the video. Love you guys!
I am sure there was much more said off camera mate, however these folks are professionals so youre looking at experience. 40 knots beating sucks. But in this boat was likely less sucky.
LOL. I've sailed through 30 foot waves. I've sailed through typhoons. I've sailed through winding coral channels with no engine. I've had to turn and run to avoid being rolled over. I've been completely unsure of my position offshore, because the sky was cloudy for days on end, before GPS, and without radar.
You are correct in that banjo fittings should never be used on a fuel supply or return system Southerly Yachts should know better. Banjo fittings are correctly applied in closed low pressure systems. Not systems that require flow.
Great video, I really enjoy the fixing issues type videos.
Thanks Steve😅 I had fun making the animations for the fuel system as well!
Very calculated and always safety above it all. Keep up the great videos. Cheers ! Stay safe and warm.
Thanks Sylvain 😊glad you're enjoying them!
Makes you wonder if they should start making sailboats with a diesel/electric setup with the prop running from a motor. So theoretically if the engine isn't functional it may be possible to maneuver in the harbor from the batteries with some solar charging on passage.
🇦🇺💖🎥 ⛵️ Great camera work 🎥🥇 and of course I love you guys 💖🍷🍷💖⛵️
Thanks Paul 😊😍❤️
Have always heard about diesel sludge and bug but have never really seen it as you’ve shown it.
Loved how you handled the situation by sailing, and towing. It gives those of us who may be in a similar situation one day a step wise approach, and the calm nature needed to handle such a situation.
A great learn from others video.
Install a Filter Boss system, and an algae X, you have to get in to your tank and clean it our, there is more where that came from....Fair Winds!! Also might want to check your rig cable tension, looked like the leeward rigging was slapping around a bit :)
I agree w/ you about the rig tension. The highest strain on the rig comes from the shock load as the shrouds go slack and are then subject to tension again.
That is some seroius slack 😮😮 ou see it from 9:41 onwards. The lower shroud is flapping around quite much.
@@sailingprojectalphacrucis3827 A perfectly tuned rig is still going to have enough stretch under 40 knots of wind force to produce slack. Taking out all of that slack would put too much strain on the chainplates at rest causing deck deformation and other problems. I suspect their rig is tuned correctly.
great vlog and info, thanks
Yeah I would use a racor filter.you can actually use two and have a valve where you can switch from one over to the other before it reaches the engine. You still have your primary fuel filter on the engine.. also you can use biobor fuel cleaner keeps the animals from growing in your diesel. Been using it since 1980 when I was working in the oilfield in Louisiana. When I first got USCG auxiliary sail 100 ton.
A great video on engine issues and sailing without an engine in strong winds.
A great example of using the resources (sails) you have and not panicking when you loose something you rely on !!
Looking forward to your adventures into the Pacific and if you come to Los Angels I’d love to meet up with you.
All the best
Richard.
Nice video! Good to see actual sailing in rough weather
To not have diesel bugs I have added methylated spirit to my fuel, never had a problem since I started doing that 30 years ago, and I live in Scandinavia where condensation is a major issue.
My parents had an Alberg 37. The sailed from Lake Ontario down to the Bahamas. The entire time they were in salt water they had engine trouble. My poor dad spent half of the trip down below trying to fix the diesel engine. Nothing worked. When he finally got to Florida a diesel mechanic told him to examine the intake strainer in the fuel tank. Sure enough it had enough diesel algae growth to block the intake of diesel fuel. Once the problem was solved and the algae killed off the engine ran like a top.
With all the boating you do, I recommend installing a second fuel line and filter system to be used as a backup. Throwing a couple of in-line/bypass valves in the fuel lines at the tank and engine fuel pump would be easy and a quick fix to get you immediately out of a potentially very dangerous situation. With this backup fuel line the engine would be running again with very little effort, quickly too. Of course this assumes it is possible to physically gain access to each end and the routing the line through the boat. Perhaps boat manufactures should consider offering this? It could possibly be accomplished by using electric valves. This would make switching to the backup fuel line as simple as flipping a switch. What am I missing with this idea? Love your productions... stay safe...
Always good to have the sails and anchor prepared when leaving or approaching a harbour in case the engine quits. A preferred scenario in the RYA offshore yachtmaster exams.
Imagine this happens to a less experienced skipper!
Well handled guys.
Good troubleshooting.
Great Vlog! The cinematography was excellent!
Good job! PEACE OUT!
A great video. Thanks for your detailed bit of trouble shooting thru your fuel system.
Super video. Great tutorial on diesel engine failure. Thank you.
Made me laugh out loud when you blew on that banjo bolt and said how it smelt 🤣
Great video, good of you to keep completely calm and deal with the situation the best you could! True experience right there.
Awesome video again. That’s some very informative information. We love these types of videos. 👍👍
Thanks for the great video of how you solved the clogged fuel system.
Omg you are just amazing to be able to troubleshoot like this. You look quite comfortable in the gale too
I like, that you not only show your sailing life but also give usae tipps on cause, effect and fixing it! thanks and best of luck!
