Maiden Voyage for Mabel's Casse Tete (and MAC vs. PC)

Dear Group,

Mabel's Casse Tete 43/003 was launched this past weekend and my son Alex and I attempted to sail her from Tracy's Landing, MD to Delaware City, DE on Sunday.  Before leaving, we polished the fuel, changed filters and oil, ran the engine at the dock for 30 minutes and stopped and started it several times.  Everything was ready so we left on a rising tide around noon Sunday.  The engine sounded great and ran like a top.  Wind abaft of beam at 10-15 knots, we killed the engine and sailed. 

What a dream this boat really is.  She is fast and comfortable and we were having a great time.  Around 7 PM I decided to run the engine again as the wind had died; that's when the trouble began.  The engine rpms began to rise and fall and I thought there might be a vacuum in the primary filter so I killed the engine and changed out the Racor.  Bled engine and it started right up and ran for about 1 minute; that was the last time I heard the engine running!

Then the storms hit.  Three big thunderstorms with hail and winds approaching 40 knots.  Not really a big deal on the Chesapeake bay for a Swan 43, but a little uncomfortable.  We sailed into a river and anchored.  Alex and I spent the next two days working on the engine to no avail.  I suspect that either the fuel was bad or there is a leak in the low pressure side of the fuel system.

So, Mabel's Casse Tete is docked in the Sassafras river waiting for a mechanic to visit!

I have attached three pictures of her sailing - thrilled to be the proud owner!

Thanks,

Chris

Hi Chris
We had the same problem last year on our delivery trip after buying Pandra - 38/111.
After going through all the routine checks, we discovered that there was a large amount of muck at the bottom of the fuel tank. The inspection hatch only gave access to one half of the tank as there is a dividing baffle between the two halves of the tank. We have had a second inspection hatch put in the so we can now have access to both parts of the tank. So - check the bottom of your fuel tank to see if it is clean, and also that you can get access to the whole of the bottom of the tank, otherwise you will need to have another inspection hatch cut out.
Happy Sailing
Tom

Chris:

Welcome and Great story. All I could think of reading it was it's a good thing you know how to sail....an inexperienced sailor might have been in serious trouble. These are great boats, enjoy her and care for her and she'll do right by you.

Fair Winds,

Geoff, Coraaon, 411 #41

that's supposed to be Corazon in my closing line - getting sloppy in my old age, sorry -

HI Tom,

Thank you for the reply.  It seemed like I had access to the whole tank but I could be wrong.  Also, a previous owner fitted a siphon hose at the bottom of the tank; before beginning the polishing process, I drained approximately 2 gallons of fuel to get the worst out.  The polisher, supplied by a fellow swan owner (but not of the beautiful S&S variety) allowed me to sweep the bottom with the suction hose.  I did feel a baffle and was able to get over it - at least that what it seems.  I could definitley be wrong!  Next time I am at the boat, I will check to see if the tank inspection hose allows access to the whole tank.

Thanks for the advice!  In the meantime, the engine problem is with the mechanic!

Chris

P.s. I see that my pics did not load so here's another try.

HI Geoff,

Thank you for your reply. 

I do have experience sailing but I only made mistakes; no great sailing here!  The accolades go to the boat, which sailed like a dream, and to my son, Alex, who had last sailed when he was 6!  Now 15, he stood at the wheel when the worst of the first storm hit and I was down below trying, unsuccessfully, to bleed the engine!  Gusts to 40 knots, rail burried, screaming along at 10 knots (had not reefed yet! - big mistake on my part) Alex stood his post and kept the boat going.  I am a proud dad!

Chris

Pic of sleepy Alex before the storms!

Two more pics.

Approaching the Bay Bridge (Annapolis, MD)

Docked, finally, at Sailing Associates Marina on the Sassafras River in MD.

Chris

Chris:

I have no idea if it might apply, but I thought I should share a story that the previous owner of the Corazon shared with me about a problem that resulted in a similar set of symptoms to yours and drove him and some mechanics nuts for a spell - the long and short of it was that the starboard water tank was pinching the fuel line and restricting or totally denying the engine fuel when it did.

On the 411, the fuel tank is starboard but higher than and outboard of the starboard water tank, which is under the settee that side, and the fuel line had a routing that made it vulnerable to this pinching. It was addressed by more rigid fixation of the offending water tank, and all was well after that. It probably doesn't apply, but then again who knows, it may to another boat some day if not yours today.

Best wishes again,

Geoff, Corazon, 411 #41

Hi Geoff,

Thank you for your reply.  ALthough that situation does not apply to this boat, I will explain, it may well be very helpful to someone else.  I think we all understand how frustrating it is when we need the engine and it's not there!

I have removed all of my water tanks so I am sure they are not pinching the fuel line.  I plan to replumb the entire fresh-water system with pex tubing (unless, of course, the Professor has a better suggestion - I have not run this by him yet).  I have also followed the fuel line from tank to injection pump. 

My limited knowledge as a mechanic (despite being around diesels for 35 years!) suggests a pin-hole leak on the low pressure side of the fuel system or bad fuel or a combination.

I spoke with the owner of the yard yesterday, who was a dealer for Perkins when they were still built in England, and he is confident that they will find the problem easily.  Let's hope!

Thanks again for the note.

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete 43/#003

Hi Geoff,

Thank you for your reply.  ALthough that situation does not apply to this boat, I will explain, it may well be very helpful to someone else.  I think we all understand how frustrating it is when we need the engine and it's not there!

