The Fun Continues

Time: 2021/07/25 03:58:15
Latitude: 55-55.69N
Longitude: 153-8.94W
Speed: 3.0
Course: 83T
Wind_Speed: 12
Wind_Dir: N
Barometer: 1020
Clouds: 100%
Air_Temp: 14C
Wave_Ht: 1M
Wave_Dir: N
Comment: So close yet so far. We are fighting headwinds and a current to get to Kodiak. Motoring into the wind gives us a speed over ground of just 1kt - with more than 140 miles to go this is no good, We are down to our last 200L of fuel (best guess) so have about 60 hrs or so of motoring ability, meaning we need to do better than 2 knots under power to make this a good choice. So we sail - East, or slightly SE at 2 kt. The winds are forecast to die down to below 5 kt, hopefully the seas will moderate as well and we can try motoring again, otherwise we're going to have to wait for favourable winds to make the last push to land. Just when we thought we had the end in sight.


Well there you have it, the Maple crew is having to dig deep for patience. It feels like deja vu as we had the exact same thing happen on our last couple hundred miles to Hawaii where we could not motor more than 1kt into the winds and seas. This time, we don't have the same abundance of fuel remaining so patience will have to be our game plan now.

Well enough about weather, here's a new fun story to share. Last night during our shift change at midnight, D was heading off to bed, when the starboard engine that was running at the time dropped in RPMs and just shut off. Ooh, um, that isn't good, is it?! My first thought was another darn kelp that this time found its way around the prop. But we have had prop wraps before and in those cases the engine just cuts out immediately. This time it was just like when the outboard runs out of fuel, it basically sputters and dies. Okay, game plan is to wait until daylight to evaluate the issue. So on goes the port engine and we are set for an easy evening of motorsailing...and yes, at that time we were pointing directly for our destination in more pleasant seas.

Since the starboard fuel tank is located beneath our bed, D had to wait until I was awake to get troubleshooting. So while I enjoyed coffee and freshly baked bread, D got to work...not a bad arrangement I say. So first course of action was to check the fuel tank to make sure there actually was fuel in there. The fuel gauge indicated we had about a third of a tank, but we have previously replaced the fuel sender in that tank so perhaps it was not functioning again and we were in fact out of fuel. Nope, there is still fuel in there.

Second step, check the fuel filters. D did check them quickly when the engine first shut down, and he suspected this was likely the problem. When I asked D when the last time the fuel filters were changed, I sort of just got a blank look and I think he temporarily was unable to hear the pitch of my voice. I took that to mean it had been awhile. It turns out the filters were in pretty bad shape and fairly full of gunk. I wonder if it would have perhaps been a more enjoyable task to do in a lovely calm anchorage than in rolling seas hitting us on the bow, which means we do a lovely hobby-horse type action resulting in seas splashing up over the back transom step where D has to knee to work on the engine. Anyway, without complaint as always, D go the job done. And yup, that was the problem. Starboard engine is back in service again.

As for when we might arrive in Kodiak is now really anyone's guess. The waiting game continues and we are confident that one day we will step foot on land again.