Wow. Looked like a scary time in that gale. Thanks for a very informative breakdown of the fuel system and it’s troubleshooting. Cheers 🍻
Unusual to get it so soon in the tanks, glad you made it in satisfactory, fair winds, (sv calico jack)
Thanks for another great video. That was a real nail biter. You must have nerves of steel to stay calm enough to edit a video when the engine won't start and you know what lies ahead. So fun to watch from my comfy sofa!
... We just ran a ground so we pulled up our keel a bit and got back under way... brilliant. Looks like even the pro's get diesel bug - a plague and scourge for all yachties! Great tips at the end and thanks for sharing. Fair winds Paul & Sheryl.
Good job. enjoyed watching. sail on.
Thanks Miles :-)
I was just about to ask what causes the sludge and you explained it perfectly
you also might want to take out the fuel pick up that's on top of the tank and pull that out and there's a screen on the bottom of that and that could also be clogged.
Wow....you guys do live one exciting life I have to say, I bet you were ready for a little nap after all that Paul. Nice job once again..... DB
Hey Darryl :-) Yes a little nap was just the ticket after putting that all back together...
Hi guys when you were over on your ear during the night shots your port shrouds seemed really loose........ is that OK ? Love the vids have been following you guys for years.........
Been watching you all for years since you had your first boat in the Mediterranean going to Cypress and on to Israel. Godspeed love you all!
Been in and out of Beaufort Inlet many times (center console fishing boat). I cannot imagine what it took for you to sail up to and in the inlet in that kind of weather. Great job and really nice video.
Thanks for detailing this problem. I am currently designing my engine rooms on my Catamaran and have 2 Yanmar 4JH57 motors and will certainly be fully aware of the banjo connectors as a source of blockage. Cheers Ross
Diesel bug, agh! Discovered what that was on our first trip with our first boat last spring as we brought it home from Iroquois to Whitby. We actually had to dock in Picton without our engine. As newbies to sailing it was quite a moment!
When you replace the banjos consider adding a course see through fuel strainer. Makes it easy to see sludge build up & clean.
Got to agree, a see through on the fuel lines would help. Many thanks for the tip. Thing is so much design and effort goes into other parts of a yatch and we always seem to ignore the one bit that can truly ruin your day which is the fuel tanks and lines. There must be some system to separate the crud in your tank from the diesel before it enters the lines.
You can add a strainer to the tank pick up but that's hard to get to unless you make an easy way to access it. The best way is to keep your tanks full as much as you can. Don't leave the boat long time with no fuel in it. It promotes bugs. On a small yacht you are limited but large lines & fittings to a strainer should sort you out. You can also add similar, I think groco, strainers you can see in as filters for bilge lines before any central pumps if you have 1. Stops clogging the pump. Easy to clean. I enjoy your vids. Thanks.
Your observation of not using the banjo fittings is valid. The less obstructions in your suction lines is correct. We used to put a low pressure electric fuel pump (suitable for diesel fuel) in the line near the tank. Any crud would then be forced thru to the filters. Another plus is the pump can be used to clear the lines up to the engine lift pump and help bleed the filter(s) when they have to be changed.
I love your videos, your experience is very enlightening. Thank you.
Guys good video. If we may add without teaching you to suck eggs. Rough seas and engine failure its always going to be the dreaded bug. You can have the coolest filter system with Racor filters and switchover lines. But, bug will always clog at the point the system narrows and the fuel has the most wall resistance in the pipe. Thats usually the first bend, the fuel shut off valve or the banjo fitting if you dont have full bore fittings. Its the physics of liquid flow in a tube. There is a very simple way that is in expensive that makes the high resistance point near the tank before the shut off valve. Insert a $4.00 in line fuel filter near to the tank they have clear walls you can inspect weekly, they are the of the throw away type and they pick up the bug every time.. Less than a minute to change out, no extra priming needed. Get them from ebay or amazon and keep half a dozen on board for your gen set and engine. Sail Safe. Ant, Cid & the Pooch crew.
Hi, how come the downwind lower shroud is so loose?
That was a true legit heart attack!!
Biobor, every time you fuel up. Fuel polishing system, as well. Filter down to 4 microns. Your injectors will love you for it, and less pucker factor to boot.
Cheers
Hard to do in remote areas or how much for an on board one for a cruising sailboat. Then you have more parts to need and something else to maintain.
I have been using Howes Lubricity Conditioner since the early 80s so nearly 40 years. Never had that problem. If you buy a case they pay the tow on a land vehicle. I would also put a screen in the line somewhere easy to get to.
Great video guys and shows the gritty side of sailing. Matter of interest did you treat your diesel on each fill?
"Sail in a Gale" sounds like a pirate song. 😆
Nice to see you dealing with some of the same problems and conditions the rest of us have. Distant Shores sailing always looked so easy and comfortable before this episode. Could you address the slack shrouds that some here have mentioned?
No fuel polishing system on a so beautiful boat? After all that shaking on the fuel tank, a clog was highly possible. Super nice video!!!!
Thanks Jorge. Yes we've now added a Racor 500 filter with vacuum gauge to give advanced warning of clogs.
