Scare time

We were on the lake this week. Picked our son, DIL and grandkids up at their lodge down at Newby bridge, its an hour sailing time. We then sailed back down to Bowness for dinner and a go on the fun fair. Sailing back up to Newby bridge for tea. There were no issues whatsoever with Aquarius during this time. After stopping for tea it got to about 2030 so thinking we could get back in daylight we set off. The first couple of miles went without any problems other than the light was fading a lot more than Id imagined it would! Then, she missed a beat.....I got that immediate bad feeling as she never hiccups at all. Sure enough within 1/2 mile she cut out. By this time it was after 2100hrs so there are no wardens on duty. I managed to get her started and put 2 gallon of petrol in even though I knew it wasn't that low. From then on it was a race against time to get to my mooring, she kept cutting out and would only run at high revs which I hate doing! At one point she stopped right where the ferry crosses the lake. The next move was 999 and ask for the coast guard who inform the wardens. Anyway got her started again and got to within 50 feet of my mooring. Now I'm on a swinging mooring which involves coming slowly along side, reaching with a boat hook and picking it up. I'm literally 30 feet from the rocky shore too! Because I had to be on high revs I overshot, I had to get out the boat, jump in the dinghy which luckily had swung around the back of the boat and grab the mooring strop. Panic over. Ive taken the carb off and I noticed it wasn't really that tight, and how poor the gasket to the inlet manifold was. I think Id been sucking air in for the last few miles. I think the cause is the heating and cooling of the engine affects the gasket and that allows the carb to loosen on the studs. Anyway Ive given the carb a full strip down and clean, got some new gaskets and Ill go up next week to sort it. I can tell you this. On a pitch black lake at 2200hrs with no means of propulsion, its more than a little scary, and that's from a fireman of 30 yrs!!!

I am glad you and your family are ok, I have had some scary times myself and it is not funny but I guess it is the love of boating and the scenery that makes us keep going so Happy Boating in the future
Ps. I have had my sump replated and the manifold new studs but have not been out to try her next week mybe

Could be an overheating coil as well, they can overheat if anything amiss on the ignition like bad plug, lead, points, condenser etc.

RichK wrote:Could be an overheating coil as well, they can overheat if anything amiss on the ignition like bad plug, lead, points, condenser etc.

Yeah! the coil was red hot but It never felt like an electrical issue, gut instinct, and 50 years of mechanicing makes me think its a fuel issue. But fear not all the above will be checked as well.

All sorted today. I went for the full house just to be sure. Carb, new inline filter, condenser, points, coil, cleaned plugs. Ran like a sewing machine after..

Well done nice to be able to do it all yourself. Happy cruising to you and yours