Category: 2016 March Blog

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/28 18:12
LATITUDE: 03-49.62S
LONGITUDE: 095-14.45W
COURSE: 268T
SPEED: 10.2
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 16
WIND_DIR: SE
WAVE_HT: 0.5M
WAVE_PER: 5
SWELL_DIR: S
SWELL_HT: 2.0M
SWELL_PER: 8
CLOUDS: 60%
VISIBILITY: 15
BARO: 1012
AIR_TEMP: 31.1C
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Marquesas Islands – Day 2 – 168 nm, 2601 nm to go!

Our engine issue is currently much better due to Ken Dickinson\’s trick he recommended of venting our crankcase with an external tube.
We\’re burning or passing through less oil and seem to be leaking none – Thank You Ken! The engines will have to be completely re-done when we get to Tahiti to find out what the issue is. My guess is bad parts? (not likely), something left inside an oil galley/breather tube or improper assembly?
Something completely unexpected or a different issue? But why both of them….ummm.
Judgment shall be reserved for the experts.

Having said that, we finally found the trade winds last night at 8 pm local time at 3 deg 30 min South x 093 deg 30 min West.
As such, \”Miss Piggy\” is flying under full sail! We\’ve the full main and reacher and with 16 knots of wind, 13 apparent on the port beam, we\’ve been averaging around 9.8 knots the last 4 hours. Favorable currents are always appreciated!

The big water maker is giving me a bit of an issue, but I know how to fix it, the little one is working fine. Nice having two!

The weather is good, the winds look to be consistent (if not a bit too southerly for my ideal liking), but hopefully no stronger. We just don\’t need any more (unless and until it goes straight out of the East). Our strategy is to head more westerly when it\’s rough and tumble and more southerly when it lightens up – which it undoubtedly will at some point.

We sail MUCH faster than we motor and this is the kind of conditions where \”Beach House\” gets to stretch her legs; she\’s a true Ocean Greyhound.
Starting to settle into the daily routine.
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/28 18:12
LATITUDE: 03-49.62S
LONGITUDE: 095-14.45W
COURSE: 268T
SPEED: 10.2
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 16
WIND_DIR: SE
WAVE_HT: 0.5M
WAVE_PER: 5
SWELL_DIR: S
SWELL_HT: 2.0M
SWELL_PER: 8
CLOUDS: 60%
VISIBILITY: 15
BARO: 1012
AIR_TEMP: 31.1C
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Marquesas Islands – Day 2 – 168 nm, 2601 nm to go!

Our engine issue is currently much better due to Ken Dickinson\’s trick he recommended of venting our crankcase with an external tube.
We\’re burning or passing through less oil and seem to be leaking none – Thank You Ken! The engines will have to be completely re-done when we get to Tahiti to find out what the issue is. My guess is bad parts? (not likely), something left inside an oil galley/breather tube or improper assembly?
Something completely unexpected or a different issue? But why both of them….ummm.
Judgment shall be reserved for the experts.

Having said that, we finally found the trade winds last night at 8 pm local time at 3 deg 30 min South x 093 deg 30 min West.
As such, \”Miss Piggy\” is flying under full sail! We\’ve the full main and reacher and with 16 knots of wind, 13 apparent on the port beam, we\’ve been averaging around 9.8 knots the last 4 hours. Favorable currents are always appreciated!

The big water maker is giving me a bit of an issue, but I know how to fix it, the little one is working fine. Nice having two!

The weather is good, the winds look to be consistent (if not a bit too southerly for my ideal liking), but hopefully no stronger. We just don\’t need any more (unless and until it goes straight out of the East). Our strategy is to head more westerly when it\’s rough and tumble and more southerly when it lightens up – which it undoubtedly will at some point.