I have removed all of my water tanks so I am sure they are not pinching the fuel line.  I plan to replumb the entire fresh-water system with pex tubing (unless, of course, the Professor has a better suggestion - I have not run this by him yet).  I have also followed the fuel line from tank to injection pump. 

My limited knowledge as a mechanic (despite being around diesels for 35 years!) suggests a pin-hole leak on the low pressure side of the fuel system or bad fuel or a combination.

I spoke with the owner of the yard yesterday, who was a dealer for Perkins when they were still built in England, and he is confident that they will find the problem easily.  Let's hope!

Thanks again for the note.

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete 43/#003

Chris:

Regarding the PEX, forgive me if I already made this comment to you, I know I have made it on the list at one time or another. I work in the commercial valve business and my company produces PEX valves among many other types. Generally speaking, PEX valves come in yellow brass, which I would definitely not use in my boat, even in the fresh water system, considering the overall seawater rich environment (bilges, and in general) because yellow brass is prone to rapid failure in seawater via SCC or dezincification (slower failure in the case of dezincification), and there are so many other options for plumbing your system. My opinion anyway.

Although it's only one man's opinion,I would stick with polyethylene fittings, polyester braid reinforced clear PVC tubing, pretty much the way the boats were probably set up to begin with. It works and there aren't any really obvious vulnerabilities that the brass parts present.

Fair Winds and Best Regards,

Geoff, Corazon, 411 #41

Hi Geoff,

Thank you for your comments.  And, no, I have not read your note about pex - I should have done a search, but I am not quite to the "rebuilding" stage!  meaning, tanks are out and getting cleaned and welded.

I completely agree that brass has no place on a boat.  I was thinking about Flair-it connections or possibly the type made by Sea-Tech. 

When time for this gets closer, I will post again.

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete 43/003

Hi Chris:
You probably have the same Perkins as I do: 4-108. It's a great engine! If it ran for a minute after you bled it, it means that it doesn't get fuel. Put some fuel into a quart can with a fitting in the bottom and a hose attached that attaches to the injection pump, bypassing the filter and the engine driven fuel pump. Bleed the system. The quart can is sitting on deck by the hatch and you get gravity feed. If the engine runs you have found the problem.
Pete 040/012
My rudder is done and will be installed soon!

Hi Peter,

Glad to hear that your rudder is complete - pictures?

Your idea to determine the problem for the engine was reiterated by the current mechanic and my friend as well after having read your note.  Great idea, wish I had thought of it.

I hear that the engine is a really good one, and when it was running, it started faster than any I have had and ran very smoothly.  I am concerned about this bleeding problem - from reading the manual, it seems that every time I change filters, I will need to bleed all the way to the injectors.  Is your experience the same?

Let's chat on the phone again soon, I am interested to hear about your projects!

BTW, I am in the process of creating a website for my restoration project.  When it has a little more content, I will post the address here for anyone interested in learning from all of my mistakes!

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete 43/003

Good news!

Engine is running!  Apparently the set screw on the drive shaft has been hitting the fuel line from the fuel tank to the primary filter for some time and finally allowed air to enter the system.  Yes, I should have caught this, but...

Anyway, I should be setting sail for my 40 mile trip to Delaware City, Delaware from the Sassafras River in MD this weekend and will report back.

On a separate note, I found an open source chart plotter software program through NOAA that allows downloads of raster and vector charts - all for free.  So far, it seems pretty good.  The name is:OpenCPN and can be found at the link below.  Has anyone else tried this one or can recommend another?

http://opencpn.org/ocpn/

Thanks,

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete 43/003

Hello Chris:
So glad you found the problem why your engine would not run. But it sure was an unusual one and difficult to find. Congratulations!
On the chart thing: I bought a DVD from officialnoaacharts.com and found it very easy to use. It has the program to view charts and all the US charts. When linked to my GPS my notebook becomes a plotter. However, IMHO because electricity and seawater do not get along very well, I carry paper charts.

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your reply!

I agree with your concern about electronics and seawater and also carry paper charts.  In fact, this is my first attempt to use a chart plotter; the boat came with a small Standard Horizon chart plotter and has all necessary charts and I am now trying this open source chart plotter with a usb gps connection.  I will look into the NOAA software - is it vector or rastor?

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete 43/003

Hello Chris:
Raster Charts. Here is a copy of what is advertised on their website:Every Raster Navigation Chart (RNC) that NOAA publishes. This covers the entire United States and all of its Possessions. There are more than 2200 charts on the DVD in the standard BSB/KAP format.
SeaClear II chart plotter software with a free, no fee, non-exclusive license for chart viewing. Runs on Windows 7/VISTA/XP/ME/2000/98/95.

Anybody using a Mac on their boat? I was inspired to ask after the last post showing all the Windows compatibility for those charts. I've got a new integrated radar and GPS system that I will drive with a laptop at the nav station, and had been prepared to simply buy an IBM based machine, but I love my Macair that I use at home, and would love to use it on the boat too if the software and charts and etc would all run. Any input would be appreciated as always -

Thanks and Fait Winds,

Geoff, Corazon, 411 #41

Hi Peter,

Thank you for your reply and information.

In the past, have used only paper charts, I am most familiar with raster charts but have been toying with vector charts.  The seem to offer more detail in some respects and less in others. 

I have the paper charts as well as raster and vector charts on my lpatop which I plan to compare - I doubt all this extra information will keep me from running aground!

Chris

Hi Geoff,

My son tells me macs are the best - I only have experience with IBMs!  But I know the open source software I mentioned supports macs - it's free!

Chris