Good work. Please keep us posted on your next steps related to the fuel issue; there is probably more of the same stuff left in your tanks.
Thanks Mario - in the next episode I open up the tanks and film inside :-)
Cool, thanks
I see you used the suction pump you normally use for changing the oil. Well, I use it also to 'vacuum' clean the bottom of my fuel tank after a spell in the yard or marina. I extend the hose with a see-through one which is stiffened with an attached rod. Then I gently move the hose on the bottom of the fuel tank while vacuum pumping and observe if any gunk is coming through. Easy-peasy!!
Excellent idea. I will do that!!🙏🏻🙏🏻😅💡❤️
Banjo fittings have been used for many years , that's not the real problem. No filter before them. Especially a clear one as others have suggested is an issue and quick fix, and why are you getting bugs in a new boat, is it the fuel you got or your fuel management? But great video showing what could haven even in a new boat.
Thanks for Sharing! Cheers Warren
Yes agreed we have now added a Racor clear prefilter before the banjo fitting (with vacuum gauge) to detect impending clog 😅
couldn't help noticing that your inner shrouds had excessive slack in them . It doesn't look like sludge to me , fuel bug is a bit like snot , looks more solid , rubbery ?
bill hanna , l was thinking that as well
Great video. Thanks! I buy all my fuel at my marina (Navy Point Marina, Sackets Harbor, NY) and I have never had a problem. I've replaced my fuel filters twice in five years but probably unnecessary as they were clean. Where do you buy your fuel? Also in my previous boat (used from the Chesapeake) I did have fuel blockages. I had my fuel "polished" and that solved the problem.
No mention of having to re-prime the fuel system to remove air. Does the boat have an elec fuel pump to assist with this or is it all performed manually?
great video as always guys, I have had exactly the same issue in a 1 year old boat with large amounts of sludge blocking the inlet lines before the filter. I had made the mistake of leaving the tanks half full during the winter with condensation in the tank putting water in the diesel. It is important to inspect the tank (good argument for accessible inspection ports) and remove any sludge in the tank as well as treating the fuel. Thus far I have gotten away with vacuming all the sludge out of the tank (using my oil scavanger pump) although a diesel mechanic has told me that the tanks need to be removed and steam cleaned with all the lines changed. I had thought a little drastic. your thoughts???
We too have had fun dealing with the dreaded bug, This becoming more and prevalent, as the fuel industries are being pushed into increasing the amounts of bio products in diesel fuels. In the UK that industry is supposed to keep marine diesel fuel separate from fuels for land usage. The marine fuel should have a much lower percentage of bio in the mix, but this doesn't always happen. I use an additive called Clearwinner D-BUG from Clearwinner Innovation Ltd. UK. Like all biocides its effective at killing the bug, however you still have to deal with the dead bacteria, and fuel polish, and effective filtration. Clearwinner are clients of mine, and they have told me some horrendous tales, where agri diesel has been mixed with marine diesel, causing no end of issues especially in commercial fishing fleets.
Saw an interesting program on an Australian diesel treatment called “fuel doctor”. Seems to be a great product for water and bug entrainment issues. You may want to give it a try.
That's what we use in our diesel 4wd. The company actually started cleaning fuel/petrol station tanks & developed this product from that experience.
Thanks had the dreaded diesel bug 7 years ago 😱 had to to empty tanks polish fuel added marine 16 fuel bug killer then a preventer polished the fuel 120 lt + in tanks/ cans then added back over a few year in a dilution form with new diesel so as not to waste. Used marine 16 as the UK, RNLI (lifeboats) use this so thought if its good enough for them 🤞 Fill my tanks up to the 2" fill hose so that is the only small level they have to live on. Used think it was best to empty the water tanks and run the fuel tanks down to lighten the load for lifting out How wrong was I ??? Lesson learned. Keep up the good work and informat videos 👏⛵🏴
I am sure you will find it.
Time to get your fuel polished at 1st opportunity, I guarantee you have more crud in your tanks. I assume you did that? I also assume you were using a fuel biocide in your fuel prior to this & you had a water sensor as well & yet you still got a blockage. What is your opinion of why this still occured? Its interesting that you chose to use encased solid filters without any sight glass. Obviously, crud is getting past them. I have always chosen Racors (two, in line with bypass capability )so I can see the filters, crud & any water accumulation & quickly & easily bypass a clogged filter & go to a clean one with the simple switching of a valve. Any particular reason you chose not to use them? You guys are EXTREMELY ACCOMPLISHED sailors, I'm really surprised you "got caught" by this!
Mike Phillips , yes 8 was thinking the same
Use Marine 16 … always!
You should install a set of two Racor filters directly after the tank.
Done! We added a RACOR in before the other 2😅
Only one, or a pair to switch from one to the other, if one is clogged?
The electrical wires from the bottom of the replaced filter were reconnected inverted.
Banjo's are for Bluegrass.
Ventos justos e mar calmo ⛵️
Yanmar has used that term in their manuals, for decades. I don't know where they picked it up. It's not in general use in the US.
The fuel tanks need power cleaned .