Lessons learned: The raw water impeller.

I decided while I was waiting for parts to repair the engine I would tackle another item on the maintenance list. It was something I had been putting off for a few years. Changing the impeller on the raw water pump and installing a Speed Seal cover. I dreaded doing this because the water pump is located in a place on my Nonsuch 30 that makes it impossible to see the face of the pump cover and remove the six screws holding it in place. That is why I want to install the Speed Seal it will make changing the impeller much, much easier. At least that is what I hope.

Because of it's inaccessible location I decided to...

Why I go sailing.

To see places like this!

Westerbeke 27 woes the oil leak.

I FOUND OIL ON THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE

I SUSPECTED THE OIL PRESSOR SENSOR LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE OIL FILTER

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE SENSOR THE OIL FILTER IS LOCATED ON THE LEFT

CLOSE UP PLASTIC COVER LOOKS LIKE IT WAS BLOWN OUTWARD

The twenty year old Westerbeke 27 engine developed a problem in early October. It was getting increasing hard to start. When I went out to the mooring to bring her into the dock for winter hauling the engine refused to start at all. While I was working on this problem I discovered oil in the bilge and NONE in the engine. I thought I might have found the problem in the oil pressure sensor. As the photos above show It looks like it was blown but, in reality there is a plastic covering around the sensor and the sensor appears to be solid underneath. I have removed the sensor from the engine and will now try and to see if there is a way to check/test this oil pressure sensor.

One particular harbor...

BIANKA at anchor in one particular harbor in October 2006. Where is it? I would not even tell Jimmy Buffet if he was picking up the bar tab!

Storage tip: Covering the mast hole.

After the mast is pulled on a Nonsuch 30 I have found that the cover from a five gallon plastic pail is the perfect fit to cover the hole in the mast partners. A little gaffers tape and a little extra weight (water in a gallon jug in the photo above) will help to keep it weighed down.

BIANKA

BIANKA is a 30 foot Nonsuch sailboat built in St. Catherines Ontario in 1986. I've sailed her since October 1995 and have spent many enjoyable hours sailing and at anchor in some beautiful locations along the northeast coast of the United States, the Erie and Oswego canals and even into Canada. I hope to take you along on some of these journeys. If you happen to take a photo of BIANKA in a location please email a copy so I can post it on the BIANKA' s Blog.

Mike