The First Trip! The Failed Mission Home! The Full Story
After nearly two years and multiple trips to Northland to fix this old boat, it was about to be ready. I have removed mast, rebuilt deck, replaced running rigging, repaired stays, replaced turnbuckles, antifouled, painted, woodworked, had the head done, injectors, injector pump, start motor, alternator, head, exhaust, added electrics, pumps, radios, all on a budget of next to nothing, finding things, borrowing things, swapping things, begging for bits and finally it was about ready. The last issue was that the engine was overheating under load. Thought it may be the heat exchanger, the engineers reconditioned it, said there was no way it was working so I thought PERFECT I can get away from CHCh for a few days before Christmas bookings roll in, take advantage of the weather window and get the boat home!
FAIL ONE : Got to the boat after driving through landslides and flooding, road blockages, installed the heat exchanger. It was still overheating! Cleaned out the water pump. It was clearly pumping so checked the thermostat and there was the problem. Replaced it, the boat was now cooling and going a treat. Ready to go albeit 24 hours later than the scheduled start date for the trip down south. SUCCESS.
On Sunday 13th November 2022 at 10 am we set off toward Cape Brett. Passed Russell, English Bay, Pipiroa Bay, Wahapu Inlet, turned around Toretore Island, passed Tapeka Point Beach and motored towards cap Brett. We raised the main for the first time and she went up nice and smooth. The roller furler worked a treat. We were motor sailing. In a light 8 knot southerly. We were motor sailing in light winds at 5 knots. We reached the cape at 3 pm saw a lot of boats out there sailing including a tall ship.
We turned out to sea, heading toward East Cape at 3 pm in very light winds, motoring at 5 knots till we caught a light wind from the south which picked up to around 10 knots at 7pm. The sea was messy with 2.5 m swell in different directions. These became steady from the south after 8 pm.
We were sailing and the boat handling well. The engine doing very well, steady going. Intention to run motor and new head in for 15 hours. Ethan on the helm, having fun sailing out to sea, we sailed past Tawhiti Rahi Island off the coast of Whananaki South at 8pm. We were 20NM off the coast.
The engine stalled, small tank out of diesel at 810 pm. I topped her up with 50 litres and bleed her and she fired up and was going good. Made Ethan some food. Ethan was on helm through to 10pm while I had a nap.
We had lost a steady wind with the wind continually shifting. Our mistake was that we did not take the sail down and it was flogging a little. Eventually a steady 14-16 knot wind came on. Ethan called me up as the main outhaul had snapped and the main had ripped away from the boom and was flogging. I went forward and reefed the main. Tied down the damaged clew of the sail. At that point we heard the engine squealing and noted that it was over heating. The engine was turned off. The moon had not risen, the stars were out, it was dark.
I took over the helm for the night, Ethan went to bed feeling unwell. We were 43 miles off Cape Brett, 32 miles of the heads to Whangarei Harbour. Sailing in a steady 13knot wind without motor on reefed main and roller furler half out.
At 1 am Ethan came up and was very sick, vomiting, pale. I was also a little sick. That meat patty! We did not put it in the fridge soon enough obviously. Ethan went below. At 3 am I had decided that it would be best to turn back to Opua We were at S35*39’50 E175*28’15 62nm from Cape Brett.
Thoughts were that
1. At sunrise I could easily fix the engine issue. Had discovered that a hose clamp had fouled the belt. Easy to replace and we would have engine.
2. Could easily make repair to the outhaul and if necessary do the trip on the first reef. No big deal. All systems still go.
3. Ethan being that sick may be more than a day sick at sea in the middle of the ocean, if I waited 6 hours till 9 am to decide we would be a further 30 miles down the track which would be a longer mission back to the mooring. We would be passing Whitianga and heading into the Bay of Plenty.
In my mind from the onset, we would use the first 24 hours to test the boat and decide if we would carry on. I decided at that point that we should turn back. Affect repairs, fish, explore the islands, do the big trip later with more exploring.
The boat was handling so well (apart from the two minor issues with the main and engine) she felt strong, safe, capable and relatively quick motor sailing at 5 to 6 knots in low revs and not the strongest steadiest wind. Sailing next month for Christmas around the bays would be an awesome trip and no point going forward and having an uncomfortable trip.
I turned her around in the night. A cruise ship to port, the moon to starboard, made my way back toward Cape Brett and Opua. Ethan came up early. Took the helm sailing us through 2.5 m waves with a steady 15 knots tail wind with the main on reef 1. Very comfy sailing. Ethan took us around Cape Brett, explored the islands on the way back to Paihia, saw a whale, some seals and it was a really nice day sailing. The motor took us back up to the mooring at Opua.
All up we sailed about 130 NM being offshore 20-30 miles in winds from 8-20 knots with 2-2.5 m swell.
We took the mooring and committed to doing a couple more jobs on the boat before some Christmas sailing.
All the sail home on Monday I did regret the decision to sail back given that if we had continued onward, we would have made the cape by Tuesday night with forecast 10knots of wind 30 m off shore, made Christchurch a day later than planned on Friday. (We left a day late) At the same time, seeing Ethan well, the enjoying being at sea and seeing the boat perform nicely, it was a good mission.
While sitting in the dark, under the moon, in two-meter waves, without an engine, with sick crew and a ripped reefed main, I contemplated. Thinking why on earth am I here and doing this when I could be at home doing all sorts of other things. Singing songs at the bar, doing some union work, organising things, imagining going on an adventure. I reminded myself that this is another spice of fun to add to the fun that one writes into life. The moon was very pretty. The stars just amazing. I was warm. Life is nice.
Next Mission. Explore all the way home over Christmas and New Years.
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