Oct-Dec

Oct 1
Long time friend Ben Morris came down on Saturday and stayed thru today. We had a good time - his first visit to Oriental and to see the Annabelle. We went sailing for a while on Saturday. The wind was blowing about 20 knots and we had fun blasting thru the water. The cats were not happy about being back out on the water again. The engine is back together, but with a heat exchanger that is too small. Even running the engine at the recommended reduced RPM's, it still ran hot.

Oct 14
The engine is repaired! With the proper heat exchanger and new temperature sensor and readout, it is running like a charm. Justin came down for the weekend with his swimming friend Mark. Saturday, Laurin and Jewel came down for the Pecan Grove pig picking. After eating, we went out for a late afternoon sail. The wind was blowing enough to push along at 4 knots. It was Jewel's first sail. After coming back in, Laurin and Jewel headed back to school. On Sunday, Mark, Justin and I sailed to the entrance of the Neuse river and back. The wind was blowing good and we were making 7 knots part of the time on a reefed Genoa, full main, and no mizzen. As we came back to the entrance to Oriental harbor a school of porpoise started swimming with the boat. A really neat event. Justin and Mark headed back to Chapel Hill after we got back in that afternoon.

Oct 15
I started putting the TreadMaster down today. I managed to get two sheets cut and epoxied.

Oct 28
I glued the last three pieces of TreadMaster to the deck this morning. They were at the very aft end of the boat. I also got the last of the stanchions re-attached - except for the stern pulpit. That will have to wait on my return next week. I still have the cockpit to place TreadMaster in.

I now have a post office box in Oriental - another step in moving my life here. My address in Oriental is
David V. Fansler (and cats)
PO Box 1066
Oriental, NC 28571

November 13
0715 - Trip 0.0 wind @11.0 kts from the North
I left Pecan Grove Marina under a clear blue sky. It is chilly this morning as I head for Ocracoke for my longest solo voyage yet. As the wind is coming from the north, I will have to motor to the entrance of the Neuse River. I should then be able to sail the rest of the way as I will be heading east.

0745 SOG 3.2 knots N35d 01.914' W076d 37.873' wind @ 12kts NNE
With a favorable wind I have raised the mainsail and the Genoa.

0800 N35d 01.914' W076d 37.873' SOG 6.3 kts COG 95° T, 13.1 kts NE wind
Trip 5.50 nm
Moving along nicely - no other vessels in sight

1048 About 0845 I had to drop the sails and start motoring as I was starting to have to head to far to the east to be able to exit the river. The wind had picked up to 18 knots and the seas were 1 to 2 feet. About 0915 the engine died suddenly. Being a diesel, they say it only needs air and fuel once it starts running. It only took me about 10 seconds to decide that with only 3/8ths of a tank of fuel (51 gallons) there had to be a lot of sloshing going on as the bow was going up and down through the waves. This stirred up 22 years of sediment in the bottom of the tank and clogged the fuel filter. I dropped the anchor and once I was sure it had caught, I entered the engine room and took apart the fuel/water separator. As surmised, the filter was covered in sludge. I replaced the filter and cleaned the bowl. That was the easy part. Getting fuel back into the system was the hard part. The Perkins diesel engine has a small hand lever pump to bleed the system with - but it was unable to draw fuel from the tank to the fuel/water separator. I ended up re-plumbing the system so that the electric fuel pump on the 12 volt generator pulled fuel into the Perkins fuel/water separator. I was then able to prime and bleed the engine and get it started. I should note that the smell of diesel fuel, the heat in the engine room and the rocking of the boat all led up to my first touch of sea sickness - just a touch of nauseous feeling - nothing more. With the engine running again, I raised the anchor ( I love my electric windlass) and continued toward the river entrance.

1107 - N35d 04.066' W076d 32.261' SOG 6.6kts, Trip 12.0 nm COG 41° T, 15kts N wind
All is running well at the moment. I had to stop the engine for a moment so I could tighten the slipping alternator belt. The unit is currently outputting ~75 amps.

1131 - The engine started dying again - so I killed it, raised the sails and I am heading back to Oriental. This is disappointing to me as I felt I needed to make this trip to renew confidence in the boat and build confidence in my own abilities. I guess I should be happy that I was able to diagnose the problem and fix it. The fuel tank obviously has a lot of sediment that needs to be cleaned from the tank.

