I know this blog has been gathering dust faster than a barnacle on a rusty anchor. Normally, I update it every day when we're sailing. Sailing life (and the occasional rogue wave in the Java Sea) has a way of throwing you off course sometimes. Between battling some seriously grumpy weather and tackling a few unexpected boat projects, let's just say my blogging time got a little overrun.
I'm back, drier (hopefully!), and ready to share some stories. Get ready for tales of high seas adventures and a peek into the not-so-glamorous world of boat repairs.
As some of you know, the glamorous life of sailing isn't always sunshine and dolphins. Sometimes, it's a battle against the elements, the gremlins that lurk within your engine, and the occasional batch of bad fuel.
This past week has been a doozy. We were motoring along, minding our own business, when the port engine decided to sputter and cough to a stop right in the middle of the Singapore Strait. The culprit? Contaminated fuel lurking in the port tank. I thought it was solved but unfortunately not.
Now, a bad fuel filter is a nuisance any day, but try changing it out in the middle of the Java Sea with weather that would make Poseidon grumpy and traffic that would rival rush hour on a freeway.
Let me tell you, wrestling with a clogged filter in the rain, with waves rocking the boat and visibility down to about ten feet, is no fun. Picture this: headlamp strapped on, tools scattered across a slick deck, and me, covered in more grime than a mechanic's overalls, cursing under my breath (or maybe a bit louder than that). For over an hour every time, this day and night ritual continued, disassembling the filter housing in the cramped engine room, then hauling it topside to be cleaned in less-than-ideal conditions. All while making sure we stayed on course and avoided crashing into unlit fishing boats or barges, of which there are plenty.
The good news? We persevered (and showered, profusely). The engine is now chugging along using a very ingenious (and hopefully temporary) fuel straining system I created using spare parts from the outboard and half a fresh water filter, all held together with cable ties.