23 August 2008 - New outboard (borrowed)

5.4 nautical miles

Started off the morning by helping Sheila get her boat afloat and then waited for Tim to come to the club. He brought with him a 2 HP Yamaha outboard which he is lending me. Thanks, Tim!

We checked it working in a bucket of water and then went out for a sail. There was very, very little wind, but Galini sailed beautifully and we backed the genoa to go about. Tim sails well, so doing this manoeuvre with him was useful to see. I had been advised to do this in strong winds when the waves push you back, but Tim said it was useful in light winds too... and so it was.

We then sailed over towards the marina to look at some of the sailing boats moored outside the harbour. There was quite a nice looking gullet - or sailing trawler, not sure which there, plus a number of modern plastic boats.

Tim needed to get off about lunchtime, so I sat and watched some youngsters who have just been given a boat clean it out and get it ready for sailing.

Then I took the outboard and put it on the back of Galini to try it out on the water. My first attempt was to use the outboard to steer and keep the tiller central. This worked... kind of... but pushed water at the tiller in an unhelpful way and was not really easily controllable. Taking the rudder off would have worked, but that would not be easy out on the water.

I had read that its often better to lock the outboard and use the tiller for steering, so my second attempt was to do that... but the outboard wouldn't start. Tim had suggested that it really needs a service as the fuel/air mixture is not quite right and I think he is correct... maybe also a new spark plug too.