0200 - Engine hours 2114.5 Trip 23.90 nm Log 68.5 nm (+ 671.6nm) = 740.1 nm
Docked at Pecan Grove Marina.

November 15
I motored to Sailcraft Service just before lunch to have my fuel "polished". This is a process where the fuel is sucked out of the tank, run through a 30 micron filter/water separator, then a 3 micron filter/water separator and then pumped back into the tank. As the process did not start until late in the afternoon, I spent the night there. Gabe jumped ship three times but was quick to come back when I called his name. The swing generated a lot of comments, and I received a number of praises for the work I had done on the boat.

November 16
Engine Hours 2116.4 Trip 29.0 nm, Log 700.6 nm
After leaving Sailcraft, I stopped at Whittaker Creek and took on 84.4 gallons of fuel. I then motored back to Pecan Grove Marina. I last took on fuel on June 22 at Southport @ 2052.6 engine hours. This gives an interval of 53.8 hours less the 13.9 hours the hour meter ran at Manteo without the engine running is 39.9 hours. 84.4gallons/39.9hrs = 2.11 gallons/hour - about twice what I had thought the fuel consumption rate was.

November 18
Work progress report: I finished with the TreadMaster the 9th of this month. I have a couple of areas to touch up, but nothing major. Yesterday I installed the propane gas locker and connected the locker to the stove and finished the wiring to the locker and detectors. I think I have a bad detector in the bilge. It went off even though the tanks were not yet connected and they had never been inside the boat. There is still one detector at the stove. Last night I ordered the materials needed to enclose the rest of the cockpit. Today I cut and mounted the teak strips that will hold the clear window material around the rest of the cockpit. I took them back down so I can take them home to varnish. The server is mounted snuggly on a shelf in my aft head. I need to make some new cables to reach to the disk drives. The network wires are run, and the Netgear RM356 router is working like a charm. With my land line installed, I just click on email to have the router dial up to the Internet and download my email. The DVD player and VHS tape deck have been mounted under a shelf in the main salon. There are individual outputs from them to the TV. I have not yet figured out how I am going to mount the TV.

December 7

0851 - Engine Hours 2117.2, Trip 0 NM, Wind 5.5 kts E, clear in the 50's
The cats and I pulled out of my slip about 0830 and motored to the marina pump out station. After dumping the holding tanks we proceeded out into the Neuse River heading for Ocracoke.

1000 N35° 03.622' W076° 34.078', SOG 7.3 kts, COG 63°T, Wind 10.2 kts E, calm seas
Currently motoring down the Neuse River - just arrived at waypoint 3 off Gum Thicket Shoal

1100 N35° 07.114' W076° 26.405', SOG 7.3 kts, COG 79°T, Wind 5 kts NE
Continuing warm and clear - still motoring.

1217 N35° 06.301' W076° 19.468', SOG 3.1 kts, COG 78°T, Wind 9.5 kts ENE
With wind picking up, I raised all the sails, but ended up dropping the mizzen and main as they were blocking the Genoa.

1238 Wind down to 2 kts, furled Genoa and started motoring again.

1400 N35° 10.401' W076° 07.096', SOG 8 kts, COG 113°T, Wind 8 kts NE, calm seas
Still motoring.

1530 - Arrived at Ocracoke. Trip 53.70 NM, Engine Hours 2122.5
I docked at the end of C Dock at Anchorage Marina. This dock ends with a gazebo that they had decorated with ice sickle lights, giving me my own Christmas decorations. The sunset was gorgeous.

December 10

1000 SOG 7 kts, COG 63°T, Wind 15 - 20 kts NE, 3-4 ' seas
I have got to make a check list. I leave the AC inverter on all the time. This can present a problem when the aft heat pump and hot water heater are left on together. Unfortunately I left these on as I left Anchorage Marina. I did not realize it at first until I smelt the burning rubber from the alternator belt - The alternator was producing 100 Amps. By this time I was out of Silver Lake and in Big Foot Slough fighting the building weather. I finished motoring out of the channel into a mess of seas and wind. While the waves were only 3-4 feet, the time interval between them was only 3-4 seconds making for a bumpy ride. I unfurled the Genoa only. Once set, I turned and had the wind and seas off my starboard side making the boat roll back and forth along its long axis.

