It's the last Saturday of September. The warmth embraces at 24 degrees under a cloudless sky, and the wind is just right. We're on our way with the engine against the wind off the coast of Villing when I notice a significant slowdown in speed, even though the engine is running normally. A glance below the hatch into the engine compartment immediately reveals the issue. The propeller shaft is turning slowly despite the engine's RPM, indicating that the clutch on the 39-year-old Yanmar has reached the end of its journey. The diagnosis is confirmed by the googled information that the reverse gear may still function normally, and indeed, it did.

I didn't consider reversing back to the home harbor, but fortunately, there's a tailwind and sails. The location happened to be the most challenging with numerous rocks, but we managed. The next problem would arise from how to approach the dock without a working engine? The boat had to be towed the last 100 meters inside the breakwater to its own berth. It was time to resort to the help of Tross.

So, the sea rescue arrived shortly after and took the boat in a side attachment. Safely hugged, we docked into our own berth. It was once again a memorable day.

The following weeks were spent considering options for a new engine or a used marine gear that would surely be compatible with the 39-year-old Yanmar. The model details of the engine had worn off over the decades, and with a motor of that age, there were about ten sub-models to choose from.

New plates could be obtained for the clutch, but I couldn't find anyone willing to take on the job. A friend promised to help with the replacement work, but I began to hesitate about whether it was worth starting such a project outdoors against the winter, as neither of us had done such a task before. On the other hand, I pondered whether it made sense to repair a 39-year-old engine. The only certainty would be that it would break down from somewhere else next.

It was time to lift the boat for winter storage. The storage location was about an hour away, and the boat didn't have a working engine. So, the options were mainly to tow the boat to the winter storage location for lifting. October was well underway, and, of course, on the morning of the towing day, a storm and sleet hit. It was the sea journey of my life to be towed behind the tugboat, 20 meters away on a 17 m/s gusty wind, but miraculously, we reached our destination. There was even a stroke of luck that the idle lifting truck happened to be waiting at the pier, so the mast came down, and the boat was placed on the cradle. My son stayed to clean the bottom, and a significant weight dropped from my shoulders with the boat. Now, there was the entire winter to contemplate alternatives regarding the engine.

Capt. Simma

Dictated but not read.