...aboard a Tayana 42... (grin)

Left Coinjock last Sunday, absolutely kick-ass sail across Albemarle Sound and down the Alligator River in a strong NW breeze, probably the best sail I've ever had on that leg... I was in Belhaven that night well in time for the Sunday night pre-game show... Next day, more of the same, one of the nicest sails I've ever had on the Pungo and Neuse Rivers, keeping pace with two much bigger cruising boats who powered through it all, not even bothering to unfurl a jib... LOL!

But, right from the start of this trip, my engine hasn't been right... I was hoping to get one more cruise out of it before the likely valve job or top end rebuild I was planning on for next year, but around Belhaven she really started sounding sick... Finally determined I had suddenly developed excessive crankcase pressure, not good of course, rings and pistons likely shot... Speaking with a mechanic in Morehead, it was looking like a major overhaul was gonna be in the works, a very costly and time-consuming deal, for sure... So, the search for a replacement began...

My engine is a 29 HP Perkins M30, also known as a 100-Series, or Perkins Perama... great little engine, it was also sold to Volvo and re-branded as a Volvo 2030... I've managed to locate a take-out in Florida that seems a decent candidate to replace mine, but if anyone out there happens to know of an available Perkins M30, I'd sure appreciate hearing about it... I've scoured the internet, and made a lot of calls to all the likely culprits who supply Perkins, but you never know what might just happen to be lying around someone's shop or yard... Of course, a Volvo 2030 would work as well, but I'd prefer to stay with the Perkins...

I've considered repowering with something else, would probably do that if I were home and had nothing better to do this winter... But of course I'd still like to salvage a Bahamian cruise this year, so far and away the most cost-effective method would be to simply drop in an identical replacement, hook it up, and go... Looking at the specs for a Yanmar or Beta, I'd have to do considerable modifications to my stringers, etc, and all that will cost me more money, and more importantly, more time... So, the motor down in FL is looking like a good solution, at the moment...

I was figuring on renting a car, driving down there to check it out, then hauling it back up here... My engine is now so sick, I wouldn't try to move the boat further south, too great a risk... been a frustrating week, as earlier conditions would have been perfect for sailing south, I would likely be in Florida by now...

But, here at the Morehead City Yacht Basin, turns out there is a young lady singlehanding her Tayana 42 down to Florida... she's come as far as she wants to alone, and has been looking for a captain to help her make the rest of the trip... So, it looks like I might only have to do a one-way rental after all, and of course this trip will nicely help offset the unanticipated expense I'm facing with this engine...

Finally, on Christmas Eve, bernie and Kate show up here on MAHALO... We had an awesome dinner and celebration together, their presence has really made my stay here, after all these years, our boats finally side by side... they're heading out in the morning as well, so it looks like we'll be loosely traveling together down the coast...

I'll probably be out of touch much of the next week, but if anyone does happen to have a lead on an engine that might work for me, I'd certainly appreciate hearing about it... In the meantime, season's greetings to all, hope your Holidays have been as memorable as mine... (grin)

best regards,

Jon