/sailing-notes

Notes from Sailing classes and travels

sailing-notes

Engine

The engine is a diesel engine. The great advantage of diesel engine over other engine is that it only requires electric spark upon starting the engine. Therefore it does not consume any electricity thereafter.

The engine on a vessel is very similar to a car engine, the main difference is that the cooling system relies on the sea water rather than the airflow produced from the speed of the car.

The engine can be divided into 3 parts:

  • The cooling system
  • The fuel system
  • The gearing system

The cooling system

The engine needs to be continuously cooled in order to function properly. It can run Ok for a short amount of time but rapidly need cooling.

Fresh cooling water

The engine is cooled with a cooling water circuit. This is fresh water with optionally some anti-freezing product. This is similar to a car engine. The cooling water goes through all the major part of the engine and the heat is transfered to it. The fresh cooling water needs to be filled up from time to time and checking its level is part of the daily maintainance.

Note that the fresh water can also be connected to the hot water tank and used to heat the water. The fresh cooling water usually reaches 70C.

The fresh water cooling system goes through the following engine/boat part:

  • heat exchanger
  • thermostat
  • fresh water pump
  • hot water tank
  • around the various part of the engine which requires to be cooled
  • back to the heat exchanger
Raw cooling water

Eventually the fresh water needs to be cooled as well. Raw water (ie the water the vessel is sailing on) is used for that purpose. It is continuously pumped through a heat exchanger, in which the heat is being transferred to it from the fresh cooling water, and then expelled through the engine exhaust.

The heat exchanger plays the same role as the radiator in a car.

The raw water cooling system goeth through the following part of the engine/boat:

  • hole in the hull (maybe there is a better name)
  • rubber pipe
  • through hole with valve: this is the first thing you can see and have access to from the boat cabin. The valve is used to stop any water from coming in. In most cases it should remains open.
  • strainer used to filter out particles/small fish/shell/debris...
  • pump
  • solid pipe around the engine
  • heat exchanger (see above fo the explanation)
  • ventilator loop used to separate the air from the water
  • exhaust meling elbow where the water plastic pipe meets with the engine exhaust. The water is then expelled by the same hole as the exhaust gaz from the engine.

The raw cooling water pump is one of the most often cause of failure. The inpeller which is the main moving part of the pump creating the pressure wears quite often (between a month and a year). This is due to the fact that the sea water is not perfectly filtered and debris increase friction and therefore wear of the inpeller. Furthermore if part of the inpeller wears out, it can flow through to the downstream part of the engine (ventilation/exhaust) and cause blocage.

Also the pump belt should be check to make sure there the tension is appropriate.

Daily Maintenance

  • Check the fresh cooling water level
  • Check that the raw water valve is open
  • Check the raw water strainer and remove particles
  • Check the raw water pump inpeller
  • Check the tension on the belt

Navigation Websites

Book

  • Jimmy Cornell: World Cruising Routes
  • Jimmy Cornell: World Cruising handbook
  • Antoine: Metre les voiles
  • Chart #1

Lovely Boats

  • Catalina 25
  • Jeanneau 379/349
  • Hunter 33

Listings

Build a Boat

Charter a Boat

Renovation

Fake teak for floor

Varnishing

Cushion making

Example