We got a late start leaving Coinjock and attempted to make up time but were hampered by a temperamental oil pressure gauge. The smallest increase in speed pushed the oil pressure from 50 psi to 150. Slow down and the pressure corrected. Speed up a little and it would be ok… sort of. I finally realized that it takes a long (half hour) time for the engine oil to warm up on a cold morning and suspect that I need a thinner oil for cold weather operations. Comments appreciated from vicarious voyagers!
Entering Albermarle Sound, we had wind and waves coming from behind which was good…until it wasn’t. Half way across, the seas built to where Skip Stone had to be hand steered. Our engine was set for 10 knots through the water but our actual speed varied between 8 knots, slamming into the backs of waves and 13 knots surfing down the fronts. Great fun driving a 22,000 pound surfboard through a slalom course of crab pots, but a real work out for my arms.
Our destination was Alligator River Marine, a mere 30 miles from Coinjock, but due to our late start, and wrestling the helm for three hours, we decided that this was enough for today. This harbor is a model for making the most out of what you have. It is literally a gas station, with cars pulling up on one side and boats on the other. It has a fuel dock, transient slips, a convince store, a sort-of restaurant, a lighthouse and a big Mobil sign (sort-of angled to be seen from both the roadway or the waterway). We tied up a little after noon, and they asked if we needed diesel or wanted to have dinner. No to the fuel but, well yes, we are planning to eat dinner and they said that they made awesome fried chicken. OK…we’ll have the fried chicken from the gas station/convenience store/souvenir stand. We arranged to pick it up this local delicacy at 6. I am not a big fan of fried chicken, but this stuff was delicious! Yup, we’re in the South.
Another bonus of this stop was reconnecting with an ICW experienced couple from Oxford Maryland who are also traveling south. We were tied up next to them in Portsmouth and plan to have dinner together tomorrow night in Belhaven. They are traveling on a comparable side Sabre trawler and, comparing itineraries, we will probably be seeing a lot more of them. There is a lot to learn from them that’s done it and we are absorbing all we can.
Gas station fried chicken? Absolutely!
Gas station sushi? Never. Take my son Andrew’s word for it.
Fortunately, the sushi was correctly labeled as “bait”
Gas station ANYTHING (almost. See comment re GS sushi.) in the south is always great. Can’t go wrong. We appreciate your representing NTYC, Riverside and Bullocks Cove. Keep up the good work.
Proudly flying the burgee and having great fun slowing down to a more southern pace. Enjoying every day.
Now we know!
Dave- A VDO oil pressure guage will go to max if it looses its signal. I have the problem all the time on m port engine on the bridge station. (Most likly for me a corroded wire) Cabin station is always fine. It could be that something is opening up electrically when you push the RPM up. Take a look to unsure no leaks(especially near the sender) while running….under load, or at rpm in question…(after warm up of course). I am sure as you noted that oil pressure is vastly higher until engines are warmed up. It is not unreal to take a 1/2 hour or more to fully warm. My expereince is a diesel takes a real long time to warm up unless you load it up. Perhaps the long warm up time is the slow traffic you encounter on the intercoastal. I think better to err on slightly “too stiff” and a long warm up vs “too thin”. Bob Smith from American Diesel always said use straight 30 in the Lehaman’s I have, but I never heeded that advice as the stright 30 is hard to find (cheap as in at Walmart) and still run 15W-40 Rotella. The Turbo Cummins will be hard on on the oil, use the good stuff…..I was told by a Cummins “gear head maximus” to avoid 15w-40 Rotella as it thins out too much….but never heeded the advice (when I had Cummins), and still use that product in Patriot (non Cummins). That said, on a long hard (high rpm) run ofshore and back with my old Cummins I could get oil pressure alarm on when docking at 500 rpm. So, the morel of the story is a little thicker is perhaps better as long as you take your time warming up.