The Outboard Engine Saga

 

                                Bahamian regatta boats practicing for the Farmers Cay Regatta. 

Well I rowed our dingy for a few days, a sailing rig as above would be much better. We had a dinghy with sailing capabilities a few years ago but that did not make the cut for this adventure. Our outboard engine was a 15HP 2 Stroke Yamaha - one of the most reliable and durable engines in the world. We had purchased this engine on our previous cruise - so was put into service early in 2009. The engine had served faithfully since - all the way through the Caribbean and Pacific, then as a work horse on the Spokane river as we installed and removed our club slalom course each year and finally got us off and going on our current cruise. I am not sure if my service was up to date - the simple things like clean fuel filter, plugs, lower unit oil, grease points were all in order and there was very limited corrosion or obvious issues. But over the years there was never any "rebuild" or change out of the water pump - we just kept running her. 

10 days ago as the three of us were buzzing into Staniel Cay for errands on our way for a snorkel - the engine lost power ever so slightly then a rather noticeable mechanical/breaking sound with a complete shut down. We got a tow back to our sailboat from a fellow cruiser, I tinkered and eventually got the engine running. However, over the course of the next week the loss of power would return though I would kill throttle and avoid the complete shut down situation. All told though we knew we were running on borrowed time. That hit this past Saturday while in Black Point, leaving the sailboat the dinghy was struggling to get up to speed - and I sensed it - and then it happened loud mechanical breaking sound/full shut down - no tinkering solution this time. 

With some work and oil I got the fly wheel to turn about half a turn forwards and back, but that created loud grinding sounds and a full stop/unmovable at each end of the half turn. The top cylinder had compression the lower, none. The local mechanic said "sounds really bad, full rebuild, not happening here". 

Stepping back for a paragraph - this is cruising at its core - there are many amazing events (wildlife, sunsets, sunrises, new friends, snorkeling, fishing, beaches) but the trade off is that easy things/things we take for granted are surprisingly difficult and stressful. 

What makes not having a dinghy engine such a problem - well we are a big boat by Bahamas standards so we are never anchored close to shore - usually about 2 miles off to get enough water. Grocery, fuel, garbage, just stretching our legs - require our dinghy. But most importantly, the really fun things to do and see are almost always a dinghy adventure away. Kind of a mother ship, exploratory boat relationship. 

Good fortune smiled; maybe the one thing you can purchase in the Bahamas cheaper than in the U.S. is a 2 stroke 15HP Yamaha outboard - I just had to get it from Nassau. A fellow cruiser to the rescue, swinging through Nassau on his way south, picked up the outboard and we met him in Highborne Cay. So for some $ I had not really planned on spending, but good value, 2 days of sailing, about 45 miles each day in some fresh trade wind conditions and the help of a fellow traveller - we have the same outboard - just 14 years newer. 

I disassembled the old outboard as time allowed but never found the "broken" part - though I did not get in fully apart before we were moving to retrieve the new outboard. Then storage became an issue so a local on Staniel Cay accepted my donation - I did part out all of the components that would work on the new outboard should I need a field repair.