1215 N35° 09.167' W076° 12.103', SOG 6 kts, COG 255°T, Wind 15 kts SW,1-2' seas, clear skies
I am now under full sail. Seas are off the starboard aft quarter and calmer.

1309 N35° 07.824' W076° 17.931', SOG 6.0 kts, COG 268°T, Wind 11 kts SW
Seas have built a little more as I pass Branti Shoal still under full sail.

~1500 As I reached the Neuse River Entrance Marker, the winds had died to 4 knots. With 11 nm left to cover in 2 hours, I furled the sails and started motoring only to have the alternator belt break. I dropped anchor and changed the belt. About 20-30 minutes later I was motoring up the Neuse at 8.1 knots. The front coming from the west was visible as eventually blocking the sun, making it dark even earlier. I used the lights for the Oriental Harbor to navigate in, and was just able to see the makers for Pecan Grove. Dark was falling as I arrived.

1730 - Docked at Pecan Grove Marina. Trip 108.1, Log 182.0 (+ 671.6nm) = 853.6 nm, Engine Hours 2125.6

December 26

1138 Trip 0.0, Engine Hours 2126.3, wind 5 kts NE 45º and cloudy
Laurin, Justin and I first stopped at the pump station to empty the holding tanks before leaving for Beaufort. This will be the first leg of the trip to Wilmington for Jason and Ginger's wedding on the 29th. We will be eating supper at Clawson's.

1300 N 34º 54.065' W076º 40.727' SOG 8.1 kts wind 4.5 kts W Engine @ 2900 rpm, Trip 12.3 nm
We are just passing Jerry Bay in Adam's Creek

1400 N 34º 46.93' W076º 41.14' SOG 7.6 kts wind 2.4 kts SE Engine @ 2900 rpm, Trip 21.3 nm
Just passed Jarrett Bay - no answer from Beaufort City Docks via radio

1445 - Arrived at Beaufort City Docks Trip 27.9 nm, Engine Hours 2129.1

December 27

0655 - Engine Hours 2129.1, Trip 27.9 nm, Wind 10kts W, Clear and cold (29ºF) Started engine.

0700 - cast off, Justin at helm

0720 - SOG 7.4 kts, dolphins swimming a couple of feet off the port stern.

0735 - Trip 34.00 nm, just passing under the Atlantic Beach Bridge (high rise)

0800 N 34º 43.325' W076º 47.92' SOG 7.3 kts wind 10.0 kts W Engine @ 3000 rpm, Trip 38.5 nm
Just passed mile maker 210 and Spooner's Creek

0830 - engine over heat alarm - hose to water heater developed a pinhole leak that allowed the coolant to leak out. The hole was close enough to the end of the hose that I could just cut off a foot of hose and re-attached to the engine. Added coolant and we were off inside of 15 minutes. We dropped the anchor while the repairs were made.

0845 - resume trip

0853 - mile marker 215

0900 N 34º 43.170' W076º 53.849' SOG 7.5 kts wind 8.4 kts W Engine @ 3000 rpm, Passing ICW marker 21

0927 - mile marker 220

1000 N 34º 40.568' W077º 02.584' SOG 8.0 kts wind 13 kts SW Engine @ 3000 rpm, Trip 55.60 nm
Approaching the Emerald Isle high rise bridge, passing ICW marker 42

1002 - mile marker 225 (missing), trip 56.1 nm

1008 - Emerald Isle Bridge (high rise) N 34º 40.456' W077º 03.902

1030 - talked to a passing TowBoat US - no shoals reported in the Swansboro area except around marker 55 on the ocean side

1038 - mile marker 230, trip 62.3 nm

1039 - ICW marker 49, this is where Laurin and I ran aground twice in June (going and coming). There is a new floating red buoy where the shoal is.

1100 N 34º 38.659' W077º 10.688' SOG 8.0 kts wind 20 kts S Engine @ 3000 rpm, Trip 66.3 nm

1110 - mile marker 235, trip 67.8 nm

1144 - mile marker 240, trip 73.70 nm

1150 - Onslow Beach Bridge - Swing Bridge N 34º34.443' W077º 16.221'

1200 - pass thru bridge

1237 - mile marker 245

1305 N 34º 31.526' W077º 22.004' SOG 6.5 kts wind 9.6 kts SW Engine @ 3000 rpm, Trip 85.30 nm
Almost got stuck (we ran aground in soft mud twice but were able to power off) at marker R6 heading to G7 - need to stay close to R6 when passing.

