I got an early start from Vero Beach. A Southeasterly picked up and I motor sailed most of the way. My plan was to head into the Atlantic at Cape Canaveral. So that I could sail 24 hour instead of stopping for the night on the ICW. But I became totally confused on the charts I have. The printed chart book is outdated. I missed the entry into the Banana River to the Canaveral entrance into the Atlantic. And when I double checked the Indian River ICW route it showed that I would be stopped at a fixed bridge, the one just South of the Canaveral Barge Canal, lower than my mast height. This turned out to be the mainland side of the bridge and the center section is the usual 65 ft height limit. By now it was getting dark. I anchored off the ICW but when I reversed the engine to set the anchor I saw a long stream of chocolate colored crud flowing from the bow. And when I got back to the cockpit, the exhaust was steaming/overheating. The overheating, I thought, was resolved with the longer fan belt. Until the anchor was set I never had any overheating issues. Though when I ran the engine there was a very slight sheen of, I think un-burnt diesel sheen coming from the exhaust. I called Todd Dhabolt, who built this particular NAJA, and knows everything about this boat and the engine.  His verdict was that I have salt water in the oil and advised to change the oil and run some diesel fuel through to absorb the salt water and repair/replace the oil cooler and check/replace the exhaust manifold.

The engine is a obsolete late seventies one cylinder 10 1/2 hp diesel made/marinized by VM-Motori of Torino, Italy. They were used mainly as agricultural water pump motors.  When I bought the boat,  I expected it to be the first item to replace but I love this little engine. It is air cooled and the oil is cooled through a heat-exchanger/oil cooler. I believe that the oil cooler needs replacement. But I am not convinced that saltwater got into the oil. I did an oil change this morning. I can have the old oil analyzed. I did not see any evidence.

But what else could the chocolate colored flakes on the water be? The temporary overheating, from the exhaust manifold, the muffler?

I only ran the engine today at low speed as a back up going through the bridges. I got stuck in the mud at the Marina here in Titusville and ran the engine high to back off and smelled the overheating for a split second.

If anyone reading this has some recommendations, I will appreciate it very much. My e-mail jack@cometoseaus-w160c2.preview.wpmanaged.nl

the oil cooler

The horizontal cylinder is the oil cooler. Specifications: length 6 inch diam 3 inch. Hoses: Oil a 23/24 mm nut. Water hose: o.s diam. 1″ (25.4 mm) i.s. diam. 3/4″ (19 mm).

I covered the 26 nautical miles today at an average of 5 plus nautical miles per hour. I had to put a reef in the main because the sail overpowered the mechanical auto pilot. I was very lucky to have this 20 knot plus SE easterly. The next opportunity to go into the Atlantic is at Ponce de Leon, but with the southerly wind I’m better off on the ICW , shorter and flat water. But it looks like I’ll miss the Green Cove Springs, Mug Race BBQ.

sunset May 3rd