Thread: Bloody boats

Age catches up with us. Back in 2009 when I got back from Dubai, Dad had an incident on the water. He'd inadvertently turned off one fuel tank. We have a pair of conventional mechanically injected diesels. In theory they draw from their own tank via primary filters, and they return to the same tank. There is a crossover valve which allows a small balancing flow to ensure both tanks are equalized.

If you turn off a tank, both engines will draw from the other tank via the crossover, but they return fuel to their own tanks. So with one tank isolated, the engine on that side will slowly suck fuel from the opposing tank and return it to the isolated tank. If both tanks were full, that'd push fuel out the breather as it slowly drained the tank that was still turned on. Knowing dad it probably pushed 200L of diesel into the Swan River. Regardless, at some point the tank being drawn from will empty.

That was the background. Boat on the river, both engines eventually stopped, anchor down and urgent call made. My brother did the same thing a year or so ago, but he was 5NM off the coast. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it previously. Anyway, I talked dad through the checks over the phone, identified the issue and how to work around it. He still requested my physical presence to sort the problem out, so I drove down and hitched a lift with some bloke in a RIB to get out to the boat to sort the fuel system issues out, bleed the diesels and get it back in the pen. I asked why he didn't do it himself and he replied he didn't know how to.

My father was the man who taught me how to do this stuff. My first experience at bleeding a diesel was at age 10 after running out of fuel in a yacht with the mast down crossing under the Freo bridges. The only time in my life we'd been mechanically let down on the boat. He put the outboard on the dinghy, got out in front and dragged us through the bridges with a rope over his shoulder until we could get the mast back up and sail back to the pen.

He'd lost confidence in his ability to do the things he'd been doing all his life.

30 years ago, if I had a fortnights work to do I'd take the boat to Rottnest and sit on the mooring with my laptop and just work for a couple of weeks. Fast forward to last weekend and I'm nervous about being on my own in the boat. I've lost all the confidence I used to have about being able to just deal with any issues that might arise. I'm 18 years younger than Dad was when he had the fuel issue, but suddenly I see where he was coming from

I don't know whether or not it's because I'm now more aware of my actual limitations, whereas before I was invincible, or it's just me acknowledging all the additional risks I never bothered to look at before. I'm not sure I like it, but I suspect the older I get the worse it'll get.

Originally Posted by BradC

Ta. Well, that was a relatively exhausting day. The good, she placed third in class and 10th female overall, I got to dine out on having been attacked by a seagull and the trip home was glorious.

The bad. Starboard shaft seal is leaking again. Water maker wiring has ceased allowing it to make water from the control panel however the bypass switches in the engine room still work. Starboard engine oil pressure sender has flaked out. Anything above 3 bar and it pegs the gauge. At least I still know it has pressure and it's a pretty standard VDO sender so I can replace it without the 600x "Volvo Penta Tax". Had to take the front clears off as they were no longer clear enough for me to see the surrounding swimmers. Someone slammed the icebox lid shut and smashed the lock, so given the ****hole we keep the boat I expect the grog to be gone by tomorrow arvo. And my favourite. The davit crane for the dinghy jammed half way up. I couldn't get it down either, so I had to manually lift it up onto the roof. Playing hunchback under that thing hurt a lot and is going to be a bugger to fix. I'm clearly no longer 20. Oh and while I was enjoying my BBQ lunch a mate called with the "do you have any hydraulic fluid on board because we don't have steering", so I had to interrupt my lovely lunch to go and work on someone elses boat.

"Where would we put the hydraulic fluid and where might the leak be?". I asked if it had power steering and got "Yeah, when I bought it I said anything over 25 knots I can't steer it and it does 40 so I got power steering installed". "Do you know where they put the pump?". "Nah, but is that where the leak is?". "Is there blood red oil coming from the steering gear or the cylinder on the outboard?". "No". "Then the leak is somewhere else, but you've lost 500ml of fluid so it'll be pretty obvious. Good luck."

Still, on the upside there was still one swimmer that was airlifted out, one that had an unplanned altercation with a rotating propeller and based on the radio chatter a boat with 6 people on board failed to stay afloat. None of those were us. Not that I'm celebrating those events, I'm just choosing to suggest that despite a small list of "bad ****" we had a really good day.

Except I drank Swan Draught for lunch and while I managed to put on an appreciative smile as I finished my second can, that **** is vile. I mean I'd drink a carton of VB before I touch that stuff again.

I was on Race Director boat it was a very trouble free day.

I waved as you went past. The race director boat swung by as someone on board knew our swimmer and some of our crew. I was worried I'd done something wrong, then many waves and a few pleasantries and off you went.

Yeah, as far as days went I don't think you could have asked for better. Still enough idiots on the water to keep you on your toes.

