Post by alexandria on May 4, 2019 14:23:37 GMT
Hello All,
Please could I have some guidance? By way of context, I just sailed Alexandria (2005 SO 54DS) from Barcelona to Gibralter arriving last night. It was a 557 mile trip which we did with a strong crew of 3 people and was non stop (with the exception of a 2 hour stop to drop off one of our crew in Malaga for urgent kidney stones) and took 3 days.
The modelling forecast by Predict wind (premium subscription) was questionable. It forecast correctly the first day of no wind and then corrected the second day from 30 knots head wind to 20 or 25 knots of a following wind. Crucially, no wave action was forecast greater than 1.5m and not for any sustained period. Real life was different! We encountered 30 hours of 25 to 28 knots whipping up a very large and sometimes bad tempered sea. Sometimes confused and spiteful, sometimes just very large wave systems higher than my head and carefully calculated at 3m or a little more. The forces on the boat were significant over the 300 nm challenging part of the passage as we sailed with a genoa only (needing to reduce risks especially during the night). The boat behaved beautifully, was well balanced, fast and as comfortable as could be, even when alternating from a 25 degree heel one way then gripped by another enormous wave and skewed round to the other. The 54DS is a heavy and well built boat and all three of us felt safe even as the waves roared around us. Thank you Jeanneau.
We sustained two issues in these difficult conditions. Firstly, the original 2005 Raymarine autopilot (I’m too tired to get the model number!) worked faultlessly in these very large seas, then suddenly advised ‘Drive unit stopped’. We restarted the system and kept a close eye on it as the unwarned stoppage had meant it steered the boat beam on to these 2.5/3m waves. The drive unit worked again, then failed soon after. Context is a new Raymarine autopilot control display was fitted during the recent refurb, and I do not think they calibrated the rudder reference despite my request. Additional context is a new groaning sound whenever the rudder was moved while in these very large seas. Hand steering had no groaning sound. We hand steered for about 100 miles, then noted the autopilot was working again for the final 50 (calm) section, albeit still with the noise.
First Question, please. I think the enormous wave action simply overwhelmed the autopilot. Before I give the Alcaidesa marine carte blanche to fix the issue, do people feel that a) it’s likely a repair rather replacement of whole drive unit b) it’s likely the worm plastic cogs (?) in the unit need replacing c) the rudder reference needs calibrating?
Additionally, in the early hours and while under engine, I detected a leak from the Yanmar 100hp engine. I think it is the ‘lip?’ seal which takes fresh sea water into the engine water pump. It currently dribbles out onto the floor of the engine tray and after on passage advice we opted to continue to Gibraltar as the engine was maintaining correct power and temperature.
Second question, please? In the ensuing turbulence over 40 hours, a significant amount of leaked sea water was collected into the bilges (including the extra smaller bilge which collects all of the 4 air con zones’ humidity runoff) and was pumped out. However, some of the water has got around elsewhere. How likely is it that all the leaked water will eventually find itself back in the bilges and so be pumped out?
Some knowledgeable guidance would be appreciated, please, which might prevent an unfocused Marina approach to the problems, especially as I try to get both of these issues sorted while being back in the UK. Thank you in advance.
Next phase: Gibraltar to La Corunna restarting 16th June.
Thanks and sorry for the length of this message
Alexandria III
Please could I have some guidance? By way of context, I just sailed Alexandria (2005 SO 54DS) from Barcelona to Gibralter arriving last night. It was a 557 mile trip which we did with a strong crew of 3 people and was non stop (with the exception of a 2 hour stop to drop off one of our crew in Malaga for urgent kidney stones) and took 3 days.
The modelling forecast by Predict wind (premium subscription) was questionable. It forecast correctly the first day of no wind and then corrected the second day from 30 knots head wind to 20 or 25 knots of a following wind. Crucially, no wave action was forecast greater than 1.5m and not for any sustained period. Real life was different! We encountered 30 hours of 25 to 28 knots whipping up a very large and sometimes bad tempered sea. Sometimes confused and spiteful, sometimes just very large wave systems higher than my head and carefully calculated at 3m or a little more. The forces on the boat were significant over the 300 nm challenging part of the passage as we sailed with a genoa only (needing to reduce risks especially during the night). The boat behaved beautifully, was well balanced, fast and as comfortable as could be, even when alternating from a 25 degree heel one way then gripped by another enormous wave and skewed round to the other. The 54DS is a heavy and well built boat and all three of us felt safe even as the waves roared around us. Thank you Jeanneau.
We sustained two issues in these difficult conditions. Firstly, the original 2005 Raymarine autopilot (I’m too tired to get the model number!) worked faultlessly in these very large seas, then suddenly advised ‘Drive unit stopped’. We restarted the system and kept a close eye on it as the unwarned stoppage had meant it steered the boat beam on to these 2.5/3m waves. The drive unit worked again, then failed soon after. Context is a new Raymarine autopilot control display was fitted during the recent refurb, and I do not think they calibrated the rudder reference despite my request. Additional context is a new groaning sound whenever the rudder was moved while in these very large seas. Hand steering had no groaning sound. We hand steered for about 100 miles, then noted the autopilot was working again for the final 50 (calm) section, albeit still with the noise.
First Question, please. I think the enormous wave action simply overwhelmed the autopilot. Before I give the Alcaidesa marine carte blanche to fix the issue, do people feel that a) it’s likely a repair rather replacement of whole drive unit b) it’s likely the worm plastic cogs (?) in the unit need replacing c) the rudder reference needs calibrating?
Additionally, in the early hours and while under engine, I detected a leak from the Yanmar 100hp engine. I think it is the ‘lip?’ seal which takes fresh sea water into the engine water pump. It currently dribbles out onto the floor of the engine tray and after on passage advice we opted to continue to Gibraltar as the engine was maintaining correct power and temperature.
Second question, please? In the ensuing turbulence over 40 hours, a significant amount of leaked sea water was collected into the bilges (including the extra smaller bilge which collects all of the 4 air con zones’ humidity runoff) and was pumped out. However, some of the water has got around elsewhere. How likely is it that all the leaked water will eventually find itself back in the bilges and so be pumped out?
Some knowledgeable guidance would be appreciated, please, which might prevent an unfocused Marina approach to the problems, especially as I try to get both of these issues sorted while being back in the UK. Thank you in advance.
Next phase: Gibraltar to La Corunna restarting 16th June.
Thanks and sorry for the length of this message
Alexandria III