1322 mile marker 250, trip 87.70 nm

1340 - Topsail Island Bridge - N 34º 30.044' W077º 25.601', Trip 90.60 nm

1400 - N 34º 29.140' W077º 28.116' SOG 7.1 kts wind 13 kts SW Engine @ 3000 rpm, Trip 94.00 nm
mile marker 255

1436 - mile marker 260, Trip 100.10 nm

1440 - Surf City Bridge - high rise 1400 - N 34º 26.---' W077º 32.---'

1530 - mile marker 265, Trip 105.5 nm

1600 N 34º 21.888' W077º 39.896' SOG 6.8 kts wind 8 kts S Engine @ 3000 rpm, Trip 110.40 nm

1603 - mile marker 270, Trip 111.2

1640 - mile marker 275, Trip 117.6

1657 - Figure Eight Island Swing Bridge N 35º 35.16.690' W077º 45.434' SOG 7.6 kts wind 6.6kts S

1740 - Wrightsville Beach Draw Bridge (opens on the hour)

1800 N 34º 12.932' W077º 48.874', Trip 127.0 nm, Log 309.6 nm, Engine Hours 2139.0
Pass through Wrightsville Beach Draw Bridge and arrived at Wrightsville Beach Marina just on the other side of the bridge for the night. It was dark by the time we got to the bridge. Cost for over night of $61.90 + $8.00 for 50A power service

December 28

1006 Engine Hours 2139.0, Trip 127.0, Wind 5.5 S, Light overcast and warmer than yesterday
Left Wrightsville Beach Marina - the current was pushing us against the pier, causing the dingy to get caught by a pylon. The cover on the dingy was ripped

1056 - mile marker 290, Trip 136.0

1100 - N 34º 7.45' W077º52.010' SOG 6.8 kts wind 4.3 kts S Engine @ 3000 rpm, Trip 136.7 nm
A beautiful day. I have made arrangements with Wilmington City Docks for a slip with 50 A service. Justin at the helm.

1132 - mile marker 295, Trip 147.2
Engine started loosing RPMs while running at 3000. Reducing back to 2700 it ran ok. Most likely cause is the fuel filter. This is the filter I put on in mid-November when I was sailing solo to Ocracoke after the engine shut down due to sludge. The engine started loosing RPMs with this filter and I never got around to changing it. I will do that tomorrow morning while at dock.

1138 - Snow's Cut Bridge (high rise) - N 34º 03.413' W077º 53.755', Trip 143.2 nm

1215 N 34º 05.035' W077º 56.035' SOG 4.9 kts, COG 002ºT, wind 21.5 kts S Engine @ 0 rpm, Trip 148.70 nm
We have entered the Cape Fear River and are currently sailing under Genoa alone. Water is flat.

1300 N 34º 08.327' W077º 56.704' SOG 5.3 kts, wind 21.5 kts S Engine @ 0 rpm, Trip 154.30 nm
Wind is gusting to 26 kts and drops down to 10 kts. Partly cloudy and warm.

1410 - Wilmington Memorial Bridge (lift bridge 65' clearance closed) 1215 N 34º 13.472' W077º 57.148', Trip 163.2 nm

1420 - Docked at the Hilton. Strong side current. Wilmington Public Docks used to be free for 7 days. The only power available was 3 circuits at the Hilton. The city has now taken over all the docks and the power and charge $1.25/foot with power. According to the dock master, they plan to use the funds to add more power circuits in the future. Restrooms are available in the lower floor of the Hilton - no shower facilities.

Engine Hours 2141.6, Trip 165.00 nm, Log 347.2 (+ 671.6nm) = 1018.8nm

December 30

0655 - Engine Hours 2141.9, Trip 1650.00, clear and 32º
Justin was not feeling well last night, so he and Laurin are still asleep as I start the engine and leave the dock. 200' feet from the dock the engine dies.

