It is now obvious why the engine failed. The flywheel damper plate and adisintegrated. Pieces of the spring/rollers were cut through and jammed against the housing and another loose piece next to the damper plate. Note one piece of spring embedded in the transmission housing.
In the photo above you can also see several of the swings have stopped rotating and have been ground flat. At the 3:00 position you can see a piece of spring missing and at every position you can see groves cut into the spring, ready to release more pieces. The plate itself had been worn, allowing the springs to move back and forth and not simply spin. The photo below shows the flywheel grooved by the piece of spring jammed in the housing, which is what caused the engine to seize.
The Westerbeke 35C in Aegir-Ran seized. Something catastrophic failed inside the engine. The temperature did not rise, the oil pressure was good, and it was not hydrolocked. Since I was 80% certain I was going to repower the boat this summer, the failure of the engine confirmed my suspicion that the engine was on its last legs. I always suspected the engine after I learned the genset in the boat, which was also powered by a Westerbeke 35C had been killed by the previous owner after less than a hundred hours of use. Today, we pulled the old engine out of the boat.
The procedure was non-trivial. We started by disconnecting everything, building a platform for the engine so it could sit in the galley, and with the assistance of a come-along pulling it along a ramp to the platform.
At this point we were able to lift the engine to 2x4s that were placed across the cabinets.
It was out intention to bring the crane in to lift the engine out, but the hard dodger and the solar system didn’t give us enough vertical room, so we used wooden blocks to place the come-along high enough to get the engine out of the gangway. The engine and transmission weigh about 400 pounds, so the operation was precarious.
At this point we were able to manhandle the engine into the cockpit.
Finally, we were able to use the crane to lift the engine out of the cockpit.
I had been sailing for about a month, crossed from San Carlos to Santa Rosalia, and made my way slowly south down most of the length of Baja, about 400 miles. On March 26th, I was anchoring at Muertos in southern Baja (marked with the red X) and the engine stopped suddenly … on a dime. I immediately checked the temperature and oil pressure, and they were fine. I pulled the injectors and tried to turn over the engine with a wrench, and it would not budge. The engine was clearly not hydrolocked. There had been a catastrophic internal failure. The engine was seized. Considering my predicament, I decided it did not make sense to sail to La Paz to try to get the engine repaired. It appeared there had been an internal failure.
Without an engine, I had to consider a route back to my home port that did not require maneuvering in tight places. As a first step, on March 29 at 4:00 AM, I sailed for Isla Espiritu Sato. Not wanting to negotiate the Cerralvo Channel, I sailed east of Isla Cerralvo. About four-fifths around the island, about 16 miles from the anchorage (Bonanza), the island blocked the prevailing westerly winds and I sat becalmed for about four hours, The north current eventually floated the boat past the island. At the point there wind changed to the SSE and stabilized at 15 knots. The sea conditions were poor with 5′ waves from the east. I anchored at Bonanza at 9:30 PM. I note that my trip from Bonanza to Muertos a few days earlier had taken one-third the time.
The next morning, March 30, sea conditions were not ideal, but there were 15 knot winds from the south, so I left for Isla San Francisco at 8:30 AM, moving briskly at 6 kn with just the jib. While I tries to stay well offshore of Isla Espiritu Santo, I nonetheless got Becalmed about halfway across the island. Around 4:00 PM the wind build quickly to 22 knots, still from the south. I double reefed the main and shortened the jib, but still made the remaining 15 miles before dusk. I reached the eastern anchorage of Isla San Francisco just as it was getting dark. There were five sailboats and a powerboat anchored there. I radioed ahead for advice and was told there was room for me. I explained I would be coming in under sail. Over the next ninety minutes, I tried three times from three different angles to reach the anchorage, but the wind was howling through the notch that connects the southern and eastern anchorages that drove me off each time. Eventually, I radioed that I was abandoning my attempt to anchor and was heading offshore.
After fighting the ever changing wind and sea condition around the islands, I decided to sail directly to San Carlos. I plotted a path well offshore and sailed through the night in a close haul and an average of 22 knots of wind, at times surfing at 8.5 knots SOG. I sailed 60 miles between 9:00 PM and 5 AM (averaging 7.5 knots). I thought about anchoring at Bahia Salinas on Isla Carmen about midday, but upon looking at the weather forecast, I realized this would be the only chance I would have for crossing this week, as later in the week 5-6′ seas were expected. Thus, on March 31, Easter, I decided to continue the 135 miles to San Carlos. There was, however, a problem. I had been sailing about 24 hour since my last anchorage at Bonanza. Sailing overnight, I had run the radar and AIS to geofence the boat and used the TillerPilot, depleting the batteries to 65%. At 50%, the batteries are cut off to protect their health. My pattern had bent rely on the instrumentation and autopilot at night, dozing thirty minute intervals, so I needed power for the next night.Unfortunately, there was very little sun. In fact, the weather was very squally. To save power, I shut down all power consumption, including the instrumentation, radio, autopilot, and even the fridge. I broke out the compass and engaged the wind vane.
I dodged squalls most of the day, sailing 4-6 knots in mostly light winds. That evening, the wind picked up to about 15 knots from the NW and I made good time overnight using the instrumentation and the wind vane. Early afternoon the next day, April Fools day, the wind died down. At 2:30 PM, about 24 miles from San Carlos, I became becalmed. About 6:30 PM, right at dusk, I spotted a squall to the NW. About 9:00 PM, I reached the squall and rode it in to San Carlos. The last mile or two, dolphins swam next to the boat. I anchored at La Posada about 1:00 AM on April 2nd. I had been sailing about 65 hours non-stop.
