Sunday, November 3
We have been having problems with the engine having difficulty starting. While we were in Brunswick, GA Phil took a look at the engine. At first he thought it was the push rod as it was longer, but after some research and adjusting the rocker arm, the engine started like it should. We’re still having a squeak, which Phil thought was the Alternator. After more troubleshooting, it looks like the water pump is leaking so this past Friday we ordered a new water pump to be delivered to Tiger Point Marina in Fernadina Beach, FL just south of St. Mary’s , GA.
We motored from Brunswick to the anchorage just past the bridge in Jekyll Island rafting off SV Bentana about 8nm yesterday and now we are on our way to Fernadina Beach today as the winds are in the low to mid teens from NE to increase to upper teens later, which is good for sailing the 26-27nm even if we’re going 4-5 kts. Good thing we have the time change and can leave earlier than even yesterday. We plan to get a slip at the Marina to install the pump and wait out high winds in the 20-30kt range expected tomorrow then meet up with Bentana and maybe go back up to Cumberland Island.
On a side note, I have signed up for SPOTWalla which should show my track and OK messages and they don’t disappear I’m told. Still working on getting it working so have the link to the old site still there and will remove that once I know SPOTWalla is working. We were talking with Judy and Steve about how they use their tracking feature on the SPOT as a safety feature in that if something happened to them and the boat while traveling, as least someone would be able to see their last location before the Spot stopped working. So I’m going to try that too. I would like to hear what you think and if you like having the Tracking ON while we’re moving. You can still see our location even if I’m behind on the posts by clicking on the “Where Are We” page and then click on “Spot Location Page” and click on the highlighted links.
One thing I’ve learned is that if I update my blog about when we are on the move, I’ve been able to get I in contact with people in the area and missed seeing someone because posted we were someplace AFTER we left.
Hope everyone is doing well at home.
Lorraine
Travels with the Dolsen’s 
Phil and Laraine, If your leak requires hauling, an option may be the Green Cove Springs Marina. It is a day trip from the Three Sisters Bridge WITH the current. There are docks at the stadium and further along in Jacksonville in case the current gods are not looking favorably on you. The marina is about half price. We should be there in 1-2 weeks with wheels. This is a do it yourself yard. Friendly staff. Grubby. Let me know if you are hearing from me. WE are in Boston nursing our son. Your phone, etc at home. Jim
Phil, I had a 3HM as the original engine. It was erratic in starting and anything I did seemed to get it starting for awhile. Finally I couldn’t get it started in Milehammock Bay. I used ether, a no no, and it started but never again. On hindsight I think my engine lost compression. There were oil traces around the oil pan which I think may have been blow by on the rings. Since the boat was not new when I got it I don’t know the history. I have heard that many hours of running under a light load glazes the cylinder walls. You may want to have a compression test done to rule this out. I replaced the engine in Beaufort with a 3GM30 which I thought was 30 HP. It is 24 and the 3HM was 27 HP and a much beefier engine. I should have had it rebuilt. Hope this is not your situation. Jim
WordPress.com
Lorraine posted: “Sunday, November 3
We have been having problems with the engine having difficulty starting. While we were in Brunswick, GA Phil took a look at the engine. At first he thought it was the push rod as it was longer, but after some research and adjusting t”
LikeLike
Thanks Jim for the information. We’ll keep it in mind. Sorry to hear about your son. We hope to be in Melbourne for the SSCA Gam by 11-14.
LikeLike
Phil doesn’t think that we have bad compression. We have 3500 hrs on the engine and believe that it should go for 8000 hrs. It’s good to have someone else thinking about this issue in case we missed something. We have anchored at Cumberland Island for tonight and the plan at this time will be to go into Tiger Point Marina tomorrow. Our more pressing concern is a lot of water in the bilge. The bilge pump ran 30 min before all the water was out of the bilge and can’t figure out where it came from. Phil r/o from the engine and the thru hulls. Have 2 more places to check, but aren’t having more water coming in at this time.
LikeLike
Phil, I had a 3HM as the original engine. It was erratic in starting and anything I did seemed to get it starting for awhile. Finally I couldn’t get it started in Milehammock Bay. I used ether, a no no, and it started but never again. On hindsight I think my engine lost compression. There were oil traces around the oil pan which I think may have been blow by on the rings. Since the boat was not new when I got it I don’t know the history. I have heard that many hours of running under a light load glazes the cylinder walls. You may want to have a compression test done to rule this out. I replaced the engine in Beaufort with a 3GM30 which I thought was 30 HP. It is 24 and the 3HM was 27 HP and a much beefier engine. I should have had it rebuilt. Hope this is not your situation. Jim
LikeLike