Recap of Grandbanks Delivery
The Grand Banks delivery went well. I had Will Parkinson with me for the trip. He is a highly skilled Marine Engineer at Mylor Yacht Harbour and boat enthusiast in his spare time. When we arrived up to Dartmouth the day before the delivery was scheduled, we both gave the boat a good check over. Having never seen the boat before, or have any history of it, one can never be too sure as to its ability and condition. It was apparent within seconds of firing up the port engine that there was a fluid leak. Will dived in there and reported back that there was a split in a hose coming off the raw water pump… The split was only small and with the engine idling, it was dripping rather than streaming. Nevertheless, a repair was needed.
A condition set down by the owner, and quite rightly, was that should you ever have to run on one engine only, the other shaft must be “tied off”. This is due to the lubrication of the gearbox being provided by the running engines oil pressure. Having had a look at how that was to happen, we decided it best if we could just keep both engines running. So a few careful wraps of self-amalgamating tape later, and we had a hose that dripped less. Will and I discussed that this would keep the engine and shaft operational, but we would not push the engine with the risk of the hose failing catastrophically, and subsequently having a open underwater thru hull, was reasonably serious. Little did the STBD engine know at that time, but it was to be the workhorse.
Following inspection of all the cabins, bilges, nooks and crannies, we stowed the boat for all weather and went through the remainder of the equipment on board to test its condition. Aside from a flat start battery on the generator, everything else was good to go. All wrapped up on board we nipped out for dinner and a pint before turning in for an early getaway.
0605 the next morning the engines were fired up and we were off the dock by quarter past. Dartmouth is relatively easy to pilot out of, especially with the procession of leading lights you can line up with on the way out or in. 
It was reasonably calm for the first hour, then we started to approach Start Point, which was offering us the protection from the westerly swell..
Round start point the 2.5m swell on the nose made itself known. I had also set up the autopilot for our course. This was struggling a bit, as every now and then we had the swell on the beam and were pointing in the wrong direction. It always recovered though. I put this down to small rudders, big props, and one engine with a knife in its teeth, and the other tagging along for the ride..
Between Start Point and Eddystone Light was reasonably uncomfortable, but the boat handled the conditions extremely well. Once we were past Eddystone Light the conditions calmed somewhat and the swell stretched out. This was the Lee effect coming from the Lizard Peninsula. (The southernmost point of England).
We cruised into Mylor and tied up alongside under the marina office. Quick wash down and job done.
A great seaworthy boat of which we are pleased to have been involved with.
Happy Skipper, Happy crew, Happy boatyard, but most importantly, Happy Owner.
Seaworthy Services is looking forward to the return trip in the spring, as well as any other coastal delivery opportunities around Devon, Cornwall and the English Channel. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if we can help you to make owning, operating and maintaining your boat easier!
See you on the water!
Tom