We sail MUCH faster than we motor and this is the kind of conditions where \”Beach House\” gets to stretch her legs; she\’s a true Ocean Greyhound.
Starting to settle into the daily routine.
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/27 18:05
LATITUDE: 02-47.17S
LONGITUDE: 092-48.24W
COURSE: 228T
SPEED: 5.3
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 7
WIND_DIR: NNW
WAVE_HT: 0.0M
WAVE_PER: 0
SWELL_DIR: S
SWELL_HT: 1.8M
SWELL_PER: 7
CLOUDS: 50%
VISIBILITY: 15
BARO: 1011
AIR_TEMP: 30.0C
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Marquesas Islands – Day 1 – 155 nm (nautical miles)

We motored on the starboard engine for the first 24 hours and are now sailing on starboard tack, wind on our right. This means we\’re still being effected by the doldrums to our north. We have our full main and our big reacher and we\’re ghosting along. The wind is expected to go aft and then come from the opposite side which will mean we\’re \”in the trade winds\”.
That should happen over the next 18 or so hours and why we continue to head southwest instead of straight west. Once in the trade winds, we\’ll evaluate the predictions and change our heading accordingly.

Our starboard engine is holding up, but went thru 2 1/2 quarts of oil in 20 hours! That\’s because it is suffering from the same malady that the the port engine is. Both are usable and I\’ve now fitted a pressure relief tube on top of the valve cover to hopefully reduce the (apparently?) excess pressure in the crankcase which is causing the leak. This suggestion comes from Ken Dickinson, a life long friend of Nikki\’s in England and \”ace mechanic\”. I\’ll hold judgment till we reach Tahiti on why we\’re having this issue and have them both removed and taken apart (for the third time in three months!). This MUST be sorted out once and for all. We\’ve still got to nurse them yet another 4000 miles till we get some qualified personnel to evaluate them. The good news is, once we hit the \”Trades\”, we might not need them for days. Let\’s hope.

We\’re sailing a bit slow as we\’ve not reached the \”Trades\”, but we\’re heading where we want to go and hope will be zipping along by this time tomorrow.
KIT!!
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/27 18:05
LATITUDE: 02-47.17S
LONGITUDE: 092-48.24W
COURSE: 228T
SPEED: 5.3
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 7
WIND_DIR: NNW
WAVE_HT: 0.0M
WAVE_PER: 0
SWELL_DIR: S
SWELL_HT: 1.8M
SWELL_PER: 7
CLOUDS: 50%
VISIBILITY: 15
BARO: 1011
AIR_TEMP: 30.0C
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Marquesas Islands – Day 1 – 155 nm (nautical miles)

We motored on the starboard engine for the first 24 hours and are now sailing on starboard tack, wind on our right. This means we\’re still being effected by the doldrums to our north. We have our full main and our big reacher and we\’re ghosting along. The wind is expected to go aft and then come from the opposite side which will mean we\’re \”in the trade winds\”.
That should happen over the next 18 or so hours and why we continue to head southwest instead of straight west. Once in the trade winds, we\’ll evaluate the predictions and change our heading accordingly.

Our starboard engine is holding up, but went thru 2 1/2 quarts of oil in 20 hours! That\’s because it is suffering from the same malady that the the port engine is. Both are usable and I\’ve now fitted a pressure relief tube on top of the valve cover to hopefully reduce the (apparently?) excess pressure in the crankcase which is causing the leak. This suggestion comes from Ken Dickinson, a life long friend of Nikki\’s in England and \”ace mechanic\”. I\’ll hold judgment till we reach Tahiti on why we\’re having this issue and have them both removed and taken apart (for the third time in three months!). This MUST be sorted out once and for all. We\’ve still got to nurse them yet another 4000 miles till we get some qualified personnel to evaluate them. The good news is, once we hit the \”Trades\”, we might not need them for days. Let\’s hope.