The next morning was sunny and there was a light breeze of about 8 knots. I sailed around the corner and into the mouth of the Bahia San Carlos. Unfortunately, the wind was blocked by the shore at the point, and I eventually called a friend on S/V Infinity to help tow me in with their dingy. They also towed me in the next morning when Aegir-Ran was hauled out,
I rented a car yesterday to drive to Loreto from Puerto Escondido to provision. Since I had a car, I took the opportunity to drive into the mountains to see the Misión San Francisco Javier. I understand it was the second church built in the Baja California Sur state (the bottom half of Baja), the first being built in Loreto.
The mission was founded by Jesuits of the Roman Catholic church in 1699 and closed in 1817.
The architecture comprises the usual cruciform groundplan.
On the left as you walk in, there is a sanctuary with a basin of holy water.
On the ceiling is a relief.
The clergy are buried outside the church. Some of the grave markers (like this one and others from the early 20th century) are from after the mission was closed.
Located on Isla Carmen, Bahia Salinas is best known for its salt mining operation, which probably started in the 1600’s and ended in the 1980’s. There are several decaying buildings on the site (note the old panga on the right).
There is also some equipment left behind, including this forklift that has been turned into a planter.
And this truck (which is clearly newer than the 1990’s).
It is noteworthy that there are several newer building on the site that are well-kept-up and occupied by care keepers and some fishermen. This is their chapel.
Isla Carmen is also known for a site where the government has reintroduced bighorn sheep.
I’ll note the bay also has a 120′ tuna boat that is sunk in 35′ of water. I dove on the boat and was amazed how many fish I saw, more than I have ever seen in my 50 years of SCUBA diving.
I’ve been trying to catch a yellowfin tuna since I arrived in Mexico, and was finally successful today, while sailing near Isla Coronado. I cleaned it on the spot.
A few hours later, I arrived at Bahia Salinas and prepared a meal: pan seared tune in sesame oil with black sesame seeds. Fusion salad with rice, red onion, and cilantro. Served with say sauce and ginger.
It was served with a pseudo-Paloma (Penafiel and tequila).
On April 8, there will be a solar eclipse. There is an interactive map that you can use to view the path for total eclipse. The path follows open ocean south of Baja and intersects Mexico’s mainland around Mazatlan.
Many of my boating buddies are head to Mazatlan to view the eclipse, but it is likely to be a zoo there, so I have decided to pick a random point in the ocean to view the eclipse. I am currently naming my way down the east coast of Baja. When I make it the Puerto Los Cabos (23.0550o N, 109.6705o W), I am going to head for 22.1211 No N, 107.1240o W (about 150 miles). At that location, the following is expected:
After a near-perfect passage from San Carlos on February 29, Aegir-Ran has been in a slip in Santa Rosalia. On March 5th, I will start heading south. This is the plan for perhaps the next ten days (the waypoint in parentheses is from Breeding and Banister’s book “A Cruiser’s Guide to the Sea of Cortez“.
Santa Rosalia to Santo Domingo (BCS470), 38 Santa Domingo to San Juanico (BCS444), 47 San Juanico to Isla Coronados (BCS420), 20 Isla Coronados to Bahia Salinas (BCS404), 26 Bahia Salinas to Puerto Escondido (BCS351), 20 Puerto Escondido to San Marte (BCS277), 31 San Marte to Puerto Las Gatos (BCS251), 14 Puerto Las Gatos to San Everisto (BCS222), 29 San Everisto to Isla San Francisco (BCS201), 9 San Francisco to Playa Bonanza (BCS110), 29 Playa Bonanza to Ensenada de los Muertos (BCS030), 43 Ensenada de los Muertos to Bahia Los Frailes (BSC020), 46 Bahia Los Frailes to Puerto Los Cabos (BCS010), 28
March 7 – Caleta San Juanico: I anchored here about 5:30 last night. This photo was taken the next morning, the calm after the storm … it blew 30 knots most of the night.
We’re currently experiencing a strong El Niño that’s been creating some wild weather for the past few months. One of reasons I have been concerned is the first leg of my planned circumnavigation, across the South Pacific, may be impacted. The Humboldt Current off the west coast of South America can change direction, the Trade Winds become less reliable. and the ITCZ can shift during El Niño. However, it’s looking increasingly likely that the climate cycle will transition back over to a La Niña in the next six months. In any case, I am hedging my bets and will make my way to Costa Rica in December, where I will make a decision to head west to the Marquessa or South to Easter Island.
Sea-surface temperature anomalies are shown in the area of the eastern Pacific Ocean where a very strong El Niño is present on Wednesday, February 7, 2024. Darker oranges represent warmer than normal conditions while blues represent cooler than normal conditions. These ocean temperatures help determine the strength of El Niño. Source.
For the past three night, I have been waken at 3-4 AM by the sound of fish running into the hull. I went on deck and saw schools of small fish being chased by dolphins. The dolphins had learned to chase the fish into the boat to render them stunned. Last night one of the fish jumped into the dinghy so I could identify it.
The species is Longfin Halfbeak (Hemiramphus saltator), which is characterized by its red-colored beak.