As far as I could tell by the radio traffic, one case of SIPE and one prop slice (the Ambos were parked next to our BBQ shelter waiting for the injured to arrive). I heard the call about the boat in trouble as I was back in the harbour at about 6.30pm, so well past finish time.

I'm re-thinking my plan for the RCS next year. I'm not sure we're small enough to manage a fleet over twice that size. Might have to either use a smaller boat, or make sure we've got a tender that complies with the RCS rules. Port to Pub rules are far more reasonable as far as tender size goes.

Originally Posted by BradC

I waved as you went past. The race director boat swung by as someone on board knew our swimmer and some of our crew. I was worried I'd done something wrong, then many waves and a few pleasantries and off you went.

Yeah, as far as days went I don't think you could have asked for better. Still enough idiots on the water to keep you on your toes.

As far as I could tell by the radio traffic, one case of SIPE and one prop slice (the Ambos were parked next to our BBQ shelter waiting for the injured to arrive). I heard the call about the boat in trouble as I was back in the harbour at about 6.30pm, so well past finish time.

I'm re-thinking my plan for the RCS next year. I'm not sure we're small enough to manage a fleet over twice that size. Might have to either use a smaller boat, or make sure we've got a tender that complies with the RCS rules. Port to Pub rules are far more reasonable as far as tender size goes.

Oh yes BM is an old swimming buddy from way back.

Keeping the event a little smaller reduces a lot of congestion.

A catamaran with a men’s team rolled on way home. Sudden lurch all weight shifted to one side and over she went.

Prop was a minor cut in the end or non-arterial as they say in the trade.

Originally Posted by PerthDisco

Oh yes BM is an old swimming buddy from way back.

Keeping the event a little smaller reduces a lot of congestion.

A catamaran with a men’s team rolled on way home. Sudden lurch all weight shifted to one side and over she went.

Prop was a minor cut in the end or non-arterial as they say in the trade.

Everyone knows everyone in this town and of course the community of open water swimmers is even smaller and tighter (I've seen your plate). Her skipper no-showed at the start line last year, so I promised her mum I'd make sure it happened this time around.

I was geared up for the RCS, but a couple of nights before she suspected it might get canned and so managed to sneak an entry in for the PtP. I know the RCS is uptight for a reason, but the mob running the PtP just made the whole event so much more relaxed and fun. Clearly easier being half the size, but it was just so well organised. Nothing like walking into a skippers briefing and being handed a beer as you walk in the door.

I did wonder about the boat going down. I only heard the initial pan call and then the R100 side of the radio chat as I was going under the bridges. Always nice to hear "all persons accounted for".

I've put my hand up to do it again next year. Just need to get this bloody starboard shaft seal sorted. Don't think I'd be as keen with a team. All that changeover stuff is nightmarish. I have 2 engines for a reason, and if I'm on the water I'm not stopping either of them for anyone. I watched some of those sprint teams go past. One swimmer between 60 and 120 seconds then rotate. None of them stopped their engines. Glad to hear the prop bite was minor. With 3 doctors and 3 nurses for support I got all the war stories.

Originally Posted by BradC

I don't know whether or not it's because I'm now more aware of my actual limitations, whereas before I was invincible, or it's just me acknowledging all the additional risks I never bothered to look at before. I'm not sure I like it, but I suspect the older I get the worse it'll get.

I find this as well,it has only been happening the last probably 5 years,and i am 13yrs older than you,almost to the day.

Originally Posted by scarry

I find this as well,it has only been happening the last probably 5 years,and i am 13yrs older than you,almost to the day.

Yep. Same here. I'm not privvy to your ages, but I have found that, the older I get, the more technically inept I am. Perhaps it's because things are more techo, these days? Dunno!

Originally Posted by scarry

I find this as well,it has only been happening the last probably 5 years,and i am 13yrs older than you,almost to the day.

Time waits for no man. On my great grandmothers 96th birthday I asked her "Aren't you sick of having birthdays?". She replied "Nup, love 'em because when you stop having birthdays you're dead". I don't help myself though. I'm overweight and under-fit. That doesn't make it any easier.

This rotto swim thing I helped with on the weekend. Over the course of the day we had 7 people on the boat of which 4 had done at least one solo crossing (that's nearly 20k's unassisted) and the other two were paddlers who'd done at least 9 each. And me, the kid who by the time he'd completed 100M in the school pool, the other kids were showered, changed and half way through a pint at the Windsor. 30 years on I'm the fat, sweaty and sunburned bloke holding the steering wheel. I'm sure if I were a bit more fit it'd be easier, but then there's still that fear. What if I get over that shaft, under that exhaust and in behind that engine and then have a heart attack? Firstly there's nobody to call for help, and even if there was how the hell would they get me out? My paranoia is starting to prevent me doing things that deep down I know I can still do.

30 years ago I'd just wind in there like a ferret and not give it another thought. Then again, I suppose 30 years ago I didn't have a family to provide for.