We\’re sailing a bit slow as we\’ve not reached the \”Trades\”, but we\’re heading where we want to go and hope will be zipping along by this time tomorrow.
KIT!!
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/26 18:41
LATITUDE: 01-00.10S
LONGITUDE: 091-00.10W
COURSE: 226T
SPEED: 6.0
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 4
WIND_DIR: S
WAVE_HT: 0.0M
WAVE_PER: 0
SWELL_DIR: S
SWELL_HT: 2.0M
SWELL_PER: 8
CLOUDS: 25%
VISIBILITY: 20
BARO: 1010.9
AIR_TEMP: 30.6C
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Marquesas Islands (Departure time 12:30 p.m. April 26th)

Motoring on starboard engine only. We\’re nursing the port engine which does work however.
We\’re hoping for wind later today. We\’ve got to get about 150 miles south of here to really get \”in some wind of any use\”.
KIT,
We\’re off on the longest sail we\’ll ever make.
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/26 18:41
LATITUDE: 01-00.10S
LONGITUDE: 091-00.10W
COURSE: 226T
SPEED: 6.0
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 4
WIND_DIR: S
WAVE_HT: 0.0M
WAVE_PER: 0
SWELL_DIR: S
SWELL_HT: 2.0M
SWELL_PER: 8
CLOUDS: 25%
VISIBILITY: 20
BARO: 1010.9
AIR_TEMP: 30.6C
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Marquesas Islands (Departure time 12:30 p.m. April 26th)

Motoring on starboard engine only. We\’re nursing the port engine which does work however.
We\’re hoping for wind later today. We\’ve got to get about 150 miles south of here to really get \”in some wind of any use\”.
KIT,
We\’re off on the longest sail we\’ll ever make.
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/17 23:09
LATITUDE: 00-57.85S
LONGITUDE: 090-57.79W
MARINE: NO
WIND_SPEED: 10
WIND_DIR: ESE
CLOUDS: 10%
VISIBILITY: 20
BARO: 1008.9
AIR_TEMP: 30.6C
COMMENT: Beach House – ANCHORED – Isla Isabela – Engine Seal out again!

We arrived in Isla Santa Cruz 10 days ago having lost our port engine due to an engine seal going out. The oil pressure dropped to zero half way between San Cristobal and Santa Cruz (off Isla Santa Fe).

We\’ll blog more on this, but for now, know we had it fixed after actually having removed the engine from the boat while anchored! Put it back and now after three hours of load it is failing again. We can use the motor to anchor and maneuver, but we\’ll have to wait till Tahiti (4000+ miles) to get it fixed. There is debate about what the issue really is? The Crankshaft may be cutting the seal or perhaps too much crankcase pressure for reasons unknown? We did just have all the rings replaced and our compression is way up (where it\’s supposed to be – we think?).

We did do some touring of North Seymour Island Boobie Birds and Frigate Bird Sanctuary yesterday and saw some huge tortoises at a private reserve as well as went through a 500 meter long lava tube. We\’ll blog more on that later.

There was also a TSUNAMI scare last night from the big earthquake off Ecuador, fortunately, the wave was only 0.5 feet!

We were on the 45 mile trip here too Isabela when the seal started to leak again. We sailed much of the way and did use the engine to anchor, so far, so good.

KIT,
We will be here at least a few days and then off for the really long jump (3100 miles) to Hiva Oa in the Marquesas Islands.
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/17 23:09
LATITUDE: 00-57.85S
LONGITUDE: 090-57.79W
MARINE: NO
WIND_SPEED: 10
WIND_DIR: ESE
CLOUDS: 10%
VISIBILITY: 20
BARO: 1008.9
AIR_TEMP: 30.6C
COMMENT: Beach House – ANCHORED – Isla Isabela – Engine Seal out again!

We arrived in Isla Santa Cruz 10 days ago having lost our port engine due to an engine seal going out. The oil pressure dropped to zero half way between San Cristobal and Santa Cruz (off Isla Santa Fe).

We\’ll blog more on this, but for now, know we had it fixed after actually having removed the engine from the boat while anchored! Put it back and now after three hours of load it is failing again. We can use the motor to anchor and maneuver, but we\’ll have to wait till Tahiti (4000+ miles) to get it fixed. There is debate about what the issue really is? The Crankshaft may be cutting the seal or perhaps too much crankcase pressure for reasons unknown? We did just have all the rings replaced and our compression is way up (where it\’s supposed to be – we think?).

We did do some touring of North Seymour Island Boobie Birds and Frigate Bird Sanctuary yesterday and saw some huge tortoises at a private reserve as well as went through a 500 meter long lava tube. We\’ll blog more on that later.

