Some of the problems we had to face during this trip.
- The gearbox command blocked when launching the boat into the water
- The wandering masts
- The diesel leak
- A damaged sail panel
The gearbox command blocked when launching the boat into the water
Everything is ready on this beautiful morning of August 22. Yesterday, the crew got together for the first time, presentations were made (Eric did not know Christian nor Bruno yet), and the last preparations carried out. Christian and Bruno took care of the supply, Eric and I escaped this chore by preparing sails, fenders, moorings, etc.
In the evening we went to the restaurant « Côté Nord » in Rochefort, and after our first night on board (though on land), the port hydraulic trailer delicately descends Paradox on the launching ramp.
As usual, Pierre will only release the boat when I will signal him that everything is OK : the engine started, the cooling return controlled. It’s a well-proven procedure.
Now, this time, if the engine starts immediately, the gearbox control remains blocked at dead center.
A moment of panic ! Floor boards are quickly removed to give access to the engine and the gearbox. We try to maneuver it by hand, but without success. Pierre, on the trailer tractor , will begin to get impatient.
I already imagine the worst, a breakage inside the gearbox, but by acquired consciousness, we implement a fundamental principle of the art of mechanics and give a few hammer blows on the control link. It seems to be moving. The hammer blows get more convincing, the WD40 spray is liberally used and finally, the gearbox control cooperates again.
Lesson retained for the next navigation : check the gearbox proper functioning before launching Paradox !
Sunday 25 august. We leave L’Herbaudiere, on the Noirmoutier peninsula.
Weather is beautiful, but the swell is formed and the total absence of wind forces us to navigate on engine. The boat, without sails, rolls a little.
In the middle of the day, Bruno points out that the top of the mast is affected by snapping lateral movements. All eyes turn up and Eric incidentally declares that it would be a good attitude to arrive in Ireland with our two masts in place.
We notice some play where the mast passes through the bridge. We then focus on the manufacture of small wooden wedges that we insert in force around the mast, to eliminate this play. But the result is inconclusive, the top of the mast is still showing disturbing jolts.
We go down in the front peak, and note with amazement that the mast-step moves several centimeters in all directions under the movements of the boat, because the bolts that connect it to the hull are completely loosened !
I curse myself, convinced that I forgot to tighten them when the masts were put back in place, after the boat was transported by road.
It is then necessary to empty the contents of the front cabin, where Christian and Bruno have their quarters, to be able to lift other floor boards and access the nuts of the bolts of the mast-step. Lying contorted, tossed about by the swell, head down, Eric and I begin to tighten each bolt, whose access is difficult and not visible.
After a while of this torture, I feel nauseated and must leave my post to vomit my lunch.
It is however necessary to continue, but I declare myself unfit and impose a stopover in the nearest port, to carry out the repair in calm waters.
We are thus diverted towards Le Crouesty, where we moor alongside another boat.
Four hours later, the bolts are tightened, and we resume our journey.
I don’t understand how I forgot to tighten these bolts.
At our next stop, Eric suggests to also control the main mast-step bolts. New surprise, these bolts are also loose ! This time, we double all the nuts with lock nuts, all well locked. Shit, it should hold !
But I still don’t understand how I could have been so distracted to forget to tighten all these bolts.
This anxiety about my mental health will disappear, when, on our return trip, we find that all the bolts, with or without lock nuts, have loosened again.
We replace all nuts with « nylstop » self-braking nuts, and this solution will prove to be more sustainable.
But of course, before the next navigation, I will inspect all mast-step bolts again…
During a previous visit to Paradox, I had discovered the existence of a second fuel tank, located on the port side under the saloon seats. It was larger in capacity than the starboard tank, and already fully connected to the engine’s fuel supply circuit.
Curiously, the inside of this tank was very dirty. To completely clean it, I opened two additional visit hatches in the top of the tank. Before we left, both tanks were filled.
Quickly, while sailing, a persistent and unpleasant smell of diesel oil appeared in the cabin. I at first suspected the new visit hatches cover seals, but they did not show any leakage.
On the other hand, the compartment containing the tank was filled with diesel. We inspected all the fittings, all the pipes, but nothing to report on this side either. I concluded to a leak at a weld, invisible of course in the excliguity of the reservoir compartment.
From then on, we did everything possible to completely empty this tank (180 liters), both by using the engine on it and by pumping it into jerry cans. We had to constantly pump the fuel that kept filling the bottom of the tank compartment. Despite the use of several deodorant products, the diesel odor persisted throughout the trip.
There remains to identify and eliminate the cause of the leak. Eric emits the possibility of a leak on the return circuit, and it would be too beautiful. Unfortunately, if we have to repair a leak at a weld, I’m going to have to extricate the tank from its location, which is far from being a slim affair…
To be continued…
During a false maneuver (probably a poorly controlled jibe ?) the battens of the mainsail got a little tangled up. A starking grommet at the fore of a panel got torn off.
Advantage of a junk rig, a damaged panel does not prevent the rest of the sail from working !
Another advantage, particular to Paradox’s sails, is that each sail panel is independent and detachable from the rest of the sail. We were able to remove this panel while navigating, and we rerouted to Camaret to have the repair done.
In order to save time and optimize organization, we immediately phoned the only sailmaker of Camaret, explained the nature of the problem, and agreed with him the place and the time of the appointment.
We forced our pace in order to arrive in time at the harbor, and requested the harbor service dinghy to ferry Eric, me and the sail panel, to the dock in front of the sail workshop.
We got there on time, but the sailmaker did not. At the end of an hour waiting, contacted by phone, he told us that he had not promised us anything, that he was on another site and that he would care for our problem later, if he had the time !
Disapointed, we left our piece of sail wrapped in front of the workshop door, hoping that no one would confuse it with some trash to throw, and returned to the boat.
We were enraged, because we did not want to unnecessarily eternalize ourselves in Camaret, despite the charm of this small town.
Finally, at around 20 pm, the man phoned me and told me to come and pick up the repaired sail. I had to explain at length that it would take me a good half hour to get around the port on foot to come to his workshop, to have him agree to bring us the panel as close as possible to the boat.
I then got to meet the guy, about as cordial as the port of Camaret underground sanitary door…
But, let’s give him this justice, the work was well done, and for a very small fee.
A proverb in Martinican creole would illustrate this epilogue : «Rayi chien di dan’y blan». Well, in metropolic French (sorry, English !), it translates to «Hate the dog, but admit his teeth are white».
(I hope that makes sense in english !)