0755 - On our way again! Yesterday I pulled the fuel/water filter out and disassembled it, cleaned it, reassembled it, put a new filter in it, remounted it, pulled fuel into it and started the engine. I ran the engine for about 10 minutes at 1500 RPM with no problem. What I did was to not pay attention when I reassembled the unit and switched the inlet/outlet sides, so now the engine was pulling (or trying) to draw fuel from the inlet side. Once I figured that out, switched the lines and bleed the engine it started with no problems. As the tide was coming in, the current was pushing me up river, so I dropped the anchor while I was working on the engine. A Coast Guard patrol boat came up to me to check my condition.

0900 N 34º 07.872' W077º 56.341' SOG 6.6 kts, COG 135ºT, 3000 RPM, wind 14.1 kts S , Trip 180.70 nm

0941 Enter Snows Cut, SOG 9.2 kts, Trip 188.00 nm

0948 Snows Cut Bridge, SOG 9.8 kts

1000 N 34º 04.843' W 077º 52.953', SOG 5.6 Kts, COG 015ºT, 3000 RPM, Wind 12.7 Kts NW, Trip 191.50 NM
Was making 9.4 Kts SOG until I passed Carolina Beach channel

1030 Mile marker 290, SOG 7.8 Kts, Trip 196.4 NM

1100 N34º11.635' W 077º 49.500', SOG 6.4 Kts, COG 023ºT, Wind 10.5 Kts N, 3000 RPM
Passing mile marker 285

1115 Trip 203.9 NM, Dropped anchor to await the noon opening of the Wrightsville Beach bridge

1202 N34º13.167' W077º48.656', SOG 5.7 Kts, COG 042ºT, Wind 6.0 Kts E, 3000 RPM
Passed through Wrightsville Beach bridge

1230 Mile marker 280, Trip 209.60 NM

1303 N34º16.575' W077º45.516', SOG 8.0 Kts, COG 036ºT, Trip 212.10 NM, 3000 RPM, Wind 11.9 Kts N
Arrived at the Figure Eight swing bridge 10 minutes too late for opening - had to wait till 1300. Laurin fix she and I lunch. Justin has remained in bed all day with bronchitis.

1322 Mile marker 275, Trip 215.4, SOG 6.3 Kts

1400 N34º21.453' W077º40.629', SOG 6.9 Kts, COG 058ºT, Trip 222.20 NM, 3100 RPM, Wind 5.5 Kts N
Mile marker 270

1437 Mile marker 265, Trip 228.90 NM, SOG 6.6 Kts

1500 N34º25.032 W077º34.319', SOG 6.6 Kts, COG 065ºT, Wind 9.7 Kts E, 3100 RPM, Trip 233.10 NM
Approaching the Surf City Bridge - going to miss the hourly only opening.

1800 Arrived Swan Point Marina in the dark. Engine Hours 2146.7, Trip 252.20 NM

December 31
1020 Left Swan Point Marina - cold clear day

1036 Mile marker 245, Trip 255.0 NM, SOG 6.6 Kts

1105 N34º122' W077º16.594', SOG 7.1 Kts, COG 046ºT, Trip 260.10 NM, Wind 5.8 Kts N
Approaching the Onslow Beach Bridge - swings on the 1/2 hour

1130 Pass through Onslow Beach Swing Bridge

1202 N34º36.985' W077º13.145', SOG 5.7 Kts, COG 043ºT, 3000 RPM, WInd 2.3 Kts N, Trip 266.20 NM

1216 Mile Marker 235, Trip 268.40 NM, SOG 6.7 Kts

1254 Mile Marker 230, Trip 275.10 NM, SOG 7.4 Kts

1308 N34º40.435' W077º06.087', SOG 8.9 Kts, COG 102ºT, Trip 277.70 NM, Wind 4.5 Kts E, 3000 RPM

1325 Emerald Isle (high rise) Trip 280.50 NM

1400 N34º41.776' W077º59.552', SOG 7.5 Kts, COG 087ºT, Trip 286.60 NM, Wind 1.4 Kts S, 3000 RPM

1410 Mile Marker 220, Trip 288.3 NM, SOG 7.7 Kts

1442 Mile Marker 215, Trip 294.10 NM, SOG 8.1 Kts

1500 N34º423' W076º50.138', SOG 8.4 Kts, COG087ºT, Trip 297.30 NM, Wind 3.3 Kts NE, 3000 RPM

1600 Docked at Beaufort City Docks, Trip 308.50 Kts, Engine Hours 2152.6
Justin has spent the day in bed with bronchitis.

LOG for 2001 1162.1 NM

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