There was also a TSUNAMI scare last night from the big earthquake off Ecuador, fortunately, the wave was only 0.5 feet!

We were on the 45 mile trip here too Isabela when the seal started to leak again. We sailed much of the way and did use the engine to anchor, so far, so good.

KIT,
We will be here at least a few days and then off for the really long jump (3100 miles) to Hiva Oa in the Marquesas Islands.
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/07 22:10
LATITUDE: 00-44.89S
LONGITUDE: 090-18.60W
MARINE: NO
WIND_SPEED: 10
WIND_DIR: ESE
CLOUDS: 10%
VISIBILITY: 20
BARO: 1006.9
AIR_TEMP: 33.3C
COMMENT: Beach House ANCHORED – Isla Santa Cruz; We\’ll be here awhile…..

We\’ll the day started off bad and got worse. We first couldn\’t get our anchor off the bottom as it was wrapped around and then pinned between two
boulders in two different locations. Without SCUBA, I\’d still be there. Well, maybe that would have been okay? Half way here, the port engine oil leak went catastrophic on us and the oil pressure went to ZERO. I turned it off within 30 seconds, but who knows what damage has been done?
We limped into Santa Cruz on one engine (good thing we had two or we\’d still be drifting out there!), anchored and were immediately met by Eduardo and his daughter (who spoke perfect English). Eduardo will take the engine apart tomorrow and see what parts we need. They will take 8 days from Miami, the duty is 80%! He\’ll also have to have the CAM shaft sent to Ecuador (4 day turn around) while we\’re waiting for parts to have it inspected and checked for damage by a shop that does it.

As such, thank goodness this anchorage so far is WAY better than it was the last time I was here. Looks like we\’ll get to see all of Santa Cruz and do some day trips as well.
Okay, we\’ll cry in our beers for the moment, but best get this fixed NOW. Depending on what he finds tomorrow, he may have to check the starboard side as well? It had the same issue, but very minor and it may have even stopped?

We\’ll post a normal Ship\’s Blog regarding our time in San Cristobal, arrival and completion of our circumnavigation as soon as we can get internet.

KIT all!
Scott and Nikki
Santa Cruz Island – Academy Bay – The Galapagos Islands

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/07 22:10
LATITUDE: 00-44.89S
LONGITUDE: 090-18.60W
MARINE: NO
WIND_SPEED: 10
WIND_DIR: ESE
CLOUDS: 10%
VISIBILITY: 20
BARO: 1006.9
AIR_TEMP: 33.3C
COMMENT: Beach House ANCHORED – Isla Santa Cruz; We\’ll be here awhile…..

We\’ll the day started off bad and got worse. We first couldn\’t get our anchor off the bottom as it was wrapped around and then pinned between two
boulders in two different locations. Without SCUBA, I\’d still be there. Well, maybe that would have been okay? Half way here, the port engine oil leak went catastrophic on us and the oil pressure went to ZERO. I turned it off within 30 seconds, but who knows what damage has been done?
We limped into Santa Cruz on one engine (good thing we had two or we\’d still be drifting out there!), anchored and were immediately met by Eduardo and his daughter (who spoke perfect English). Eduardo will take the engine apart tomorrow and see what parts we need. They will take 8 days from Miami, the duty is 80%! He\’ll also have to have the CAM shaft sent to Ecuador (4 day turn around) while we\’re waiting for parts to have it inspected and checked for damage by a shop that does it.

As such, thank goodness this anchorage so far is WAY better than it was the last time I was here. Looks like we\’ll get to see all of Santa Cruz and do some day trips as well.
Okay, we\’ll cry in our beers for the moment, but best get this fixed NOW. Depending on what he finds tomorrow, he may have to check the starboard side as well? It had the same issue, but very minor and it may have even stopped?

We\’ll post a normal Ship\’s Blog regarding our time in San Cristobal, arrival and completion of our circumnavigation as soon as we can get internet.

KIT all!
Scott and Nikki
Santa Cruz Island – Academy Bay – The Galapagos Islands