Bringing her home, Part 2

[marko]

Bringing her home, Part 1:
We christened her At Last in Selby bay, just south of Annapolis, stocked provisions and headed south to Solomon's Is, MD. What a beautiful place! Over nighted at Zahniser's (great place and great people) and headed out for Norfolk....or not!!! After waiting out the fog, we took off only to have electrical gremlins take over the stbd volt meter and then the low volt alarm went off and so we circled while I checked things with a hand held volt meter. Couldn't figure it out, so back in to port. Waited for an elect marine guy who worked most of the PM, eliminated the bat's, engines and alternators as the culprits. He said there is some sort of voltage drop between engines and gauges, so I cleaned wiring harness connections that night. Next AM, no change, prime suspect is a the stbd volt gauge, but having eliminated the major items, we took off. Of course now it wasn't the perfect day, but we had a great time anyway going down the Chesapeake Bay against the wind and waves. Arrived in Norfolk at sunset, the warships a glow in orange light...awesome! Made our way to past ICW mile marker 0 and docked. All good till bilge pump went off, then again, then finally at about 3am tracked problem to leaky shaft seal. Checked with mgfr and two mechanics in AM, old seals, retaining ring popped out, bad news pull the boat... now. Oh, that was the day the gale force winds were gusting, so had the experienced marina VP move it to the travel lift so I wouldn't hit a 110 ft, multimillion $$$$ yacht in front of us. So we got it out and on the hard, that was Friday, rented a car and drove home, now waiting on parts and fix. Is it worth while? Yes! Next up...NC ICW. Nothing else is going to break...right???

[marko]

FYI: This is the continuation of from my new member post on At Last.

Ten days later we drove back to Portsmouth, VA and saw her still on the hard and one shaft still out! Very disconcerting for a newbie... Two days later we were able continued south on the ICW, slowly, due to the bridges, ahead of a big front. Still had electrical gremlins in the gauges, but a second electrical mech still didn't find the issue after he had rechecked bats and alternator. Had my first experience with a lock and messed that up. Luckily we were the middle of only three boats and the trailing boat stayed way back. Got the bow line on, but promptly got turned sideways in the lock from the wind. The lock keepers had seen this before, let loose the bow, I squared it and we drifted across to the other side. Did ding the bow sprit some, but seems ok.

More exciting was running down the tight channel in the Currituck Sound when one engine quit! It was as if we popped a parachute behind us. Motored into Coinjock on one engine late and preped to do a major trace of the elect components in the AM. Now, I'd been given all sorts of professional advice on what to check, but it was the posting here by jprohan to Part 1 that I tried first and was it, thanks. It was an easy fix, removed the reset button on the dead Cummins, found and tightened the loose screws holding the simple two wires and pow...she fired right up and gauges were good!
Still had to wait out the storm though.

Next AM, had to break the ice off the dinghy that's upside down on the roof, warm up everything and got to continue out and across the Albemarle Sound. Not bad, some chop and rollers. It was nice coming into Belhaven, NC and met my first fellow AOG members, Tom & Brenda. Not much time then, but did get an enjoyable visit later, further south by land for me, ICW for them.

Last leg in was the great. Crossed out thru the Pamlico Sound and up the Neuse River to New Bern,
to be my home waters. Maybe it was meant to be 'cause it only got nicer and nicer as we went north. Passed Oriental, left the ICW behind and the river welcomed us with flat, glassy water, light wind and warm temps. Docked fine with these conditions and real happy to have done it. Had a good friend on the trip, new friends met and a great experience. So much to learn...
Happy Thanksgiving!

[tbnolin]

That was a good time, wasn't it!!! Glad we were able to hook up in Wrightsville. Hope you're enjoying the late Fall.