No Engine Start - In Deception Cove

Deception Cove - June 10th

0300 alarm!!! 

Up and at em’ 

We had all our times planned for the Wrangell Narrows and including starting the engine, the warm-up time, and weighing the anchor. We were anchored just on the sound end and to start the narrows and it was only 2nm away to enter the channel/ 

Coffee was made and then when the ignition key was turned…. Nothing…. Not even a “click”! This has been happening although we do get an intermittent click….and usually, by the 3rd turn, we are good to go. We were not ignoring this issue and had done some investigation via our Nigel Calder book as well as talking with a diesel mechanic in Ketchikan. We had plans to buy a pilot solenoid for our starter. 

Apparently, Yanmar engines are known for having an issue with their solenoid and the ignition wiring is undersized for the amperage necessary to actuate the solenoid. After reading some forums and even discussion with a diesel mechanic in Ketchikan,  most folks solve the issue by using a pilot solenoid, some re-do the wiring, and some create a new starter switch in the engine compartment to decrease the run of the wiring to the solenoid/starter which is more forward. In our boat, the engine sits right under the companionway steps and the starter/solenoid is accessible on the port side with a removable wooden window on the side of the companionway steps. 

We were quite hopeful this morning because usually, it will turn over. But with each soundless turn of the key our hope was starting to fade and a reality that we needed an alternate plan was discussed. We did put a new AGM starter battery in Soulstice back in 2020 during the pandemic when we were in Mexico. We tested the battery today with a multimeter and it was fine. Our starter we noted was good in Mexico and we still think so now after some of our troubleshooting tests. We did get it to spin on one of the testing techniques to narrow down the troublemaker. 

In one of the tests,  we bypassed the ignition switch and did jumper cables from the starter battery directly to the starter and the solenoid and we heard her start to “crank”!!! Very exciting but the noise did give Stephen I think a moment of alarm he removed the clamp quickly. That was also where we noted the starter to spin and so felt like that was less likely the issue. Stephen was on the phone with Larry Schmidt, a long-time sailor, who is extremely knowledgeable about boats/engines/electronics, etc… and an excellent phone - a - friend when Stephen decided to turn the ignition key one more time and SHE STARTED UP!!! This was without the jump and so we determined somehow enough juice got through on that jump start to crank up the engine.

This was great news as part of our morning was also calling the dispatcher for Tow companies who reports they have NO ONE in the area- Whaaaa??? So we called the Petersburg, AK Harbor Master as they are only 21 miles away ( but through the NARROWS- ugh) and he reported they have NO ONE either. He suggested we just hail another larger vessel for a ride into Petersburg. His name was Ed and he was extremely friendly but the reality is we were on our own. 

The long way around is really LONG and so when we asked Ed if he knew how it was to tow another vessel in the Wrangell Narrows, he casually said, well… yep, you just want to make sure they don’t pull off your cleats on the bow and damage anything… He was very kind and let us know we could take a place and stay as long as we needed to in the marina if we did arrive. They would have a skiff come out to help us dock the boat and we could just go from there. 

This option I did not want to be plan A but initially was thinking it might be plan A. Once we got the engine started we knew we could NOT turn it off until in a dock in Juneau. Our new plan…. Now motor all the way to Juneau where more resources are available. Even Larry reminded us if we got super tired we still could anchor and just let her idle. This is not good for a diesel engine but for a short period of time and in this case, it is an exception. 

We decided we could go through the Wrangell Narrows on the later flood today, which it is recommended to take the end of the flood, arrive at Greene Point, the center point, at SLACK ( 1945 today ), and ride the flood out. The hydraulics work in the channel and many we have now learned by flood,  stopping at the center point of the narrows ( Green Point) and then retreating in opposite directions, so basically ride the ebb out. This means idling the engine in Deception Point Cove until we leave.   Juneau is only 128 nm away so we decided we will just motor all the way to Juneau. Give or take 24-32 hours ( going 5 or 4 knots respectively). Here we come, Juneau!