A day of Pain!

5.4 KTS COG 262T

If I were Irish and had a son with me he would grow up to write folk songs about how salty his father was. Even though I failed again my son would be proud!

Something dawned on me yesterday, the starter didnt fail, it broke. Why would it break. I turned the flywheel by hand and it hit a wall, a sized spot, then it all made sense. I was going down 15-18 foot seas for 4 days. I have a high exhaust elbow, a water locker, and an auto siphon valve at the top of the system but the conditions were too much for it, sea water got into my cylinder.

I got mad and threw a thing across the cabin which bounced off the ladder and hit my computer screen, now I have another problem (need new screen), ARRRRGGGGG!!!!

I quickly took out the injectors and expelled the sea water. I filled the cylinders with oil and worked the system with the flywheel for a while, All will be fine with a new starter .

Just as the sun was setting a caught a beautiful 6′ Bull Dorado.After a good fight I hauled him on board and studied the beautiful fish for a while, he looked so unhappy. I kissed him on the forehead, “Today’s your lucky day Charlie, someone has to have a better then mine”, I tossed him back in the sea.

This morning I got to thinking. If I could rip open the starter case and get to a piece of wire to fire the starter I just might be able to turn the system over. if I put everything back together,

I spent a few hours seating the injectors and hooking everything back up. No more seized spot, yeeehaa!!!

I got a few revs out of the starter before it burned up again. I blew out the fire. Not enough power to turn the motor, damn.

I worked the flywheel backwards, and that’s when you would have herd it. If you were anywhere near the Pacific ocean at 10:14 my time, you would have head a scream that would have shattered your bones!

My thumb got wedged in-between the flywheel gears, and the gears of the starter. A good steady stream of blood ran down the motor and mixed with the oil and diesel in the bilge. The flywheel and my right hand were too oily to turn the wheel to free myself. I couldn’t reach any tools. I sat for about 10 minutes thinking what to do…. ! clinched my teeth and ripped with all my might, I thought I might loose my thumb! AAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I was if free.

I have a needle, strange, and a bottle of Lidocaine. I’ll numb up my left thumb and burn a hole through my nail so hopefully I wont loose it. I took a couple gory pictures to post later.

I really want to sit down for a good steak and a few Guinness.

I want my mommy!

– Alex