Malta to Gibraltar

Leo and Bob in Malta
 

Please go to the bottom of Part 7 for the final report.

Our stop-over in Malta was only partially successful!   Our faulty radar was examined and the problem diagnosed.   Simple job – if the parts were available.   Of course, they were not and we were quoted a three weeks delay to get them!   If you read the language, this is the same as saying “it’s a messy job and we would rather you took it elsewhere”.

Our engine starting problem was put down to a faulty starter motor so that was removed and taken away for rebuild.   When it came back to the yacht and was installed again, the engine refused to turn over……….   The electricians were convinced that the re-built starter motor was not to blame (they were right) so it was a case of bringing in a marine engineer who diagnosed a hydraulic blockage, partially stripped the engine and found one cylinder full of water!   Since this had obviously not been the case when we arrived, it was a new problem to add to those we already knew about.

A detailed examination of everything between the engine and the sea (because it was salt water in the engine, not from the fresh water cooling side of the system which we had initially suspected) revealed a jammed non-return valve in a system designed to cool and lubricate the propeller shaft gland.   Even the engineer admitted that he had never seen such a failure before.   We just took it in our stride.   We are now accepting the fact that Sod’s Law – if it can go wrong, it will – certainly applies to this delivery.

Three days later, after several changes of oil and oil filters etc., the engine was it’s usual self again, or so we thought.  Our other major problem with the autopilot was attended to by a technician with a manual in one hand and screwdriver in the other.   He pronounced himself satisfied that the system was now fully functional, although we were not able to do sea trials on it because the weather was ‘too rough’ for him.

Came the great day when as much work as was going to be done, was done.   Our agent came down with his account, which took my breath away.  I gave him one of my precious credit cards in the hope that there was enough to cover it, signed my life away and we were off to sea again.   (Much later, in Gibraltar, I was to discover that one £200.00 item had been billed twice!).

The rush to get away was due to a weather forecast, which promised light conditions for the next couple of days, and I wanted to take advantage of these to get past the island of Pantellaria and into the western Mediterranean proper.   Of course, the first thing we discovered was that the autopilot didn’t work!  All we got were flashing red and green screens and an error message saying ‘Pilot Failure’   I guess we knew that before we went to Malta.   Still, the weather was kind to us for those two days, we made good progress with our re-built engine and life was good.   Then it all went horribly wrong!

Still with 850 miles to go to Gibraltar, the Italian and then the Spanish weather stations started to forecast Westerly Gales Force 7.  (The English start their gales at Force 8 – most Mediterranean Countries start at 7.  Whatever, it still means ‘Nasty’).  The wind strength would not really be a problem for a yacht of our size, but the direction – right from where we wanted to go – certainly was.  One of the peculiarities of the Mediterranean is that surface currents develop very quickly, so not only do you have to contend with a contrary wind but you also get an adverse current.

The weather experts developed a little more confidence in their predictions.   ‘Gale 7 increasing Strong Gale 8’, and then ‘Warning, All Areas, Strong Gale 8 becoming Westerly Storm Force 9, Sea State Rough to Very Rough’   This was not what we wanted to hear!

I have a daily amateur radio contact (my call-sign is G4LJX/MM) with the UK Maritime Mobile Net.  This is a specialist Net for those interested in yachting and it provides a link between yachts at sea and the shore-side control station.   Bill – G4FRN – the regular controller confirmed the weather reports.   No good news and little prospect of any change in the near future.

I will not bore you with details of the Storm.   If you are a yachtsman you probably wouldn’t believe me and if you are not, you wouldn’t understand!   Sufficient to say that we had winds of 50 knots plus and such severe conditions that we were forced to hove too for three days, making no progress and continually at risk of collision from merchant ships having difficulty seeing us in the rough seas.

In the midst of all this, the alternator we had ‘re-built’ in Suez, failed.   That should not have been a problem but when we started the auxiliary generator to charge the batteries, there was a ‘bang’ from the charger unit and no charge.   This was a serious problem because without electricity for lighting and instruments we were as helpless as a dead log in the water.   Leo to the rescue again!   He took the small alternator off the auxiliary and swapped it with the faulty unit on the main engine.   This is not the easiest of jobs in harbour.   At sea it was a major achievement.   The smile on his face when we started the main engine and actually got a charge indication was like the sun coming out!  

As it always does – eventually – the wind moderated and we were able to get into a small Spanish marina for more fuel and a much-needed night’s sleep.   We pushed on in the morning, with the wind and seas dying away, and got into Gibraltar after fourteen days on passage.   That for a trip, which should have taken us eight days maximum!

Even here, our problems were not over because the engine died on us on the final approach.   Leo bled the fuel system, bled it again, and again – you get the message?  And eventually we got the yacht secured in the marina with the help of a service launch and several willing helpers.   What a relief!

So.   Here we are on ‘The Rock’.   We are getting the boat dried out.  The technicians have fixed our VHF radio, which had stopped transmitting.  Leo, with some advice from the Perkins agent here has stripped the entire fuel system down for cleaning and checking.   Our main alternator has again been re-built and is working again.  Our radar should be fixed  (at a cost of £800.00!) early next week

What to say about Gibraltar?   A lot of money is being spent here with lots of new development going on.   Lots of new offshore banks, and a general ‘tarting up’ including a very impressive re-furbishment of Main Street (with EC Money) to reflect this new wealth.  Unfortunately, these improvements clash with long held and extremely casual beliefs about litter disposal and the rights of dogs to foul everything.   It will be a cold day in Hell before Gibraltar ever wins a ‘cleanest city’ award!   For all that, cheap booze and cigarettes, food on the expensive side but well worth a visit.   Just don’t plan on staying.

All other things being equal, we should be on the final? Leg towards Falmouth by the time you read this.   Just give us a thought as we work up the Portuguese and Spanish coasts and across the Bay of Biscay.   All we ask is a fair wind – or even no wind at all.  

Editor  

Final leg to Falmouth