[CrazyRu]

Gale.

Slit is hitting cabin top, boats rocks. It is quiet inside and brutal outside. I’m in a little side creek somewhere north of Albemarle sound in 5 foot of water, protected from every side and I’m rolling.

What a difference a few minutes can make. I crossed the sound in light breeze, flying both sails wing to wing. I was in shorts and I had sunscreen applied. Hour later I was in full winter gear, lashing sails, hardly able to stay upright.

Winter blues started in a morning. My engine wouldn’t start. Night was cold; I sucked some air into system yesterday. I stayed in Alligator creek marina – at $1/ft it was worth it, I needed shower and laundry. Despite electric supply and full cranking power engine wouldn’t start. I replaced filters, purged air, wasted 3 hours of perfect weather. Eventually I won, but I got one big concern – how to start cold engine.

This fret waked me up an hour ago. I got out from my two sleeping bags. I cranked engine and sure enough – it wouldn’t start. Now I need to preserve batteries.

I put full kettle on a stove, open engine compartment, make sure there is no air in a system, hand cranked shaft with compression off – just to spread oil inside, removed air filter, sprayed some WD40 into intake, hand cranked little more, sprayed more, put the filter back in place. I waited till water boil. Make a cap of tee. Slowly soaked engine with hot water, making sure that fuel system is getting hot.

The engine started from a single crank.

Isn’t the yachting a fun?