Dear salt herring eaters,
We're still sailing. Now back on the bike. We somewhat curse the vagaries of the weather. If you want to tan under a tropical sun in temperatures worthy of the Sahara, you've come to the right place. For a sailor yearning for a good southeasterly breeze to make up some time on the schedule, it's hell. It makes it understandable how the men with that VOC mentality must have had it all those years ago. But with a bit of luck we will sail again this afternoon.
Every day things break or things need to be clarified. For example, today the suddenly very pressing question popped into my head; how much fuel do we actually have left? As you know I thought the tank was about 500 litres. Quite big. However, studying the drawings showed that it is almost 750 liters. But is it included? You don't know because there are two tanks on the drawing and maybe one is plugged or something. However, that seemed less plausible to me. So I wanted to know the current level of the tanks because we have already filled the tank three times to the filling opening. So full to the brim. But each time no more than 150 liters tanked.
There is no level measurement on the tank and that is a big loss. The hour counter is also broken. I go. Still fix. After having sailed the engine for an accumulated 49 hours today, I figured that about 170 liters must have been used. In order to get more clarity I have dismantled the tank vent hose and put a long stick in the hole and measured an ullage of 90cm and a level of 70cm. That seems like an easy task but it required me to descend upside down into a hole at about 70 degrees Celsius with a screwdriver and string and very poor lighting to get things done. I felt like a totally sweaty tropical train driver and a stiff grandpa at the same time, which is completely in accordance with reality.
However, this measurement has completely reassured me. Presumably we have consumed about 3.5 liters per hour and we can cover in total at a speed of 5 knots close to 1000 Miles on the engine. Still 750 to go.
Now it remains to replace the two racor inlet fuel filters to regain full confidence in the propulsion system that runs on fuel.
We were also busy with that other system because the attachment of the carts to the mast on the sail came loose by itself. You see, always busy.
Greetings from Mark and Ton
